dpg50000 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Went into Preston (Lancashire) town centre yesterday. All I can say is retail must be utter carnage at the minute. Down the main street, and in the main shopping centre, it's almost 1 in 3 shops shut. Interestingly, a lot of it is belated consolidation (Early Learning Centre closed to move into BHS I think, H Samuel has closed one of its 2 branches that were only 5 mins walk apart etc). When Game goes bust, that wil leave another 3 empty units. If this is the future for this North West town, then house prices are going to collapse. Funny how Labours economic legacy has been to trash the kind of towns and cities that their core voters reside in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Went into Preston (Lancashire) town centre yesterday. All I can say is retail must be utter carnage at the minute. Down the main street, and in the main shopping centre, it's almost 1 in 3 shops shut. Interestingly, a lot of it is belated consolidation (Early Learning Centre closed to move into BHS I think, H Samuel has closed one of its 2 branches that were only 5 mins walk apart etc). When Game goes bust, that wil leave another 3 empty units. If this is the future for this North West town, then house prices are going to collapse. Funny how Labours economic legacy has been to trash the kind of towns and cities that their core voters reside in. We met a couple from Preston while on holiday a couple of years ago. They said they had lived there all their lives and the place wasn't what it was. They had sold their car because they didn't want to go into the town centre anymore and now just got all their shopping via supermarket home delivery. He booked a slot in advance then edited it every day when they thought of anything they needed. It sounded like being prisoners in their own home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I think that is a vision of the future you have right there. Yes it is because more and more people won't be able to afford a car even if they wanted to go into town. With car prices, fuel, insurance, etc lots of people have already bought their last car but just don't realise it yet. Why are the opening all these supermarkets though? Morrisons are opening one where we are and they have others 5 miles West, 7 miles East and 10 miles South. The new one will just reduce sales at the others. Surely there comes a time when they stop opening and start closing more and just do home deliveries from central depots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Town centres have become places of leisure.. somewhere to go for a coffee when you're bored at the weekend. For practicality supermarkets offer the consumer a far better experience.. free easy parking, competitive pricing, fast service and everything they are likely to need to a typical weekly/monthly shop. The only reason I can see for town centres returning to glory is when we become so poor that none of us can afford to drive a car any more. Until then (unless councils manage to make town centres much more consumer friendly) supermarkets will continue to gain popularity. Edited March 11, 2012 by libspero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Town centres have had it. 1. When council pensioners walk past parking meters they stroke them lovingly 2. Joint income mortgages have put women to work to pay for a banker's bonus. They are no longer out and about midweek with a second income to spend on luxuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradbury Robinson Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Funny you should post this now, I don't go out shopping myself (except supermarkets!) but had the misfortune of having to go into Southport yesterday to pick up some gifts. The high street there was pretty much as you have described, many empty units, I can't say what was there as it's been a while since I was last there, I noticed a big shoe shop gone and what used to be a Burton, obviously the Woolworths closed a while ago but that now seems to be a British Heart Foundation store. So what is there? Dixons, Boots, M&S, WHSmith, HMV, Wilko, fast food, bookies, charity shops and lots of phone shops. In and out as quick as I could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pl1 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 We met a couple from Preston while on holiday a couple of years ago. They said they had lived there all their lives and the place wasn't what it was. They had sold their car because they didn't want to go into the town centre anymore and now just got all their shopping via supermarket home delivery. He booked a slot in advance then edited it every day when they thought of anything they needed. It sounded like being prisoners in their own home. Or how to get rid of all the stale bread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) We met a couple from Preston while on holiday a couple of years ago. They said they had lived there all their lives and the place wasn't what it was. They had sold their car because they didn't want to go into the town centre anymore and now just got all their shopping via supermarket home delivery. He booked a slot in advance then edited it every day when they thought of anything they needed. It sounded like being prisoners in their own home. I think that is a vision of the future you have right there. I guess Bill Hicks was right again. In the future, all we will see on the road is Pizza delivery vans (or their cheaper supermarket own brand ) firing Pizzas through peoples letter boxes... Edited March 11, 2012 by Saving For a Space Ship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Purple Slug Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Yes it is because more and more people won't be able to afford a car even if they wanted to go into town. With car prices, fuel, insurance, etc lots of people have already bought their last car but just don't realise it yet. Why are the opening all these supermarkets though? Morrisons are opening one where we are and they have others 5 miles West, 7 miles East and 10 miles South. The new one will just reduce sales at the others. Surely there comes a time when they stop opening and start closing more and just do home deliveries from central depots? It's so no matter what direction you drive in they've got you. Should be good for confused pensioners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia O'Keeffe Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Tesco have put expansion plans for their big warehouses for non food on hold. Morrison have announced plans to get into that market with an internet only play. Comet and others like them are dead. theyll be back again in 70 years or so though Edited March 11, 2012 by Tamara De Lempicka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbonic Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Tesco have put expansion plans for their big warehouses for non food on hold. Morrison have announced plans to get into that market with an internet only play. Comet and others like them are dead. I've bought two electrical gizmo's since xmas - a compact camera and a breadmaker. I may buy a new TV in te next few months. I research the goods online, read the customer and pro reviews and comparisons. Then look for the best price from a reputable retailer, order online and and have it delivered. The idea of trekking around Comet or Dixons on my weekend days off, and having hair gelled sales geeks trying to flog me overpriced 5 year warranties and crap credit terms is why I will mostly buy online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Two blokes went on Dragon's Den asking for £250k for 10% equity in shopbox for home deliveries http://www.shopbox.co.uk/ Peter Jones offered them £1m for 45% but they turned him down. A cupboard in the side of new builds perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juvenal Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Two blokes went on Dragon's Den asking for £250k for 10% equity in shopbox for home deliveries http://www.shopbox.co.uk/ Peter Jones offered them £1m for 45% but they turned him down. A cupboard in the side of new builds perhaps? But on resale, won't EA's claim it as another bedroom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I can't even remember the last time I went into the town centre for shopping. Occasionally go in for the bars, but that's infrequent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeless Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 supermarkets and online its the future ive tasted it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonytramcar Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 as it's been a while since I was last there, Perhaps this explains it all ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrashConnoisseur Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Two blokes went on Dragon's Den asking for £250k for 10% equity in shopbox for home deliveries http://www.shopbox.co.uk/ They should have stayed at home and waited in for offers to be delivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I've bought two electrical gizmo's since xmas - a compact camera and a breadmaker. I may buy a new TV in te next few months. I research the goods online, read the customer and pro reviews and comparisons. Then look for the best price from a reputable retailer, order online and and have it delivered. The idea of trekking around Comet or Dixons on my weekend days off, and having hair gelled sales geeks trying to flog me overpriced 5 year warranties and crap credit terms is why I will mostly buy online. Breadmaker!.....I donated mine to a charity shop yonks ago......make a weeks bread in one batch in the oven four large loves at a time....tastes, looks and the cost is so much better. Two of our local market towns have a supermarket right next door to the busy town centre, both have a popular outdoors market that sells fresh seasonal fruit and veg, rolls of material, plants etc and good butchers, fishmonger, shoe repairer etc.... the parking is free and having a choice of shopping that appeals to most people increases both the footflow to the supermarkets and the local shops and businesses....best of both/all worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 But on resale, won't EA's claim it as another bedroom? A handy boxroom to rent out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Oldham is deterring people gong in with the tram works making it a nightmare. Will everyone be able to walk to a supermarket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Think of it as liberation from boring shopping. Was it ever a good experience? The problem with online selling from a retailers perspective is the lack of upsell opportunity, or from browsing. You just tend buy what you need. And just wait till 3D printers and home replicators come in. You'll be downloading your own designs from Argos and manufacturing your own tat in no time. Edited March 11, 2012 by "Steed" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concerned_money Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I think that is a vision of the future you have right there. horrible suspicion you are onto something here.......reasons; relentless drive to roll out broadband - it ain't for PPV TV, more like monitoring, electronic home working relentless ICT ed in schools - let the chavs play games & get edukated & Kompooter literate I wonder when it's becomes watch list time if your not connected ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
concerned_money Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Yes it is because more and more people won't be able to afford a car even if they wanted to go into town. With car prices, fuel, insurance, etc lots of people have already bought their last car but just don't realise it yet. Why are the opening all these supermarkets though? Morrisons are opening one where we are and they have others 5 miles West, 7 miles East and 10 miles South. The new one will just reduce sales at the others. Surely there comes a time when they stop opening and start closing more and just do home deliveries from central depots? it's not the end of the world...the car thing that is http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=india+5+on+a+bike&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=605&tbm=isch&tbnid=PmDLj_JRoD6mgM:&imgrefurl=http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/glassmerchant/1/1288963262/sikh-family-5-to-a-bike.jpg/tpod.html&docid=lph5f448o1_DhM&imgurl=http://images.travelpod.com/users/glassmerchant/1.1288963262.sikh-family-5-to-a-bike.jpg&w=550&h=413&ei=3ulcT5qbMYjM0QXNu7S1DQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=656&sig=103610349381112388701&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=190&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0&tx=49&ty=86 Edited March 11, 2012 by concerned_money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 it's not the end of the world...the car thing that is Who says people couldn't share one car between them, split the costs......many a time I have seen people with two shopping lists in supermarkets shopping for others....there are certain items you would never buy online like meat, fish and fruit and veg......who would trust a supermarket to do that for them, I certainly wouldn't, a can of beans maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Purple Slug Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Who says people couldn't share one car between them, split the costs......many a time I have seen people with two shopping lists in supermarkets shopping for others....there are certain items you would never buy online like meat, fish and fruit and veg......who would trust a supermarket to do that for them, I certainly wouldn't, a can of beans maybe. Buying meat/fruit and veg online is fine. Plus you save the cost of the fuel to the supermarket and save the environment. It's win win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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