High Street Stores & Other Businesses At Risk | Page 15 | Vital Football

High Street Stores & Other Businesses At Risk

To think it hasn't been long opened, how much that will have cost, then it is closed again. Madness. No wonder they are in trouble.
 
The Fear said:
Pret a Manger the next

Coffee chain Pret A Manager is to close 30 of its 410 UK outlets as part of a post-pandemic restructuring.

It is also planning job cuts to "reduce headcount across remaining UK shops to reflect lower footfall, rental costs and new safety measures".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53304869
Click to expand...

I’ve boycotted Pret after the allergen death which drove “Natasha’s Law”, though I’m sure all such chains have had similar incidents.

If they sell food and especially if they’re a chain, they have the resource and money to advise people of allergens better.
 
John Lewis at Grand Central Birmingham is closing.

This follows on from Debenhams in the Bullring.

2 HUGE buildings. The John Lewis one in particular was the shining light of the whole Grand Central / New St Station redesign.

Can't think of many stores big enough to take that kind of space.

White Elephant springs to mind.
 
Going to be a bloodbath isn't it?

And as for John Lewis, as Deano says, huge building, but not only that, it is the sort of store that attracts people to the area, then the other shops feed off that footfall. Without them, far few people will go.
 
Covid has simply bought on the fast track of the death of the High Street.

Future plans for the High Street that they would be parks, muses, apartments etc by 2050 have now been bought forward by at least 10 to 20 years.

There will be a few rows of shops left in the next 20 years which will be cafes, bars, beauty spa's, hairdressers and anything else that can't be done online.

Though I expect supermarkets will still have a place there will be little else unless you live in a tourist area

You can see it happening all ready. Johnson plan to rip up the planning permission laws are proof this is starting to happen and gather speed

Even in York where we are it is scary how many shops lay empty and it is growing by the week. Its especially more noticeable with York being so quiet as we are drowned out by tourists usually
 
Obviously car dealerships are doing ok in the pandemic.

After all they can't be bothered to ring a customer back despite saying they would in a 'few minutes' when he rang to arrange a test drive today. Especially when he spent 2 hours with a salesman on Saturday so they know he wants to spend his money at their dealership.

Looks like the customer will spend his hard earned cash elsewhere then.
Fcuk em.
 
Melon Donkey said:
Obviously car dealerships are doing ok in the pandemic.

After all they can't be bothered to ring a customer back despite saying they would in a 'few minutes' when he rang to arrange a test drive today. Especially when he spent 2 hours with a salesman on Saturday so they know he wants to spend his money at their dealership.

Looks like the customer will spend his hard earned cash elsewhere then.
Fcuk em.
Click to expand...

I cancelled my wife's car due to the attitude of the dealer and the manufacturer,

Ordered a different brand and couldn't be happier with the difference in attitude.

By the way MD there are some unbelievable deals to be had on new vehicles atm.
 
The golden boy Rishi Sunak has apparently considered levying an additional tax on online goods in order to protect the high street, bad idea. The high street is increasingly becoming a dying thing. The government needs to deploy resources into alternative forms of welfare (such as a UBI) and a proper plan for how people can be reskilled, as well as addressing the general state of education in this country instead.
 
Its a very good idea, and one I proposed a couple of years ago. Easily done just tax online order 10p a delivery, and ring fence the money to aide shops in the high street. Make it a sliding scale of assistance depending on number of shops/employees and profit so it benefits small local independent shops more. The high street is a valuable resource and can be again with a little bit of help.
 
Survival of the fittest, the high street - as we've discussed before - needs to be re-invented and allow for more residential, make them hubs. What they should do is get rid of business rates, that is unfair on them because there isn't a similar levy online.
 
The Fear said:
Survival of the fittest, the high street - as we've discussed before - needs to be re-invented and allow for more residential, make them hubs. What they should do is get rid of business rates, that is unfair on them because there isn't a similar levy online.
Click to expand...

Exactly, the High Street needs to evolve and make people want to go there. Making them safe places to visit is a must too.
 
The Fear said:
Survival of the fittest, the high street - as we've discussed before - needs to be re-invented and allow for more residential, make them hubs. What they should do is get rid of business rates, that is unfair on them because there isn't a similar levy online.
Click to expand...

Agree, I don’t think a tax specifically on online is the way to, as some companies who sell online on low margin goods - such as AO - don’t actually make loads of money in fact they’ve made barely any.

But yes, review business rates and increase competitiveness that way. I was in a shitty sea side town for the weekend and the place felt derelict with the amount of empty shops and just generally run down buildings. I think it’s sad when pubs and local shops or restaurants just can’t get the economies of scale to compete and survive against the chains, and if they do they probably aren’t making a great deal and it’s nothing more than a paid hobby.

I’ve no idea how much business rate generate for the purse strings, which the needs to be paid for elsewhere.
 
The Fear said:
Survival of the fittest, the high street - as we've discussed before - needs to be re-invented and allow for more residential, make them hubs. What they should do is get rid of business rates, that is unfair on them because there isn't a similar levy online.
Click to expand...

Total agree. The death of the High Street been happening for a while by instalments. Covid19 has just hurried the process up. It won't recover
 
Starting to look it is going to be a bloodbath really isn't it?

So many closing in the Kingfisher Centre, which then decreases the footfall and will risk others.

A few haven't re-opened, H.Samuel has gone, Body Shop after 20 years has closed, there are so many empty shops now. As for the high street, it is literally a row of open shops with just a coffee shop and charity shop left at the top end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.