John Lewis - Newcastle

[LuluJakey1]

AIBU to find John Lewis's dumping of a pile of old tat and rubbish in Newcastle's main shopping street (supposedly a crashed UFO- link to the Christmas ad) ill-judged and offensive. It has a notice on it- see photo and the council gave it the green light. It looks awful. What has happened to John Lewis?

It looks nothing like a crashed UFO! I wouldn’t have linked it to the advert

I thought it was for fenwicks window, not John Lewis?

Here is another photo where you can read the notice. It just looks like someone has dumped 1970s building rubbish in the street.

Ah no, you’re right!

I thought it was for fenwicks too.
In fact I had a whole conversation at work where everyone was saying it was probably a clue to the window and we all chatted about what the window could be and would they dare recreate the terrible aliens year.

So not only does it look shot but apparently it’s been free advertising for fenwicks.

It's just absolute shite.

@PotteringAlong I thought it was for Fenwicks window as well - I was complaining to DH about how unchristmassy it has been for years!

Either way it doesn't scream Christmas to me. TBH I am a bit grumpy about all the Christmas stuff kicking off now (Greggs have their xmas menu out) and some of our neighbours have their lights up. I LOVE Christmas but Dec 1st onwards otherwise it loses it's magic.

John Lewis have lost the plot all round. I say this as a previously loyal customer who has just bought a washing machine from Appliances Online which I would have bought from JL, had they not closed my local store.

According to DH, it is on Twitter and the wording on the 'notice' links to the wording in the John Lewis advert. I don't care whether it is them or Fenwick's- it is a horrible thing to do and makes the street look terrible. Nothing Christmassy or 'fun' about it- it is ugly and miserable and disrespectful to the city.

@TrevorFountain

It's just absolute shite.

Sums it up aptly.

Something similar on the South Bank, London. twitter.com/CoinStreet/status/1455957518526648331?t=PR_NRKt5QKYBBWKhCCZdDQ&s=19

twitter.com/CoinStreet/status/1455978597848698883?t=uuischa3gzCUPfbgkflAAg&s=19

twitter.com/CoinStreet/status/1456229793574408200?t=xIDr9acB_bNeGSYRRZjMjA&s=19

My DC love the JL ad, especially my 4yo, and have begged to go look at it on Saturday so for that reason alone I like it.

[quote FatAnkles]Something similar on the South Bank, London. twitter.com/CoinStreet/status/1455957518526648331?t=PR_NRKt5QKYBBWKhCCZdDQ&s=19

twitter.com/CoinStreet/status/1455978597848698883?t=uuischa3gzCUPfbgkflAAg&s=19

twitter.com/CoinStreet/status/1456229793574408200?t=xIDr9acB_bNeGSYRRZjMjA&s=19[/quote]
Hideous.

Rubbish. Lost the plot, jumped the shark, whatever you want to call it.

Just put a nice tree up, like everyone else and stop over thinking it.

Apparently the boy is14
Not like any 14 year old boy I know

The South Bank though is famous for its somewhat brutalist architecture. Maybe a big dump of crap would fit in better.

Newcastle's city centre, notably the area of Grainger Street and Grey Street, is famous for its fine neo-classical and Victorian buildings that tell a hundred tales of Geordie and Northumbrian landowners, merchants, traders and workers from the top to the bottom.

It doesn't need a pile o' shite dumped there by some conceptually challenged fuckwitted gobshite from Swiss Cottage being 'edgy'.

I think it’s a bit of a waste of time, and an odd thing to do. I don’t think the crashed space ship was that memorable, so if I saw that I wouldn’t think “that must be from the John Lewis advert” I’d assume it was just some weird art thing.
But I wouldn’t call it offensive.

@YoungGiftedPlump

14?! I teach 14-year olds. No chance. I assumed he was about 9!

@TrevorFountain

The South Bank though is famous for its somewhat brutalist architecture. Maybe a big dump of crap would fit in better.

Newcastle's city centre, notably the area of Grainger Street and Grey Street, is famous for its fine neo-classical and Victorian buildings that tell a hundred tales of Geordie and Northumbrian landowners, merchants, traders and workers from the top to the bottom.

It doesn't need a pile o' shite dumped there by some conceptually challenged fuckwitted gobshite from Swiss Cottage being 'edgy'.

This ^^

DH said people were just either ignoring it, grumbling about the state of it or looking puzzled by it and it has already started to spread round the pavement. He said there was not a smile in sight from passers-by.

@SickAndTiredAgain

I think it’s a bit of a waste of time, and an odd thing to do. I don’t think the crashed space ship was that memorable, so if I saw that I wouldn’t think “that must be from the John Lewis advert” I’d assume it was just some weird art thing. But I wouldn’t call it offensive.

I am raging about it. What makes John Lewis think it is ok for them to impose piles of utter crap in our cities? I need a cup of cocoa 🙂

I need a cup of cocoa 🙂

Now you're talking

What makes John Lewis think it is ok for them to impose piles of utter crap in our cities?

Well presumably they did ask. And it’s only temporary. Take it up with the council.
As I said, I don’t like it, but it’s not where I live so it’s possibly easier for me to shrug over it! (although we do have a large John Lewis in the town centre of my nearest big town so maybe there is one..)

Yeh can't see why you're raging. I assume it is a pre-installation to something else which will be revealed, the purpose of which is to get people looking and talking. Congratulations you started a Mumsnet thread on it, you've done exactly what they wanted! I thought it was Fenwicks as well, but now I know it's JL trying to steal some Fenwick window thunder thanks to you and your thread, well played JL!

That's not art.
That's fly tipping.

@Wingedharpy

That's not art. That's fly tipping.

Yes, fly-tipping in the city centre.