Page 3 | Not to mourn the end of Top Shop if it happens

DianaT1969 · 27/11/2020 14:02

Where is all the polyester going to go if Arcadia closes down?

Notanothernamechanged101 · 27/11/2020 14:05

@Echobelly

The trouble is that people like Philip Green always walk away relatively unscathed (and still with ££££ in the bank) while their staff suffer.

^yep. his personal fortune won’t be affected.

SirGawain · 27/11/2020 14:06

Sir Philip Green won’t be the one to suffer; his employees, shareholders and creditors will. He’ll come up smelling of roses with few millions still in the bank.

ShitXmasCracker · 27/11/2020 14:07

On the whole, I just feel gutted for the staff who’ll lose their jobs. Awful.

Green will slide out of any trouble, the slippery little road.

I no longer shop in Topshop, but have fond memories of Oxford Street as a teen. I was scouted by a modelling agency right outside when I was 15

ShitXmasCracker · 27/11/2020 14:08

TOAD

butterpuffed · 27/11/2020 14:12

I mourn the loss of any businesses as staff will lose their jobs

PaperTowels · 27/11/2020 14:14

He won't suffer. It's all in his wife's name anyway, isn't it?

Ginfordinner · 27/11/2020 14:16

@chocolatesaltyballs22

I don't know how anyone can celebrate a business going bust no matter how they dislike the CEO or whatever. All those staff with no jobs - it's tragic. This whole situation is terrible for people's livelihoods.

I agree. Threads like this pop up with depressing regularity with posters being gleeful about yet another retailer going bust.

I don't like Philip Green. He is dishonest and shouldn't be allowed to be running any business, but taking pleasure out of another shop in his empire resulting in people losing their jobs and there being even less choice for shoppers is a nasty thing to do and says a lot about the poster.

I don't shop in Top Shop, but DD does as they sell jeans that fit her very long legs.

At this rate we will all end up queuing in the post office every week returning ill fitting clothes to Amazon because there are no shops left.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 27/11/2020 14:17

I feel very sorry for all the staff, I really do.

Topshop aren't really my demographic any more (and when I do go in, I see clothes I wore as a teenager ) but they lost the plot years ago. In the late 90s/early 00s, Topshop did brilliantly - some excellent ranges (I had a balldress from the Topshop Design range that loads of people asked where it was from), decent pricing, and they were pretty damn cool. They had shows at London Fashion Week, sponsored bits of Vogue and it was the In Thing to accessorise your Marni/Prada/Joseph (if you could afford such things) with Topshop.

Then the prices went up, and their competitors started to eclipse them. Green's reputation suffered (and quite rightly so, nasty grubby little man) and the other Arcadia brands became more downmarket - everything in good old Dotty Ps was suddenly generic and boring, with an emphasis on the ghastly faux-princess wear that was everywhere. Miss Selfridge seemed to be a sub-brand that I only ever saw as a concession somewhere else, and Wallis was always as dull as fuck.

They rested on their laurels and didn't notice the world had changed. Then covid came along to finish them off. As I say, I am immensely sorry for the staff that will be affected by Arcadia's demise - after all, they aren't responsible for the running of the company and Green isn't going to suffer like they will - but it's a good example of what happens when companies fail to adapt, or don't care and think they can trade on past glories.

AlternativePerspective · 27/11/2020 14:17

Awful for the staff who will lose their jobs but Philip green is a hideous human being.

Now if someone would just bring down sports direct and therefore mike Ashley as well....

liveitwell · 27/11/2020 14:20

I'll miss Jamie jeans.

I doubt many of us will miss Topshop given its target audience is probably a decade or two younger than a lot of us. I think the teens/young adults will miss it.

AlternativePerspective · 27/11/2020 14:20

And Ryanair....

Actually if someone would buy them all out for a penny, get rid of Green/Ashley/O’Leary and rescue all the businesses and therefore the staff wouldn’t lose their jobs and they’d be working for better businesses that would be a result.

Lovemusic33 · 27/11/2020 14:20

I used to love top shop when I was a teen but then it changed, so I mourned the loss a long time ago, haven’t actually bought anything from there for 10+ years.

PaperTowels · 27/11/2020 14:21

Topshop won't "close down". Someone who isn't leveraged up to and over the eyeballs will buy it.

The weaker brands will be the ones to go.

Backbee · 27/11/2020 14:21

I used to absolutely love Topshop, me and my friends spent many hours browsing and spending money from our weekend jobs on carefully chosen clothes and shoes; going to Oxford Street branch was so exciting at the time. Clothes were reasonably priced though and better quality than now in my opinion, I had clothes that lasted years and years, and donated them not actually that long ago as still in good condition. Now it's overpriced, the styles are odd at best, and I don't find the quality good (albeit not bought anything for a while). I do find DP more inclusive as a PP has mentioned, they do petite, tall and curve ranges, but their clothes aside from work staples seem dated and quite pricey. I think their clothes aren't as appealing to an online audience, and the shops arent exciting anymore; sad for all of those who may lose jobs, but aside from him being a , they haven't really kept up imo. Kinda between fast fashion (eurgh) prices, but not with the timeless quality or design.

bettyskitchen · 27/11/2020 14:21

I'd love to know how Topshop decide which pieces to add to their tall collection, I don't need crop tops, embellished t shirts and frilly dresses with a cut out, I want basics!

BrightYellowDaffodil · 27/11/2020 14:22

A separate point:

It's important to note that administration doesn't mean the demise of a company, that's liquidation. As long as there's a chance of the business being viable (or made so), it will almost certainly be sold on in some form.

AcornAutumn · 27/11/2020 14:23

@chocolatesaltyballs22

I don't know how anyone can celebrate a business going bust no matter how they dislike the CEO or whatever. All those staff with no jobs - it's tragic. This whole situation is terrible for people's livelihoods.

This. The ceo won’t suffer.

AlternativePerspective · 27/11/2020 14:24

I don't know how anyone can celebrate a business going bust no matter how they dislike the CEO or whatever. All those staff with no jobs - it's tragic. This whole situation is terrible for people's livelihoods. I think the problem though is that when a company is owned by such an awful person the whole brand of that company becomes synonymous with that person. So you think Sports Direct and automatically think Mike Ashley. In fact sports direct is so awful I refuse to go in there and will pay postage to have items delivered rather than have to enter one of their shops.

I would never, ever fly Ryanair as their service is awful.

Top shop and the like aren’t within my demographic anyway so they’re just names on the high street, but they’re Philip green’s shops and as such associated with him.

So if these awful CEO’s could be got rid of then perhaps the brands could recover as well...

Respectabitch · 27/11/2020 14:24

Actually if someone would buy them all out for a penny, get rid of Green/Ashley/O’Leary and rescue all the businesses and therefore the staff wouldn’t lose their jobs and they’d be working for better businesses that would be a result.

If you've got the funds and the expertise, you're desperately needed on the high street - by all means get in there.

If you can buy a business for a penny, it's because it has huge liabilities and minimal easily-cashed-in assets. It's bloody hard to turn a big failing business around, especially without effectively cleaning house of the current leadership team.

Welikebeingcosy · 27/11/2020 14:25

I haven't looked at Topshop in ages because I left the country but when I was younger it was like the dream place to shop if you could afford it- all their ranges were amazing and ahead of anything else, fashion wise.
Just had a browse through to see what it is like these days and it just looks like jumble sale clothing but really cheaply made too! Is fashion just falling apart in general?

goldielockdown2 · 27/11/2020 14:26

He's been on the brink plenty of times before. I don't care what happens this time as long as my return i just sent back is processed 😂

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 27/11/2020 14:27

if I ever had ten minutes with Prince Albert of Monaco, I would suggest to him that banishing Mr Green from Monaco would be the best thing he could ever do

If Prince Albert starts banning people from Monaco just because they're wankers, the place would be deserted.

Anotherdayanothernewname · 27/11/2020 14:29

@brightyellowdaffodil

That's very reassuring to know! As someone who works for an Arcadia brand, a little bit of hope is better than nothing!

IrishMamaMia · 27/11/2020 14:30

I still remember the excitement of Top Shop opening in Ireland in the early 00's and spending my Christmas bonus from my part-time job getting moto jeans. They made me feel great.
I've had a few customer service incidents with them over the years though, they've been difficult about replacing faulty products and as others have said they don't seem to target the average woman in her 30's these days and haven't really adapted to new ways of selling. I still like the jeans though and would be sad to see the Oxford circus store go. It's so exciting with the concessions.