Author Topic: Is This The End Of Retail?  (Read 64752 times)

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #175 on: 02 November, 2018, 09:30:52 am »
For that to happen there has to be a rebalancing of the cost base. Currently land and rateable value out of town is cheap, in town is horribly expensive. Councils have used Business Rates as a way of keeping Council Tax down. Land prices and occupancy costs in the U.K. skew running a retail business horribly. (One reason why cross-border price comparisons are dangerous - we like having expensive houses but hate the other consequences of expensive land). For the independent retailer high rent and rates mean less money for staff, refits, experimental stock etc.

It is very difficult to run an independent retail business in the current market, but these businesses contribute hugely to the UKs economy, unlike the Internet giants, which satisfy the cheap and now mentality but give precious little back.
It is simpler than it looks.

ian

Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #176 on: 02 November, 2018, 09:39:18 am »
Well, they're supposed to be turning Croydon into another gleaming Westfields. I'm not sure if they're going to tell the residents before the bombs fall. I have wandered through the Stratford one a couple of times on my way from the station to the aqua-place. I'm evidently not retail-inclined, they always feel dystopian to me. I expect there's a plain door somewhere, tucked between gleaming store fronts that you really shouldn't open. I warned you.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #177 on: 02 November, 2018, 09:45:23 am »
I imagine the the Burlington Arcade felt dystopian when it first opened.  ;D
It is simpler than it looks.

ian

Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #178 on: 02 November, 2018, 10:01:35 am »
Is that the place they dress beagles as people?

My mum took me on a coach trip to the Bullring in Brum when I was little. It took hours and we saw spaghetti junction (seriously, it was part of the trip). Is it still there? Probably called Intu Birmingham or something.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #179 on: 02 November, 2018, 10:06:12 am »
It was knocked down. And Bullring rose from the ashes.

So the original centre, (which was one of the first, if not the first indoor centre) stood about 35 years, the last ten of which in terminal decline. It really was ghastly.

History going back 900 years.
It is simpler than it looks.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #180 on: 02 November, 2018, 10:57:18 am »
I imagine the the Burlington Arcade felt dystopian when it first opened.  ;D
I bet it didn't. I bet it felt luxurious and "reassuringly expensive" if you could afford to shop there, and fairy-tale-ish or a good place to knick stuff if you couldn't. An arcade with only two ends to get in and out and not being a public highway offers an element of control as to who gets in or out. The roof adds to the feeling of protection within as well as protecting from the elements. But in one aspect at least it wasn't like a modern shopping centre when it opened, as each shop must have offered unique goods. Well, there would have been nothing else anywhere back then.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

ian

Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #181 on: 02 November, 2018, 11:05:45 am »
I bet it didn't have a Nandos.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #182 on: 02 November, 2018, 12:52:04 pm »
I imagine the the Burlington Arcade felt dystopian when it first opened.  ;D
I bet it didn't. I bet it felt luxurious and "reassuringly expensive" if you could afford to shop there, and fairy-tale-ish or a good place to knick stuff if you couldn't. An arcade with only two ends to get in and out and not being a public highway offers an element of control as to who gets in or out. The roof adds to the feeling of protection within as well as protecting from the elements.

So, the forerunner of Westfield then.
It is simpler than it looks.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #183 on: 02 November, 2018, 12:57:21 pm »
Didn't The Wrong Hammond just announce a scheme to cut business rates for independent shops? I'm not sure how "independent" was defined, or maybe it was "small", or how big the cuts were. Will that enable physical shops to compete?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #184 on: 02 November, 2018, 01:13:13 pm »
 Meadowhall had The Lanes part of the place that initially had independent traders in it. Increasingly though, it’s been taken over by the chains with small ‘boutique’ outlets because it’s suposedly twee.
For every complex problem in the world, there is a simple and easily understood solution that’s wrong.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #185 on: 02 November, 2018, 01:14:31 pm »
Quote from: Ben
People don't want bricks and mortar shops any more...
Speak for yourself. I bloody well do.
Why would you want to spend time travelling into town and travelling all the way back again to/from a shop that might not even have what you want?  :-\ ???
And why would I want to spend time sitting in front of a computer fighting with a shit web site, not able to examine the thing I want to buy, then have to hang around waiting for a courier who may or may not deliver what I've ordered or even if something is delivered it's the wrong thing because the fulfillment centre doesn't pay proper wages so gets the sort of workers that shit wages attract.  Of course that's assuming the web retailer really has what you want in stock and doesn't say "Oops sorry, we *thought* we had it, but we don't really. Try again in a day or two.  Sorreee" when you get to the bit where you pay.  Oh and just how many web sites do you know that accept cash or have real live people that you can quiz about the thing you want to buy?

And there's this marvellous invention called, "The Telephone" that let's me talk to people a long, long way away and if I really want to avoid a possibly fruitless round trip I can make a "Telephone Call" to find out whether or not the shop has what I want in stock.

*snork*

As if anyone would willingly endure a telephone call when there's a perfectly good website or physical shop they can use...

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #186 on: 02 November, 2018, 01:28:44 pm »
Didn't The Wrong Hammond just announce a scheme to cut business rates for independent shops? I'm not sure how "independent" was defined, or maybe it was "small", or how big the cuts were. Will that enable physical shops to compete?

Most quite small businesses are exempt (currently) from business rates. So it won't have a great effect on them. It is a start and a recognition that the playing field is currently at about a 45˚ slope.

It will help medium sized ones (rateable value c£12k plus?)
It is simpler than it looks.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
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Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #187 on: 02 November, 2018, 02:56:01 pm »
I imagine the the Burlington Arcade felt dystopian when it first opened.  ;D
I bet it didn't. I bet it felt luxurious and "reassuringly expensive" if you could afford to shop there, and fairy-tale-ish or a good place to knick stuff if you couldn't. An arcade with only two ends to get in and out and not being a public highway offers an element of control as to who gets in or out. The roof adds to the feeling of protection within as well as protecting from the elements.

So, the forerunner of Westfield then.
Society will always need somewhere to hide from the zombies (given that the churches don't have Nandos. Yet.)
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

ian

Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #188 on: 02 November, 2018, 05:00:51 pm »
You can evade zombies by the mere expedient of walking quickly. They're only dangerous if, say, you plan to take a long bath or get engrossed in a good book.

So, truly, if the dead rise, it will be awful.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #189 on: 02 November, 2018, 05:13:55 pm »
IME the zombies tend to come from the shopping centres.

ian

Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #190 on: 02 November, 2018, 05:46:32 pm »
Surely they'd stay in the shopping centre. There's nothing outside for them.

In my great unpublished novel, the apocalypse is averted by the forces of good – ok, they're not strictly good, but sometimes you have to work with what you have – in Croydon's Whitgift Centre. There were no zombies though, just a dead librarian, angelic assassins, a pair of lovestruck demons, a serial killer, and the teeming dead. That might be why it's unpublished and you're be relieved to know Croydon survives. It's really good though. Really quite disturbing – ian's wife. #blatantyetpointlessselfpromotion.

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #191 on: 02 November, 2018, 08:11:17 pm »
Quote from: ian
Really quite disturbing – ian's wife.
Is your wife describing you or your unpublished book?
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #192 on: 02 November, 2018, 08:16:23 pm »
I don't want to know about the unpublished book.

I want to know about the published ones!
It is simpler than it looks.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #193 on: 02 November, 2018, 08:22:43 pm »
Meadowhall had The Lanes part of the place that initially had independent traders in it. Increasingly though, it’s been taken over by the chains with small ‘boutique’ outlets because it’s suposedly twee.

Yes, that was one such area. Nowadays you tend to get the opposite - areas set aside for more upscale retailers. Westfield White City has this, I'm not sure about Stratford.
It is simpler than it looks.

ian

Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #194 on: 02 November, 2018, 09:03:13 pm »
Quote from: ian
Really quite disturbing – ian's wife.
Is your wife describing you or your unpublished book?

She was, with hindsight, non-specific. But I think she meant the book. It's just your everyday tale of a dead librarian saving an ungrateful world. There are a lot of dead babies, I suppose, but really you're not going to find Girl Scouts in Hell. I have to save something for the sequel, after all. Yeah, I should be working to sell it. No more toiling in the thought leadership mines. Genre fiction. I'll be so rich.

Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #195 on: 03 November, 2018, 12:37:19 am »
I'll be so rich.
I believe that one of the precursors to this state is to actually publish. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to piss on your bonfire* but I didn’t want you to spend money you’ve not actually got yet.

*seasonal reference
For every complex problem in the world, there is a simple and easily understood solution that’s wrong.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #196 on: 14 November, 2018, 08:41:46 pm »
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #197 on: 14 November, 2018, 08:43:21 pm »
Their buildings must be worth more than that! If they actually own them.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #198 on: 15 November, 2018, 01:15:06 am »
Fundamentally the Government of the UK has to decide whether value from retail transactions goes to off-shore companies, or stays here.

I'm sure they know the risks involved, in terms of rents, rates, employment, infrastructure, associated industry, and will consider all.

Alternatively, because Brexit,
It is simpler than it looks.

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
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Re: Is This The End Of Retail?
« Reply #199 on: 23 November, 2018, 03:06:46 pm »
Breaking: Vauxhall announces 240 jobs to be cut at Ellesmere Port.

I recall saying when PSA took over GM in Europe that the British plants would be the first to suffer if there was a contraction. As anyone from Coventry knows, they've got form.

And so it begins...
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.