Re: Changes on the High Street
 

They don’t need to learn. Learning from mistakes is on the basis that there’s negative consequences. For many they get to extract money in the good times and leave the Government carrying the can in the bad.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

That level of debt is not necessarily unsustainable in normal trading conditions. However, when you've got monthly interest payments to make but no income to make them with then you're stuffed.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I would imagine they still have the same idiots making the decisions;)

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

This is despite having taken government (our) money to bolster up jobs.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

"Bolster up jobs", or was it to bolster up people's income?

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

An important part of the business support measures, provided by the government to help business during the economic crisis created by coronavirus pandemic, is the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (or ‘furlough leave’). Furlough leave is a temporary leave of absence for economic reasons and is designed to save jobs.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

One of the reasons Virgin Media is so valuable to Liberty Global, and why the Vodafone deal was never done.

Virgin Media is heavily leveraged.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

The furlough scheme was an alternative to businesses making people redundant. Otherwise the businesses would've had to be paying out to staff without any money coming in. It was only aimed at people's wages, not any other business costs.
Link

Link

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

An important part of the business support measures, provided by the government to help business during the economic crisis created by coronavirus pandemic, is the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (or ‘furlough leave’). Furlough leave is a temporary leave of absence for economic reasons and is designed to save jobs.

N.B This may not be true for employees of tin foil hat manufacturers.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

It doesn't need to be just a US company, interest payments are a cost which reduce a company's profits upon which corporation tax is paid (or not).

---------- Post added at 13:12 ---------- Previous post was at 13:10 ----------

If they took it in poor faith then I think that criticism might be justifiable, but there's nothing to suggest they did.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

The Mrs has gone out of fashion, Seph, time for a new one. ;)

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Bet you daren't tell her that!:D:D:D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I've done a couple of trade-ins over the years, currently on my 3rd model.

Body work isn't as flashy as previous ones, headlights aren't as bright, and exhaust tends to blow sometimes. Darn sight cheaper to run than previous ones though :D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I've not been in the city centre for months. There was hardly anything there to draw me in. But I need to go in and do some banking, so I asked people I know, who go in several times a week for work.

"Stay away!" was the general answer.

All the arrows and lanes, 2 metre markers and signage are being ignored almost completely. Cyclists are riding anywhere they choose, ignoring the new cycle lanes and No Cycling signs. And even the sparse traffic is stop-start as buses block the roads narrowed to allow for cycle lanes and wider pavements.

Our local bus gets reinstated next week, but down to 1-per-hour instead of the previous 4-per-hour. Maximum passengers down to 12 from 30+, with no standing whilst the bus is in motion.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Not a massive job loss compared to some but more holes in the highstreet.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

More job losses this time with Selfridges who are to cut 450 jobs.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...antly-12037780

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

But how many of those are actually on the high street, as opposed to retail parks with the bigger stores and parking.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

To (mis-)quote Oscar Wilde ;)

I always remember shocking one of the Admin support staff at a software house I worked at in the 80’s/90’s, when I was discussing an upcoming wedding anniversary, and I said "well, at least this marriage has lasted longer than the previous one", and she replied "how many wives have you had?", to which I quipped "my own, or other peoples’?"... :D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Indeed. There is a lot more to come.

However, there is also a lot to come about what do we do to facilitate the recovery of the High Street.

I'd welcome that to reform the tax system against online conglomerates, who largely shift their tax burden offshore, in favour of local people in local communities running local businesses.

I look forward to the emerging forum consensus congregating around this... Carth, Seph, Nomad, Pierre (maybe) and the traditional socialist wing, myself, den, andrew, ianch. We all like this idea. Maybe not Old Boy.... :D

Local jobs in local communities...

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Amazon UK DO NOT sell anything. They act as "fulfillers" or a marketplace to advertise, for others who pay the tax on those sales. Try doing a search for USB cables on Amazon. Over 50,000 varieties available. Need an HDMI switch, just 930 types available. Try getting just that level of choice on the high street, and certainly not at those prices. The items I've bought via Amazon have almost all, not been available on the high street, and the other items would've only been available using "mail-order" anyway.


The high street can't cope with the range of items available nowadays. It's as simple as that. AO.com has nearly 300 types of dishwasher available. How on earth could they exist on the high street? Especially if Boris insists lorries and vans aren't to be allowed to deliver the stock. Try getting a large fridge/freezer on the back of a cargo bike.:rolleyes:

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Amazon does several things. It's correct to describe it as a marketplace and a fufiller. But it's incorrect to say Amazon doesn't sell anything. Capitalising something unfortunately does not make it correct. This is the extensive Amazon basics range, for example, https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amaz...7?ref_=ast_bln

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Local/small retailers need help with rent more than anything. If the units are all owned by big organisations that just want the income and keep increasing the rents it's only the larger players that can afford it and mostly they stay because other big players are there or it's linked with entertainment/food outlets.

But to really work shops, whatever size, need to value add. It's no good having a physical outlet just shifting the same stuff you can buy on-line cheaper and more easily. Smaller retailers can often do this better as they tend to specialise more and hire staff that know their stuff. They value add by providing detail and advice before purchase and great support afterwards even sometimes at their own cost, in the end it become more profitable because you get a great reputation.

One further problem for small shops at the moment is their very size. Archery shops I know of are reopening but by appointment only, and Saturday slots are like gold dust. And videos of shops with ranges show much reduced capacity and "freedom".

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Cardiff's "High Street" in front of the castle has been turned into a covered al fresco dining area for 240. Orders by mobile phone app only.

Where will the traffic go?

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

High St Shopping:
You can see, feel, check for size/colour, consider quality, browse easily, and items are normally in stock.
You can take purchases home that day, or arrange delivery to suit for larger items.
You can socialise/meet & greet with other shoppers.
Downside is you have to leave the comfort of your home.

Online Shopping:
Pick what you want from who/where you want, at the price you want.
Arrange (and pay) for delivery, and hope it gets delivered correctly and undamaged.
Be prepared for disappointment if the item(s) ordered are wrong, crap quality or damaged, and consider the hassle and possible costs of returning the item(s) . . then wait another week for replacements/refunds (did you read the T&C? )
All done from the comfort of the home/car/garden shed/office/train/airport etc, secure in the knowledge that those nasty internet scammers have no way to steal any info.

Bet you can't guess my preference ;)

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

The overwhelming majority of products on Amazon, are not sold by Amazon UK.
Then they will pay tax on those specific sales, just the same as ANY other seller. Where is the evidence to the contrary?:rolleyes: NO TAX DODGED in any way.

---------- Post added at 11:35 ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 ----------

Then again, everything but your first item about online shopping, also applies to the high street. How many different places have there ever been on the high street selling the same goods? Trudging around from shop to shop in the vain hope somebody has the item you are looking for and at a price you're willing to pay, doesn't sound like much fun.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I find no difference between Amazon and Ebay, both 'sell' new and used stuff from a variety of sellers/agents, sometimes at strange and whacky prices :D

I don't use either, but am often directed there by the marketing used :rolleyes:

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Indeed. And even where they are a middle man this is still a service.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I guess I'm just an old fashioned 'right first time' sort of bloke, as opposed to taking pot luck on a desirable outcome :D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

So you've never bought anything from a shop, and found out it didn't work, was damaged, or even mysteriously has the guarantee form filled out with somebody elses name and address? Cards can be skimmed in shops, their databases of transactions hacked etc.



Never had a reason to regret or return an item bought via eBay or Amazon. It's the trudging around shops searching for an item, that I have often regretted.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

It's only my shopping preference, others do whatever they like ;)

lots of other things in life I don't get on with too, as a grumpy old man I'm allowed :D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

And now pubs and indoor restaurants in Wales can open from Monday. What a waste of money. Do those in charge ever talk to each other about their plans?

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Don't be silly Taf, that's too simple!

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

It’s still desirable for folk to go for al fresco dining. It could increase “safe” capacity, and there’s no reason not to welcome it regardless.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I always do my food shop myself (apart from when I was self-isolating, my sister did it for me.)


I do buy a lot from Amazon, mainly because no shops near me sold it, like when I wanted port dust caps, Maplins were the obvious choice, but alas they didn't sell it.

So I went to Amazon, and had it shipped from China.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Reform of the Tax System .. now there is an easy task :) It is a bit like reform of the voting system. In both cases, there is clear and compelling evidence to those with an objective and unbiased view that they need to happen. The problem is, as it has always been, is the minority of the populace that in whose interests that the status quo remains and, more significantly, the ability of said (even smaller) minority to convince people, though misinformation & misdirection, that reform is a "bad thing".

When the power is in the hands of those who do not want change, change is difficult.

This is the sort of bold thinking that can help with the funding of the Covid black hole and as a result help to fund the radical rethinking of the city & town centres.

Think-tank outlines £421bn Property Capital Gains Tax to cover Covid-19 costs

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

There is no point in changing anything unless it is for the better.

As far as the voting system is concerned, although many can see the argument behind proportional representation for example, the public really would not appreciate a perpetual hung parliament as we had in the last year before Brexit. That is what we would get. Our present system may not seem fair to some, but at least it tends to produce strong governments with a working majority.

I would support some changes in taxation to help the High Street provided they were fair and proportionate to the Amazons of this world, but I think we should bear in mind that if such changes are an impediment to change, that would not be desirable. Just like changing the voting system, such changes could produce unintended consequences that the public would not support.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Needed a new Makita LXT charger as the old one went kaput (beyond repair)

Wickes,Screwfix,B&Q,Toolstation all about the £70-80 mark with a collection or home delivery time of three to five days.

Amazon ? £38 delivered tomorrow

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

It’s self reinforcing. Less stores, less stock, less sales, same overheads, higher costs to end users.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

There are three screwfixes, three toolstations, two B&Q's (both warehouse), two machinemart & one wickes within a ten minute drive of my house

And not one of them has a battery charger?

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Up to 1,500 jobs threatened at WH Smith.

https://news.sky.com/story/up-to-1-5...omers-12042804

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

William Hill also closing 119 stores, 300 staff were affected, all but 20 have been redeployed

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Not surprised at that as that follows on from their previous closures which have happened since the FOBT ruling.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

On high street you can sometimes sample and you can also talk to the retailer who may have expertise in the product.
You can see new products in line with existing.
EOL stuff can be reduced.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Daughter had three items of clothing delivered this morning, two of which will be going back.

One item doesn't fit, and one . . no matter how many times I try to explain the many variables regarding colours on a PC/Phone/Tablet :rolleyes:

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Pretty inevitable.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Sadly yes..

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I seem to recall seeing/reading somewhere that many of the job losses were to be in management roles, maybe companies are now conceding that many management roles are 'assistants to assistants' and don't offer much in the way of productivity/profit?

example: 10 years ago we had a warehouse manager and his assistant manager. Today we have a warehouse manager and his two assistants, both who have a junior assistant beneath them. :rolleyes:

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Marks & Spencer is to cut 7,000 jobs over the next three months across its whole business.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53817598

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I expect they do that in order to justify paying higher salaries to those who deserve it - otherwise they'd leave.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

As always with the "leave their job" argument, the question remains, "where to?".

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I've been around long enough to notice that many managers jump on and off the merry-go-round with alarming frequency. Clean jumps seem to give a better chance of a good landing than those who delay the jump and end up with a dirty footprint on their backside :D


It's like picking a piece of useless driftwood off the beach and throwing it back into the sea . . . you know it's going to turn up on a different beach tomorrow ;)

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Depends on how many vacancies there are at the same or similar position. If they're unhappy with their type of job in general, any better opportunities are limited in number.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Other shops, I guess....:D

---------- Post added at 09:16 ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 ----------

I'm sure a lot of people leave because they are fed up. The jobs they go to do not necessarily pay more so they eventually get fed up there too.

The better employees are valued and management want to keep them, so rather than pay everyone more, they invent more senior positions for them to get round the Equal Pay legislation.

Of course, what they should have is a system of performance related pay, but that's too much bother to manage properly if you are trying to manage a busy shop on a shoestring.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

If they've got two outlets near to each other then it makes sense to close the more expensive to run one. Probably means they'll move off the high street.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I think they're staying on the high street but they do have lots of city centre restaurants. So they will keep those in the suburbs as they largely are and trim some of the city centre ones that are seeing less footfall due to people working from home.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Another example of why the high street is dying on it's bottom.

Kettle bought about six months ago, some of the finish is wearing off the handle. One quick chat with Amazon online and a new one is being delivered tomorrow morning. Didn't have to go into detail, didn't have to provide any evidence.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I've noticed that with Amazon.

It's almost as if they know they sell quite a lot of inferior products, and fully expect to exchange (or refund) them at some time. :D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

A few local streets have had parking bays blocked off "to allow social distancing". Some local traders have moved tables and chairs into those old bays nullifying the "social distancing". And diners are now sat inches from passing vehicles and buses.

The council is being slow to react as usual.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Why do cars need to socially distance. :confused:

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Because it then allows the mad cyclists to zoom in and out of the gaps :D

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Because they may get jealous if an electric one comes along???

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Saw that, why didn't they put tables on pavement next to the restaurant and let pedestrians use the extended bit? Probably some local bylaw about blocking the pavement being too formally applied.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

The 4 lane road in front of Cardiff Castle, a major thoroughfare for all types of traffic has changed from....

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

...to wider pavements, a 2 lane cycle track, 240 seat open air dining area, and a single lane for buses and emergency vehicles.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Looks far better and more tourist friendly. City centres have changed as their use has drastically altered since March. If circumstances change, then doubtless they will continue to respond to the changing circumstances too.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Sitting next to the bus lane eating your lunch whilst sucking up the diesel fumes and watching lycra louts pass by,sounds like heaven.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Just a blip in the figures, or a sign that people are happy to be able to go out shopping with the relaxation of lock down rules?

A little late to save many retail jobs, but a sign that things may improve for some?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53859148

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I arrived at one end of our local main shopping street. It looked like a moshpit, so I turned around and came home.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

A consequence of many still working from home.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Just goes to show you can make your own coffee.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Fingers crossed it continues. I think city centres will feel the effects of more homeworking but that could lead to more city centre housing and the return of cafes like Pret.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

The parasites renting out office/retail space won't let the Government away with a straightforward transition. Look for home working to be penalised/discouraged through the tax code in the future.

Supply and demand capitalism is for the little guys like us, not big businesses and investment firms. Something must be done to save them.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Is it their own money or are they borrowing it?

Fundamentally rents represent a transfer between genuine wealth creators and entrepreneurs to asset holders. Who in turn take their profits (and borrow against their assets) to carry out the same wheeze elsewhere - fundamentally because land is an asset in short supply.

It's long overdue that this imbalance was removed and if Covid-19 accelerates that then there's maybe something good to come from it.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

It is though - their purpose is to extract rents from those out there genuinely creating something, who ironically can't afford buildings due to the high valuations because of the number of landlords in the market participating in this and restricting overall supply.

They essentially distort the market making genuine entrepreneurship - that which genuinely creates things for the economy and employs people - harder. It'd be welcome for many of these businesses to exit the market.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Who built anything before private equity and heavily indebted investment firms began heavily leveraging debt against existing assets to fund further build?

You're missing my point. There will alway be someone building. The costs of doing so would be much lower without these parasites in the market. Lower costs, lower rents, more investment in actual creative parts of the economy rather than rents simply being extracted probably offshore and never to be seen again.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

It's only fantasy and pie in the sky because the system is financialised in such a way that it is now unaffordable for small businesses to own their own premises or build their own premises.

As developers are all over any free land of note, and have the assets to borrow against, the system is essentially rigged against the small business owner.

However I personally welcome the demise of the city centre and the financial losses that these companies are about to make. After all, that's capitalism.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group files for administrators.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...ators-12099962

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/fashion-g...k-of-collapse/

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Oh no, that was one of the previous retail success stories.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Domino (sic) effect.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

What exactly is it we are trying to save here

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

l would have thought that was blindly obvious..

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

We seem to be destroying our society,losing jobs and businesses that may never recover,people losing their homes ,the next generation saddled with crippling debts,so we can protect the nhs an organisation that has imo let us down,you can't see a doctor /get an operation,they are all hiding away,society is heading down the toilet wtf is left to save :shrug:

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

There’s no point saving a High Street saddled with high property rents and costs. A High Street of international franchises deserves to die. That’s capitalism in action.

From the ashes we need to develop local jobs enshrined in local communities. There will always be demand for some things - coffee, pizza and lager. We need to ensure that the revenues and profits for these stay in local communities. Not siphoned off into offshore tax havens, or property development funds.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

I didn’t say a High Street would be exclusively coffee, pizza and lager - I simply said there’d always be consumer demand for the products. The businesses would largely be viable (and employees have desirable skills) once there is a reset of property costs.

Re: Changes on the High Street
 

The point l was making is that there are going to be thousands losing their jobs through no fault of their home.

On the NHS l am staggered that here we are 6 months later and would it not be hard to use some of the hospitals just for Covid 19 services and use some of them for anything that is not Covid 19 related and also apply that to community GP surgeries as well.

That way we could start to deal with the ticking health timebomb where many with health problems are still waiting for important tests and diagnoses.

Re: Changes on the High Street