Changes on the High Street

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

I still think we need the small independent traders. Those that know the local area, know local product where relevant, can do the value add they need to to differentiate. So I may still get a PC made by local shop even if it costs a bit more as I know where to go if something goes wrong or I need advice.
I still want to go to a real archery shop where I can try stuff out on their range before I buy it and make sure I'm buying the right stuff for me.

I feel that what is needed now is for landlords and councils to reduce and even cancel rent/rates for some traders/retailers especially where they can't move on-line. Landlords could take advantage of closures to do work needed without disrupting business and still have hopefully good tenants.

John Lewis is a bit of an exception as they do have well trained (and via their bonus scheme, motivated) partners but other large stores often had less good staff and offered the same stuff as you get on-line cheaper - no value add. If you read Which? survey of retailers you can probably spot the ones that will survive at least among the nationals. Those that fit to "local independents" are harder but they are the ones I really want to carry on. (They don't normally fit the models of the large retail centres though.)

Challenge for the retailers is that they need a critical mass of customers to keep the business going; unfortunately, a lot of people will use the on-site shops to look at stuff, then shop online for better prices.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

I think you're right. The high street of the future is going to be less of a clone of every other high street but much more varied.

Like it was in the old days when there were a lot more independent shops.

I'm supporting my local 2 independent butchers, the bakers and the fruit and veg shop. I also support the oldest independent bookshop in the area plus the independent hardware store. All just a 10 minute walk from my house. Use them or lose them.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

I still think we need the small independent traders. Those that know the local area, know local product where relevant, can do the value add they need to to differentiate. So I may still get a PC made by local shop even if it costs a bit more as I know where to go if something goes wrong or I need advice.
I still want to go to a real archery shop where I can try stuff out on their range before I buy it and make sure I'm buying the right stuff for me.

I feel that what is needed now is for landlords and councils to reduce and even cancel rent/rates for some traders/retailers especially where they can't move on-line. Landlords could take advantage of closures to do work needed without disrupting business and still have hopefully good tenants.

John Lewis is a bit of an exception as they do have well trained (and via their bonus scheme, motivated) partners but other large stores often had less good staff and offered the same stuff as you get on-line cheaper - no value add. If you read Which? survey of retailers you can probably spot the ones that will survive at least among the nationals. Those that fit to "local independents" are harder but they are the ones I really want to carry on. (They don't normally fit the models of the large retail centres though.)

The small independent traders, many of who will survive, of course, will rise from the ashes.

There will be a sea change in landlord takings and business rates (I hope) so that we can pretty much start again in that area of commerce.

So, we are in complete agreement.

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by Maggy

I'm supporting my local 2 independent butchers, the bakers and the fruit and veg shop. I also support the oldest independent bookshop in the area plus the independent hardware store. All just a 10-minute walk from my house. Use them or lose them.

All my local supermarkets had an in-store fresh Fish, meat and cheese counters but have been closed since coronavirus lockdowns, but Sainsbury's said they are unlikely going to open them when lockdown ends.

[tweetiepooh]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Challenge for the retailers is that they need a critical mass of customers to keep the business going; unfortunately, a lot of people will use the on-site shops to look at stuff, then shop online for better prices.

Good retailers like the archery shops I know keep customers because the customers want to keep the shops going. They are rare enough that if you make the journey you tend to spend your money. And in this market you can possibly but a little cheaper online and there maybe more options online but the difference for the cheaper items is small and for more expensive items you want the support of the shop.
Again it's value add - so, for example, if you switch from some Korean limbs to Hoyt (or reverse) do you know you likely need a new string even on the same size/weight because of minor differences in the limb horn. (I had some strings made that just coincidently work on both).
For arrows it's even more important to visit and buy from a store as (apart from basic/beginners) you get arrows cut to your length, weighted and spined to your bow and draw weight, once cut they need to be fitted to correct pile (point) and so on. Then you get to try them out to make sure it's all working OK and get you bow adjusted to new arrows. (I use wooden arrows so make my own at home from parts supplied, the options are less critical so I can order on-line and that's fine - those who are more demanding will go to store and select shafts one-by-one, checking straightness, grain similarities, spine characteristics etc. Again not something you can do on-line.

[heero_yuy]

Quote from The Sun Money:

John Lewis has warned it will shut more stores forever after posting a £517million loss for last year.

The group, which also owns upmarket grocery chain Waitrose, said it does not expect all its John Lewis shops to reopen at the end of lockdown.

It did not say how many of its 42 shops are under threat, but said it was in talks with landlords and will make a final decision which ones would close at the end of March.

It has already closed eight stores last year, putting 1,300 jobs at risk, and The Sunday Times reported last month that another eight shops could be closed on top of this too.

John Lewis announced the news in its financial results for the year ending January 30 2021.

The shop said its £517m loss was mainly due to restructuring and redundancy costs from store closures, a shift to online shopping, and changes to head office operations.

John Lewis has had to remain closed under the third coronavirus lockdown, as it is classed as a non-essential business.

I guess the Waitrose part of the group is helping to prevent more closures. There's also talk of having JL departments in Waitrose stores.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

I guess the Waitrose part of the group is helping to prevent more closures. There's also talk of having JL departments in Waitrose stores.

Good luck with that!

That said, the Rushenden store has a large area near the Café devoted to certain JL lines, including TVs. A sort of Tesco Extra effort. Canary Wharf is another very large site selling JL stuff.

Most Waitrose stores are a lot smaller, usually not exceeding 30,000 square feet.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Good luck with that!

That said, the Rushenden store has a large area near the Café devoted to certain JL lines, including TVs. A sort of Tesco Extra effort. Canary Wharf is another very large site selling JL stuff.

Most Waitrose stores are a lot smaller, usually not exceeding 30,000 square feet.

Canary Wharf like Kingston is actually the other way round - a John Lewis store with a Waitrose food hall in it.
Agreed on the size of Waitrose stores - most aren't very large so perhaps this will be a more overt click and collect?

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Most Waitrose stores are a lot smaller, usually not exceeding 30,000 square feet.

The one near my Dad has an aisle for non-food stuff. Honestly not paid much attention to it so not sure how they pick what to offer and whether they're directly from JL stock or specific to Waitrose.

[heero_yuy]

Quote from The Sun. Money:

Chocolate shop Thorntons is shutting all of its stores because of the impact of coronavirus.

The retailer said it has been hit hard by the pandemic and has had to close during many of the busiest times of the shopping year.

All 61 Thorntons stores it owns will close putting 603 jobs at risk.

Thorntons has around 100 franchise stores that operate under the name but are run independently. They are not affected by the closures.

Thorntons stores have been shut because of lockdowns over the past year including during crucial shopping periods like Christmas and Easter.

Sales have surged online and the choc shop will continue to sell its sweet treats on its website thorntons.co.uk.

[1andrew1]

This looks a good outcome.

The Debenhams shop in Gloucester is to be transformed into lecture halls and training spaces for nurses and healthcare workers in the latest reinvention of a department store building as consumers switch to online shopping.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...-lecture-halls

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

This looks a good outcome.

https://www.theguardian.com/business...-lecture-halls

How is that a good outcome? A good outcome would be a shop still open, trading and not laying of staff, they didn't lose their jobs so nurses could be trained

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

How is that a good outcome? A good outcome would be a shop still open, trading and not laying of staff, they didn't lose their jobs so nurses could be trained

I'm talking about an empty building being put to good use being a good outcome.

The nostalgic side of me would like Debenhams, Woolworths, Burton's, Virgin Megastore, Gadget Shop and Toys'R'Us to stiill be open. The realist in me sees a good outcome in the buildings being used constructively.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

I'm talking about an empty building being put to good use being a good outcome.

The nostalgic side of me would like Debenhams, Woolworths, Burton's, Virgin Megastore, Gadget Shop and Toys'R'Us to stiill be open. The realist in me sees a good outcome in the buildings being used constructively.

A good outcome would have been to put in place practices to stop this happening again, not celebrating the fact a tenant has been found, especially as they'd have needed a building anyway