Many many businesses DEAD

[Raining on Me]

That's PoundWorld not Poundland.

Pretty much sums up Poundworld's problem then. Although Poundland chucking out random items for 2 quid or a fiver and then clothes of all things suggests TROUBLE AT MILL surely...

 

[AGinAg (37)]

Fenwicks is fucking invincible to all this.

My brother in law contracted quite high up in the company and told stories of the whole thing being an utter shambles, but the family who own it are stinking rich (and mad) and would rather keep the businesses open - even if they're making a massive loss - as a point of pride.

Plus they own all the buildings they're in so running costs are pretty cheap.

Of course, everything has it's breaking point, but still.

It does seem rather insane and invincible. They turned:

(It really didn't look that different by the time it was renovated) to:

They also have a HUGE amount of influence in the town. They stopped an out of town shopping area that EVERYONE wanted for about 5 years just because.

 

[Raining on Me]

It's pretty much an afternoon out. The kitchen section is to die for.

I do enjoy a peruse of that and the toy section and observing bored people trying to look important on the concession stands but either way I leave feeling poor and wanting to just go to the pub instead

 

[Raining on Me]

It does seem rather insane and invincible. They turned:

(It really didn't look that different by the time it was renovated) to:

They also have a HUGE amount of influence in the town. They stopped an out of town shopping area that EVERYONE wanted for about 5 years just because.

I don't know how any of it works but they did EXACTLY the same in Canterbury I assume, as the seemingly prestigious Ricemans became one.

I do love the idea that the Fenwicks family are nothing but money hungry and insane

 

[Ellie]

Bring back Dickens & Jones.

Anyway, at least the great Bentalls in Kingston (another Fenwick store) still stands. They all said it would fall 25 years ago when John Lewis opened across the road, but they remained strong just by being better at everything.

 

[AGinAg (37)]

I don't know how any of it works but they did EXACTLY the same in Canterbury I assume, as the seemingly prestigious Ricemans became one.

I do love the idea that the Fenwicks family are nothing but money hungry and insane

Everyone resented the change, killing off a High Street name, but no one complains about a shiny new building taking pride of place.

 

[Raining on Me]

It doesn't really surprise me. M&S is probably as popular with the middle aged and middle class who are happy to pay well over a hundred quid for a woollen jacket, whereas Primark appears to be teeming with gaggles of girls who shop together but don't spend as much together as one pensioner.

It doesn't surprise in some ways but when all you hear is how Primark are going from strength to strength while there are weekly M&S DEAD articles, it's a bit ridiculous.

 

[lolly]

It doesn't surprise in some ways but when all you hear is how Primark are going from strength to strength while there are weekly M&S DEAD articles, it's a bit ridiculous.

Isn't that because M&S were SO big though, historically? Which I guess becomes a problem for them as haemorrhage business in terms of running all those stores.

 

[AGinAg (37)]

I imagine M&S, like WHSmith have done quite well by appearing at captive markets like railway stations and petrol stations. Not that you can pick up a blouse and a pair of y-fronts there, but I imagine it helps overall.

Just to say again WHSmith's survival where others went is such a fucking shame.

 

[lolly]

The railway WHSmiths do entirely prop up their shoddy other stores don't they?

Everything you can get in WHSmiths you can buy cheaper elsewhere. I really do not see the point.

 

[Kate]

I don't know how any of it works but they did EXACTLY the same in Canterbury I assume, as the seemingly prestigious Ricemans became one.

Ricemans Best toy department ever.

 

[Raining on Me]

Isn't that because M&S were SO big though, historically? Which I guess becomes a problem for them as haemorrhage business in terms of running all those stores.

I think so, presumably all the doom and gloom headlines come from them nosediving while Primark climbs but I just never guessed HOW big they were to still be on top in terms of high street sales.

I mean everyone loves their food related stuff but walking around the rest doesn't seem much better than a trip through BHS before it died. Not as bad but hardly a CUT ABOVE!

 

[octophone]

M&S clothes are shit - I can't get a thing there because everything's so damn short.

 

[octophone]

I do find it mind boggling however that M&S still sells more clothes in their shops in the UK than anyone else, Primark included. How on earth is that still possible?!

I do wonder what percentage of their sales is underwear because, for a long time, M&S were very highly rated for such things, even by fashionistas who wouldn't have been seen in M&S outerwear. But they seem to have slipped down a bit (no joke intended). I've switched to Next myself.

 

[Shirley]

Come on you have to say it

THEIR PANTS HAVE DROPPED OFF

 

[octophone]

Come on you have to say it

THEIR PANTS HAVE DROPPED OFF

Their bras have sagged too...

 

[Ellie]

M&S are SHITE for underwear. That was what BHS did far better and for cheaper.

For bras they don’t fit anyone properly, going by Victorian measuring methods before the invention of elastic. Then when they know they don’t have your size, they try to force you into an ill fitting garment that they do have.

 

[Raining on Me]

M&S are SHITE for underwear. That was what BHS did far better and for cheaper.

For bras they don’t fit anyone properly, going by Victorian measuring methods before the invention of elastic. Then when they know they don’t have your size, they try to force you into an ill fitting garment that they do have.

Well no wonder it's so popular. I'll be off to buy a pair of itchy knee-length flannel drawers TOMORROW

 

[Shirley]

House of Fraser DEAD

And it was going to be the CENTREPIECE in our BRAND NEW SHOPPING CENTRE

Like that's ever going to get built

 

[lolly]

HoF SAVED by Sports Direct

for now

 

[Indie]

HoF SAVED by Sports Direct

for now

Next up: Poundstretcher buys Selfridges

 

[Shirley]

I was gonna say

HOUSE OF FRASER RISES FROM GRAVE

 

[Slave]

House of Fraser selling FOOTBALL SOCKS and GOLF UMBRELLAS is the business model we didn’t even know we needed.

 

[Christian]

There's a new shopping centre about to be developed in my home town of ROYAL Tunbridge Wells and I'm quite agog that ANYONE would invest their cash in RETAIL

I predict it going BUST in a year

 

[Eddie]

There's a new shopping centre about to be developed in my home town of ROYAL Tunbridge Wells ...

Poor The Pantiles.

 

[lolly]

Debenhams now looking increasingly dodgy, apparently.

Can't say I'll miss them if they do go.

 

[Zu]

I had a displeasingly dry bun at Debenhams when I decided I deserved a so-called TREAT a few years ago although why on earth I chose to go there, God only knows

 

[Rita]

Now I only really pop in to Debenhams for cosmetics but if they close down it will leave a MASSIVE gap on the high street.

 

[Rita]

Are all Debenhams buildings not huge? Are we not going to have a high street at all in the next few years?

TAKE ME BACK TO THE 80’s.

 

[Kala]

I like Debenhams actually, their luggage is excellent and their own brand clothes are pretty good value. Most of their stores actually make profit, so I imagine if they get into trouble then they will find a buyer.

 

[octophone]

I had a displeasingly dry bun

Is that polari or an actual bun of the type you eat?

 

[octophone]

Pound shops and Costa. That'll be the high street.

 

[Rita]

Pound shops and Costa. That'll be the high street.

Charity shops, and bloody bookmakers too. It is all so depressing.

 

[Zu]

Even the (massive) Oxford Street branch is never exactly teeming with eager shoppers. I’m sure someone died after falling from the escalators in there a while ago. The poor love was probably in a desperate rush to get out

 

[Kate]

First House of Fraser now Debenhams? I hope John Lewis are doing OK.

 

[Zu]

Is that polari or an actual bun of the type you eat?

Actual bun. I mean WHY

 

[Kala]

Even the pound shops have struggled. Poundworld has gone and Poundstretcher is in trouble.

I can see WH Smith, HMV, River Island and Holland and Barrett going bust.

 

[Rita]

Even the pound shops have struggled. Poundworld has gone and Poundstretcher is in trouble.

I can see WH Smith, HMV, River Island and Holland and Barrett going bust.

I never quite understand why WH Smith are still a functioning business? The book section is atrocious, the magazines/newspapers can be found online, and the stationary can be bought a lot cheaper elsewhere.

 

[Ellie]

Even the (massive) Oxford Street branch is never exactly teeming with eager shoppers. I’m sure someone died after falling from the escalators in there a while ago. The poor love was probably in a desperate rush to get out

It didn’t help that they had no air conditioning at all this summer.

 

[octophone]

HMV have already been bust and rescued. Holland and Barrett's never ending sale is now matching DFS for persistence. WH Smith's seem to make enough from selling Toblerone in airports to survive. River Island? Dunno.