And there goes Debenhams too. Will we miss our high streets?

[longwayoff]

What will life be like when all the high st stores we're used to seeing aren't there any longer? Will they be just bars and coffee shops with an occasional nail bar and hairdresser? Even £shops are suffering. Will they become mad max wastelands? Housing with no shops?

I certainly wouldn't say that cities are declining - just that we have changed how we use them, so urban planning needs to adjust to that.

I'm in cities most of the time - but in contrast to say twenty years ago - it's really rare for me to go into a proper shop.(Yesterday, in fact, I made a conscious decision to visit a clothes shop that I usually only interact with online.)

The time I would previously have spent trying on clothes, browsing bookshops or buying gifts probably is now spent staring at a screen - but I haven't in any way reduced the amount of time in galleries or theatres. And would happily use libraries if they hadn't become part of the neglected wasteland.

I do think the people charged with organising the urban environment have been woefully slow to respond to changing demands.

Having thought about my earlier comment, I’d like to make an exception for Matalan.

Our nearest one is probably the only shop where you can see stuff online, and then find it in-store in the size you need.

Good for you, Matalan Hun.

I'm worried that Internet shopping and all those subsequent individual deliveries from a diesel driven van driving up and down our suburban streets (not to mention all the extra tons of packaging 😢) is a disaster for the environment.

One of our local high streets are struggling because only a couple of people own the shops and the rent on them is extortionate. Even Starbucks recently closed down because of it.

The only stores that survive there are Charity Shops and Nail Bars, it's sad as there is no real reason to visit the high street now so the Charity Shops will start to suffer soon.

I will be sad if our local Debenhams goes, however it isn't a very good one as it's small and doesn't have a large range of stock.

The trouble with clothes online ( possibly the only trouble) is that you can’t feel the fabric and pictures can be deceptive. Sizing can be a problem too, but that’s the same in stores.

Our HoF is pretty much deserted these days, so David Sports Direct May have got himself a turkey. We haven’t a Debenhams locally, so not somewhere I often go.

Mind you, we don’t have much of anything locally now.

Also parking costs. I never go to my nearest town now because we have enough out of town stores and you can do click and collect.

Things have changed, in our town parking has become more expensive. This has led me to either shop in the industrial estate shops (which are open better hours anyway when you work) or shop online. Try shopping in town at a weekend and it's gridlock (So still popular then). With other things going on at weekends I don't have time to just pop into town as can't get there because of traffic. Then half the time the shops don't have stock of what you need.

A580Hojas

I would argue that delivery rounds of vans is a far more efficient way of distributing rather than all individuals driving miles to buy an item.

Rounds are planned carefully by big delivery companies to minimise miles and increase efficiency.

I had a delivery driver tell me he had 130 items to deliver that day- all in the local area- that's potentially 130 cars off the road.

Also most companies are switching to paper and cardboard only packaging- I reuse or recycle most of the boxes etc.

Amazon are particularly good at using non plastic packaging.

I agree that it’s rents and rates that are the issue, I avoid the high street on a weekend because they are totally rammed, parking is a nightmare so sometimes use the train but not practical if have heavy bags etc.

A580Hojas It's an interesting question and I daresay there's masses of academic research being done on this right now.

It does seem weird to think of, say, an entire floor of M&S t shirts each being packaged and couriered to a consumer. But then, each t shirt sold in a concrete shop is a separate car journey. (Though I suppose mass public transport is more environmentally friendly.)

Last time I was in Debenhams (had a gift card to spend) it was like a wasteland. Queues at tills, awful stock, none of my size in anything I was interested in and couldn't find a single member of staff to ask if they had any more. Gave up, came home, bought something else online.

I think we're really in a transitional phase at the moment. The High St model is failing, that's for sure, but it's not quite clear yet how exactly things are going to go. I can imagine a lot of shops turning into Click & Collect pick-up stations.

In terms of the “but what if I make the journey to the shop and it’s not there?” issue, I think John Lewis really gets that, because they’re gradually rolling out live stock information on their website/app. It’s a game changer for me, because I can choose between three JL branches and pick the one with my size in stock.
It’s what I love most about Argos. When I want something I often want it NOW, or at least in 30 minutes, not in 48 hours once I’ve picked up the delivery card through my door and schlepped to the Post Office depot.

I rarely go High St shopping anymore, food comes online, most of my casual clothes can be picked up at Tesco or Asda (we have bigs one very close). I would miss M and S if it went ( bras and work clothes).
That said, Debenhams have a nice range of ladies tops (which are at least 20% more expensive than other shops though).

In 10 years someone young will say "wouldn't it be great of we could actually see and touch the stuff BEFORE we buy online?"
And a shop will open.....and another....the whole thing will probably go full circle

I’m another that thinks like this too. Didn’t places like Littlewoods star out as mail order catalogues and then stores came after.

Eveyrthing has its time and its “heyday” and right now, that’s online, in the future who knows? Of course the smartphones and the internet that our children’s children (or even their children) will use, won’t be the same as what we use now - things move on. Even iPhone won’t be around forever, same with Facebook, Insta etc, something else will come along.

Debenhams has been awful for years. Full of poor concessions and surly disinterested staff - at least in the branches I have been in!

I don't like buying clothes online. They never look right and I can't be faffed with sending things back. I think I'll go and have a look in Debenhams today. I'm going to really miss the high street, if it goes. A day out shopping is one of my favourite things to do.

I shop online exclusively.

I like Debenhams rarely got to it though it opens at 10am in my local shopping centre when most shops open at 9. Asda have a very similar line of clothes for half the price for my kids. M&S open at 8 am and are always busy when I am on my way to work. I don’t want to spend money parking in town to wander through boring shops. My city only has big stores and empty ones. The little ones have been driven out and they stopped the 2 hour free parking incentive they used to have.

Internet shopping can be a painnif you don't have the funds to order 5 dresses/pairs of jeans in 1 go with the intention of buying onkyb1 once you've viewed the realnirem.and tried for fit and sizing.
I do like to him to a shop like Debenhams when looking for a specific item and take a pile into the fitting room to see what fits etc.

Debenhams make literally the only bra I like. (soft cup t-shirt bra in a big size). If there's any sniff of them going out of business I shall have to stock up.

I'm hoping Debenhams Birmingham stays open for a little while at least, long enough for my husband to find another job! :(

When i haven't got DD4 with me I LOVE going into a department store and drifting about round the fine fragrances and cosmetics department. Testing the lipsticks and spraying the new scents. Love the handbag dept. And the shoes. IF i've got a bit of money to spare i'll treat myself and i really enjoy it.

How often do i actually part with cash? Not every visit by any means. Less often these days because a) i'm more skint and b) if you can find the same thing cheaper online then who wouldn't?

Bras are a good example. My size (32G) can be found in department stores, but a few clicks online knocks a tenner off.

I love the ambiance of a big store. It's theatrical almost. The heating, lighting, rent, wages, and upkeep ect these rambling places make them so expensive to run though it's easy to see why they're struggling now. Sad.

My Mum always buys me Debehnams vouchers for Christmas. Still haven’t spent last years, despite going in once a month to have a mooch.

I like the shoes, bags and make up. The clothes are pretty dire.

The nightwear/lounge wear is always worth a look with vouchers. The Ted Baker slips, throw on's and dressing gowns are GORGEOUS!

I love online shopping...but not for clothes!!! Whenever I buy clothes online they don't fit and I have to post them back, which is really inconvenient and sometimes also more expensive as not all stores shoulder the cost of posting returns. It is so much easier to browse in store and try things on - the thought of clothes only being available online is horrifying to me, I would be at the post office constantly returning things! I cannot understand how so many people are buying clothes online that fit perfectly first time - I can only imagine they must have perfect model figures or something. Plus I find it hard to judge the feel and weight of fabrics online from photos. The demise of high street clothes shops would be dreadful for a lot of people.