[Brighton] Ikea buy Churchill Square and will open City store in old Debenhams

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Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,271
Withdean area
It really is a Serious hobby for some. Pulled a Stobarts trailer once, stopped in services and was confronted by E S spotters, they were shocked that i did not work for Stobarts but told me about the registrations and cab names that had pulled that trailer. They were tipped off that one of the drivers who was on the Stobart tv programe would also be stopping at these services, that who they were waiting for.

These people have photo albums of all the trucks and trailers owned by Stobarts. They even told me how they get the names of the units. Only 2 have male names, Valentino in memory of Valentino Rossi and Lee Rigby.

Only reason I knew, there was an ES fly on the wall series on (C5 about 6 years ago?) where they featured those people. I like these very British obsessions.
 






LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,416
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Those plans were shelved ages ago when planning permission for the store was refused.
Ummm…don’t recall planning permission being refused….i do remember this though

“Ikea has backed out of opening a new store in West Sussex, blaming changing customer habits for the decision. The Swedish furniture giant cited the huge increase in online shopping during the pandemic as it announced it would no longer open a store at New Monks Farm, Lancing.6 Jul 2021”
 


BN41Albion

Well-known member
Oct 1, 2017
6,828
Looks like I won’t need to travel all the way to crap Croydon again. Thank goodness for that!

EDIT: Apart from seeing Albion win.
It blows my mind that anyone would travel all that way just to go to IKEA, or any shop for that matter. Madness!
 






Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,271
Withdean area
It blows my mind that anyone would travel all that way just to go to IKEA, or any shop for that matter. Madness!

I limit it to every few years, but it’s been very worthwhile on viewing household stuff …. that does actually last.

Just an hour to that part of Croydon if you avoid rush hours.
 


BN41Albion

Well-known member
Oct 1, 2017
6,828
I limit it to every few years, but it’s been very worthwhile on viewing household stuff …. that does actually last.

Just an hour to that part of Croydon if you avoid rush hours.
Fair enough. I/we trust instinct judging by viewing online and reading reviews - often works out well! If there were an IKEA in town though I'd probably pop in if on the hunt for something
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,271
Withdean area
Fair enough. I/we trust instinct judging by viewing online and reading reviews - often works out well! If there were an IKEA in town though I'd probably pop in if on the hunt for something

I don’t look forward to going beforehand …. internet shopping has made us home-birds, plus that male thing of being into shopping :smile: . Am I allowed to gender stereotype?
 




DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,352
Strange location for IKEA, it's normally out of town. Whilst I appreciate there is parking at Churchill Square, you have to re-mortgage the house for 2 hours to do so and you've then got to transport your Sven Goran Ericksen bookcase to the car from the shop.

Anyway, those cheap tea towels are excellent for one use one and done.
IKEA in Southampton is in the City Centre, although admittedly it has its own big car park.
but they also hire vans out, AND also had to agree to offer a delivery service in order to get the planning permission.
 


DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 3, 2012
17,352
However expensive parking would be a problem
Southampton has its own big paying car park, but parking is free if you spend a certain amount in the store - I think it’s £30.
 


jcdenton08

Offended Liver Sausage
NSC Patron
Oct 17, 2008
14,501
Fantastic news!!! Can’t wait for meatballs and Daim cake. So excited
 




Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,684
The Fatherland
Anyone who is into vinyl will know the Kallax.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,684
The Fatherland
It blows my mind that anyone would travel all that way just to go to IKEA, or any shop for that matter. Madness!
I’m quite happy to go to shops including furniture, vinyl, clothes, accessories. I always have an idea of what I want but it’s always good to look at things.
 


Grassman

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2008
2,619
Tun Wells
Churchill square was thrown up in a hurry and had a quite serious snagging list. Most of which never got resolved.

Virgin Megastore, where I worked at the turn of the century, was regularly flooded with orange juice form the vast juice machines in one of the restaurants upstairs 😂
Orange Juice, in a record store? I think they needed to rip it up and start again……
 




Churchill square was thrown up in a hurry and had a quite serious snagging list. Most of which never got resolved.

Virgin Megastore, where I worked at the turn of the century, was regularly flooded with orange juice form the vast juice machines in one of the restaurants upstairs 😂
I worked for Virgin Megastores from 1999-2003 but at the Crawley store, but I did come and do a couple of shifts in the Brighton store (can't remember why).

Be grateful it was orange juice, several times we had sewage overflowing out of our staff toilets at County Mall due to blocked pipes.
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
It really is a Serious hobby for some. Pulled a Stobarts trailer once, stopped in services and was confronted by E S spotters, they were shocked that i did not work for Stobarts but told me about the registrations and cab names that had pulled that trailer. They were tipped off that one of the drivers who was on the Stobart tv programe would also be stopping at these services, that who they were waiting for.

These people have photo albums of all the trucks and trailers owned by Stobarts. They even told me how they get the names of the units. Only 2 have male names, Valentino in memory of Valentino Rossi and Lee Rigby.
Travelling up and down the M1, I always looked out for the 'Eddies'. One was called Jenny Wren, and a Wren who was dying of breast cancer, had it on her bucket list to drive it. The lorry went down to Devonport, and she got a chance to drive it within the port for 100 yards. It's a shame the names have gone now.
 


HastingsSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
9,432
BGC Manila
Sounds like a smaller branch than we would have gotten (likely a good thing). We have a wide range of sizes all over S.E.Asia and quite a fan for the little things still 20 years on from being a student.
 






halbpro

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2012
2,902
Brighton
I've been to the city store in Hammersmith a few times, it's pretty decent and I think Debenhams has a bigger footprint too. Also handy that you'll be able to do free collection from the store for lots of stuff.
 


el punal

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2012
12,545
The dull part of the south coast
Are they though?

The two I've visited most are Southampton and Croydon, and I'd describe both as being very much "in town".
The Southampton IKEA car park is a multi storey job. The access up/down between levels would frighten any downhill skier. The actual shop is great but it will take you two days to find the exit. I’m sure I’ve seen the odd skeleton where some poor individual gave up all hope of ever leaving.
 


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