To be annoyed that everywhere except London gets forgotten about?

[BarbaraofSeville]

Prompted by another thread about the riveting subject of changing coins.

AIBU to be annoyed that many big businesses appear to forget that anywhere outside the south east even exists?

I live in a large city in northern England, and while we have plenty of facilities (shops, restaurants, parks, theatres, museums etc etc) there are a few businesses that have totally ignored us while opening dozens of Branches in or near London.

Eg Metro Bank, over a dozen branches within the M25, but nothing further away from London than Cambridge!

Uniqlo - Only one of their 10 UK branches is outside London (in Kent).

There are probably others, but that's all that I can think of right now.

AIBU to think that before they open multiple branches that are virtually on the same street in London, they should be opening up in Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Bristol, Belfast, Nottingham etc instead?

If they did this most people would be within a reasonable distance of a branch, instead of them all being crammed in one tiny area of the country.

We have money, we would use these businesses. In fact, many of us probably have a lot more disposable income than people in the south east because we don't have to spend stupid money on housing!

They are business - they are in it to make a profit - not sure what else you need to say .

Sheffield city centre (sounds weird not just saying town) could well go further downhill because of all the cuts to public transport. I hate Meadowhall & avoid it as much as possible.

Is Metro Bank a regional bank? Like some credit unions are?

As for Uniqlo I am surprised they are still open I have never apart from the one on Oxford street seen one that is busy and tourists will probably be their main customers.

I live in London I think we do live in a bubble here as there is so much investment and so much money about apart from small areas of London we do not have large areas of high unemployment/few jobs and areas that are totally run down as some towns are. House prices have pushed many out of London those on average wages can't buy here now unless they have a large deposit so it has pros and cons.

Business will only go where they hope to make money money should be invested throughout the country I thought in the last 20 years though London has seen the biggest share it had been distributed more I am not sure.

I doubt on average people have more disposable income out of London though cost of living/house prices are considerably more than most of the uk they are also many people that earn huge salaries in London and those who have come from abroad to live here that are extremely wealthy though they add to london economy they also make it harder for average and low earners to live here. This has changed London in the last 25 years it's wrong I hate to think what it will be like in another 25 years

Metro Bank is a bank, that is trying to rival the big HSBC/Barclays etc. It's not deliberately regional like credit unions or building societies.

There is currently no John Lewis in all of West Yorkshire either, one of the largest counties in the country and home to over 2 million people.

I take on board all the comments about business viability, it's just annoying when people talk about John Lewis/Uniqlo/Metro Bank/Pret etc as if there is one convenient to everyone, when in fact they are miles away from most people. I think this shows that Mumsnet is also quite Londoncentric.

According to the ONS, the median London salary is a little over £34k and for the whole of the UK £22k. That's probably less than £10k extra per year after tax, which I wouldn't have thought covered the extra cost in housing, especially if you are looking to buy.

It doesn't

That's why so much is spent on HB topping up rent, people can't afford to buy which is great for buy to let investors and people are moving out of London

Though now the MC are struggling to buy it's being recognised as a real problem

OP, you think MN is too London-centric? What do you propose? Affirmative action to get non-Londoners to join?

There are5 pret a manger in Brum and quite a few of the other shops mentioned so I think it's ok.. There are also lots of unique places

If you think it's bad in the North try the Westcountry.

I have lived in the West Country and I agree.
The same is true of east Anglia too though. There is lovely stuff in Norwich, including a John Lewis, but getting there is an arse ache.

Metro Bank is a bank, that is trying to rival the big HSBC/Barclays etc. It's not deliberately regional like credit unions or building societies.

Metro Bank's strategy is very deliberately confining themselves to London and the SE:
www.metrobankonline.co.uk/Discover-Metro-Bank/About-Us/

And that's fine - they're doing well on that. Their customer service is superb. I opened an account with them when I lived in London, and stayed with them despite having moved to Scotland. If I phone I always get a real person and do usually have to explain I can't "pop into the store" very easily!

Sorry- not the point of the thread.