The High Street Crisis in Britain

John lewis was already a good digital platform even before covid and was offering a lot of click and collect in store prob hastened it by a few years but was always going to go that way

least john lewis was run well and the staff usally profit from there hard work in form of bonuses. if more companys followed there model would be a lot better business enviromnent


Saw that Greggs made a 14million loss for the year think they had made a 100+ million profit the year before

Confectionary Company Thorntons announced this week that they are to close all of it's 61 shops.

They made great coffee

(17-03-2021 16:49 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  Confectionary Company Thorntons announced this week that they are to close all of it's 61 shops.

they had been in trouble for years anyway and had more than 61 shops in the past

****BREAKING NEWS*****
John Lewis have announced that 8 more stores will not reopen after lockdown restrictions are lifted putting 1500+ jobs at risk.

Seeing this today made my heart sink - have worked in one of the units for nearly 17 years

https://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/business/...re-8629356

Having now read the article, it did make stark reading, and pretty much agree with what was written.
I am sure the very same scenario is being played out in every high street in every city & town centre across the UK.

Here where I live, I would say that if we lose the shopping mall here in WGC, we stand to tear out the very heart beat of the local community and once we lose that, we pretty much face an uphill battle to get it back. The local council only started revitalising the next town along from us some five years ago or so - when they should have done it some 20 - 30 years ago!! - and now we face the same nightmare scenario in WGC. Losing both Next and with M & S moving business to Stevenage in April leaves us with shopping mall with nearly 20% of units empty. The only major Names in the centre are us (WH SMITH my store), Boots & Possibly H & M, with H & M occupying nearly half the North Mall, and I think rumours are that New Look are set to close too. Outside of the centre, the shops are just mixture of coffee shops and bars and fast food (which I am sure is repeated in your town centres too) with only Waitrose, Iceland & Sainsbury's providing alternative food shopping options and our local John Lewis for others. How much longer those names will stay in WGC is another question. Once we lose one of those names, we probably could be putting the final nail in the coffin of our local high street.

I am sure some you probably would be echoing my thoughts for your own areas.

Debenhams closed their doors here last April, and that unit was likely to be turned into flats and I have yet to see anything to suggest this work is taking place. I can only surmise that the pandemic has probably screwed up any revitalisation budget to encourage any real inward major investment, and I do know the new homes plan for the county was something like 10 - 30,00 new homes over the next 10 years, (I can't exactly remember the figures that were quoted). If The Centre closes there is very little left in the way of job opportunities. I have not used public transport for at least the last two years or more and enjoy the walk I have to work every day and would love to continue doing so until my retirement. I would definitely would have to re - think my employment strategy if that happened.

Would any of you agree that ever since the pandemic started consumer confidence in the High Street has dropped to an all time low?

From my own perspective I would say that the next six months will be a definite make or break for some stores. There are reports locally that M & S will possibly retain their food hall in the shopping mall, and I do hope they will consider retaining the coffe shop as well. Fingers crossed that proves to be the case.
But overall the centre DOES need a new major name on the high street to grow centre footfall.

I did notice one of the smaller unit near my workplace has closed it doors, but with the dreaded NI hike on the way, and all other costs, I think it could be a very tough six months ahead for the high street. When I have gone into work early, lately I have noticed it does take a good half an hour to forty minutes before I serve anybody and when I do, it's usually just the papers and checking lottery tickets or scratch cards. In the afternoons the centre is nearly practically empty at 3:30 - 3:45, which has been the case since the original lockdown. I can sense a situation arise when it is even possible that some stores may have to end up opening during the week and be open for a shorter period of time, and may be be closed over the weekend - we shall see.
We recruited two new people recently whether they will stay around long enough remains to be seen, but certainly the national economic situation is going to hit very hard indeed an just how many more names will close stores this year or even go out of business?

I doubt if even any windfall tax on the energy companies would ease the situation.

Our local M & S store finally closed it doors two/three weeks ago, and that has definitely caused a drop off to the shopping centre. New Look were also reportedly closing at the same time but I haven't heard or seen anything to that effect. It is going to take a big name to take over that unit, and we are now just left with Waitrose, Sainsburys and Iceland as food shopping points in town. I would say that the NI hike probably also has an effect and probably will do for some time to come. M & S moved up to Stevenage and probably be a pain in the rear end for a lot of people my family still do a weekly shop on Ocado and they have M & S at London Colney to go to. I feel many people I serve and talk to when in work are now wondering if John Lewis store are now re - considering their position. I am just wondering if the days of the shopping mall are numbered. I'd say for my town the next 6 - 18 months are crucial whether the centre can really take another unit closure.

Work is still the same but we now have 3 new people starting so that is one good thing.