Which shop / chain or service are you praying survives?

[EinsteinaGogo]

My teen DD has just had an ASOS order - i said off the cuff, "what would you do if they weren't around", which resulted In 😱😱😱😱😱

With so many shops and restaurants in vulnerable positions, what would you really, really miss if they didn't pull through the next year?

Next, I buy all the children’s clothes from Next I’d be lost without it!

I think a lot of the stores mentioned will be less likely to struggle if they have a strong online presence. Lakeland, for example, who started our as a mail order business and then expanded into the high street. Their systems were already in place and should they choose not to re-open stores, I think they would continue as an online retailer. I believe Cath Kidston is moving to online, rather than closing completely. Those businesses who embrace online shopping, rather than a begrudging 'we'll go it because we have to, not because we acknowledge our customers want it!', attitude - M&S, Boots and others, I'm looking at you - will struggle because their websites are clunky, not user friendly and unattractive and customers will look for alternative retailers.
Take away food and things like soft play are obviously more difficult/impossible to operate online and rely on footfall to make their money.
I detest shopping and avoid it whenever possible , but it would be sad if the smaller independent shops went - I do always enjoy a wander around when we are away and usually find things to buy. Neither of my local towns have any really independent shops left and consequently I haven't visited either in years.

Debenhams and local independent cafes.

Another wilko vote here.
It wouldn’t work as an online only thing.

I'm not surprised to hear Pizzaexpress are in trouble. There seems to be far too many of them. I saw a branch at a service station the other day. Who is going for a sit down meal at a service station?

I don't think there are many businesses I'd miss as I don't have many brand loyalties. I'd be mildly annoyed if ASOS went as they seem to have one of the best online ranges and delivery/returns are so easy. And I'd miss Jet2 as well, as they are good at dealing with passengers with disabilities. But I'm usually more sad about the job losses when businesses close than the inconvenience to me.

Superdrug
M&S
Pret - love their sandwiches and wraps

Wilko and Boots. I was surprised to hear Boots is planning to cut 5000 jobs? I think they mentioned loss of commuter trade but I would have thought a lot of that would shift locally without substantial loss of revenue? I've been popping into our local Boots in the same way I would have gone to the one in the city on the way to work.

Re: Pret - I wonder if they'll start to open more local branches? They'd certainly do well here (commuter town full of WFH people who'd normally buy it in the city). They must have realised the business model was a bit vulnerable - in London they were opening them with about a minute's walk between them...

Waterstones - only decent bookshop in town unless you count w h smiths.
Long standing independent one shut a few years ago.
Debenhams and marks - both have been at risk for ages, if they go there will literally be very little left in our grim town centre, top shop has just shut plus warehouse. It will just be vape and charity shops, tanning salons, pop up cheapo ones
We had our market place mall renovated just as the credit crunch hit. It took years for the place to fill up with decent shops, slowly but surely they are now
shuting. I can see clarks, hotel chocolat, new look going. We are quite a poor town so the closures will be stategic rather than all over.

Retail - Boots, Next, M&S and WHSmith - it's more central than Waterstones for books here and very close to the above

Food wise, one of our local pubs, Pizza Express and Prezzo,big and a lovely little cafe I found recently.

Nothing, if we're talking chains. I hope they all go under and sustainable independent businesses and co-ops take local high streets back over.

Fully agree. It's the identikit chain stores that have killed High Streets, especially in smaller towns. Let's hope most disappear and independents can return. High St shopping outside the biggest cities was already in massive decline and had been for years. Covid will just accelerate the inevitable.

Pizza Express. Love their calabrese pizza and DD loves going too.

The works
The range
Wilko's

Waitrose, my go to supermarket
M&S - nowhere near as good as they used to be and will need to up their game to survive but it would be odd without them. We havent got one locally so I dont shop there in person very often but would miss the option.
Easy jet - can't stand the thought of flying at the moment but would hate to be without the option in the future especially as they run a decent service from our regional airport
Brittany Ferries even though I'm not happy about the way they have handled refunds I wouldn't be able to go on our holidays as easily in the future if they went.

None really. I don't buy much from chains. The only ones I regularly use are Asda and Costa, I think they're both pretty safe.

Oh and British Airways as I'm due to go away with them in February!

All of the Glasonbury wonderful pagan shops and bookshops, they seem to ok at the moment. And John Lewis.

Pizza Express - our go-to family meal when we can't agree
Local coffee shops we like (not a chain)
Bistrot Pierre

So food, basically

H&M, M&S, Yo Sushi. I would have said Next a couple of years ago but since they went 90% branded and there own stuff is shocking quality, I've lost interest. I've been trying to shop with small and medium sized businesses, although I recognise that big businesses provide the most jobs.
Not bothered by chain restaurants, we tend to eat at smaller ones. One local to us was the first place we visited as soon as they were open as they are our favourite!

Waitrose, H&M, ikea, t k maxx

Apart from those I mostly try to stick to local/independent shops or buy things second hand

I don't want any of the shops in my town to close. I do try to avoid chains and buy from independent shops where I can; I'd still miss Waitrose, John Lewis, M&S food and definitely Mountain Warehouse - if that closes the whole family is going to be soaked through whenever it rains!

Retail wise - Waterstones, Boots, WH Smith, M&S, John Lewis, Next

Restaurant wise - Pizza Express, Prezzo, Frankie and Benny,

Our local John Lewis

@XFPW

It was announced yesterday that mine wasn’t reopening. Easons - Irish bookstore which also sells a lot of stationery/art materials. They are remaining open in ROI but not up north. I’m gutted, as are my DC. We will no longer have either a bookstore or a stationery store in our town.

Aside from already being devastated about Easons, I would be quite sad if Oliver Bonas didn’t reopen. I’d also miss Schuh and Sostrene Grene. Other than that I think it would be independent local places I’d miss most.

In terms of eating out I’d desperately miss Boojum (N.Irish people will know what I mean), but I’m certain they will be fine as they have just been announced as the most popular deliveroo restaurant during lockdown in NI.

Oh no I was complaining just yesterday because the big Eason in my town hasn't reopened & they could easily socially distance😫 Absolutely gutted, I hadn't heard!

I second Boojum, I'd be sad if they went.

@XFPW

It was announced yesterday that mine wasn’t reopening. Easons - Irish bookstore which also sells a lot of stationery/art materials. They are remaining open in ROI but not up north. I’m gutted, as are my DC. We will no longer have either a bookstore or a stationery store in our town.

Aside from already being devastated about Easons, I would be quite sad if Oliver Bonas didn’t reopen. I’d also miss Schuh and Sostrene Grene. Other than that I think it would be independent local places I’d miss most.

In terms of eating out I’d desperately miss Boojum (N.Irish people will know what I mean), but I’m certain they will be fine as they have just been announced as the most popular deliveroo restaurant during lockdown in NI.

I’m in NI and absolutely gutted about Easons. Honestly, it was like a kick in the ovaries when DH told me, it’s a proper institution! I got the kids lots of Irish picture books in there as literally no where else does them.

I’m just hoping these guys in particular come out ok-

• GAP
• M&S
• the place in the shopping centre that sells locally made art and crafts
• John Lewis, otherwise shopping trips to Scotland/ England are pointless
• Waterstones

Anything in my local town centre. The council put a lot of effort into attracting some bigger names there, it would be a shame for it to go back to boarded up shops again.

I’m still upset about oasis, All my favourite trousers are from there.

Re: Boots and WHSmith, I can imagine they are struggling due to lack of sales in stations.
Lots of people will grab a sandwich/drink/snack at both of those as they pass through the station, as they are a bit cheaper than the dedicated food outlets.