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Original poster

Which defunct shops/restaurants do you miss the most?

534 replies

Hairbrush123 · 03/04/2022 22:16

For me, Topshop. Was really gutted when it closed down. Restaurant: Herman ze German. Expensive but always enjoyed the food!

OP posts:
balalake · 04/04/2022 07:23

I miss the number of independent shops that have gone, so that many places are largely full of the same chains.

Crumbelina · 04/04/2022 07:23

Oasis, Warehouse and Topshop (when they were good).
Habitat (not the tat you get in Sainsburys now). I really liked their Tottenham Court Rd shop.
10 year old me loved The Reject Shop (although maybe that was just in Kingston?).

Amandasummers · 04/04/2022 07:24

Outback Steakhouse! I miss it so much

Clothes wise I loved forever 21, not that we even had it over here all that long really!

TheVanguardSix · 04/04/2022 07:24

I also miss Cafe Rouge so much.
I also miss The Stockpot.

EvenStrangerThings03 · 04/04/2022 07:26

I had forgotten all about La Senza! As a teenager we all used to save our money and get the bus into the closest city to buy the brightly coloured bras!

I miss Mothercare, I feel whomever was in charge of that company should be ashamed. I have happy memories of going there to select my pram, and my mum told me she did the same whilst pregnant with me.

I miss Debenhams too, both the kids clothes section and Principles/collection Debenhams for going out tops and dresses.

Also GAP and Disney Store, yes you can go online but I never do!

theyhavenothingbuttheaudacity · 04/04/2022 07:26

Teenage me would go to the city centre and have a mooch in mark one, bay trading, Jeffrey rogers, pilot. Go to Woolies to look at posters of east 17/Christian slater and get some pick and mix. Lunch at the great British burger bar. Have a look in office and ravel for some shoes
Happy times

Scarby9 · 04/04/2022 07:26

C&A for T shirts and ski wear.
The Pier and Habitat for homewear.
Woolworths- obviously!
In our area - John Lewis - for everything...

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 04/04/2022 07:33

@youngestisapsycho

I miss Woolworths. There was a restaurant in my town called Texas Lone Star… loved that place. It closed years ago and I still miss it 😢
We used to go to the Lone Star in Kensington. Ibb B was gutted when I found out it had closed.

I miss John Lewis. I know they still exist, but not the branch I used to go to. The next nearest branch is back and dingy and too trendy to contain any useful stock.

Racing Green - the one that did womenswear clothes, a bit like Joules, but less twee.

Muji - again, I know they still exist, but not anywhere handy for me.

Borders Books, used to meet friends in the coffee shop there, after work, instead of a pub.

Coniferhedge · 04/04/2022 07:36

Debenhams - I miss a lot of the shops within - Top Shop and Anne Brookes Petite in particular.

Another very personal one to me (because I know they’re still open elsewhere) is John Lewis. Ours closed down in my city last year and I’m still missing it.

Booksandwine80 · 04/04/2022 07:37

@Hairbrush123
I actually felt really sad walking past the Oxford Street Topshop all closed down a few weeks ago Sad

Cheesechips · 04/04/2022 07:37

I used to love Tammy as a girl!

Cheesechips · 04/04/2022 07:39

@lollipoprainbow

What will be the next high Street casualty?

Boots, smiths

I agree with WH Smiths. But all the Boots I go to see really busy. I hope not for either!
Twasacceptableinthe80s · 04/04/2022 07:43

Chi Chi’s Mexican. My first job was in Covent Garden and they used to do a fantastic daily buffet there for £3.95! Back in the halcyon days when I could scoff my face and still get into a size 8-10…

CeeceeBloomingdale · 04/04/2022 07:45

Loved Borders, The Pier and Past Times.

Wilko are a good Woolies alternative in many ways, but no clothes or cafes.

I think WH Smith and Boots will be fine now travel has opened up again, they make most of their money in airports and train stations.

knittingaddict · 04/04/2022 07:45

Cafe Rouge still exists, doesn't it? Our local one is still there.

I really miss the 80's Laura Ashley. I made so many curtains from their chintz fabric, which faded really badly, but looked beautiful. I've since found second hand LA curtains in our local flea market and can't resist buying them to deconstruct and make new ones from. Two of our rooms now have 80's chintz curtains and they make me smile every time I look at them.

The dresses in the 80's LA were lovely too. I had a stunning hot pink evening dress with a giant bow at the back and a sweetheart neckline. Took it to a charity shop, along with my other LA dresses in 2007 just before we moved house and really regret it. I wouldn't fit into them now, but they were so beautiful.

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 04/04/2022 07:45

@OwlinaTree

What will be the next high Street casualty? I vote Marks and Spencers.
WHSmiths surely?
Namechangeforthis88 · 04/04/2022 07:47

Jane Norman
Bay Trading

AuraBora · 04/04/2022 07:48

I miss Monsoon. I always thought they were a bit different with nice fabrics, colours and patterns. They were great for skirts and dresses when I was in my late 20s/early 30s.. they also had some lovely stuff for children. I like that they didn't have many sales but when they did, almost the whole store would be sale stuff and with a good amount off.

knittingaddict · 04/04/2022 07:48

WH Smith should be the next to go, but I've thought that for years now and still they remain. Ours now has the post office in it, so I suppose they have to consider that now.

lollipoprainbow · 04/04/2022 07:49

We still have monsoon don't we ??!

user3837313202 · 04/04/2022 07:55

@lollipoprainbow

We still have monsoon don't we ??!
Yes we do, they're always colocated with Accessorize stores
Cheesechips · 04/04/2022 07:59

@megletthesecond

Cafe Rouge. Ours was bright and airy. Really chilled place for brunch. We tried the alternative, Cote, but it was a grim experience.
I think cafe rouge is still about in other towns
Badbadbunny · 04/04/2022 07:59

@CeeceeBloomingdale

I think WH Smith and Boots will be fine now travel has opened up again, they make most of their money in airports and train stations.

High St shops and travel hubs are separate divisions of WHS - both divisions are profitable so the airports/train stations aren't subsidising High St stores.

WHS have an ongoing process of closing High St stores when they become unprofitable, as opposed to the likes of Woolworth who kept failing stores open resulting in the whole chain collapsing. WHS also own most of the properties so aren't suffering having to pay stupidly high rents!

Shergill15 · 04/04/2022 08:01

Debenham, La Senza and Dorothy Perkins for me. I dont shop for clothes in my local town at all now, all seems very much aimed at a much younger and thinner clientele than me Blush

Mothercare was another sad loss.

DD is mourning the loss of Disney and Build a Bear from our town too

DrSbaitso · 04/04/2022 08:01

Monsoon is still around! And still overpriced, albeit nice.

There are so many shops I thought I'd miss but in fact I don't notice their absence at all. But I much prefer to shop online so I'm part of the reason for the death of the high street.