Metropol

The Texaco/Co-operative Food (formerly Somerfield) up at the top of the hill has been similarly rebranded.

I don't think the Co-op logo looks particularly terrible on the canopies, but it certainly looks fantastic at the top of a totem.

MarkAshley wrote: Sat 13 Oct, 2018 01.11 I rather like LNER's new livery.

That isn't LNER's livery, it's just the Virgin Trains East Coast one with the logo replaced.

https://flic.kr/p/2c3JdKq

Barrow Brook store near Clitheroe is now fully refurbed inside and out. The branding looks smart and inside taller shelves mean a much increased product range.

Did anyone notice Poundstretchers did buy out part of Poundworld and along with Bargin buys name.

barcode wrote: Mon 26 Nov, 2018 16.56 Did anyone notice Poundstretchers did buy out part of Poundworld and along with Bargin buys name.

I don't think they bought it, they just started using it. Interestingly it does not appear to have been trademarked until last month, when the administrators registered it. Poundstretcher then submitted their own registration.

The Poundstretcher 'Bargain Buys' shops which I know of are former Poundstretchers.

It all ignores the fact that the problem with Poundstretcher isn't the brand, it's the other crap they fill their shelves with.

WillPS wrote: Mon 26 Nov, 2018 19.57

barcode wrote: Mon 26 Nov, 2018 16.56 Did anyone notice Poundstretchers did buy out part of Poundworld and along with Bargin buys name.

I don't think they bought it, they just started using it. Interestingly it does not appear to have been trademarked until last month, when the administrators registered it. Poundstretcher then submitted their own registration.

The Poundstretcher 'Bargain Buys' shops which I know of are former Poundstretchers.

It all ignores the fact that the problem with Poundstretcher isn't the brand, it's the other crap they fill their shelves with.

The Grimsby one is the old Poundworld

WillPS wrote: Mon 26 Nov, 2018 19.57

barcode wrote: Mon 26 Nov, 2018 16.56 Did anyone notice Poundstretchers did buy out part of Poundworld and along with Bargin buys name.

I don't think they bought it, they just started using it. Interestingly it does not appear to have been trademarked until last month, when the administrators registered it. Poundstretcher then submitted their own registration.

The Poundstretcher 'Bargain Buys' shops which I know of are former Poundstretchers.

It all ignores the fact that the problem with Poundstretcher isn't the brand, it's the other crap they fill their shelves with.

Poundstretcher are getting away with murder right now.

A few weeks ago BBC Watchdog revealed they were selling dangerous phone chargers (liable to set your house on fire at any moment) with fake CE certifications.

From my own observations they're also selling food products from Turkey, Bangladesh, Kosovo and Belarus without any ingredients or allergen information written in the English language (a legal requirement). Poundstretcher's casual attitude towards labelling compliance also raises questions about the food safety and hygiene of the products in question.

It's incredible to see a large retailer flouting the law on a national scale. I guess it all boils down to austerity and its effects on council-run Trading Standards departments whose job it is to enforce thousands of laws.

My local Premier corner shop has, for the last 5 years, been selling 4 bottles of Pinot Grigio for £10 (with a handwritten shelf-edger outwith the Premier corporate style), front of house. Clearly it's a combination of fakery and excise duty avoidance. I once bought some out of curiosity and it was perfectly drinkable, but not Pinot Grigio and not 13% (it tasted like watered down French table wine).

If anything, Poundstretcher are ahead of the game. Once we leave the EU, we can get rid of all these rules and regulations around health and safety, political correctness and *screws face up* the environment. Noel Edmonds CAN’T WAIT.

Of interest locally in Wiltshire, and to anyone with loads of bucks to spare on a very posh kitchen, Canberg/Smallbone/Mark Wilkinson Furniture are reported as going into administration.

Likely to mean a few job losses, and a few unhappy posh cooks.

They've given Debenhams a pretty comprehensive makeover in Meadowhall with the new branding and it's looking very smart. It was never the worst Debenhams store in the first place so I assume it's a decent money maker for them for them to be investing in it.

They've installed grey ceilings and spotlights throughout, as well as some nice LED signage in places. Now they've got the new logo, font and branding they seem to have put it everywhere they can in the signage in store, though they started doing the refurb using the old logo and they still haven't updated the exterior. It's a much classier and modern vibe, almost like John Lewis and River Island combined. Even the way the stock is displayed is very nice particularly compared to before.

The stock is still pretty naff in places (such as Christmas gifts) but the cosmetics and clothing areas look massively better and the store feels much more open with lower displays. It was busy, and it's a vast improvement image wise, so I hope Debenhams consider rolling out elsewhere if they haven't already.

I do wonder if they have the money to do that though - it's like BHS who's store estate was very patchy in quality. The Debenhams in nearby Sheffield city centre is a huge contrast in quality - a very tired store with old fittings and and tatty exterior. They closed the top floor off a few years ago but the escalators to the old floor remain in situ with some barriers, not really a sign of success or investment!

Is the early 90s logo still embossed in to the wall around the escalator well?