Setbacks are piling up for Vienne's traders. In addition to empty storefronts, sluggish attendance, the continued weakening of purchasing power and the decline in attractiveness of city centers, there is the closure of the Notre-Dame car park in Poitiers last June and the collapse of block Z, at the beginning of October, which paralyzes part of the pedestrian sector in Châtellerault.
“In Poitiers, a thriving but sustainable commercial activity”
But appearances can be deceiving. Poitevin commerce is in tune with the reputation of the “sleeping beauty” of the city which shelters it according to Pierre-Marie Moreau, merchant and first vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Vienne. “Poitiers has the particularity of being the smallest of large cities and the largest of small towns, which means it is spared the effects of major crises. Facilities remain possible there under generally favorable conditions, even if the problem of parking remains a determining issue. In addition, the balance that must absolutely be maintained between the city center and commercial areas is ensured. The activity is therefore humming but lasting. »
An effect which does not benefit Châtellerault where commerce is going through a deeper crisis. “The city center no longer has the critical size to attract new brands. The departure of franchisees impacts independents and leads to an inevitable drop in attendance. The subject of attractiveness is therefore now of concern there, as in other municipalities such as Montmorillon or Neuville-de-Poitou. »
From the north to the south of the department, vigilance remains essential in the face of these fragile balances. The responsible and committed consumption that emerged during Covid is already a long way off. Several stores, notably from local producers well established locally such as Effect Bocal and Chez les Farmers in Poitiers or Ô Plaisirs Gourmandes in Châtellerault, have paid the price this past year. Fast fashion and online sales heavyweights like Amazon, Aliexpress and Temu continue to prosper. And Tours, Bordeaux or Niort remain in ambush to capture the Poitevin barge, at the risk of settling some scores for the department.
> 112, this is the number of non-sedentary merchant cards issued by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2023.
> 1%, this is the increase in attendance at the city center of Poitiers, between January 2021 and September 2024, measured by Mytraffic.fr for Grand Poitiers, using data from smartphone applications of users of the city center.
> 6 to 8 months is the average turnover time between two brands in commercial premises on the main roads in downtown Poitiers.
