Major Retailers Closing

neverdespairgirl

louby_lou wrote: »

yes my mum swears by the hand cream - kept trying to push it onto me over xmas...

You should accept her pushing, it's brilliant stuff.

fc123

brightonman123 wrote: »

dont WHSmiths have the post orifice contract?

In Brighton they do...............And it's a pain in the buttt...but you get to leaf through the new G Ramsey whilst queueing.

The old post office building is going to be hard to shift though. Rumours were it was going to become an Urban Outfitters. Soozie, our lovely town centre manager, (who does try really hard on our behalf but doesn't quite get the issues many of us have), was hoping to attract John Lewis (their new, smaller format store plan)....but the building is listed, full of asbestos, doesn't meet any new disability access reqts etc.
Needs deep pockets.

Abercrombie and Fitch would be perfect but don't think there is enough of the high spending demographic that they need locally.

neverdespairgirl

I got sent to Sainsbury's today, one of those small ones in a village. They were out of bread, spuds, and carrots, completely out. Very odd.

kunekune

Our little bit of West Yorks was out of potatoes just before Christmas, had to get pre-prepared ones from M&S, which was a disaster, but that's another story.

I think bhs and debenhams are in trouble. Bhs have had difficulties for a while, IIRC, and though it's counter-intuitive maybe, the sheer size of the Debs pre-xmas sales makes me very suspicious.

No-one mentioned the booze shops, but we went past an extremely down at heel looking Victoria Wines today on the bus and I thought, hmmm. What's the other one - that always has 3 for 2? It used to be owned by Whitbreads, which is why they still stock Stowells stuff, but can't remember who it is now. It would be a pain, personally, as Bingley currently has no proper co-op either, and if we lost the off licence, the best supply in town would be at Spar, of all places! But thinking people short of money, I'd imagine that off licences of any quality would be in trouble.

My other guess is Clarks shoes. Others have been positive but I have had terrible experiences with them, perhaps our local franchise is particularly badly run. I've walked out of stores in Bradford, Leeds AND Keighley just because either I couldn't get served (cut costs, fewer staff) or they didn't have a proper size range (cut costs, less stock). If the shoes were cheap, that might not matter, but they're not. Nor are they particularly good quality either right now - and so far as kids are concerned, what the h*ck is the point of measuring up to an H fitting but then not stocking it AND refusing to sell you anything else. Brantano much better ...

olly300

kunekune wrote: »

I think bhs and debenhams are in trouble. Bhs have had difficulties for a while, IIRC, and though it's counter-intuitive maybe, the sheer size of the Debs pre-xmas sales makes me very suspicious.

I've just been told by someone I have talked to who has retail links that you are right.

So if you have vouchers from these stores get rid of them asap.

Kez100

Ah,ha. Someone else smelling my rats...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/richardfletcher/4015786/Retailers-are-paying-the-price-for-pre-packs.html

Armbase

disney_cjd wrote: »

currys and the rest of the DSG (and good riddance they are !!!!!)

Halfords which is a shame

and a bookstore. All will go

Why a shame for Halfords?
They are total rip off merchants.
2 bulbs for a volvo 3.99
2bulbs from Eurocarparts 90p
Bosch wiper blades (spoilers) £22 from Halfords
11.90 from eurocarparts
A HD battery from Halfords £90
From Dunlops or ECP's £55 (same make)

A bikelock as 70% in Alpine bikes
All bikes are cheaper in most independants. The only thing I found them EVER cheaper for was a bikerack and that was because they are about the only place that stocks them for my car.

A good tip for bikes is Paul's cycles (I think in southampton, but ship mationwide). The models are last years, however, you get a £1000 bike for 400 :-)

Cheers
Bob

hotlondon

Interesting article from today's Independent listing who the winners may be.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/who-are-the-last-men-standing-on-the-high-street-1216448.html

Plasticman

Olan Mills have gone bust too - not sure that they count as a major retailer. I always thought they charged rip off prices for a few photos.........

SingleSue

They went a few years ago and then came back again.....I used to have a plan with them which was quite decent, as long as you didn't buy any extras!

We were customers the last time they went under and it was touch and go about receiving our prints (for once we had gone for extras to use as Christmas presents), thankfully our order went through to their print department the day before they went into administration and we got our prints through just in time for that Christmas.

They were saved though and our plans taken over by whoever did the saving, looking at their site today it appears that their customers this time will not be so lucky.