MFI,Woolworths who is next ?

[Leekbrookgull]

With these two well known 'names' going under are there more to follow ? With people cutting back as the crunch bites harder what stores do you reckon could face an uncertain future ? No doubt many 'one man band' shops will go,however i would question the future of WH Smiths to me the sell alot of stuff you don't need when cash is in short supply.

 

[BensGrandad]

Halfords? Overpriced and never very busy if you walk past.

 

[supaseagull]

It's difficult to predict. Who would have thought a year ago that Woolies would go bust?

If I was going to name the next high street brand to go under, i'd say BHS.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

supaseagull, that is a surprise call.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Halfords? Overpriced and never very busy if you walk past.

Good call but i think they are extending in Worthing!

 

[rospants]

my partner said whsmiths as well, they sell all stuff you can get in a supermarket so why both to go elsewhere, also i think Zavvi??

 

[El Presidente]

It's difficult to predict. Who would have thought a year ago that Woolies would go bust?

Me, Woolies has been in intensive care for a couple of years. I have seen a hit list and there are some big names on it.

 

[coventrygull]

Focus DIY

 

[rauper]

Zavvi has definitely been rumoured to be in trouble - partly because they owe £100m to EUK, which is part of Woolworths... and that debt is likely to be called in.

 

[Nemesis]

WH Smiths looks vulnerable-but it has done for years and like mfi and Woolworths it'll be nothing to do with the 'credit crunch' if it is the next victim.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

El, this hit list ? Can you enlighten us ? Please.

 

[Nemesis]

Focus DIY

That would be great if that twat Archer was still involved.

 

[Adam Virgo's Shirt]

Stead and Simpson shoe shops have a 70% off sale that can't be promising!

I reckon Comet, BHS, DSG will withdraw from the High Street and go entirely online, and I concur with BHS. It was only last year or so that Woolies did a massive refurb so that doesn't mean that BHS will survive just cos they are refurbing

 

[Buzzer]

Didn't Polaroid go under yesterday because of a fraud involving their parent firm?

And did anyone else hear about the chairman of Anglo-Irish bank. Classic Father Ted stuff. He "borrowed" £80 million and put it into an account controlled by him and at the end of the year would move it so that it didn't show up on the Balance Sheet as a director's loan. He's been doing it for 8 years. Absolutely gobsmackingly brazenly wrong!

 

[Buzzer]

Dixons will disappear soon, methinks.

 

[coventrygull]

Dixons will disappear soon, methinks.

and Currys

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Sussex Stationers have cut right back on the range of books they sell. They only ever seem to have reduced price top ten books and dull old historical potboilers on the shelves, plus dreary calendars with kittens and rural scenes. They do an excellent line in artist-type paper and rolls of card in a wide array of colours, but can't believe that's any kind of secure business model at the moment.

 

[tedebear]

Woolies didn't suprise me at all - there is only so long you can get away with selling cheap shit at knockdown prices for tiny markup, once people have less money - you're stuffed.

Not suprised at MFI either...

Whats happening is that there are simply far too many shops, in good times everyone has more cash, people are spending more, and in their folly, buying on credit, in bad times they don't spend money, so the excess shops close. Its survival of the fittest - those who didn't plan for rainy days will be the first to go.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

With these two well known 'names' going under are there more to follow ? With people cutting back as the crunch bites harder what stores do you reckon could face an uncertain future ? No doubt many 'one man band' shops will go,however i would question the future of WH Smiths to me the sell alot of stuff you don't need when cash is in short supply.

I was led to believe Woolies went bust as it has a huge borrowing facility and the banks called it in. It wasnt necessarily the fact sales were down. A number of profitable smaller businesses have collapsed due to similar reasons i.e. cash flow. I listened to Radio 5 about a profitable plumbing company in south London who folded because the bank stopped their credit.

If the banks started up their small business credit lines again things might be a bit better.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Now that all the Poles are buggering off to sunnier economies, its noticeable that the recently-opened Polish shops are starting to go belly-up. Big one in London road has just closed, and the one by Preston Circus has replaced most of its stock of Polish beers with the usual four-for-a-fiver Stellas and those cheapo super-strength gut-rot lagers so beloved of winos everywhere. It's a changed demographic to be sure.