Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What retailer do you think will go bust next?

1000 replies

good96 · 12/01/2025 17:17

My money is on Poundstretcher. Went into my local one today. Shelves empty, looking old and dirty and prices aren’t really cheap for a discount retailer…

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
RedRiverShore5 · 12/01/2025 18:57

why are people hoping for shops to close, you don't have to shop there

MayIcarryYourSchoolBooks · 12/01/2025 18:57

Superdry
Ryman

Differentstarts · 12/01/2025 18:58

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Its the fact you said it would be good. If you don't like a company don't use it but don't wish for 1000s of innocent people to lose their jobs

CosySwan · 12/01/2025 18:58

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Differentstarts · 12/01/2025 18:59

RedRiverShore5 · 12/01/2025 18:57

why are people hoping for shops to close, you don't have to shop there

This 100% it's disgusting

Beccy1990 · 12/01/2025 18:59

Clinton cards - massively over priced. Not sure why people shop there when theres card factory. Even they are putting prices up though.

tailinthejam · 12/01/2025 18:59

Badbadbunny · 12/01/2025 18:39

Not this again. WHS HighSt and WHS Airports/RailStations are two separate divisions and both are profitable divisions. One half really isn't propping up the other. The High St division is in managed decline and shops are being closed piecemeal as and when they no longer meet the targets required. The rail/airport foreign side is continuing to grow.

WHS own a lot of their High St stores so they're not paying ruinous rents to landlords unlike other chains which have fallen which means their High St stores are more profitable/less loss making. They're also "managing the decline" by not spending a fortune on renovating the High St stores, hence why many of them are now starting to look shabby - again, not spending money, so they can keep them open for longer. They have also incorporated small Toys R Us outlets within many High St branches to continue to drive footfall into their shops, along with taking in many Post Office counters in towns where there's no longer a "crown" post office. High St stores are also often the "last man standing" in terms of newspapers and magazines and they're often the only "go to" place for more specialist foreign and obscure hobby/interest magazines that you can't buy in supermarkets, again, driving footfall into their stores.

Maybe in 10 years or so, their High St stores may well have all closed or radically reduced in numbers, but as I say, it's "managed" decline, so they're not trying to keep loss making stores open by propping them up with profitable high street stores, hence the long term closure/rationalisation program. That's a direct contrast to other chains like Woolworths who tried to keep all stores open, even loss making ones, which caused the entire chain to collapse.

WHS High Street aren't disappearing any time soon.

Show quote history

I see what you did there. 😎

4pawdrive · 12/01/2025 19:00

YampyYamYam · 12/01/2025 17:59

Asda.

Absolute shitshow inside every Asda I've been in for the last couple of years.

Random gaps in the stock, terrible choice of products, dimly lit...just feels like total chaos and on the edge of folding.

10 years ago I used to go to "the big Asda" every few months when I wanted to stock up and get a few treats. Last few times I've been, they haven't had the most basic things (like tinned tomatoes once, FFS) and the treats have been non existent. Despite the store itself being enormous, it's sparsely stocked and barely lit well enough to see anything!

Yes I tried doing my online shop with them for a couple of months last year and things were constantly out of stock. It just turned into a joke. I was getting a huge proportion of my shopping missing so I just gave up. It wasn't anything fancy just everyday stuff. I've gone back to Tesco/Waitrose who do have low stock sometimes but not nearly to the same degree.

PurplePenguin2468 · 12/01/2025 19:01

Morrisons
Poundstretcher
River Island
Boyes
White Stuff
Home Base
Carpet Right

Gowlett · 12/01/2025 19:02

Agree about the change in fashions as mentioned above.
When I start seeing things that are in my wardrobe, lining the charity shop rails… I know it’s time to move them on!

Problem is that a lot of them are fair superior quality clothes (hence popularity of Vinted). Plus, I’m older & fatter, too. So, I love my clothes but they no longer serve me. It’s a tough one.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 12/01/2025 19:03

Urban Outfitters

Obviously I am not their target customer , but my 22yo DD is .
The shop looks like a Pop Up Bring & Buy
The clothes are either see through or hideous frills or chunky knits.

DD and I went (her choice not mine!) before Christmas , it was empty . There were rails of "Last Chance To Buy" but these are not reduced in price . Just the odd shite that they gather together .
The Sale Rail made me itch just looking at it .

DD has got a couple of coats but a good purchase is a rarity .

And the HomeWare - who buys this ?

CrushingOnRubies · 12/01/2025 19:03

Beccy1990 · 12/01/2025 18:59

Clinton cards - massively over priced. Not sure why people shop there when theres card factory. Even they are putting prices up though.

Say you have £3 budget to spend on a birthday card and postage. You will get more for your money at card factory than Clinton's. Or like most people get cards from supermarket with weekly shop.

4pawdrive · 12/01/2025 19:03

MyDeepZebra · 12/01/2025 17:42

I keep getting offers and huge markdowns for Crew Clothing and my local one has closed. Last time I was getting these sort of emails it was from Ted Baker.

same from Crew - plus I get lots of 'it's back in stock hurry and buy it' from Crew Clothing when I didn't register to get updates for things out of stock. They just send them anyway.

Very glad I got all my refunds processed from purchases before xmas. I sent a bunch of stuff back as it was all huge and weird sized although some of the hoodies were nice.

They took ages to process the refunds too (about 20 days after they said they had received it in their warehouse). Could have been cos of xmas etc but I returned something to M&S over same period and got money back in 3 days.

Youngheartsalittletogetherness · 12/01/2025 19:04

Differentstarts · 12/01/2025 18:58

Its the fact you said it would be good. If you don't like a company don't use it but don't wish for 1000s of innocent people to lose their jobs

Show quote history

Exactly I find that line of thinking almost ghoulish wishing a retail company going bust and all that entails for the staff.

CosySwan · 12/01/2025 19:07

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

4pawdrive · 12/01/2025 19:07

Midlifecrisisxamillion · 12/01/2025 18:09

I reccon their food halls keep them going and with an aging population the clothes will probably continue to sell.

Edited
Show quote history

I used to work for M&S in the late eighties/early nineties. Back then they made no money from male clothing, a tiny amount from female clothing and most of their profits came from their food sales.

It was the days of customers fighting over food and queueing outside the shop on xmas eve to get their turkeys. Not joking actually fighting in the aisles. The safest place to be just before xmas was on the tills safely cocooned in your little cubicle.

Not sure if that was just my store or M&S nationwide.

TiredCatLady · 12/01/2025 19:08

Anthropologie/Urban Outfitters (both have always been expensive but now the quality is no better than Primark)
White Stuff (never anyone in them)
Coop
Matalan
Morrisons
Next

TJ Hughes was bought out years ago and the few remaining stores are full of absolute tat. Owners are running it into the ground as the stores often occupy prime sites for student flats/thrown up apartments.

Every Boots store I go in is absolutely rammed.

Doggymummar · 12/01/2025 19:08

MyPantsAreMissing · 12/01/2025 18:53

Argos closed here in Ireland a.couple of years ago, and there have been so many times where I've wished it was still here. I really miss the habitat home stuff.
Terrifying how amazon can just swoop in and fill the gap left by so many businesses.

We have Argos and habitat concessions in Sainsbury's

Weepixie · 12/01/2025 19:09

sarah12398 · 12/01/2025 18:28

M&S

Currently on 150 days plus payment terms for my invoices.. even though I paid my suppliers last year...

That’s horrendous. How do you manage? It’s awful you’re in this position.

MidnightMusing5 · 12/01/2025 19:11

Sinkintotheswamp · 12/01/2025 18:24

Our town centre WH Smiths is actually closing. It's been grim for a while but finally reached the end of the line. Even relocating the post office into the shop didn't help.

I'm still sad about Paperchase going bust. There's no where to buy decent cards or funky pens anymore.

Our Tesco stocks them now

Paintedtoenailz · 12/01/2025 19:11

Phase Eight is opening a store in Liverpool 1. Seasalt is displayed in M&S.
M&S appeared to sell many rated clothes in 2024, though finding a member of staff or a till is like being on a treasure hunt.
Long term, I see JL folding. Until recently often knowingly undersold and customer service is abominable

CowBoyz · 12/01/2025 19:12

It'll be great when all these rubbish high street stores are gone and Amazon have a total monopoly cos then that kind Mr bezos will be so rich he will be able to reduce prices!

OneLuckyHare · 12/01/2025 19:12

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 12/01/2025 19:13

Absolutely no idea how WH Smith stays in business. 3 for 2 deals on chocolate?

RedRiverShore5 · 12/01/2025 19:14

Halfords fit the parts though which some people need.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In
This thread is not accepting new messages.
Swipe left for the next trending thread