Reply to: Debenhams

[Hobosapien]

JL is already changing half of it's central London store into office space.

Retail turning into offices turning into housing.

The inevitable conclusion to that is housing for the homeless so they are inside rather than out in the city/town centres.

Then they are able to get crafty and creative beyond selling the big issue or playing some instrument badly.

Then we have small artisan independents instead of soulless national chains, and end up where the high street started.

This time beards and merkins optional.

[clearedforlanding]

Time to transform the highstreets into living areas. Housing problem solved.

Atw can expand downstairs.

I think people from Lincolnshire were the only ones to shop at Debenhams. There was a reassuringly dreary grey familiarity in Debenhams stores for Lincolnshire folk. They felt safe there.

[SueEllen]

And don't forget the extortionate parking charges (and if you're in London, the congestion charge ultra-low emission tax* which now applies at weekends). It's not just the destination that's the problem, the journey is often quite unpleasant...

I live in walking distance of a load of shops one of the good things about living in London. If you choose the right part you don't have to use transport to get to them. The ones I use to have to travel to have gone bust....

[Mordac]

In store retailing is failing but in part retailers have only themselves to blame.
The fact is that visiting a store is not a pleasant experience. Anyone who had visited Homebase, B&Q or Ikea on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon will be able attest to the worst of this.
Retailers have had years to make the environment more pleasant and so many have failed.
Just pre-covid. I visited John Lewis in Birmingham and spent quite a bit of money there but for an upmarket store the environment was not nice.

And don't forget the extortionate parking charges (and if you're in London, the congestion charge ultra-low emission tax* which now applies at weekends). It's not just the destination that's the problem, the journey is often quite unpleasant...


*Some of those don't apply yet, but will do soon.

[dsc]

Most stores don't have any stock in. It's all on their website so you may as well do click and collect, then give the stuff back if it doesn't fit or not as described.

"Oh sorry we haven't got that size in stock but if you go to our website, we have all sizes available there" a phrase heard very often when going in to a shop to try smth in a bid to avoid the hassle of waiting for delivery and returning cause it doesn't fit.

[AtW]

24/7 Amazing drone delivery will kill all retail as we know it, apart from sofa delivery, which I am still waiting to happen

[SueEllen]

In store retailing is failing but in part retailers have only themselves to blame.
The fact is that visiting a store is not a pleasant experience. Anyone who had visited Homebase, B&Q or Ikea on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon will be able attest to the worst of this.

The only place I (use to ) go to walk around a store on a Saturday or Sunday is a supermarket. Even then I'm selective about which ones I go to and the time.

Retailers have had years to make the environment more pleasant and so many have failed.
Just pre-covid. I visited John Lewis in Birmingham and spent quite a bit of money there but for an upmarket store the environment was not nice.

Most stores don't have any stock in. It's all on their website so you may as well do click and collect, then give the stuff back if it doesn't fit or not as described.

[SueEllen]

They might have to rethink that plan

I saw the story and went only 15 years too late...

[courtg9000]

In store retailing is failing but in part retailers have only themselves to blame.
The fact is that visiting a store is not a pleasant experience. Anyone who had visited Homebase, B&Q or Ikea on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon will be able attest to the worst of this.
Retailers have had years to make the environment more pleasant and so many have failed.
Just pre-covid. I visited John Lewis in Birmingham and spent quite a bit of money there but for an upmarket store the environment was not nice.

[edison]

This. Just as the warehouses and factories were converted into loft apartments in the '80s and '90s for post-industrial towns, so the shops need to be converted for post-retail towns.

Post retail - not heard that before but sounds about right. The only things that will be left in most high streets in 10 years time will be service based businesses, fast food outlets, bars, cafes and charity shops and betting shops.

[edison]

The billionaire and the 219 tiny flats: a new low for rabbit-hutch Britain? | Property | The Guardian

That's shocking.

I know that building and there's no way I would want to live in it even after conversion.

A similar thing is happening in places like Harlow in Essex where old offices are being turned into residential accommodation which ends up housing people redirected there by London councils.

Inside Harlow'''s office block '''human warehouse''' housing - BBC News

[CheeseSlice]

Good riddance I say.

I lost £ 000's last time Debenhams went into administration and was sold off in a pre-pack administration to new owners for pennies.
What a slap in the face to find out it didn't even close and continued to trade as if nothing happened.
I walked into a store the day after the deal, expecting to find desparate Closing down Sale signs, and bare shelves,.. but when I looked around the aisles and shelves they were stacked full of the same gear that I had part-owned just a day earlier. Flaming furious I was.
Well now the current owners (filth) have to deal with losing their money too.

And no I am not Mike Ashley!

[AtW]

JL is already changing half of it's central London store into office space.

They might have to rethink that plan

[Old Greg]

workhouses for the £25k per year fresh batch of "IT workers"

The billionaire and the 219 tiny flats: a new low for rabbit-hutch Britain? | Property | The Guardian

[GigiBronz]

Time to transform the highstreets into living areas. Housing problem solved.

workhouses for the £25k per year fresh batch of "IT workers"