High Street names that have completely vanished

Graham_Devon

Our price. Spent quite a lot of time in there with headphones on!

Blockbuster - kinda inevitable I guess. But nothing will beat preparing for the nights movie.

While not high street - Focus. It's name always confused me as is didn't seem to focus on anything at all. Meant to be a DIY store, but was a strange place selling seemingly whatever they could get their hands on.

chris_m

lindens wrote: »

Tandy
Bejam (bought by Tesco)

Bejam was bought by Iceland in 1989.

Maybe you were thinking (by word association) of Victor Value, bought by Tesco in 1968 and which Bejam bought from Tesco in 1986?

Thrugelmir

Whitbread used to brew beer. Now just coffee, food and hotels.

NCC-1701

lindens wrote: »

Tandy
Bejam (bought by Tesco)

Bejam was bought by Iceland.

westernpromise

Sapphire wrote: »

Bentalls is still alive and kicking; a few years ago, it was bought by Fenwicks from the Bentall family , who founded it in the 19th century. It's a good store (as is Fenwicks).

You're right, I was thinking of Gamages which AFAIK is now a hotel. Department stores were on their way out 30 years ago of course.

westernpromise

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Chains have grown to dominate. Do you remember how small the premises of supermarkets such as Sainsburys and Tesco's used to be on the High Street. High streets are dying in some areas. In the main due to out of town centres. High streets need to be returned to living breathing areas. Where residential is combined with units suitable for independent traders to set up. Globalisation is making shopping less of an experience and more of a chore.

Well this is it really. Colleagues from Germany who live in London but like to go for weekend citibreaks to Bath, Winchester, Salisbury, and so on, all comment that British high streets are all basically identical. The shops are all the same chains and the restaurants all sell the same food.

Thrugelmir

ilovehouses wrote: »

I can only imagine with horror the options available to the consumers of yesteryear such that it was the preferred shopping option.

No one is suggesting High Streets of old literally. More of a 21st century version. Lot to be said for a family owned business. In terms of quality of service etc. Particularly when one becomes a regular customer. Economies can work well at a local level where skills can be traded for goods, services and discounts not just money.

molerat

As with everything there is a wiki category "category: defunct retail companies of the united kingdom", can't seem to post a direct link though. Some real memories in that list.
Adams Kids
William Low
Richard Shops
Queensway

Graham_Devon

Does Kwik Save still exist? Haven't seen it for years.

molerat

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Does Kwik Save still exist? Haven't seen it for years.

http://www.kwiksave.co.uk/