Companies That You Expect to Disappear Soon

[Dan17H]

Yes, I think some pubs will be going, with some of those reasons you suggest not helping.

I do buy alcohol in supermarkets, off licences and online too - you can buy lots of rare European beers online which I like to get. However, none of that beats going to a proper pub. Many people will continue going to pubs - it’s good to get away from the house, talk to people you might not normally talk to, try some beers you might not usually buy, chat to the bar staff. It’s clear many pubs act as a community hub which obviously you can’t replicate at home.

I don’t want to live in a world where you work at home, shop at home, socialise on Zoom at home, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. But of course, many of us have been forced to which is impactzing pubs, restaurants and shops.

I think it's because growing up my generation and older were used to going to the pub when old enough (or younger if you had a tache lol). No those growing up won't know the social side of going for a drink.

 

[xotGD]

Arcadia (Top Shop, etc) need £30 million to keep them going.

 

[alex397]

I think it's because growing up my generation and older were used to going to the pub when old enough (or younger if you had a tache lol). No those growing up won't know the social side of going for a drink.

Yes you make a good point here. It is probably not so common amongst my generation and probably even less amongst those younger than me, to grow up with pubs. But that is certainly a generalisation.
To end this post on a positive, craft beer has become very popular amongst younger generations, getting more people interested.
Some of the best pubs I’ve been to are ‘proper’ traditional pubs which have also diversified with a wide variety of drinks on tap, ranging from local ales popular with older generations, alongside modern crafty IPAs and so on - it is these pubs which have a good chance of survival in my opinion.

 

[cactustwirly]

No those growing up won't know the social side of going for a drink.

That's a huge generalisation, and it's completely false!

 

[Dan17H]

That's a huge generalisation, and it's completely false!

I'd say the evidence in many pubs closing and being converted to housing/shops suggests that the footfall in such places has fallen significantly. Tighter licensing laws requiring ID have alot to do with it.

What would you say the reason so many pubs have closed so far is down to?

 

[SteveM70]

I think it's because growing up my generation and older were used to going to the pub when old enough (or younger if you had a tache lol). No those growing up won't know the social side of going for a drink.

I think there’s a degree of truth in this. When I was 18 to say 22 (or more accurately 14 to 22) our social lives revolved around pubs. My kids and their mates now meet at one of them’s house for cheap supermarket-bought boozing (aka “pre-drinks”, or “prinks”) and then go out much later in the evening for a pint or two in the pub and then a club

 

[Iskra]

Caffè Nero seeking to renegotiate rents with their landlords.

I think we can expect a significant slice of their sites to close and sadly the associated staff to lose their jobs.

They are a particular 'sitting duck' in the coffee landscape having not diversified their portfolio away from airports, train stations and city centres, all of which have massively reduced footfall currently. The minimal retail park offer and absence of Drive Thru's must be really hurting them.

That said, using a CVA to renegotiate rents is sensible.

 

[philosopher]

They are a particular 'sitting duck' in the coffee landscape having not diversified their portfolio away from airports, train stations and city centres, all of which have massively reduced footfall currently. The minimal retail park offer and absence of Drive Thru's must be really hurting them.

That said, using a CVA to renegotiate rents is sensible.

I do hope Caffe Nero survive as they are in my opinion, the best of the three big chains for coffee. That said, I do agree they are not as well diversifed as Starbucks and Costa.

 

[Daniel740]

They are a particular 'sitting duck' in the coffee landscape having not diversified their portfolio away from airports, train stations and city centres, all of which have massively reduced footfall currently. The minimal retail park offer and absence of Drive Thru's must be really hurting them.

That said, using a CVA to renegotiate rents is sensible.

How many coffee shops do you know of that offer a drive thru? I can only think of one, so I doubt they’re really making a difference.

 

[cactustwirly]

How many coffee shops do you know of that offer a drive thru? I can only think of one, so I doubt they’re really making a difference.

Both Starbucks and Costa have drive thrus, quite a lot of them now

 

[Iskra]

I do hope Caffe Nero survive as they are in my opinion, the best of the three big chains for coffee. That said, I do agree they are not as well diversifed as Starbucks and Costa.

I like their coffee and cake products. But only one of the big three fulfils its UK tax obligations and pays its staff the living wage, so that's my preference. It also helps that I like their coffee blend too.

How many coffee shops do you know of that offer a drive thru? I can only think of one, so I doubt they’re really making a difference.

Starbucks, Costa and there is one micro brand in the West Yorkshire area called Coffee Boy that has them. Possibly some of the Doughnut places have them too. I'm sure there are more out there. Let's not forget that McDonald's are big on DT's and they are trying hard to 'gentrify' their coffee offering.

Drive Thru's are absolutely booming right now. I'd estimate that over 80% of coffee sales are currently done by DT's countrywide, so if you don't have DT's you are going to be in trouble right now.

 

[xotGD]

I am puzzled by drive - through coffee outlets at motorway services. Surely the whole point of visiting the services is so that you can get out of your car, stretch your legs and use the facilities?

Of course, with Covid, drive - through has its advantages.

 

[route101]

The drive through Costas/Starbucks near me on retail parks appear to popular in the morning for that must have coffee en route to work.

Yes you make a good point here. It is probably not so common amongst my generation and probably even less amongst those younger than me, to grow up with pubs. But that is certainly a generalisation.
To end this post on a positive, craft beer has become very popular amongst younger generations, getting more people interested.
Some of the best pubs I’ve been to are ‘proper’ traditional pubs which have also diversified with a wide variety of drinks on tap, ranging from local ales popular with older generations, alongside IPAs and so on - it is these pubs which have a good chance of survival in my opinion.

I have got into craft beer recently, love trying different styles. Hard to drink Carling, Bud or Fosters now. Do like the traditional stuff too.

 

[FQTV]

I've mentioned before how rapidly retail tends to change in the UK, but I've been reminded of it looking at a list of retailers who were in the new Princes Quay shopping centre which opened in the early 1990s in Hull. Excluding the few local independents, I imagine that a fair number of RUK members will have forgotten that many of these ever existed, and a lot won't ever have heard of them, despite their being big names, big chains and big employers not so long ago:

4 Play record shop
Allders
Allsports
Aquafit
Arroya Miel ladies underwear
Athena
Barratt Shoes
Beaverbrooks
Benetton
Berry’s Jewellers
Ciro Citerrio menswear
Clinton Cards
Colucci menswear
County Books
Courtlands Marine Walk Food Court
Dash clothes shop
Dixons
Dolcis shoe shop
Dorothy Perkins
Dutch Blooms - 41
Ernest Jones Ltd jewellers
Evans Ltd clothes shop
Faris Leathers
First Sport Ltd
Footlocker
Fosters clothes shop
Gold House
Heinz World of Children
Inventions Restaurant
Leonardo’s Restaurant
Levi’s
Martin Dawes televisions
Microbyte
Miss Selfridge and Warehouse
Nectar Beauty Shop
Oaklands outdoor wear
Olympus Sport
Optional Extras
Original Art Shop
Paco Sweaters
Parker and Franks
Pavers shoe shop
Penguin and Puffin Books
Phone-In
Pineapple
Ponden Mill Linens
Ponden Mill textiles
Popcorn
Principles
Rage Shoes
Rawhide
Rediscovered Originals record shop
River Island
RLFC
Rumbelows electrical shop
Scholl
Shirts Unlimited
Spoils homewares
Squiggles ice cream parlour
Strand
Tandy electrical shop
The Body Shop
The Gadget Shop
The Hat Shop
Topman
Topshop
Torq jewellers
Veranda Coffee Bar
Vision Express
Wallis clothes shop
Wayne Shoes
Wendy Hall Fabrics
Yorkshire Fudge

In retail, there's nothing as constant as change.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I've mentioned before how rapidly retail tends to change in the UK, but I've been reminded of it looking at a list of retailers who were in the new Princes Quay shopping centre which opened in the early 1990s in Hull. Excluding the few local independents, I imagine that a fair number of RUK members will have forgotten that many of these ever existed, and a lot won't ever have heard of them, despite their being big names, big chains and big employers not so long ago:

4 Play record shop
Allders
Allsports
Aquafit
Arroya Miel ladies underwear
Athena
Barratt Shoes
Beaverbrooks
Benetton
Berry’s Jewellers
Ciro Citerrio menswear
Clinton Cards
Colucci menswear
County Books
Courtlands Marine Walk Food Court
Dash clothes shop
Dixons
Dolcis shoe shop
Dorothy Perkins
Dutch Blooms - 41
Ernest Jones Ltd jewellers
Evans Ltd clothes shop
Faris Leathers
First Sport Ltd
Footlocker
Fosters clothes shop
Gold House
Heinz World of Children
Inventions Restaurant
Leonardo’s Restaurant
Levi’s
Martin Dawes televisions
Microbyte
Miss Selfridge and Warehouse
Nectar Beauty Shop
Oaklands outdoor wear
Olympus Sport
Optional Extras
Original Art Shop
Paco Sweaters
Parker and Franks
Pavers shoe shop
Penguin and Puffin Books
Phone-In
Pineapple
Ponden Mill Linens
Ponden Mill textiles
Popcorn
Principles
Rage Shoes
Rawhide
Rediscovered Originals record shop
River Island
RLFC
Rumbelows electrical shop
Scholl
Shirts Unlimited
Spoils homewares
Squiggles ice cream parlour
Strand
Tandy electrical shop
The Body Shop
The Gadget Shop
The Hat Shop
Topman
Topshop
Torq jewellers
Veranda Coffee Bar
Vision Express
Wallis clothes shop
Wayne Shoes
Wendy Hall Fabrics
Yorkshire Fudge

In retail, there's nothing as constant as change.

Around 20 percent of those are still in business today, 10 to 15 percent in shops and a further few percent online.

 

[Peter Sarf]

..........

......... Let's not forget that McDonald's are big on DT's and they are trying hard to 'gentrify' their coffee offering.

..........

Should be easy. All they have to do is add some coffee to the boiling water that they already serve. In my experience there is only a vague hint of coffee.

The drive through Costas/Starbucks near me on retail parks appear to popular in the morning for that must have coffee en route to work.



I have got into craft beer recently, love trying different styles. Hard to drink Carling, Bud or Fosters now. Do like the traditional stuff too.

Got to have something else to hold since mobile have to be put down !.

Welcome to my world. I physically cannot swallow a cold fizzy lager like Fosters. Meanwhile real ale and Belgian (as in non-UK) lagers are all about flavour.

 

[birchesgreen]

McDonalds coffee is pretty good these days, i love their flat whites.

 

[Peter Sarf]

McDonalds coffee is pretty good these days, i love their flat whites.

Well I ought to try them again then. Its been at least five years since I gave up on McDonalds coffee and I have been 99% decaf for at least five years !.

 

[cactustwirly]

McDonalds coffee is pretty good these days, i love their flat whites.

Pretty good as in drinkable (aka not instant) or actually good.
Last time I had one, it was ok but I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to get one from there. Had a really acidic aftertaste and not much flavour.

 

[birchesgreen]

Pretty good as in drinkable (aka not instant) or actually good.
Last time I had one, it was ok but I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to get one from there. Had a really acidic aftertaste and not much flavour.

Well it was better than Mellow Bird, not as good as something that came out of the digestive system of a South East Asian mammal.

 

[johntea]

Looks like the Post Office in WHSmith is no guarantee it'll save those particular stores!

Search for new Post Office base in Chorley as town centre WH Smith store closes

Attempts are being made to find a new location for Chorley’s main Post Office which will close in January.

www.lep.co.uk

Search for new Post Office base in Chorley as town centre WH Smith store closes

The Crown Post Office on Cleveland Street relocated to the New Market Street WH Smith store, downgrading to counters and self-service kiosks inside, following a public consultation several years ago.

 

[C J Snarzell]

I'm quite surprised about the WHSmiths in Chorley going as it was a relatively smaller store and was in a prime spot opposite the outdoor market stalls (which were quite popular pre-covid). It seemed to be tidy & streamlined (if that is the right phrase to use).

I've commented about this before - but the WHS down the road in Wigan is in a really pitiful state now. It just feels barron and shoddy. I think most people only venture to the rear of the store to use the internal exit into the Grand Arcade!

CJ

 

[PeterC]

I am puzzled by drive - through coffee outlets at motorway services. Surely the whole point of visiting the services is so that you can get out of your car, stretch your legs and use the facilities?

Of course, with Covid, drive - through has its advantages.

The woman to nearly side swiped me when she joined the M40 by Oxford Services seemed to find the drive through Starbucks just the thing. If I hadn't been alert it might have been her last thing, and mine.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Apparently, Philip Green's Arcadia empire is on the brink of collapse. That means Topshop is likely to be the next High Street casualty.

CJ

 

[KashmireHawker]

Apparently, Philip Green's Arcadia empire is on the brink of collapse. That means Topshop is likely to be the next High Street casualty.

CJ

It seems a classic case of High Street Boom and Bust; having a shed load of money, buying lots of brands and then failing to keep up with the time.

BooHoo will reportedly bid for TopShop, once the Administration is confirmed.

 

[PHILIPE]

Apparently, Philip Green's Arcadia empire is on the brink of collapse. That means Topshop is likely to be the next High Street casualty.

CJ

I'll bet Sir Greedy won't lose out

 

[ScottGallagher]

I'll bet Sir Greedy won't lose out

To think at one point he was almost going to buy Marks and Spencer, how the mighty have fallen.

 

[FQTV]

To think at one point he was almost going to buy Marks and Spencer, how the mighty have fallen.

I very much doubt that he’ll end up like Harry Selfridge.

There’s only so far that you can fall when you’ve long-since landed in Monaco.

 

[SteveM70]

To think at one point he was almost going to buy Marks and Spencer, how the mighty have fallen.

The way M&S are going at the moment he still might

 

[Whistler40145]

Apparently, Philip Green's Arcadia empire is on the brink of collapse. That means Topshop is likely to be the next High Street casualty.

CJ

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest, Philip Green has milked dry any company he's had involvement with