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AIBU?

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Original poster

For wanting to play 'administration' bingo?

357 replies

TheSeriousSanta · 29/12/2008 21:15

I am.. I know I am.. It's mean..

But I have compiled a list of high street stores that will go bust before 31st January and now feel compelled to see if I can shout HOUSE before anyone else...

OP posts:
pantomimEDAMe · 30/12/2008 10:16

Decent employers, btw, have seen my friend through three maternity leaves, promoted her and investigated opportunities for further development, giving her time off to study for even more professional qualifications.

DoNotsAntlers · 30/12/2008 10:18

I have heard that PC world is in trouble....but then I would have thought that currys/dixons would have kept them afloat.

I reckon Dreams and homebase will struggle.
I think B&Q will be OK. As will the Arcadia group (BHS, DP, TopShop/Man, Burton, Principles Tammy Girl?, Etam?) I thought that JJB were struggling - bt then aren't they part of arcadia?

I think Matalan will struggle.

What about the food chains? Harry Ramsdens maybe?

Choices video rental?

What about supermarkets? KwikSave (was shocked to see that still going yesterday)? Somefields?

nancy75 · 30/12/2008 10:19

i would say somewhere like selfridges would be ok, due to the tourist attraction side of it and also as a store made up largely of concessions they dont pay the staff, the concession company does, so their wage bill would not be as huge as you would think.

nancy75 · 30/12/2008 10:21

does etam still exist? i thought they closed about 5 years ago, monsoon bought alot of their shops iirc.

DoNotsAntlers · 30/12/2008 10:21

I thought that mothercare were part of arcadia too now??? I'm sure they used to be part of the BHS group before BHS was taken over by Arcadia.

I think that Brantanno will be OK....Barrats/ShoeZone more at risk first.

Maybe we should have categories....and nominate the first to go in each category???

DoNotsAntlers · 30/12/2008 10:23

Dunno Nancy - that's why I question marked it. It was the same chain as Tammy girl wasn't it? Tammy girl still exists (at least within BHS stores) doesn't it?

The Etam store here was taken over by TopShop/Man though a couple of years ago.

LIZS · 30/12/2008 10:26

Staples, Harveys, B and Q, ELC/Mothercare, JJB (but their sale is already under negotiation iirc), Comet, QS, Mackays, Laura Ashley , Milletts(Blacks), Gamestation. Chains like Tchibo and Gap may retrench, closing less profitable outlets as leases expire, but as their main funding is from abroad it won't affect the whole brand yet.

SoupDragon · 30/12/2008 10:27

I think Lush could struggle. Weren't they reborn out of the ashes of Cosmetics to Go?

apuppydaviesisforlife · 30/12/2008 10:58

my money's on:

jessops
clinton
body shop
bhs
currys
whsmiths
and m&s

angelene · 30/12/2008 11:05

What about House of Fraser?
Please not Selfridges! It's my favourite shop in the whole wide world and I've got £100 to spend there!

simpsonsChristmasSpecial · 30/12/2008 11:08

Tchibo still exists in my local town.

Got loads of Waterstones vouchers for Christmas...guess I had better get spending!!

C & A still going in other countries. Are they a Dutch company? Are loads of them in Holland

Heated · 30/12/2008 11:12

WHS
Focus
Body Shop
Laura Ashley
Fenwicks
BHS (sadly)
Clinton Cards
Dolland & Aitchinson
Goldsmiths

titmouse · 30/12/2008 11:50

Soupdragon yes indeed, I am glad somebody else remembers Cosmetics To Go, I used to love their catalogues. A lot of the original COG products have been resurrected in the B stores. I was not surprised when they went bust as their packaging alone was an art form and they used to chuck free stuff into all of my orders, like some over-indulgent grandma rather than a company trying to make a profit!

I would be very sad if Lush were to close, I am a frequent and often obsessive customer, but their B stores are probably at risk as their products are pretty expensive (although gorgeous) and they have many competitors.

llareggub · 30/12/2008 14:04

I agree about House of Fraser. It has gone downhill massively and really can't compete with good old John Lewis.

merryberry · 30/12/2008 14:09

i reckon past times will be ok solely thanks to the shopping activity one of my step parents...(points to odd collection of gifties we got this year )

DoNotsAntlers · 30/12/2008 14:11

I think that Littlewoods will go before BHS.

I think Halfords and Magnet are another 2 which could be on dodgy ground...

DoNotsAntlers · 30/12/2008 14:12

And for those saying Jessops...I think they have already called in teh adminsistrators...

SummatAnNowt · 30/12/2008 14:21

er... this thread has named just about all the shops in our small city centre!! Will we be reduced to bartering with the neighbours then?!

llareggub · 30/12/2008 14:27

looks like it is Olan Mills

SoupDragon · 30/12/2008 14:31

I thought Littlewoods had already gone from the high street.

LIZS · 30/12/2008 14:35

do Magnet still have their own outlets ? Littlewoods trade as mailorder only now.

tattycoram · 30/12/2008 14:38

I'm amazed the Body Shop is still staggering on. I haven't bought anything in it since it was bought by L'Oreal. It's very expensive now and as someone else said, the products are pretty average, so if you don't feel that you are doing a "good" thing by shopping there, there's no reason to go in.

M&S can't go down surely? That would absolutely freak the country out.

UnquietDad · 30/12/2008 14:44

It's all very well for people to see the funny side now, but when the impact on the job market is felt...

Also it may seem amusing if you live in a small Middle England town whose shops are nearly all trinkety boutiques where people with more money than sense, even in a recession, will keep them going.

Not so funny if your High Street is dominated by some of the chains which have already gone under and those which could. It makes you wonder what's going to come in to replace them - I keep getting visions of British high streets with every other shop either boarded up or steel-shuttered. This is especially a worry in a city which, even pre-recession, wasn't renowned for its investment opportunities.

Even in the good times, companies (short-sightedly, based on the city's exam performance which supposedly is an indicator of its workforce - yeah, right) were reluctant to invest here. They tend to go for the out-of-town shopping centre or our "richer relation" a little further north...

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 30/12/2008 14:47

UD - I think this is what referred to as "black" humour, we know darn well it's not funny in the slightest.

I was joking on a thread the other day about having nothing to lose and got shot down in flames (by a name changer who outed themselves when they forget to change to back themselves up ). Despite the fact that the reason I have nothing to lose is because I've already "lost" it - ok I@m still living in this house, but not for much longer...........

And hell if I'm not making dark humour about it I'm doing what I let myself do last night, getting down about it.........

LadyMuck · 30/12/2008 14:56

Would have thought that it would be the standalone chains that are more at risk. Which stores are part of Arcadia these days? Times is suggesting Debenhams have problems. I thought that the rent due this week was going to be a major issue (hence the number that went this week I assume) so I wonder why so many will go in January?

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