2021 - Retailer woe & retail sector chat
Discussion
hyphen said:
Also Montezuma chocoate place is still open, so wonder if it was a negotiating strategy.
Still listed for rent at £67K per annum with £30K business rates.https://www.realla.co.uk/details/16691005
Looks like White Stuff want out of their £350,000 per annum rent and £159,820 business rates.
https://www.realla.co.uk/details/21152165
As do Game https://www.realla.co.uk/details/19685621
Not looking good is it?
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 13th April 20:12
hyphen said:
Blib said:
hyphen said:
How does one pay next to nothing in rent to deflect rates liability from landlord? How do I find such an opportunity?
The tenant pays minimal rent but pays the rates on the building. Saves the landlord from suffering a double-whammy.Oxford Street today was quite dystopian.
It was nice to see it busy, but half of people are masked up outside, and most shops have people in high viz controlling the queues and dousing everyone in hand sanitiser.
Yesterday, someone mentioned about the police dogs. I thought it was an autocorrect typo, but there actually are quite a lot of police walking around with menacing alsatians like a football match.
It all felt like the cross between North Korea and cyberpunk 2077. A really strange, controlled, sanitised, post apocalyptic scene. Surely the crowds will drop off after an initial rush as it looked as miserable as sin.
On the way back I also walked through Chancery Lane which is fairly prime zone 1 real estate. At least 50% of shops have gone. It’s quite shocking in that part of the city.
I also recently heard that 40 of 130 units at Canary Wharf are now vacant.
Depressing times for UK retail and no let up in the short term.
It was nice to see it busy, but half of people are masked up outside, and most shops have people in high viz controlling the queues and dousing everyone in hand sanitiser.
Yesterday, someone mentioned about the police dogs. I thought it was an autocorrect typo, but there actually are quite a lot of police walking around with menacing alsatians like a football match.
It all felt like the cross between North Korea and cyberpunk 2077. A really strange, controlled, sanitised, post apocalyptic scene. Surely the crowds will drop off after an initial rush as it looked as miserable as sin.
On the way back I also walked through Chancery Lane which is fairly prime zone 1 real estate. At least 50% of shops have gone. It’s quite shocking in that part of the city.
I also recently heard that 40 of 130 units at Canary Wharf are now vacant.
Depressing times for UK retail and no let up in the short term.
Edited by dmahon on Tuesday 13th April 23:14
dmahon said:
Oxford Street today was quite dystopian.
It was nice to see it busy, but half of people are masked up outside, and most shops have people in high viz controlling the queues and dousing everyone in hand sanitiser.
Yesterday, someone mentioned about the police dogs. I thought it was an autocorrect typo, but there actually are quite a lot of police walking around with menacing alsatians like a football match.
It all felt like the cross between North Korea and cyberpunk 2077. A really strange, controlled, sanitised, post apocalyptic scene. Surely the crowds will drop off after an initial rush as it looked as miserable as sin.
On the way back I also walked through Chancery Lane which is fairly prime zone 1 real estate. At least 50% of shops have gone. It’s quite shocking in that part of the city.
I also recently heard that 40 of 130 units at Canary Wharf are now vacant.
Depressing times for UK retail and no let up in the short term.
This sort of post resonates with me.It was nice to see it busy, but half of people are masked up outside, and most shops have people in high viz controlling the queues and dousing everyone in hand sanitiser.
Yesterday, someone mentioned about the police dogs. I thought it was an autocorrect typo, but there actually are quite a lot of police walking around with menacing alsatians like a football match.
It all felt like the cross between North Korea and cyberpunk 2077. A really strange, controlled, sanitised, post apocalyptic scene. Surely the crowds will drop off after an initial rush as it looked as miserable as sin.
On the way back I also walked through Chancery Lane which is fairly prime zone 1 real estate. At least 50% of shops have gone. It’s quite shocking in that part of the city.
I also recently heard that 40 of 130 units at Canary Wharf are now vacant.
Depressing times for UK retail and no let up in the short term.
Edited by dmahon on Tuesday 13th April 23:14
As others have posted whilst retail isnt dead it's decline has been accelerated by the virus. I genuinely think that a lot of people are just hoping for the best and they are not planning accordingly. By that i mean some councils
B&Q are moving into the high street from what I spotted today.
An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
Edited by hyphen on Saturday 17th April 19:49
hyphen said:
B&Q are moving into the high street from what I spotted today.
An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
I bet they have seen the resurgence of the high street hardware store and have decided they want a piece of the action. An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
Edited by hyphen on Saturday 17th April 19:49
If their stock levels are anything like their sister company screwfix, then they will be rubbish.
So much of screwfixes stuff is 24 to 48 hour order nowadays, with the more expensive higher mark up stuff being the only thing in stock.
bristolracer said:
hyphen said:
B&Q are moving into the high street from what I spotted today.
An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
I bet they have seen the resurgence of the high street hardware store and have decided they want a piece of the action. An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
Edited by hyphen on Saturday 17th April 19:49
If their stock levels are anything like their sister company screwfix, then they will be rubbish.
So much of screwfixes stuff is 24 to 48 hour order nowadays, with the more expensive higher mark up stuff being the only thing in stock.
Screwfix want you to order stuff online and pick it up the next day but if we need to do that then we would use a propper electrical wholesalers that we use anyway for the more obscure stuff, we just needed to be a bit more organised.
scottyp123 said:
bristolracer said:
hyphen said:
B&Q are moving into the high street from what I spotted today.
An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
I bet they have seen the resurgence of the high street hardware store and have decided they want a piece of the action. An 'opening soon' unit in Tooting High Street and another opening soon unit near South Side Wandsworth. Neither seemed particularly large.
Personally I would rather the Kingfisher Group opened more Screwfix stores, but suppose higher margins to be had by selling tiles/paint/plants type stuff for the homeowner wanting to spruce up a bit. Plus click and collect.
Aside from the sections in Poundland and Wilko's, no national diy chain on the high street is there? Has there been in the past? As Homebase was out of town.
Edited by hyphen on Saturday 17th April 19:49
If their stock levels are anything like their sister company screwfix, then they will be rubbish.
So much of screwfixes stuff is 24 to 48 hour order nowadays, with the more expensive higher mark up stuff being the only thing in stock.
Screwfix want you to order stuff online and pick it up the next day but if we need to do that then we would use a propper electrical wholesalers that we use anyway for the more obscure stuff, we just needed to be a bit more organised.
Have had the opposite experience tbh. Screwfix now my default choice (I’m retail not trade)
I am in the middle of 3 of their locations pretty much equidistant so I can find stock and go get it usually within an hour. Their app is decent. Good parking on not hugely busy industrial estates.
Compared to B&Q whose stock checking is woeful - I can be stood in a store looking at their app telling me they have 20 in stock and yet they are not in stock. I cannot register for click & collect because my misses is and it will not let you have two if you have the same address. Often queuing one-in-one-out and too much variation in quality forcing you to go choose in-store yourself anyway.
I was not aware they were both owned by the same - I imagine B&Q on the high street will be a Screwfix-lite click & collect thing for smaller and basic retail items (which can all be found on Amazon or B&M etc easier and cheaper)
I am in the middle of 3 of their locations pretty much equidistant so I can find stock and go get it usually within an hour. Their app is decent. Good parking on not hugely busy industrial estates.
Compared to B&Q whose stock checking is woeful - I can be stood in a store looking at their app telling me they have 20 in stock and yet they are not in stock. I cannot register for click & collect because my misses is and it will not let you have two if you have the same address. Often queuing one-in-one-out and too much variation in quality forcing you to go choose in-store yourself anyway.
I was not aware they were both owned by the same - I imagine B&Q on the high street will be a Screwfix-lite click & collect thing for smaller and basic retail items (which can all be found on Amazon or B&M etc easier and cheaper)
Following the Cafe Nero bid, EG Group (Issa brother/PE) have bought the food chain Leon. £100m which sounds a awful lot for a company that struggled under lockdown and whose future success depends on workers going back into offices full time.
Whats the plan? Build blocks of flats on the site of the petrol stations, with an small EV 'petrol station', and an Asda, coffee shop and Leon? Nero and Leon are a little more upmarket than Asda though.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/articl...
Whats the plan? Build blocks of flats on the site of the petrol stations, with an small EV 'petrol station', and an Asda, coffee shop and Leon? Nero and Leon are a little more upmarket than Asda though.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/articl...
Edited by hyphen on Sunday 18th April 15:13
hyphen said:
Following the Cafe Nero bid, EG Group (Issa brother/PE) have bought the food chain Leon. £100m which sounds a awful lot for a company that struggled under lockdown and whose future success depends on workers going back into offices full time.
Whats the plan Build? Build blocks of flats on the site of the petrol stations, with an small EV 'petrol station', and an Asda, coffee shop and Leon? Nero and Leon are a little more upmarket than Asda though.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/articl...
2020 pre lockdown in the office everyday I decided I had had enough of paying for lunch and coffee so started brining in my own. After the first few weeks just became routine and i did not miss a shop bought sandwich. Then course in marxh we all went home. When we do go back 1 day a week it seems in September, I am still going to bring my lunch in, I suspect others will have seen the same savings Whats the plan Build? Build blocks of flats on the site of the petrol stations, with an small EV 'petrol station', and an Asda, coffee shop and Leon? Nero and Leon are a little more upmarket than Asda though.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/articl...
Edited by hyphen on Sunday 18th April 14:44
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/12/dominos-pizza-pilo...
Saw this on a rival car site and the article above. Change is coming. The way I see it is Dominos aren't doing this to see if it works or is viable, they have already made that decision, now they are testing it to see how to improve and refine it. This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
Saw this on a rival car site and the article above. Change is coming. The way I see it is Dominos aren't doing this to see if it works or is viable, they have already made that decision, now they are testing it to see how to improve and refine it. This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
Gecko1978 said:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/12/dominos-pizza-pilo...
Saw this on a rival car site and the article above. Change is coming. The way I see it is Dominos aren't doing this to see if it works or is viable, they have already made that decision, now they are testing it to see how to improve and refine it. This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
Read somewhere that Ocado have the same plans and have invested in a autonomous vehicle company. May be wrong, but sure it said Ocado employ 19,000 driversSaw this on a rival car site and the article above. Change is coming. The way I see it is Dominos aren't doing this to see if it works or is viable, they have already made that decision, now they are testing it to see how to improve and refine it. This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
Gecko1978 said:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/12/dominos-pizza-pilo...
Saw this on a rival car site and the article above. Change is coming. The way I see it is Dominos aren't doing this to see if it works or is viable, they have already made that decision, now they are testing it to see how to improve and refine it. This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
What a future. Get rid of workers, and pay little tax. Just had a look at domino’s website, guess how many outlets they had in the U.K. in 1985?....1! Saw this on a rival car site and the article above. Change is coming. The way I see it is Dominos aren't doing this to see if it works or is viable, they have already made that decision, now they are testing it to see how to improve and refine it. This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
Gecko1978 said:
...This is the future, and this is one where many jobs suddenly are no longer required.
But if they take away all the jobs, who is going to have the money to buy the products? Universal income paid from taxes on profits of robot worker companies, that are then spent back with the robot worker companies 
I see a few issues
If I pay for delivery that means it comes to my door.
It does not mean that I have to get dressed, find my keys, leave my flat,get the lift and then romp down the street to the only place the vehicle can pull over and retrieve a cold pizza whose toppings have all fallen off, because the local kids have once again tipped it over for giggles.
If I pay for delivery that means it comes to my door.
It does not mean that I have to get dressed, find my keys, leave my flat,get the lift and then romp down the street to the only place the vehicle can pull over and retrieve a cold pizza whose toppings have all fallen off, because the local kids have once again tipped it over for giggles.
Uggers said:
Wondering around Cork today for work. Came across Debenhams, which is a real wow building to me.
Again completely closed for good and laying empty. It got me thinking about how you repurposed buildings such as this? And the likes of Debenhams had some amazing property around the country. Likewise other big retailers that have gone to the wall recently.
Too big for another city center retailer.
Don't lend themselves to been partitioned. Even if they did partition, there are so many other similar sized retailers obviously struggling.
I imagine big retailers want large out of town, easy access and cheap to maintain and heat.
Hospitality? Hotel? Anyone investing in that the next few years would need balls of steel. Would a deep building like this lend itself for flats/hotel?
Offices? No demand for that anymore.
Reality? Left to go derelict?
Such a shame, Cork is a lovely place, but so many empty properties and big retailers gone it will take quite a lot to bring it back to what I remember it 15 years ago.
Debenhams are/were relative newcomers to the Republic of Ireland. As you can see from that building, it was originally a Roches Stores. If it had not been for Debenhams, that site might have been derelict years ago.Again completely closed for good and laying empty. It got me thinking about how you repurposed buildings such as this? And the likes of Debenhams had some amazing property around the country. Likewise other big retailers that have gone to the wall recently.
Too big for another city center retailer.
Don't lend themselves to been partitioned. Even if they did partition, there are so many other similar sized retailers obviously struggling.
I imagine big retailers want large out of town, easy access and cheap to maintain and heat.
Hospitality? Hotel? Anyone investing in that the next few years would need balls of steel. Would a deep building like this lend itself for flats/hotel?
Offices? No demand for that anymore.
Reality? Left to go derelict?
Such a shame, Cork is a lovely place, but so many empty properties and big retailers gone it will take quite a lot to bring it back to what I remember it 15 years ago.
menousername said:
Have had the opposite experience tbh. Screwfix now my default choice (I’m retail not trade)
I am in the middle of 3 of their locations pretty much equidistant so I can find stock and go get it usually within an hour. Their app is decent. Good parking on not hugely busy industrial estates.
Compared to B&Q whose stock checking is woeful - I can be stood in a store looking at their app telling me they have 20 in stock and yet they are not in stock. I cannot register for click & collect because my misses is and it will not let you have two if you have the same address. Often queuing one-in-one-out and too much variation in quality forcing you to go choose in-store yourself anyway.
I was not aware they were both owned by the same - I imagine B&Q on the high street will be a Screwfix-lite click & collect thing for smaller and basic retail items (which can all be found on Amazon or B&M etc easier and cheaper)
Screwfix stock levels update as soon as an item is sold/scanned into stock from the delivery, B&Q update once a day, usually late at night.I am in the middle of 3 of their locations pretty much equidistant so I can find stock and go get it usually within an hour. Their app is decent. Good parking on not hugely busy industrial estates.
Compared to B&Q whose stock checking is woeful - I can be stood in a store looking at their app telling me they have 20 in stock and yet they are not in stock. I cannot register for click & collect because my misses is and it will not let you have two if you have the same address. Often queuing one-in-one-out and too much variation in quality forcing you to go choose in-store yourself anyway.
I was not aware they were both owned by the same - I imagine B&Q on the high street will be a Screwfix-lite click & collect thing for smaller and basic retail items (which can all be found on Amazon or B&M etc easier and cheaper)
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