Mary Portas take on dying High St's

lostinrates

bo_drinker wrote: »

We are going here tomorrow, see what its like

http://www.gloucesterquays.co.uk/content/home.php

let us know.

Glouscester certainly needed the investment put into it and I hope it benefits: though I don't suppose it will help the high street there, which is so different from, say, nearby Cheltenham, or Ledbury: both different, both, IMO, much nicer places to go.

Pobby

Hate to be a gloomer but after about 40 years in retail/ wholesale, I just feel that so much has changed. I remember, as a young rep in the 70`s, a customer who was in the East Midlands, guess he was middle aged with a small shop and not a great deal of stock but told me he made £1,000 a week turnover. Now in those days you would most likely buy for £100 and sell on for £155, industry mark up.

Would think his shop was less than a tenner to rent. Nice Lotus outside and the guy used to fly light aircraft. My thoughts are he was pulling down about £200 in his bin. Silly money then. How ever, discounting was in its infancy. Very few shops, far less, but good suppliers. I am in a niche market.

Roll on to now. Tons of shops, tons of suppliers, mail order, retail sheds, Tescoland, internet, e-bay. All having a bite of the cherry.

These days he would have no chance.

bo_drinker

Pobby wrote: »

Hate to be a gloomer but after about 40 years in retail/ wholesale, I just feel that so much has changed. I remember, as a young rep in the 70`s, a customer who was in the East Midlands, guess he was middle aged with a small shop and not a great deal of stock but told me he made £1,000 a week turnover. Now in those days you would most likely buy for £100 and sell on for £155, industry mark up.

Would think his shop was less than a tenner to rent. Nice Lotus outside and the guy used to fly light aircraft. My thoughts are he was pulling down about £200 in his bin. Silly money then. How ever, discounting was in its infancy. Very few shops, far less, but good suppliers. I am in a niche market.

Roll on to now. Tons of shops, tons of suppliers, mail order, retail sheds, Tescoland, internet, e-bay. All having a bite of the cherry.

These days he would have no chance.

It's the same with everything, it all eventually gets done to death or runs out of steam. Right place at the right time and preferably at the beginning. If not it needs to be different than the main stream

Pobby

bo_drinker wrote: »

It's the same with everything, it all eventually gets done to death or runs out of steam. Right place at the right time and preferably at the beginning. If not it needs to be different than the main stream

So very true. By 2004 so many had piled into my industry. My customer data base soared. Had to have my wife working with me, even doing the driving on business trips as my mobile was so busy. Then the decline started. Closures, people giving up, demand way down. Talk to some established retailers who are over 50% down. peak to trough.

bo_drinker

We went to Gloucester quays. It is possibly 50 - 60% occupied with other units being filled later in the year. I doubt they are rushing to get in there with the recession. I wouldn't want the head ache of it. Some had more staff than customers. M and S and Next outlets seemed busiest. I would say it won't be full in 12 months, I may be wrong. And I had a poncey coffee. How does a sun glasses shop survive 12 months in the UK??

fc123

did you get nabbed by Gok though?

bo_drinker

fc123 wrote: »

did you get nabbed by Gok though?

No, I don't know why he was on the website maybe he opened it ??(been opened a while now and still not full) If so that will be the best crowd they will see there for a while. I think it came about 5 years too late. Again I may be wrong and am always happy to be proved wrong

fc123

Next Q..did you buy anything apart from the poncy coffee?

bo_drinker

fc123 wrote: »

Next Q..did you buy anything apart from the poncy coffee?

Yes, very boring though, a top for O H and jeans and stuff. Poncy coffee was nearly 2 quid :eek: pastypresto.com

fc123

bo_drinker wrote: »

Yes, very boring though, a top for O H and jeans and stuff. Poncy coffee was nearly 2 quid :eek: pastypresto.com

I thought you wre kidding...what marketing guru came up with that name? Pastypresto.....aaahgh...Classic English product latched onto Italian word for quick....
Spud u like was the number worst name ever (along with toys r us).