Whats happened to Southampton

[ladysaint]

and I am not talking about the football club but the city in general. I dont normally get time to go to the city centre as work outside Southampton and football/family take up the weekends. However, I have been on a course in the centre this week for three days and thought I would take advantage and have a look round the shops. The Bargate Centre and the Marlands centre are very depressing with hardly any shops in them and what there is in there are either closing down or poorly stocked. West Quay also has a few empty spaces and dont get me started on the high street as that is really depressing with empty shops and cheap outlets /christmas shops spouting. I know the whole country is in recession but surely not every city centre is like this does it.