Is it this bad everywhere?

fc123

Just to add...the problems in Indie retail are more to do with margins and ever increasing overheads (our rents are matched to Starbucks for example) rather than T/O...though, the drop in T/O this past year has been the final nail STS.

moanymoany

boyse7en wrote: »

Shoot them? waste of bullets. Just drive around here and you can run two or three over easily, the stupid bug... err birds don't even try and get out of the way.

On topic, I don't know of anyone made redundant/short week either. I live in a pretty rural area, so there are very few large manufacturing employers. Even the builders (small one- or two-man outfits) are busy doing stuff.

Hey Cletus, hope you stop and scrape - er pick - them up and take them home for dins!

fc123

Conrad wrote: »

Ah, got you now, thx.

I too have a high street shop, and this year has obviously been up and down.
Cant wait to sell up in about 5 years and do something else. I like having a shop, so I'm thinking home furnishings - mirrors, piccies, lamps, curio's and so on.
I do not think the internet can realistically compete with such shops, as I find online furnishings piccies aren't a lot of help and the vastness of choice and slowness and the fact you cant flit easily from one item to another to compare - you really need to see and touch stuff like this.
Would also look to sell coffee and high quality home made (probably made off the premises) food.

I will try and create a freindly warm atmosphere - I have this theory a lot of shops suffer because the atmoshphere is uncomfortable, for example too quiet with a looming person sitting at a desk that faces you as you try and shop.
When Im in a shop like that I want to feel inspired by the atmosphere and lost in my own world - not wondering if the shop keeper is staring at my back.

I love the atmoshphere in those shops under the arches in Camden market, with inscense and atmoshperic drum n bass tracks.:j

What about a chocolateria?

www.hotelchocolat.co.uk are doing a roaring trade both online and in Reallife.

They opened up in our area recently.

These types of 'experience' businesses wil buck the online trend. Could be the smell? Meet for hot chocolate etc. The new trend after coffee shops.

Lotus-eater

fc123 wrote: »

What about a chocolateria?

www.hotelchocolat.co.uk are doing a roaring trade both online and in Reallife.

They opened up in our area recently.

These types of 'experience' businesses wil buck the online trend. Could be the smell? Meet for hot chocolate etc. The new trend after coffee shops.

There was a chocolate cafe on TV last night (BBC2) ........ it closed.

fc123

Lotus-eater wrote: »

There was a chocolate cafe on TV last night (BBC2) ........ it closed.

Oooops...perhaps it wasn't much good? Anecdotal trade chat is Hotel Chocolat are cleaning up.
I don't know where Conrads premises are either...that would be impt. too.

domcastro

My friends in the South (Hampshire/Surrey borders) aren't affected at the moment - even the labourers seem to be ok

IveSeenTheLight

ginandtonic1988 wrote: »

Of the six people in my street that I know really well, two have been made redundant, one is on a three day week, one whose job was snowed under with work last year can now do her job standing on her head and one is having to travel huge distances to get work as for my job I work in conveyancing so who knows!! I really hope some of the goverment interventions work cause if they don't god knows what its gonna be like in a years time:eek:

Not in the industry I am in.
Were actually short of experienced personnel.

I dont know anyone personally who has been made redundant, in discussions for redundancy, on a reduced week (other than the 4 1/2 day / 9 week fortnight).
I do know people including myself that need to travel long distances to get to work. this is my choice though as to where I live in relation to my workplace.
It's part of life living in a global workplace

I do understand and sympathise with anyone who experiences tough times.
I know someone who experienced a downturn back in the 70's and decided to change careers for a more stable workplace.

I guess that it is part of life that some industries / jobs are affected in this cyclical environment and maybe they should be overly rewarded in the good times in order to compensate for the bad times

moanymoany

ginandtonic1988 wrote: »

Of the six people in my street that I know really well, two have been made redundant, one is on a three day week, one whose job was snowed under with work last year can now do her job standing on her head and one is having to travel huge distances to get work as for my job I work in conveyancing so who knows!! I really hope some of the goverment interventions work cause if they don't god knows what its gonna be like in a years time:eek:

Over on Old Style there are a lot of reports of redundancies and short week working.

fc123

IveSeenTheLight wrote: »

Not in the industry I am in.

I guess that it is part of life that some industries / jobs are affected in this cyclical environment and maybe they should be overly rewarded in the good times in order to compensate for the bad times

What do you do ? (pretending I am at a partee, holding a drink, asking you that;) )

My sector has had a lot of changes during the past decade and the crunch is going to give the whole industry a real shake up.

Things always change, margins change. High profit stuff ends up low profit etc etc


Moi, personally, desperately trying to keep one step ahead.

Annpan

A friend of ours has an architects business employing 5 staff in Staffordshire. He told me he has enough work until Christmas and then he'll have to lay someone off or go on short time.
Another friend works self employed driving a concrete wagon and he's really struggling for work.
It's not good.