The end of Debenhams in the high street

[worsleyweb]

Work from home shop from home!

we will all end up with rickets.

a sad day for me - like a good day shopping.

 

[marco]

where is this going.another what 12k out of work, unemployment keeps racking up, home reposetions will be rife soon the way its going

 

[MaineDAWG2008]

Disgusting... should the govt help out? Owners be fined? Has to be some sort of system in place to help out retail outlets, whether big or small.

Where did they fail? Cheaper alternatives? Poor product marketing?

 

[ctwrd]

To be fair this was going to go anyway just brought forward by lockdown

 

[worsleyweb]

Disgusting... should the govt help out? Owners be fined? Has to be some sort of system in place to help out retail outlets, whether big or small.

Where did they fail? Cheaper alternatives? Poor product marketing?

I think a failure in correlation between rents business rates, staff costs and profitability.

combined with this obsession with buying on line.

 

[worsleyweb]

To be fair this was going to go anyway just brought forward by lockdown

yes but it’s still sad. In town we have lost Lewis’s, kendals and debenhams in the last fifteen years. Now effectively primark, sports direct and empty! That’s not progress - is it!??

 

[marco]

Disgusting... should the govt help out? Owners be fined? Has to be some sort of system in place to help out retail outlets, whether big or small.

Where did they fail? Cheaper alternatives? Poor product marketing?

i think they simply failed due to online versus the hight St, how much were this company paying out in wages and Business rates, i bet now for every pound spent on those there probably 90p saved, this country is going to become like Detroit in the USA over their the local councils took the hit and eventually they went bust and when that happens the whole infrastructure collapses,its happening while we all sit here and watch without realising

 

[Ban-jani]

yes but it’s still sad. In town we have lost Lewis’s, kendals and debenhams in the last fifteen years. Now effectively primark, sports direct and empty! That’s not progress - is it!??

Town is a shit hole, I am hoping the new working from home culture shift will make small town and village centres thrive again.

At least I won’t have to walk through Piccadilly Gardens to get to Market St for something to wear.

 

[Summerbuzz]

Tax the supermarkets and poundland. They've benefitted massively from being allowed to remain open and sell non-essentials alongside their normal stuff. One off Amazon tax as well. Then lower VAT, and rent rebates.

I honestly think there are economic opportunities that could be drawn out from this. COVID safe environment consultancies? Green badge COVID safe+ scheme? Sort of thing.

Well being and the whole experience out to be a focus. Along with the assurance of safety, there's surely quite a bit of monetizable stuff in there.

 

[ctwrd]

yes but it’s still sad. In town we have lost Lewis’s, kendals and debenhams in the last fifteen years. Now effectively primark, sports direct and empty! That’s not progress - is it!??

Nope. Every high street Poundland these days.

partly down to these shops not adapting fast enough.

future of a lot of high streets that are doing better is with smaller independent shops which are more unique and people therefore have a reason to go. Problem is these tend to be easier to launch in wealthier areas.

altrincham is the one which is rammed down throats as the main example of this but other areas are trying similar things.

you’d imagine eventually when there is nowhere to try on clothes etc... people will go “damn” and wish there were shops again.

the internet is often cited as a reason and it is a big one together with the out of town shopping centres but I would say the supermarket has over the course of time really done in lots of high streets. The loss of independent greengrocers, butchers, bakers etc... which draws people in to the other shops as well.