Shoe shops, or the lack of.
When I were a young lass there was Freeman Hardy Willis, Saxone, Lilley & Skinner, Barratts etc etc and if you wanted to go a bit more exclusive there was the likes of Ravel and Bata and what was that other one. Now we have .... Shoe Zone or Shoe Zone. (And Clarks)
Shoe Zone just sells cheap plastic crap. Apparently if you want leather shoes, you have to order them on the web from "our sister store" Stead & Simpson (rapidly disappearing from our high streets as I speak). So they deliver shoe of your choice to Shoe Zone, from where I may collect them and (I'm not making this up, this is what the woman said) "try them on in the comfort of my own home". Clearly that's bollocks, you would try them on in the shop in case they don't suit - no point in taking them home to find that out. And so what then if they don't fit? You can't go "Oh, they pinch a bit, can I try on a (next size up)?" No, you can't, because they haven't got any - you have to order them in, remember? What sort of moron thought this was a good way to sell shoes?
All I want is a comfy pair of leather slip-on shoes that are flattish but with a little bit of height to lift me above the puddles and without paying silly money. Clarks have a few but not exactly what I want. Lots of fashion shops have shoes, well I say shoes, but it's wall-to-wall ballet pumps or boots and fuck all in between.
Bring back proper shoe shops. And let Shoe Zone be consigned to the hottest circle of hell, where their nasty plastic pumps should flare up nicely.