Metropol

thegeek wrote: Tue 05 Feb, 2019 22.58 Sad to see Glasgow's Byres Road branch on the list

Apparently it's to remain open after all.

I wonder if there will be others?

In other Glasgow retail news...

thegeek wrote: Fri 12 Oct, 2018 18.53 Mike Ashley is going to spend £95m on the Frasers building in Glasgow

I give the business two years, and within three the empty building will mysteriously go on fire.

Apparently Mike Ashley turned up to have a look around and was slightly surprised to find that he hadn't actually bought the whole building, and there were parts which were owned by others - so is going to have to stump up some more cash for the rest.

Oh, and speaking of Mr Ashley:

There's hope the remaining 27 stores will reopen:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... all-stores

Walking past the Chichester branch today, the store was closed but with all stock remaining.

Even reading that article I still don’t get how there can be anything more than a few years left in the business. Surely vinyl can’t keep a large chain going? Once that fad’s gone what have they got left? Game has at least managed to make some of their stores more of a destination with their new Belong format but there really isn’t an equivalent for HMV.

cwathen wrote: Wed 06 Feb, 2019 21.11 I think the decision to close 363 Oxford Street is all we need to know as regards to how long HMV will last this time. Granted, despite media reports to the contrary HMV hasn't been there for almost a hundred years; they buggered off from that site in 2000 and only moved back there in 2013 as part of the Hilco buyout. However, for most of it's existence that has been the flagship HMV store, the original HMV store, and they've shut it with no plans to open any replacement on Oxford Street (which is different to it's original closure when it was replaced with a larger store). Whether it was the correct business decision or not, surely from a point of view of image it was essential that particular store be saved if there is to be any confidence that HMV has truly been saved.

I think this is just more re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic and we'll be back here again sooner rather than later.

I'm not sure that is strictly true, imagine how much the rents will be on Oxford Street. I'm also thinking that the large foreign tourist footfall won't help when you are flogging english language UK format CDs and DVDs.

I expect it will have been done on the individual store's profitability. It's quite likely smaller towns without much competition will make more profit than massive stores in prime locations in the biggest cites.

Andrew wrote: Sun 10 Feb, 2019 11.16
cwathen wrote: Wed 06 Feb, 2019 21.11 I think the decision to close 363 Oxford Street is all we need to know as regards to how long HMV will last this time. Granted, despite media reports to the contrary HMV hasn't been there for almost a hundred years; they buggered off from that site in 2000 and only moved back there in 2013 as part of the Hilco buyout. However, for most of it's existence that has been the flagship HMV store, the original HMV store, and they've shut it with no plans to open any replacement on Oxford Street (which is different to it's original closure when it was replaced with a larger store). Whether it was the correct business decision or not, surely from a point of view of image it was essential that particular store be saved if there is to be any confidence that HMV has truly been saved.

I think this is just more re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic and we'll be back here again sooner rather than later.
I'm not sure that is strictly true, imagine how much the rents will be on Oxford Street. I'm also thinking that the large foreign tourist footfall won't help when you are flogging english language UK format CDs and DVDs.

Oxford Street also sold foreign language CDs and DVDs, although the CD selection was reduced when they moved back to 363 under Hilco.

Looks like Debenhams has avoided going to administration at least for now...
Debenhams secures cash injection as it battles for survival
Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47205668

On a WHSmith related note at the weekend I noticed in their King's Cross unit the food section was branded as 'Sainsburys food-to-go' (or similar name). A browse online suggested this is a trial in about 9 stores which started back in July last year, though I hadn't noticed due to the Thameslink changes back in May. Apparently if successful it could be rolled out to more of it's stores. It does increasingly feel like WHSmith is rather relying on concessions within their stores (i.e. Post Office, and now Sainsbury's) to keep their business going.

Yes, the store in East Midlands Airport had a Sainsbury's to go section when I flew from there last October.

HMV Bluewater in Kent has reopened. Presumably Sunrise Records managed to negotiate a rent deal with Intu.

LK Bennett has go into administration.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47488854

The former owner of Poundworld has started in the last few weeks opening his new venture “One Below”

He plans to have 100 branches by the end of the year, in most cases in former Poundworld stores.

https://www.one-below.co.uk

Not really High Street but

Regent Road roadworks firm Dawnus 'going into administration'

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-15968083

Which has caused workers not to be paid

Traffic chaos on Regent Road roadworks as workmen dump diggers in protest at 'not being paid'

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... s-15959912

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