Is the High Street doomed

[hash tag]

Smith's on stations are ok but the shops are deteriorating pretty badly.

 

[mx wcfc]

Odd to recall how many years ago WH Smith's was emblematic of stolid respectable retail, like M&S but for magazines and stationery. Anytime I go in one now, usually in a railway terminus, it just leaves me hating the modern world more.

They (WHSmith) had/have a concession on the train platform I leave from normally. Smallest, cheapest bottle of water was £2.99, and exploitative rip off. I know these shops are normally run by a franchisee company, but it's their name over the door and still screws their reputation.

 

[Doodler]

They (WHSmith) had/have a concession on the train platform I leave from normally. Smallest, cheapest bottle of water was £2.99, and exploitative rip off. I know these shops are normally run by a franchisee company, but it's their name over the door and still screws their reputation.

Pretty much anything which doesn't have a price printed on it, like a newspaper or book, is a ripoff in there.

 

[hash tag]

Pre covid I remember them trying to give water away with newspapers

 

[Artaxerxes]

Pre covid I remember them trying to give water away with newspapers

They usually have a bottle of water or a massive chocolate bar on offer.

Still not worth the visit.

 

[ska invita]

They (WHSmith) had/have a concession on the train platform I leave from normally. Smallest, cheapest bottle of water was £2.99, and exploitative rip off. I know these shops are normally run by a franchisee company, but it's their name over the door and still screws their reputation.

i think its to do with crazy rents at stations
i read that in Freaknomics or one of those books, theres a chapter about why everything is so expensive at train stations

 

[hash tag]

Train fares you say. Expensive? This way "The UK has the most expensive train fares in Europe"

 

[Elpenor]

i think its to do with crazy rents at stations
i read that in Freaknomics or one of those books, theres a chapter about why everything is so expensive at train stations

I think it was the undercover economist by Tim Hartford as it refers to AMT coffee stalls which are apparently situated along the busiest path of foot traffic

 

[ska invita]

I think it was the undercover economist by Tim Hartford as it refers to AMT coffee stalls which are apparently situated along the busiest path of foot traffic

that rings a bell, yes was about coffee at stations

 

[hash tag]

Cotswold Outdoor are not particularly cheap. It may be that they suffer a similar problem to that which shut Jessops: people using their shops as showrooms before buying the products more cheaply online from other vendors. btw Cotswold Outdoor used to employ many of their staff on zero hours contracts, I don't know if they still do.

Gutted. Have just found out my local Cotswold has just closed. No more sneaking of for a crafty purchase at lunchtime. That was the only 1 of 2 shops I would ever bother to visit.

 

[Chilli.s]

Cotswold Outdoor, it's a shame as I liked that shop. But too pricey, I bought several things from them over the years. The last waterproof I tried on for size and offered to buy it at Internet price plus £20 all in cash, the declined my offer, I saved £60!

 

[hash tag]

I couldn't/wouldn't do that. I would go without first.

 

[Chilli.s]

Cant go without, wont pay through the nose

 

[Artaxerxes]

It’s the mid range shops that have really plummeted in quality last few years, though even mountain warehouse used to be much better quality.

Now everywhere is primark or boohoo quality

 

[hash tag]

I get the impression that M&S have lost their way with clothes, but their foodie stuff is going very well.

 

[mx wcfc]

I get the impression that M&S have lost their way with clothes, but their foodie stuff is going very well.

I actually went to M&S a month or so ago and bought some new underpants. Their underwear is very good imho, much better than the branded stuff mrs mx gets me from TKMax for xmas.
It is highly unlikely that I would buy any type of clothing there.

 

[hash tag]

Marks is pants for clothes

Gets coat.

 

[Orang Utan]

Marks is pants for clothes

Gets coat.

not just any coat

 

[hash tag]

Gone, killed by Tesco next door?

 

[hash tag]

John Lewis shedding yet more jobs
BBC News - John Lewis and Waitrose plan to cut 1,000 jobs

John Lewis and Waitrose plan to cut 1,000 jobs

John Lewis and Waitrose want to make the cuts as part of a shake-up of store management.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[hash tag]

Does this mean we should have no connection with any person who had a long deceased relative who was a Nazi. Should this prevent me from owning a VW a Porsche or an Audi for example?
Do we not care about recent racists, tax avoiders etc?

Yes

Two more for the list then ( both highlighted to me just today) ;

Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad's Nazi ties 'went deeper'

The founder of the Ikea furniture chain, Ingvar Kamprad, is facing further questions about his Nazi past following claims in a new book.

www.bbc.co.uk

German pizza giant Dr Oetker reveals Nazi-era past

The head of Dr Oetker - one of the world's biggest frozen pizza makers - has revealed the family firm's former links to Germany's Nazi party.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[fieryjack]

Gone, killed by Tesco next door?
View attachment 278222

It's been a long slow death if that's the place in Earlsfield. Used to be really good but quality seemed to dip a few years ago, maybe to cope with diminished footfall

 

[hash tag]

It was in Earlsfield.

 

[Cerv]

They (WHSmith) had/have a concession on the train platform I leave from normally. Smallest, cheapest bottle of water was £2.99, and exploitative rip off. I know these shops are normally run by a franchisee company, but it's their name over the door and still screws their reputation.

realistically though do Smiths have a reputation left to screw? ask anyone about them and the first response will be that they're the rip off in train stations or rip off in hospital waiting rooms.

 

[Dystopiary]

Can't see WH Smith lasting much longer outside of motorway services.









Shit state of their carpets seems to be where that last account got their name from.

 

[Raheem]

Why it still exists has been one of the puzzles of the century so far, though. Maybe it can just go on defying logic forever.

 

[Nine Bob Note]

AFAIK, WHSmiths/Menzies control the distribution of newspapers/magazines throughout the country, and they also own many of their high street retail units. No amount of turning your nose up at half-price bars of Galaxy or £7 packets of Staedtler pencils is gonna change that.

 

[Orang Utan]

Why it still exists has been one of the puzzles of the century so far, though. Maybe it can just go on defying logic forever.

massive laundering operation, I reckon

 

[ska invita]

i wonder if they are making any money out of the post office thing.
If Smiths goes, so do post offices

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Pretty much the largest shop in my town is a Smiths, messy, disorganised shelves, half the lights not on, staff appalling bad at even pretending to give a shit. Yet it is always busy, never been in and found it empty, so there must be something there.