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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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It's strange how Labour decides to go out on the walk about when Woolworth's have closed their doors. Why couldn't he done it in December?
Adams clothing chain have shut a few shops laying of over 800 staff. I suppose we have to understand that shops like Tesco and Primark are dominating the retail markets now and selling cheaper clothes than the broken Adams stores were doing.
Does Robert Peston know more than we do mentioning M&S and Debenhams in his Blog? Blimey if Next haven't done well they shouldn't have opened their shops at 6am on sale days.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2009/01/bull_in_a_china_shop.html |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19406 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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Re Debenhams, Next and M&S Mark I doubt if he knows more than what we already expect to hear about them you don't exactly need a crystal ball to forcast the results.
Also why does opening at 6am on the first sale day say how good or bad they are doing? In the case of Next, they nearly always open that early on sale days. It's just a gimmick that they use to entice folk in for a bargain.
H _________________ 88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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MadeinSurrey
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 3130 Location: The Beautiful South
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Would anyone on here even consider getting to Next at 5am( that's when they start here!) ? _________________ MiS |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19406 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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NO WAY !!
H _________________ 88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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Minx
Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 4088 Location: France/Spain/Peterborough/Tenerife
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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MadeinSurrey wrote: | Would anyone on here even consider getting to Next at 5am( that's when they start here!) ? |
Even Harvey Nix wouldn't drag me out of my pit at that unearthly hour |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Helen May wrote: | Also why does opening at 6am on the first sale day say how good or bad they are doing? In the case of Next, they nearly always open that early on sale days. It's just a gimmick that they use to entice folk in for a bargain.
H |
The purpose of a sale (well it used to be so anyway) is to get rid of old stock. Next have been very good at doing this quickly in a few days by marking things down dramatically. If they can drum up excitement by opening early so much the better to move the stock. _________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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Opening early doesn't always make the money as it still costs the retailer to pay extra to staff them, also having to still pay for the electricity and rental. |
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Rachel Guest
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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He just reads the papers, the Times and the Mail have reporting glum news for M & S, Next and Debenhams for a few weeks now. |
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Boy Perkins
Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 128
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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Not wishing to score political points but the deregulation of the UK banking industry took place in 1987... not 97. It has been a long time coming to the current situation but that is when and how it all began. |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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Boy Perkins wrote: | Not wishing to score political points but the deregulation of the UK banking industry took place in 1987... not 97. It has been a long time coming to the current situation but that is when and how it all began. |
Arguably not.
Nobody really wants to go back to the pre-1980's when banks lent based upon equally unscientific criteria (which golf club you went to)
There should be a happy medium where lending is based on sensible business cases not the flakey lending of the last few years. _________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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Boy Perkins
Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 128
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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Ah the bad old days when people only borrowed what they could afford to repay and the banks ensured it was so. If you wanted to gamble you bought shares in the banks; and made money.
What really frustrates is all the greedy sods with over extended mortgages getting ongoing assistance when the prudent saver gets sweet FA!!
The mortgages should be called in, the property repossessed and maybe lessons would be learned. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:07 am Post subject: |
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M&S are going to shed 1,000 jobs with Debenhams and Next reporting poor Christmas sales. Debenhams are said to be millions of pounds in debt. Who could be the next big retailer to disappear off the high street. |
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Minx
Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 4088 Location: France/Spain/Peterborough/Tenerife
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:03 am Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | M&S are going to shed 1,000 jobs with Debenhams and Next reporting poor Christmas sales. Debenhams are said to be millions of pounds in debt. Who could be the next big retailer to disappear off the high street. |
Well, I walked round M & S just before Christmas, with pounds in my pocket and an imminent "Xmas do" looming. Twice!. And walked out without buying anything, even with 20% off! It's not just about the credit crunch, there's a "fashion buying" issue with M&S - sometimes the stock is good, other times it's rubbish. And for me, this Christmas was rubbish. |
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Boy Perkins
Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 128
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:26 am Post subject: |
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As for other shops facing problems, well think of all the ones that sell the unecessary 'extras'... e.g. Oil and Vinegar.
Look at the number of mobile phone shops; surely too many.
Estate agents must be suffering terribly.
Do we have too many luxury (expensive) coffee bars?
Music shops... what future?
Travel agents... who will afford the holidays and not buy online?
... etc etc etc. |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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Boy Perkins wrote: | Estate agents must be suffering terribly. |
_________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Minx wrote: | mark occomore wrote: | M&S are going to shed 1,000 jobs with Debenhams and Next reporting poor Christmas sales. Debenhams are said to be millions of pounds in debt. Who could be the next big retailer to disappear off the high street. |
Well, I walked round M & S just before Christmas, with pounds in my pocket and an imminent "Xmas do" looming. Twice!. And walked out without buying anything, even with 20% off! It's not just about the credit crunch, there's a "fashion buying" issue with M&S - sometimes the stock is good, other times it's rubbish. And for me, this Christmas was rubbish. |
M&S employees will be very pleased to learn of this through a leak to the BBC, rather than their own company Why wait until seven o'clock tomorrow morning?
Next have announced sales down 7% over six months, Debenhams down 3.3% over 12 weeks; John Lewis up 2.4% over the same period, largely due to a healthy increase through its Waitrose food shops.
Debenhams was, like Woolworths, a highly-leveraged demerger, from
Sir Philip Green's Burton (now called Arcadia) Group, and still has a very high level of debt, which you would think would put it at risk. It is perhaps fortunate that its four lead lending banks are RBS, Lloyds, HBOS and Barclays, three of which are now more-or-less nationalised, and, unless things get really nasty, they are unlikely to rock the boat too much.
As for Marks and Sparks as a place to shop before Christmas - in men's formal clothing, it seemed to me that they had a awful lot of stock - any colour you like so long as it's black, or very dark grey! And there's no fun in shopping for men's undies either. My wife went round and round the ladies floor, several times, and eventually found something for her mother, but nothing that took her fancy. The Christmas gift range looked the same as it has done for three or four years, _________________ Ron |
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Boy Perkins
Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 128
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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Given the normal seasonal fluctuation in staffing levels coupled with the usual turnover, losing just 1 in every 70 staff is hardly going to be dramatic! |
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MadeinSurrey
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 3130 Location: The Beautiful South
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:26 am Post subject: |
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Sorry to hear M&S are to close 2 stores (apart from the "Simply Food" closures). I'm worried they might shut our branch, which would kill our town as it's practically the only decent shop! _________________ MiS |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:19 am Post subject: |
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They are to close 25 smaller, "underperforming" Simply Food stores, and two main ones. Considering it has 355 of the former, all opened in the last few years, and 600 of the latter, it doesn't sound like a very drastic cull. Similarly the 2% cutback in staff is not as bad as it could have been, and can surely be achieved through natural churn, with those in the shops closing being offered places in neighbouring stores, if they want them.
It turned out that the sales figures were, down 7%, no worse, or better, than their peers (Next). "Volumes were strong across all areas of clothing" which suggests that the fall in value can be put down to the aggressive discounting which took place.
I know that the city and corporate suits might not agree but, considering how much people have spent, and borrowed, on Christmas over the last ten years or so, cutting back by just 7% doesn't sound all that drastic to me. _________________ Ron |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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Viyella, long-established manufacturer of womenswear, is today's casualty
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7815962.stm
The surprise was, perhaps, that it has lasted as long as it has, because most of the British textile and knitwear industry disappeared eastwards years ago. _________________ Ron |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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A lot of these Simply Food chains are found on Motorway Service Stations which have hire rental. The wolf wont stay away from the big leaders. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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They have all opened quite recently, 170 in the last 18 months alone. It is inevitable that some might not be performing as well as they'd expected.
(About half of the total, including the motorway service area ones, I suspect, are franchises) _________________ Ron |
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Toggy
Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239
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Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think any of the motorway ones are closing. |
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Ian Robinson Site Admin
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 3612 Location: Chorley, Lancashire
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Toggy wrote: | I don't think any of the motorway ones are closing. |
I hope not! They're so much better than the usual rubbish you get at motorway service stations. |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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MadeinSurrey
Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 3130 Location: The Beautiful South
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Indeed, when you pull in to a m/way service station and see the M&S logo, it's like an oasis in the desert! _________________ MiS |
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Toggy
Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239
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Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:51 am Post subject: |
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The one in grafton centre Cambridge is closing because there is a massive M&S in town and also a simply food outlet at the train station.
I'm sad to see it go but not surprised, I don't think it was really 'needed' in the first place.
But as I say a shame, especially for those who work there. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like Land Of Leather is the latest causality. Thats another 109 units to be left empty with nearly 900 jobs gone. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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Zavvi Closing more store and HMV could be taking over a few stores. Also the Grattan Catologue company are going to lay off staff. Barclays are going to be losing some posts. Don't banks lose staff all the time as they move operations aboard.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/7829210.stm |
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Boy Perkins
Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 128
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Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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Pint of decent beer in a pub £2.50 plus.
Supermarket selling Marstons beers at £5 for 4 X 500ml.
Cheerio pubs even for the discerning drinker...
(and don't even start to work it out for wine!! and spirits worse still!!!!!) |
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SantaFefan
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 11258 Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Boy Perkins wrote: | Pint of decent beer in a pub £2.50 plus. |
£2.50?? shows how long it's been since I've been in a Pub... For £2.50 you could go to the pictures, have three pints of beer, fish & chips afterwards and still have enough change to buy a terraced house..
kids today wouldn't believe that..
Although I'm being picky.. I didn't like the phrase "getting rid of three hundred jobs" on the Drivetime news the other night.. I don't think the now redundant workers would like to be thought of as "got rid of" ? _________________ Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! 13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be. |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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SantaFefan wrote: | Boy Perkins wrote: | Pint of decent beer in a pub £2.50 plus. |
£2.50?? shows how long it's been since I've been in a Pub... For £2.50 you could go to the pictures, have three pints of beer, fish & chips afterwards .......... kids today wouldn't believe that..
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They would if you told them a good wage was £50 a week at the time!
Einstein see! |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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"Do you know, when I were a lad you could get a tram down into t'town, buy three new suits an' an ovvercoat, four pair o' good boots, go an' see George Formby at t'Palace Theatre, get blind drunk, 'ave some steak an' chips, bunch o' bananas an' three stone o' monkey nuts an' still 'ave change out of a farthing."
(Tony Capstick) _________________ Ron |
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Boy Perkins
Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 128
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Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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That still makes me laugh... |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19406 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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It has just been announced that shoe retailers Barratt and Priceless have gone into administration. They will continue to trade at the moment though.
H _________________ 88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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Helen May wrote: | It has just been announced that shoe retailers Barratt and Priceless have gone into administration. They will continue to trade at the moment though.
H |
Barratts is a bit of a surprise. I thought they could tough it out. _________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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You can go and get the same branded shoes cheaper at retailers like TJ Hughes.
I have noticed that there are around 10 empty units where I live who have ceased trading. Some smaller shopping areas could end up being like ghost towns. |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 4861 Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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mark occomore wrote: | I have noticed that there are around 10 empty units where I live who have ceased trading. Some smaller shopping areas could end up being like ghost towns. |
Madness. Ghost Town. We are back to the early 1980s again.
Suggs might increase his royalties. _________________ His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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Rachel Guest
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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Surely it was the Specials.... about 50 of em... |
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