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British High Street Death List 2020

Started by Blue Jam, January 10, 2020, 01:36:38 PM

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Blumf

HMV at the local mall has big 'Closing Down Sale' signs up, but you go in and next to bugger all is reduced. I suspect it is a negotiating tactic with the landlord.

Speaking of which, Intu, the company that owns the mall, is almost certainly doomed. I think they're stuck between the rock of their mortgages (which, as part of the contract, will put a floor on the rents they can charge) and the hard place of shops just not being that profitable any more. Something needs to give, and Intu will almost certainly be part of that.

BlodwynPig

Quote from: The Culture Bunker on January 10, 2020, 02:33:38 PM
The one in Manchester has a gaming chair in the window, and I did think that's the sort of thing they should be focusing on, as people are surely more likely to buy furniture in a shop than online (so you can see if you can fit your arse in it, for instance).

a gaming chair = your final resting place

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Blumf on January 10, 2020, 02:40:33 PM
HMV at the local mall has big 'Closing Down Sale' signs up, but you go in and next to bugger all is reduced. I suspect it is a negotiating tactic with the landlord.

Speaking of which, Intu, the company that owns the mall, is almost certainly doomed. I think they're stuck between the rock of their mortgages (which, as part of the contract, will put a floor on the rents they can charge) and the hard place of shops just not being that profitable any more. Something needs to give, and Intu will almost certainly be part of that.

I heard that all Intu's will become Tory Propaganda Arena's in the next 3 years

Jerzy Bondov

Our HMV has big CLOSING DOWN EVERYTHING MUST GO signs but it's just moving down the road

Sebastian Cobb

Quote from: Enrico Palazzo on January 10, 2020, 02:40:22 PM
Byres Road. Didn't realise the grubby one was gone but there's a pop-up one selling suspiciously cheap vinyl on Byres Road at the moment. Got Kathryn Joseph and Breeders records at the weekend - two for a tenner.
Byers Road. Ooh will have to look out for that.

There's still signs up for the lane one, or there was the last time I wandered past.


BlodwynPig

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on January 10, 2020, 02:43:41 PM
Byers Road. Ooh will have to look out for that.

There's still signs up for the lane one, or there was the last time I wandered past.

Byars Rood.

I was there earlier this week but it was pissing down and pitch black so I never took a look.

Captain Z

Quote from: Jerzy Bondov on January 10, 2020, 02:42:26 PM
Our HMV has big CLOSING DOWN EVERYTHING MUST GO signs but it's just moving down the road

Phew, I can still buy that remastered vinyl Keane album, a pair of non-professional plastic headphones for £120 and a POP! character model of someone from Game Of Fortnites.

idunnosomename


Captain Crunch

Was surprised to see a branch of Clinton's in Newcastle, I thought they'd all been wiped out?  There's also a shop that sells mainly Dawson's Creek merchandise, is it a front for a cult? 

Blue Jam

Quote from: BlodwynPig on January 10, 2020, 02:41:17 PM
a gaming chair = your final resting place

As much as I love games I draw the line at buying a gaming chair. If that ever happens I will probably be on a slippery slope to buying a onesie and living off Fridge Raiders.

I hope GAME don't go under too soon, I got a voucher for Christmas.

The last time I was in there I bought a Funko Pop* and they had a whole aisle of them, with loads of games-related merchandise opposite- Minecraft hoodies, those Christmas jumpers with PlayStation buttons woven into the pattern, etc. I guess all the tat will slowly take over the store and push out the games. I mainly download games too, mostly on Game Pass.

*Jordan "NUTJOB" Henderson. Nothing to do with gaming unless you count FIFA, but what the hell, they're surviving.

Quote from: Blue Jam on January 10, 2020, 03:03:17 PM
I hope GAME don't go under too soon, I got a voucher for Christmas.

You want to get that used quick, they're usually invalid when a company goes into receivership.

Blue Jam

Quote from: Better Midlands on January 10, 2020, 03:09:37 PM
You want to get that used quick, they're usually invalid when a company goes into receivership.

Oh I know, I was hoping to spend it on the new System Shock reboot or Deathloop but I may have to buy something which is coming out sooner.

I know WH Smith are still going because the airport/train stations branches keep them afloat, and it seems the same thing is happening with Monsoon/Accessorize. They've been closing branches in town centres and relying on people who get to the airport and realise they've forgotten to pack some sunglasses and a hat.

I don't know about Boots though, people will always need toothpaste, shampoo and medication, surely?

jobotic

I have two Superdry shirts that were bought for me years ago, when they were new (to me). They're really durable, look like they did new. I just wish they didn't stick labels all over their stuff - I'm no Weekend Gary/Colin, I'm an individual me.

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Blue Jam on January 10, 2020, 03:10:29 PM
Oh I know, I was hoping to spend it on the new System Shock reboot or Deathloop but I may have to buy something which is coming out sooner.

I know WH Smith are still going because the airport/train stations branches keep them afloat, and it seems the same thing is happening with Monsoon/Accessorize. They've been closing branches in town centres and relying on people who get to the airport and realise they've forgotten to pack some sunglasses and a hat.

I don't know about Boots though, people will always need toothpaste, shampoo and medication, surely?

Yes, the Boots prediction surprises me. They have become less pleasant places to spend an afternoon and the smaller pharmacies that still survive often have more charm, but its not Clinton Cards level of shit yet.

NoSleep

Just missed 2020 but massive Morrisons which opened here only 5 years ago closed down a month ago.

Boots feels like it's stuck in a timewarp. My local looks and feels exactly the same as it did 30 years ago minus the sadly departed computer games/electronic typewriter section.

Blue Jam

Don't forget the homebrew kit. Boots should start selling homebrew gear again, they'd make a killing from hipsters.

The branches of Boots near me are all fine, but I remember going into the Superdrug in Wrexham on a visit home in the 2000s and seeing the old logo on the store front. I think the Tesco had the old logo for a bit too. That's something I always notice in small towns- rebrands always seem to start in major cities and reach the small towns later. Seeing the old logos feels like really crap time travel.

Sebastian Cobb

My folks have a boots slide projector, which seems a bit wrong although I guess like a lot of chemists they used to develop film.

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on January 10, 2020, 05:22:03 PM
My folks have a boots slide projector, which seems a bit wrong although I guess like a lot of chemists they used to develop film.

Boots did a load of own brand electronics stuff. I had a Teleflash 110 camera from there and this cassette recorder when I was a kid;

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/unknown_boots_radio_cassette_recorder_mcr765.html

Everyone in our family swore by Boots Audio stuff. Players, C90s, storage solutions, the lot.

idunnosomename

There is still a Wimpy in Peterborough

sevendaughters

makes me wonder why they have rents for certain kinds of shops these days. would probably be better to have a higher local tax or something. it's not like if HMV (ours is also set for closing down, unless I live right near two people from here) is going to be replaced with anything at all. same with Joules.

Blue Jam

Quote from: Huxleys Babkins on January 10, 2020, 05:40:54 PM
Boots did a load of own brand electronics stuff. I had a Teleflash 110 camera from there and this cassette recorder when I was a kid;

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/unknown_boots_radio_cassette_recorder_mcr765.html

Everyone in our family swore by Boots Audio stuff. Players, C90s, storage solutions, the lot.

I remember the Boots C90s, and I'm pretty sure I once had a Boots own-brand walkman personal stereo.

seepage

I'm sure I had a Boots home computer, or was it from Lyons tea shop?

EDIT: I did buy most of my programmable calculators from Boots, but they weren't own-brand.

Blue Jam

I forgot to add: Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Principles, Burton and all of the tainted Sir Philip Green-owned brands. I remember reading Topshop were in trouble and the last time I went in there my local one resembled a jumble sale, and this is the big one on Prince's Street in Embra.

Also who the fuck shops at Principles?

NoSleep

Quote from: Huxleys Babkins on January 10, 2020, 05:40:54 PM
Boots did a load of own brand electronics stuff. I had a Teleflash 110 camera from there and this cassette recorder when I was a kid;

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/unknown_boots_radio_cassette_recorder_mcr765.html

Everyone in our family swore by Boots Audio stuff. Players, C90s, storage solutions, the lot.

Though they never sold boots, surprisingly.

Blue Jam

I reckon Sweaty Betty might be in trouble. Sports Direct is cheaper, Lulu Lemon is cooler.

How long before the entire high street is controlled by Mike Ashley and Tim Martin?

sevendaughters

Quote from: Blue Jam on January 10, 2020, 05:49:14 PM
I reckon Sweaty Betty might be in trouble. Sports Direct is cheaper, Lulu Lemon is cooler.

How long before the entire high street is controlled by Mike Ashley and Tim Martin?

yeah and brands like Gymshark have a sort of influencer brand evangelist pyramid scheme distro method that seems to work against the bricks and mortar meat and veg sex once a week in 2 positions of Sweaty Betty.

The Culture Bunker

Quote from: idunnosomename on January 10, 2020, 05:42:59 PM
There is still a Wimpy in Peterborough
There's a few at motorway service stations, but they're just yer bog standard fast food outlets ie you order, then get given your burger and chips to take away with you. Which seems to be defeating the point of Wimpy, that being you got to sit down at a table, have someone take your order and then eat with cutlery and have your drink in a proper glass.

Which is why that was the only burger bar place my mam would take me too as a kid - the semblance of civilised eating.

NoSleep

Wimpy's mainly differ from McDonalds or Burger King because your burger is cooked after you order it.

I'm not aware of any Wimpy's that have shut down in any of the locations I've known them to be.

Dr Trouser

Quote from: Blue Jam on January 10, 2020, 05:47:13 PM

Also who the fuck shops at Principles?

Wasn't that the shop specifically for fat people or was that Evans?