First retail ‘name’ to pop off 2018

[hyphen]

craigjm said:

Really? Shops, pubs and restaurants dont really make good residential conversions and toys r us type barns definitely do not.

Are you a developer?As I thought the opposite, many of the sheds are cheaply built structures, planning for the site will be easier as no architectural merit so locals won't take up arms, and won't take much effort to knock down. Can also make the ground floor retail if needed.

Homebase have already flogged some of their stores and flats are getting built on them.

Homebase/toys r us Reading
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/765-hom...

Wandsworth homebase
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/m...

Edited by hyphen on Monday 2nd April 14:39

[tannhauser]

menousername said:

Could it be we are heading for a recession?

Almost certainly, yes. Bring it on - this should have been allowed to happen properly in 2008, before the Govt intervened - we'd have been on the road to a steady but sustainable recovery by now, rather than staring deep into another looming recession.

menousername said:

Any time i am in a high street i just feel as though the locals are skint (as skint as i am)

They are skint. It was money they never had anyway. Fck 'em.

menousername said:

Nothing feels particularly prosperous right now.

It was always a case of emperor's new clothes.

menousername said:

Interest rate and debt driven property renovations / building kept the lights on for a while but people are now wise, and skint, and reigning it in.

About fking time!

menousername said:

How can the local economy recover is beyond me

It won't - not for a very long time, at least.

[BMR]

I wish the same law applied in Scotland regards trading on a Sunday.

As far as I can see the shops are allowed to open whatever they want here, it is only workers who have a right to refuse Sunday working.

[saaby93]

BMR said:

I wish the same law applied in Scotland regards trading on a Sunday.

As far as I can see the shops are allowed to open whatever they want here, it is only workers who have a right to refuse Sunday working.

A couple years back, it was on the cards to make it the same as Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35768674
However the SNP played politics to show they could help defeat the government on English-only laws if it felt like

[PF62]

saaby93 said:

JPJPJP said:

On the back of the extensive coverage in the press of Bunnings' takeover of Homebase being the worst in the history of shops

e.g https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/03/31/ho...

I have visited a couple of their stores in recent days...

Doomed. I will be very surprised if it survives. That would be a shame, but they just don't seem to be trying very hard and have very clearly got very little understanding of the UK market (compared to the domination that the parent co enjoys down under).

Strange thing is theyre seeing B&Q as main competitor
B&Q's stablemate Screwfix is where it's at.
No huge shed where you have to wander around for hours trying to find what you want.
Its back to the days of the '4 candles please' counter

With Screwfix I would say it is more "I have come to collect order xyz I made on the internet", which makes it even worse for Bunnings as apparently they don't believe in online sales or click and collect.

[eltawater]

hyphen said:

craigjm said:

Really? Shops, pubs and restaurants dont really make good residential conversions and toys r us type barns definitely do not.

Are you a developer?As I thought the opposite, many of the sheds are cheaply built structures, planning for the site will be easier as no architectural merit so locals won't take up arms, and won't take much effort to knock down. Can also make the ground floor retail if needed.

Homebase have already flogged some of their stores and flats are getting built on them.

Homebase/toys r us Reading
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/765-hom...

Wandsworth homebase
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/m...

Edited by hyphen on Monday 2nd April 14:39

It very much depends on the site, but many toys r us sites (Stevenage, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge are my immediate ones) are located on a large retail park alongside other big retailers and their one way system car parks. The buildings themselves are quite often part and parcel of the structure shared with those retailers.

Not only would it be impossible to demolish them as it would mean slicing off part of that structure, a residential block of flats smack bang in the middle of a retail park is going to be a hard sell.

[eltawater]

PF62 said:

With Screwfix I would say it is more "I have come to collect order xyz I made on the internet", which makes it even worse for Bunnings as apparently they don't believe in online sales or click and collect.

Has anyone ever tried to collect an order from screwfix / toolstation?

You're inevitably stuck behind 2-3 people with a long list of small bits which come in different variants, which then have to be recited to the till staff to lookup one by one and double checked that they really did want the right angled version of that thingummy before they disappear into the rack labryinth for an eternity.

If you forced the typical footfall of a b&q through there on a bank holiday you'd probably find that the new kitchen you were fitting and needed that thingummy for has gone in and out of fashion again several times.

[Tryke3]

hyphen said:

Are you a developer?As I thought the opposite, many of the sheds are cheaply built structures, planning for the site will be easier as no architectural merit so locals won't take up arms, and won't take much effort to knock down. Can also make the ground floor retail if needed.

Homebase have already flogged some of their stores and flats are getting built on them.

Homebase/toys r us Reading
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/765-hom...

Wandsworth homebase
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/m...

Edited by hyphen on Monday 2nd April 14:39

That peticular Homebase was my local one, and 200m down the road there was another one and opposite that theres a massive b&q

[loafer123]

hyphen said:

craigjm said:

Really? Shops, pubs and restaurants dont really make good residential conversions and toys r us type barns definitely do not.

Are you a developer?As I thought the opposite, many of the sheds are cheaply built structures, planning for the site will be easier as no architectural merit so locals won't take up arms, and won't take much effort to knock down. Can also make the ground floor retail if needed.

Homebase have already flogged some of their stores and flats are getting built on them.

Homebase/toys r us Reading
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/765-hom...

Wandsworth homebase
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/m...

Edited by hyphen on Monday 2nd April 14:39

Homebase didn’t own either of those...they were the tenant.

[anonymous-user]

Not retail to resi, but offices to resi

Flats in the middle of an office park just inside the york ring road

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

[anonymous-user]

JPJPJP said:

Not retail to resi, but offices to resi

Flats in the middle of an office park just inside the york ring road

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Interesting post that one thank you.
The exterior looks so similar to many others

[tim0409]

eltawater said:

Has anyone ever tried to collect an order from screwfix / toolstation?

You're inevitably stuck behind 2-3 people with a long list of small bits which come in different variants, which then have to be recited to the till staff to lookup one by one and double checked that they really did want the right angled version of that thingummy before they disappear into the rack labryinth for an eternity.

Tell me about it! I use Screwfix every other day and this drives me mad; I always order online for collection, and last week I was behind some chap who wanted to unpack and inspect every single part of a shower unit, oblivious to the fact he had a queue of people behind him. What really annoys me is they just don't seem to have decent enough management to direct their staff efficiently to deal with the queues. That said, I was in a plumbing merchant last week and waiting 30 minutes to get served so they are generally all as bad as each other.

[eltawater]

loafer123 said:

hyphen said:

craigjm said:

Really? Shops, pubs and restaurants dont really make good residential conversions and toys r us type barns definitely do not.

Are you a developer?As I thought the opposite, many of the sheds are cheaply built structures, planning for the site will be easier as no architectural merit so locals won't take up arms, and won't take much effort to knock down. Can also make the ground floor retail if needed.

Homebase have already flogged some of their stores and flats are getting built on them.

Homebase/toys r us Reading
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/765-hom...

Wandsworth homebase
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/m...

Edited by hyphen on Monday 2nd April 14:39

Homebase didn’t own either of those...they were the tenant.

Home retail group did own the Battersea site though:

Homebase confirms store cuts as Battersea sells for £57m - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30177327

[loafer123]

eltawater said:

loafer123 said:

hyphen said:

craigjm said:

Really? Shops, pubs and restaurants dont really make good residential conversions and toys r us type barns definitely do not.

Are you a developer?As I thought the opposite, many of the sheds are cheaply built structures, planning for the site will be easier as no architectural merit so locals won't take up arms, and won't take much effort to knock down. Can also make the ground floor retail if needed.

Homebase have already flogged some of their stores and flats are getting built on them.

Homebase/toys r us Reading
https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/765-hom...

Wandsworth homebase
https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/m...

Edited by hyphen on Monday 2nd April 14:39

Homebase didn’t own either of those...they were the tenant.

Home retail group did own the Battersea site though:
I saw this on the BBC and thought you should see it:

Homebase confirms store cuts as Battersea sells for £57m - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30177327

Fair enough ... the exception, however ... retailers rarely own their own sites.

Good timing for the sale....it would be worth a lot less now.

[tannhauser]

tim0409 said:

eltawater said:

Has anyone ever tried to collect an order from screwfix / toolstation?

You're inevitably stuck behind 2-3 people with a long list of small bits which come in different variants, which then have to be recited to the till staff to lookup one by one and double checked that they really did want the right angled version of that thingummy before they disappear into the rack labryinth for an eternity.

Tell me about it! I use Screwfix every other day and this drives me mad; I always order online for collection, and last week I was behind some chap who wanted to unpack and inspect every single part of a shower unit, oblivious to the fact he had a queue of people behind him. What really annoys me is they just don't seem to have decent enough management to direct their staff efficiently to deal with the queues. That said, I was in a plumbing merchant last week and waiting 30 minutes to get served so they are generally all as bad as each other.

ECP are the real piss boiler! To the point I order everything online most of the time!

[hyphen]

eltawater said:

Has anyone ever tried to collect an order from screwfix / toolstation?

You're inevitably stuck behind 2-3 people with a long list of small bits which come in different variants, which then have to be recited to the till staff to lookup one by one and double checked that they really did want the right angled version of that thingummy before they disappear into the rack labryinth for an eternity.

If you forced the typical footfall of a b&q through there on a bank holiday you'd probably find that the new kitchen you were fitting and needed that thingummy for has gone in and out of fashion again several times.

I went to one Screwfix recently where they had computer screens for pickups, put in your payment card and out pops the collection receipt. Then just wait at the collection desk So guessing it is a trial that will be rolled out nationally at some point.

They are not trade only, so they will have the clueless punter who won't do their research beforehand and it is very annoying for those of us who do. Perhaps blag a Plumbfix/Electrifix account? as those have separate desks.

Toolstation got a Which? or Good Housekeeping type award, which led to it being full of women with kids and prams asking a million needless questions.

[Henners]

My ScrewFix has a door to the special Sparky and Plumber side, for quicker service.

I just use click and collect, no issues.

[Eric Mc]

hyphen said:

Toolstation got a Which? or Good Housekeeping type award, which led to it being full of women with kids and prams asking a million needless questions.

If somebody doesn't know something, isn't it sensible that they ask questions?

[Henners]

hyphen said:

I went to one Screwfix recently where they had computer screens for pickups, put in your payment card and out pops the collection receipt.

Whereabouts are you? Thats sounds like a good step - pin check and you're done.

[hyphen]

Eric Mc said:

If somebody doesn't know something, isn't it sensible that they ask questions?

They are basic stores on industrial estates with minimal staff. Their USP is not B&Q type customer service, it is to serve quick and simply.

Even pro's ask questions, but they were not created for the 'I have never done any diy, and have just turned up with out doing any thinking at all' type questions.

Different markets.