Metropol

It seems this one passed us by!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... ation.html

Graves always seemed to be one of those shops that was *constantly* slipping - every time I've passed one anywhere in the country for the last four or five years, it's been half empty and apparently flogging everything off. Never quite seemed to hang on anywhere.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... in-UK.html

Ohhh cheap bike gear!

TG wrote:Graves always seemed to be one of those shops that was *constantly* slipping - every time I've passed one anywhere in the country for the last four or five years, it's been half empty and apparently flogging everything off. Never quite seemed to hang on anywhere.

I think they closed all their NI stores a while ago, they had two near here.

TG wrote:Graves always seemed to be one of those shops that was *constantly* slipping - every time I've passed one anywhere in the country for the last four or five years, it's been half empty and apparently flogging everything off. Never quite seemed to hang on anywhere.

They were bought out with a view to being converted in to Holland & Barrett - about a quarter to a third went through the change.

Obviously they've cherry-picked the best ones and sent the rest to administration, no doubt with a chunk of unprofitable excess from elsewhere. Good ole' capitalism.

After the Clinton Cards in Ipswich closed, I've just been through town and discovered they've reopened on a different site, which used to be a Birthdays, complete with the new logo. Quite surprising that they closed down, and then about a month later, reopened elsewhere.

WillPS wrote:

scottishtv wrote:I quite like Argos for it's instantness. Usually after a bit of researching online where I know whatever exact product it is I want, and I realise it's available from Argos for a decent price and is in stock, then I'd often rather head over in the car, pay and collect - than face the issues that always seem to beset me with getting stuff delivered to my flat and/or office.

I suppose that's the last stumbling block of online shopping - immediacy. I don't suppose it's unimaginable that in a year or so, there'll be retail park 'Amazon' warehouses where you can go and pick up online orders the same day?

I could see purchases up to 12pm being made available by 4pm at these Amazon locker thingies. Saw one at Lakeside for the first time a couple of months ago.

Dragging this back up somewhat. Amazon are apparently going into a partnership with Collect+ (I believe they already utilised them for returns) meaning you should be able to get things delivered to your nearest Spar / PayPoint supporting corner shop and therefore be able to pick them up until lateish into the evening.

Far better than relying on the godawful couriers.

Pete wrote:Dragging this back up somewhat. Amazon are apparently going into a partnership with Collect+ (I believe they already utilised them for returns) meaning you should be able to get things delivered to your nearest Spar / PayPoint supporting corner shop and therefore be able to pick them up until lateish into the evening.

Far better than relying on the godawful couriers.

Agreed - but I'm sure it can't be all PayPoint corner shops - several Sainsbury's Locals for example have PayPoint installed, and I doubt they'd do it.

WillPS wrote:

Pete wrote:Dragging this back up somewhat. Amazon are apparently going into a partnership with Collect+ (I believe they already utilised them for returns) meaning you should be able to get things delivered to your nearest Spar / PayPoint supporting corner shop and therefore be able to pick them up until lateish into the evening.

Far better than relying on the godawful couriers.

Agreed - but I'm sure it can't be all PayPoint corner shops - several Sainsbury's Locals for example have PayPoint installed, and I doubt they'd do it.

A quick check seems to show that not all PayPoint locations also have Collect+ - I can't find a Sainsbury's Local with Collect+, and the East Yorkshire Motor Services bus ticket shop in Scarborough with PayPoint doesn't have Collect+.

News & Booze in Filey has PayPoint, but not Collect+ - only Mace has Collect+ in Filey - although the recently opened Spar may not be on the Collect+ map yet.

I think PayPoint is a prerequisite of having Collect+ though isn't it?

Also what the flump is with PayPoint and their weird 90s terminals?

Pete wrote:I think PayPoint is a prerequisite of having Collect+ though isn't it?

Yes.