One in five shops could close by 2018

robmatic

kabayiri wrote: »

The future of your local high street is down to us. There is no point in relying on government.

Do I use the butcher in the high street or the one in the supermarket 2+ miles away. Today I have a choice. If things continue tomorrow I may not.

Similarly high street retailers need to look at themselves. Realistically, local butchers are unlikely to receive my custom when they are mostly only open when I am at work. I may not miss today's 'choice'.

Thrugelmir

olly300 wrote: »

That's what they are trying to do with the pubs in my area.

The pub chains are trying to sell them off and get them redeveloped into flats. The local development plan doesn't allow houses unless the plot of land is massive.

I was thinking of major reconstruction of town centres. Where affordable property forms part of the project. There's simply too much unusable retail space. Large units that nobody wants. Make town centres living breathing 16/7 places.

Thrugelmir

IronWolf wrote: »

As consumers we should really be rejoicing in the death of the high street. The high rents push up the prices, and its us that ends up paying for it. Not to mention transport costs to get there, and parking.

I buy pretty much everything online except clothes, and I've even ventured into buying clothes online now, tailored shirts. I wouldn't do most of my clothes shopping online though, Im quite fussy about how I want things to fit.

And when Ebay, Amazon etc have relentlessly taken away trade from the likes of John Lewis what then?

Do you think that they are not going to exploit their dominance for the benefit of their shareholders......

TruckerT

Thrugelmir wrote: »

And when Ebay, Amazon etc have relentlessly taken away trade from the likes of John Lewis what then?

Do you think that they are not going to exploit their dominance for the benefit of their shareholders......

Maybe consumer advice will become a bit like financial advice - you either pay a fee, or you are told about the adviser's commission arrangements.

'Which' magazine has been going for years, and people are presumably happy to pay their charges.

TruckerT

The_pc_tech

Thrugelmir wrote: »

And when Ebay, Amazon etc have relentlessly taken away trade from the likes of John Lewis what then?

Do you think that they are not going to exploit their dominance for the benefit of their shareholders......

Exactly my point made earlier in the thread.

At the moment Amazon's customer service is good, they sent out a replacement router to me as the one I bought developed a problem with one of it's ethernet ports, all I had to do was package up the faulty one and return it once I had the new one however I don't think that standard will last when there is no choice.

Likewise I bought a Freesat box from John Lewis, about 8 months later it wouldn't turn on.

Took it back in and they sent it off, the manufacturer sent back a refurb, I rejected this and they let me pick a new box and just pay the difference.

We also bought a Christmas tree with snow effect on it, by the time it was time to take it down loads of the snow was on the floor so we went back.

They got someone to pick it up, did the refund and they sent my Mum some roses to apologise.

Now that's service!

zagubov

The_pc_tech wrote: »

Exactly my point made earlier in the thread.

At the moment Amazon's customer service is good, they sent out a replacement router to me as the one I bought developed a problem with one of it's ethernet ports, all I had to do was package up the faulty one and return it once I had the new one however I don't think that standard will last when there is no choice.

Likewise I bought a Freesat box from John Lewis, about 8 months later it wouldn't turn on.

Took it back in and they sent it off, the manufacturer sent back a refurb, I rejected this and they let me pick a new box and just pay the difference.

We also bought a Christmas tree with snow effect on it, by the time it was time to take it down loads of the snow was on the floor so we went back.

They got someone to pick it up, did the refund and they sent my Mum some roses to apologise.

Now that's service!

There aren't enough players in the mail order arena to ensure that amazon mainain their current standards of service. The high street stores have been trounced by the supermarkets. The last time I passed a poulterers' shop last summer I was tempted to photograph it as a historical record.

Even the supermarkets don't really compete all the time. We've a big S and T and Aand M in our area but only the T is 24 hours- I've heard the argument that in any city area there can only be one all-night supermarket.

I reckon that computers whould be hired the way TVs used to be, and that mobile phones sometimes are. But that's a really small nniche as we're conditioned to buy and junk them when the next "improvement" happens.

System

1 in 5 shops closing within 5 years sounds a pretty normal rate of turnover to me.
Hardly any of the shops in our local town are the same ones I remember from 20 years ago.

grizzly1911

zagubov wrote: »

There aren't enough players in the mail order arena to ensure that amazon mainain their current standards of service. The high street stores have been trounced by the supermarkets. The last time I passed a poulterers' shop last summer I was tempted to photograph it as a historical record.

Even the supermarkets don't really compete all the time. We've a big S and T and Aand M in our area but only the T is 24 hours- I've heard the argument that in any city area there can only be one all-night supermarket.

I reckon that computers whould be hired the way TVs used to be, and that mobile phones sometimes are. But that's a really small nniche as we're conditioned to buy and junk them when the next "improvement" happens.

An interesting little butchers in the centre of the old quarter in Lincoln , close to the cathedral and castle. Game and various "olde worlde" cuts and pies

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bailgate,+Lincoln&hl=en&ll=53.234914,-0.538437&spn=0.006871,0.013797&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=7.102588,14.128418&oq=Bailgate&t=h&hnear=Bailgate,+Lincoln,+United+Kingdom&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.235018,-0.538504&panoid=kDr7CM-HI4EwPMQ3KAaM9Q&cbp=12,101.34,,0,8.06

Another one her if your passing in Yorkshire. Just standing room for two in the shop.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=West+Burton&hl=en&ll=54.275938,-1.974237&spn=0.000838,0.001725&sll=53.235017,-0.538502&sspn=0.006922,0.013797&t=h&hnear=West+Burton,+North+Yorkshire,+United+Kingdom&z=19&layer=c&cbll=54.275838,-1.974391&panoid=dNiDL_Awv4zC5czWiI0ORw&cbp=12,336.36,,2,0.62

I don't really understand the need for 24 hour supermarkets in most places. On the odd occasion I have been in one they appear empty. I know they are filling shelves etc but the overhead in actually being open with a customer facing staff must be high in relation to turnover. If they all did it can you imagine the on cost to us the consumer.

One of the reasons people use to rent was the inherent unreliability in the new technology. I am not sure that is a problem any more. Model "design obsolescence" is a key sales ploy in many consumer articles from electronic must haves to cars and even tents. Must have this years colour way, grille or added bolt on.

Iphone 6 with ear proximity volume feature........

TruckerT

grizzly1911 wrote: »

An interesting little butchers in the centre of the old quarter in Lincoln , close to the cathedral and castle. Game and various "olde worlde" cuts and pies

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Bailgate,+Lincoln&hl=en&ll=53.234914,-0.538437&spn=0.006871,0.013797&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=7.102588,14.128418&oq=Bailgate&t=h&hnear=Bailgate,+Lincoln,+United+Kingdom&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.235018,-0.538504&panoid=kDr7CM-HI4EwPMQ3KAaM9Q&cbp=12,101.34,,0,8.06

Another one her if your passing in Yorkshire. Just standing room for two in the shop.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=West+Burton&hl=en&ll=54.275938,-1.974237&spn=0.000838,0.001725&sll=53.235017,-0.538502&sspn=0.006922,0.013797&t=h&hnear=West+Burton,+North+Yorkshire,+United+Kingdom&z=19&layer=c&cbll=54.275838,-1.974391&panoid=dNiDL_Awv4zC5czWiI0ORw&cbp=12,336.36,,2,0.62

I don't really understand the need for 24 hour supermarkets in most places. On the odd occasion I have been in one they appear empty. I know they are filling shelves etc but the overhead in actually being open with a customer facing staff must be high in relation to turnover. If they all did it can you imagine the on cost to us the consumer.

One of the reasons people use to rent was the inherent unreliability in the new technology. I am not sure that is a problem any more. Model "design obsolescence" is a key sales ploy in many consumer articles from electronic must haves to cars and even tents. Must have this years colour way, grille or added bolt on.

Iphone 6 with ear proximity volume feature........

I think it was Ralph Nader who first defined 'planned obsolescence' several decades ago. It was mostly about the tendency of cars to rust away almost completely within 3-4 years! These days we have a choice between continuing to run a 10-15 year old car and/or continually upgrading to the latest model. I would say that is an improvement in consumer freedom.

I frequently shop in Tesco after midnight. They don't have people on the tills all night - you have to go and find someone if you don't like the self-service option.

Specialist food shops are fine if you are on holiday with time to spare - the problem lies in the area of consumer technology, where it is difficult to find a shop assistant who knows anything at all about the products which their employer pays them to promote.

TruckerT

iAMaLONDONER

pqrdef wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22686180

So how much commercial property is likely to end up in Treasury-owned bad banks?

And when does Cameron wake up and realise that his government hasn't got an economic policy?

I hope that doesn't happen..