Ian Allan Bookshops to close? (turns out it's just Cardiff closing)

[yorksrob]

As I posted on another thread recently, it's high time something was done about this building and the very similar Macdonald Hotel nearby shows what could be done. However I don't think all the retail units will be going, as Waitrose opened there only a few weeks ago. Several of them are (or were until recently) already cafes or takeaways!

That greasy spoon that used to be open in the middle of the night used to be quite handy !

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

That greasy spoon that used to be open in the middle of the night used to be quite handy !

Some of the shops on the station approach at Manchester Piccadilly are rather less in quality than a visitor new to the city would expect to see on arrival. I am not saying that Harvey Nicholls and shops that one would find on King Street should be there, but one should expect retail outlets of a certain level of quality to have a presence there. I am well aware of the small retail outlets that are to be found inside the railway station.

 

[yorksrob]

Some of the shops on the station approach at Manchester Piccadilly are rather less in quality than a visitor new to the city would expect to see on arrival. I am not saying that Harvey Nicholls and shops that one would find on King Street should be there, but one should expect retail outlets of a certain level of quality to have a presence there. I am well aware of the small retail outlets that are to be found inside the railway station.

Sometimes you just need a pile of eggs, bacon, sausages and beans to set you up for the day !

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Sometimes you just need a pile of eggs, bacon, sausages and beans to set you up for the undertaker !

Changed it for you....

 

[yorksrob]

Changed it for you....

If the booze doesn't get me first

 

[Greenback]

I went into the Manchester Ian Allan in November. Compared to Cardiff it seemed very poky!

As an aside, it looked as though one of the cafes that used to be on the right on the way down to IA had disappeared. Has Waitrose taken it;s place? I'd had a few snacks and meals in there over the years!

 

[theblackwatch]

I went into the Manchester Ian Allan in November. Compared to Cardiff it seemed very poky!

As an aside, it looked as though one of the cafes that used to be on the right on the way down to IA had disappeared. Has Waitrose taken it;s place? I'd had a few snacks and meals in there over the years!

Yes the greasy spoon/kebab shop has gone and been replaced by Waitrose. I rememebr a friend of mine telling me thathe got a sandwich there once and when he opened it up, they'd given him some free mould!

 

[Busaholic]

Yes the greasy spoon/kebab shop has gone and been replaced by Waitrose. I rememebr a friend of mine telling me thathe got a sandwich there once and when he opened it up, they'd given him some free mould!

Some places charge extra for that.

 

[edwin_m]

Some places charge extra for that.

Yes, you'd pay a lot more for it in Waitrose for example!

 

[Polarbear]

Having come back to work today, I had an e-mail from a reliable source which suggests that although the Cardiff branch appears to be closing, those at Manchester & Birmingham may be staying open?

Certainly, on my visit to the Birmingham branch last Thursday, there was no suggestion that the branch was due to close.

Apologies if I have set any hares running - I'll post again if I hear any more definitive information.

 

[Busaholic]

Having come back to work today, I had an e-mail from a reliable source which suggests that although the Cardiff branch appears to be closing, those at Manchester & Birmingham may be staying open?

Certainly, on my visit to the Birmingham branch last Thursday, there was no suggestion that the branch was due to close.

Apologies if I have set any hares running - I'll post again if I hear any more definitive information.

I think the hare got swallowed when the horse finally opened its mouth.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The Cardiff shop is definitely closing.

I went into there yesterday and there's posters all over the place saying "Closing Down - 50% off all books". There's nothing in the windows and there's a lot of empty shelves. I bought two items - one military book and one DVD ("Flying Scotsman" - the film) and paid about £16 for both.

I asked when the closure had been decided and I was told "Just before Christmas". There was a sign suggesting that people could make comments about the closure to someone at the head office, but I didn't take any details.

I have heard that the rental costs in the Morgan Arcade (where the shop is/was located) are very high, so it's no surprise that it's possibly not viable. I visited the shop quite often, probably every couple of weeks, and there always seemed to be quite a lot of people in it, but whether or not they were buying, I don't know. Certainly, I didn't buy every time I visited, so I suppose I must share the blame!

I'm not sure when the shop is closing, but it can't be very long judging by the lack of stock on the shelves. It's a great pity, as there aren't many good bookstores in Cardiff, and I do like a browse to see what's available. Having said that, I do use the internet to buy most of the books, so as I say, I probably didn't help.

 

[RichmondCommu]

The Cardiff shop is definitely closing.

I went into there yesterday and there's posters all over the place saying "Closing Down - 50% off all books". There's nothing in the windows and there's a lot of empty shelves. I bought two items - one military book and one DVD ("Flying Scotsman" - the film) and paid about £16 for both.

I asked when the closure had been decided and I was told "Just before Christmas". There was a sign suggesting that people could make comments about the closure to someone at the head office, but I didn't take any details.

I have heard that the rental costs in the Morgan Arcade (where the shop is/was located) are very high, so it's no surprise that it's possibly not viable. I visited the shop quite often, probably every couple of weeks, and there always seemed to be quite a lot of people in it, but whether or not they were buying, I don't know. Certainly, I didn't buy every time I visited, so I suppose I must share the blame!

I'm not sure when the shop is closing, but it can't be very long judging by the lack of stock on the shelves. It's a great pity, as there aren't many good bookstores in Cardiff, and I do like a browse to see what's available. Having said that, I do use the internet to buy most of the books, so as I say, I probably didn't help.

That's very said news for the people that will be losing their jobs. I can't imagine that its very easy to find work in retail at the moment.

 

[BritishRail83]

Sad news. I will say, however, that I've found their customer service to be lacking on occasion. In the London branch, transactions are often conducted in silence at their end, and in that familiar English way I end up thanking them for my purchase as we part company. Manchester wasn't much friendlier, last time I visited.

That said, they seem to have plenty of time to natter with the regulars, not all of whom appear to be buying anything.

Too true, the staff were better there about 10-15 years ago when it was the old boys in there, but not anymore.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I agree customer service never seems that great. I recall going into their Manchester branch last year to see if they had "Manchester London Road (GC) 1957: British Railway Centres No.4" but they had never heard of it and it wasnt on their system - but I got in their London branch a couple of weeks later!

The stores remind be of old fashioned sex shops - a lot of older guys furtively looking though the stock without actually buying anything, some dodgy video playing in the background (all of which seem to have the same commentator trying to sound enthusiastic about some shunting movement in the yard) and mainly bored female staff who wonder what these guys see in the stuff they sell.

That's so right...I'm laughing my head off with that comparison. Nice one!

 

[Busaholic]

I'm not sure when the shop is closing, but it can't be very long judging by the lack of stock on the shelves. It's a great pity, as there aren't many good bookstores in Cardiff, and I do like a browse to see what's available. Having said that, I do use the internet to buy most of the books, so as I say, I probably didn't help.

As a bookseller, I'll say to you that of course you didn't help.Naturally people like to browse and some NEVER buy, and that applied while the Net Book Agreement was in effect as well as in internet days. To see what you want to buy, then to go and order it on the internet is expecting to use (I could say misuse) the shop as an unpaid showroom for the aMazia. To anyone who says aMazia is a lot cheaper on transport books, I would say you are wrong, with the sole exception of Ian Allan/Midland Counties titles and the outfit that used to call themselves Sutton Publishing, Amberley, whose photographic repros are usually shoddy. The shop will have had to pay rent and rates as well as staff costs. I expect Ian Allan pay tax too rather than channel everything through Luxembourg.
.

 

[Drsatan]

I visited the Ian Allen store in Cardiff today and a few books are more than 50% off.

Copies of David Clough's Dr Beeching's Remedy were £5.75, marked down from the RRP of £22.50.

I'd recommend going there soon, as hardly any DVDs are left and not many books remain. Opening hours also change as of 26 January to 10am-4pm.

 

[RichmondCommu]

As a bookseller, I'll say to you that of course you didn't help.Naturally people like to browse and some NEVER buy, and that applied while the Net Book Agreement was in effect as well as in internet days. To see what you want to buy, then to go and order it on the internet is expecting to use (I could say misuse) the shop as an unpaid showroom for the aMazia. To anyone who says aMazia is a lot cheaper on transport books, I would say you are wrong, with the sole exception of Ian Allan/Midland Counties titles and the outfit that used to call themselves Sutton Publishing, Amberley, whose photographic repros are usually shoddy. The shop will have had to pay rent and rates as well as staff costs. I expect Ian Allan pay tax too rather than channel everything through Luxembourg.
.

When you say aMazia do you mean Amazon?

 

[Busaholic]

When you say aMazia do you mean Amazon?

I prefer my spelling/meaning.

 

[David57]

Visited Birmingham store yesterday, browsed, and bought books, usual first class service as ever from the knowledgeable man upstairs (don't know his name), a credit to the bookshop.

Went there 'for the last time' yesterday, glad it is remaining !

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I visited the Cardiff shop today and the assistant confirmed that they are closing on 7th February.

They are the only shop to close, as their lease is expiring (presumably at the beginning of February) and it's not being renewed.

 

[185143]

FWIW, I was in the Manchester store today and I got the impression this thread has been read.

I glanced at the computer as I walked past, Facebook was not open, staff were helpful, even though I went in for 1 specific thing. I brought up the rumors of them closing and the response I got was that it is people online that have nothing better to do, it spreads, makes its way onto forums and the like. They have been asked that question A LOT recently, perhaps unsurprisingly!

 

[deltic]

I was in the Birmingham branch the other day and the staff were discussing the rumours. Said staff in Manchester were still worried about what might happen there and that one customer had recently come in and was most disappointed they werent closing - he was hoping for bargain sell-offs!

 

[Busaholic]

I was in the Birmingham branch the other day and the staff were discussing the rumours. Said staff in Manchester were still worried about what might happen there and that one customer had recently come in and was most disappointed they werent closing - he was hoping for bargain sell-offs!

In my bookshop last autumn I had a row of recently-published hardbacks all arranged under a sign saying '£5 OFF COVER PRICE'. Someone came in, said I'll have that,that and that, 3 books in all, combined cover price of £80. He reached into his wallet and produced three tatty fivers which he thrust at me. I had then to gently disabuse him of the notion that he was going to pay me fifteen pounds for books that had recently cost me fifty pounds! Which all goes to prove that people will read what they want in notices, not what is stated.