What retail shops do you think will close down

[kale123]

What stores will be affected do you think

I wonder about some of the high st chains that have permanent 20/30% off sales; crew, joules, white stuff etc.

I can see them moving online.

WH Smith travel shops have been propping up the high street for years now

I've often wondered how this works though ... I know the "travel branches" charge a lot, but surely even that doesn't cover the huge high street/shopping centre rents for the rest?

Not doubting you, @Hrpuffnstuff1 but can you just take what you said on one more bit? I think I’m getting that lots of retail hasn’t paid its rent, but what does that impact on?

@DoctorHildegardLanstrom

As PP posting WH Smith, travel shops have been propping up the high street for years now. The high street stores, don't really make a profit on things they sell, its all about selling space. They have also just done a massive amount of redundancies.

However if Smith's does go that is going to be a fucking nightmare for the post office and British Gas.

I wonder if the travel stores can keep propping them up. They seem to depend on people popping in for papers and magazines, then maybe buying overpriced chocolate or drinks. But with more people reading the news on their phone and books on their tablet, how long will they have customers? Not to mention, there are other options for pretty much everything they sell. Most service stations have a little supermarket or M&S nowadays and even small train stations usually have a costa for food. Maybe they’re selling loads of those wooden ducks?

The only place near me that has a WH Smith’s with a captive audience is our local hospital. And even then, it’s only for when you are desperate. There’s still a 24-hour Sainsbury’s a 5 minute walk away.

Not exactly high street but Homebase are struggling

@Tiktokersmiracle
I think Primark might teeter because they foolishly will not go online so have practically lost out on near on a year of trade

Primark are owned by Associated British Foods. I think they’ll be fine.

House of Fraser were struggling a few years ago but I haven’t heard much recently.

However if Smith's does go that is going to be a fucking nightmare for the post office and British Gas.

The post office is a cocklodger now and if Smith's go, it will simply go glom off someone else. I hear Tesco's single...

Primark will be fine and their presence as store only will help shore up the rest of the high street because they will draw footfall.

Shops and particularly department stores will now need to offer experiences rather than just retail. Selfridges were ahead of the curve here but John Lewis etc need to follow suit. The partnerships don’t need to be high end - a magnum ice cream etc pop up will bring people in.

i hope wilko doesn't go or b&m i'm a HUGE fan of both.

Primark are paid by the government not to go online in order to prop up the high street.

Apparently topshop flagship store on Oxford street has closed for good.

@RoganJosh

Not doubting you, *@Hrpuffnstuff1* but can you just take what you said on one more bit? I think I’m getting that lots of retail hasn’t paid its rent, but what does that impact on?

What do you think. On a micro level, the way we shop and buy goods will change, councils have invested heavily in commercial retail property. www.ft.com/content/d68e46f9-2f13-465f-beb3-466c4f2d8530

On a macro level, Norway (Sovereign wealth/pension fund) for instance has invested heavily in British commercial retail.

The fiscal exposure both here and abroad is severe if we don't weather the viral storm quickly.

www.consultancy.uk/news/25781/two-trends-for-the-post-covid-commercial-property-market

Although it's a given certain commercial properties will be re-proposed once the pre pandemic dust has settled.

People think shops are about buying clothes or trinkets, that's just the narrow view, the broad picture is quite shocking for retail and fiscally.

Paperchase here closed a couple of years ago, I think Accessorize has gone too. I agree M&S will probably reduce their clothing ranges although probably not completely get rid of them (I hope- where else do you buy knickers!).
I was expecting a certain degree of consolidation - where I live, there are large numbers of very similar independent supermarkets/convenience stores and takeaway/fast food places and I don’t understand how all of them can possibly be making a profit due to sheer market saturation. And yet a new independent supermarket is opening down the road . There’s also the case of my town having multiple branches of the same shops eg Boots, Superdrug, Card Factory, Greggs, Costa etc all very close together so probably places like that will keep going but reduce the number of stores. Pret could probably cope without having a store on every street in London!

I wouldn't want to see WHSmith go but I don't like the way in recent years they overcrowd the counter and area leading up to it with chocolates and sweets, looks cheap and messy. High profit impulse buy though I guess.

Not exactly high street but Homebase are struggling

No surprise there - for years the one near me has looked as if the bomb's just dropped

I think it will be those without a strong online presence.

Blimey, all these shops potentially disappearing - just where will still actually be open for a good old mooch for clothes once this pandemic is over? Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s?

Two shops in my town have got closing down signs in the window - peacocks and shoezone. They closed down before in 2008 but opened up a few years later, so hope they can reopen eventually. I don't want to go back to the days of only building societies and charity shops, and several empty shops like it used to be.

All of them except supermarkets the way we're going

@PinkSubscriber

Primark are paid by the government not to go online in order to prop up the high street.

Apparently topshop flagship store on Oxford street has closed for good.

Really ?in what way paid by the government??

@PinkSubscriber

Primark are paid by the government not to go online in order to prop up the high street.

Apparently topshop flagship store on Oxford street has closed for good.

But yet they don’t subsidise parking or provide decent park and ride in most cities

Where did you hear that?!

Thanks Hrpuffnstuff1 I didn’t know about some of that investment.

I hope most go. Hate cheap tat on every corner. Would prefer a florist or a lovely bakery instead.

I think WHSmiths will close down all but their travel outlets. Even in the motorway services their shops are deserted. I once stood at the counter for 2.5 mins because the staff had gone to Costa since there was "nobody wanting serving".

The Post Office have already started populating into Co-Op stores and I think they'll do more of that. But we'll also see a lot of POs close down too I reckon, unless they're franchised ones being run within a convenience store (my local is like this and it's brilliant - I can pay money into my bank account and send parcels right up to 10pm.)

I expect to see the vast majority of independent cafes, bars and restaurants close down.

What I think might be interesting, and possible, is if a large group with a rock-solid base decides to start buying out independent beauty salons. Might be a good fit for one of the big gyms/health clubs. Lots of very talented beauticians, hairdressers, MUAs etc are incredibly good at their jobs but rubbish at the business side of things. Many would probably jump at the chance to sell up to a large company and go back to being a paid employee.

There's no way Zara will shut! It's doing well, esp online.