John Lewis coming to the old Boots store at Clock Tower.

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

There's a MASSIVE new John Lewis currently being built in Horsham too, together with a relocation of their Waitrose store.

Opens this summer.

 

[Bozza]

When it comes to groceries you can only carry a couple of full bags any distance, when you look at people shopping these days and you see trolleys loaded with10 litres of milk, 5 loaves of bread... etc etc.... great if you wheel your trolley to the car but not so good staggering to the bus. Besides, they would not put a distribution centre in the centre of town for online sales, that would be in an out of town area with cheaper rents and better road access than North Street.

There are plenty of people who live in the centre of town who either don't have a car or don't want to use their car to trek out of town to do grocery shopping, and many people are happier doing a shop every few days rather than the traditional single big weekly shop.

 

[chimneys]

It says a lot about NSC that this thread has reached two pages in under 30 minutes. Seriously this news is just as exciting as any signing the Albion could have made. I'll be counting the days until 2021 now.

It also says a lot about NSC that the news broke locally here and the Argus is still nowhere near it. I got it from a very widely read Property website, so am amazed it hasn't hit the Argus desk yet.

My guess is they will have caught up my midday. Any other bids?

 

[Notters]

I can't see the point of putting a Waitrose in there, very little parking for shoppers so they can only buy what they can carry away. I expect they will sit on this and ramp the rents up.

It'd just be one of these selling sanwiches and suchlike wouldn't it?

 

[WATFORD zero]

It also says a lot about NSC that the news broke locally here and the Argus is still nowhere near it. I got it from a very widely read Property website, so am amazed it hasn't hit the Argus desk yet.

My guess is they will have caught up my midday. Any other bids?

With the technology available to them, i would think the 'trainee editor' will get it on his next 'Argus' search on NSC, so about 5 minutes tops

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I don't think Brighton needs a Brewdog anyway, plenty of good pubs already plus a growing number of top quality Micropubs, especially here in Worthing.

What about a McQueen store then?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

There are plenty of people who live in the centre of town who either don't have a car or don't want to use their car to trek out of town to do grocery shopping, and many people are happier doing a shop every few days rather than the traditional single big weekly shop.

True. The Hove Waitrose along Western Rd seems to survive.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It also says a lot about NSC that the news broke locally here and the Argus is still nowhere near it. I got it from a very widely read Property website, so am amazed it hasn't hit the Argus desk yet.

My guess is they will have caught up my midday. Any other bids?

You're amazed?

 

[8ace]

the traditional single big weekly shop.

A tradition that dates back to when - the 1980s

 

[vegster]

There are plenty of people who live in the centre of town who either don't have a car or don't want to use their car to trek out of town to do grocery shopping, and many people are happier doing a shop every few days rather than the traditional single big weekly shop.

True, but, it is all about footfall and average basket spend these days. The supermarkets want you to buy more than you need and that is where they make their money. In order to really make money they would need customers piling through the shop like marching ants on foot. Well,we will see what they decide, its all a long way off but I can't see how they can get enough big shoppers in unless they can tunnel down and create an underground car park,

 

[tinycowboy]

Now John Lewis can be ticked off the list, Brighton needs (a) a Leon restaurant and (b) its Uniqlo back. Not that I'm extremely middle class or anything...

 

[Worried Man Blues]

When did the Virgin record store shut!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

True, but, it is all about footfall and average basket spend these days. The supermarkets want you to buy more than you need and that is where they make their money. In order to really make money they would need customers piling through the shop like marching ants on foot. Well,we will see what they decide, its all a long way off but I can't see how they can get enough big shoppers in unless they can tunnel down and create an underground car park,

As I say, they seem to manage on Western Rd.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

It'd just be one of these selling sanwiches and suchlike wouldn't it?

Yeah, this. The mahoooosive JL in Southampton only has a 'Little Waitrose' in it. It won't be for a main shop, especially when you have an actual Waitrose a few hundred yards down Western Road.

 

[vegster]

As I say, they seem to manage on Western Rd.

I'm pretty sure they could make a better regular income by ramping the rents and making their tenants take the strain. It's all a long way off, maybe we should remember to bounce this in 5 years time ?

 

[8ace]

As I say, they seem to manage on Western Rd.

Can't see why anyone would drive to that store when they can drive to the one at the dog track.
That car park must be worth a fair few quid if they flogged it for development.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm pretty sure they could make a better regular income by ramping the rents and making their tenants take the strain. It's all a long way off, maybe we should remember to bounce this in 5 years time ?

They're a grocery store, not a property company.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Can't see why anyone would drive to that store when they can drive to the one at the dog track.
That car park must be worth a fair few quid if they flogged it for development.

It was always busy when I used it.

 

[vegster]

They're a grocery store, not a property company.

I think you will find that most supermarkets buy parcels of land or acquire retail sites without always developing them themselves. They regard it as a good investment because it may give them an income in rent,may be good to buy and hold on to as they think the land/site value will give a good return, or, it may stop rival supermarkets from pinching a prime site.

The Church of England owns huge tracts of land and it's not meant to be a property company.

 

[T soprano]

Demolish the whole building and return it to its former glory of the Regent Dance Hall