[News] Mind the GAP or alternatively.....

[Beach Hut]

No GAP

Closing all stores in the UK and Ireland

Won't be long till ASOS achieve their dream

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57670737

 

[AmexRuislip]

I thought it was re-branding for a New Look

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I though Palarse had gone into receivership. You little tease

 

[Is it PotG?]

Whatever Next?

 

[Bry Nylon]

This news leaves me wondering where I’’m going to able to buy a plain white thin cotton t-shirt for £39.95 now?

 

[Beach Hut]

Whatever Next?

They'll be fine, the owner is part of the establishment

 

[m@goo]

Can't say I'm surprised. Whenever I've looked at their stuff it feels like they haven't moved with the times. Still selling everything with a huge GAP emblazoned on the chest like it's the 90's.

 

[beorhthelm]

expect lots of people who never use the shops to lament their loss.

 

[schmunk]

This news leaves me wondering where I’’m going to able to buy a plain white thin cotton t-shirt for £39.95 now?

An interesting conundrum, as they're only £9.99 at The GAP...

 

[Simster]

Our high streets are being decimated so badly that the government needs to step in with a plan to save it.

But that seems too much like hard work so I won't hold my breath.

 

[Is it PotG?]

I think online shopping is the future, irrespective of any politics. Even if Siân Berry were PM, the buyers of today and tomorrow are done with trampling up and down the High Street.

Politics has nothing to do with purchasing habits.

Cheaper, quicker and for folk like me who hate all the hassle, it's a dream.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Sad news for the employees, but not exactly the most surprising news of the week. The retail world lives online now – the days of 'big brands' thriving' the traditional high street are well and truly numbered.

 

[Simster]

I think online shopping is the future, irrespective of any politics. Even if Siân Berry were PM, the buyers of today and tomorrow are done with trampling up and down the High Street.

Politics has nothing to do with purchasing habits.

Thank you Captain Obvious. Clearly purchasing habits have changed as a direct consequence of the fact that online shopping is cheaper because of fewer overheads. It can also be more convenient but not necessarily. If you need something today, you can't go online. If you need to try something on, you can't go online.

When there are no shops on the high street except charity shops, pound shops, mega supermarkets and betting shops, people will stop and think "why can't it be like it was?" and the reason for that is that no government has bothered to consider the consequences of letting Amazon get away with paying no tax, and the wider idea that IMO there really ought to be a levy on all online purchases that subsidises the high street, because if that doesn't happen then our high streets are going to be grim, soulless places to see.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Our high streets are being decimated so badly that the government needs to step in with a plan to save it.

But that seems too much like hard work so I won't hold my breath.

I'd say that saving it is almost impossible. Even with a hefty discount on commercial rents (where would that money come from anyway?) the prices would probably still be higher online, plus the fact that you'd still have to get people to actually GO to a shop. Why do that when they can get everything in the comfort of their own home with a few taps on the screen of their mobile device?

I'm not sure there is a need to save it anyway. Things – including shopping habits – evolve and sometimes you can't stop it

 

[A1X]

I guess there's no longer a Gap in the market

 

[Is it PotG?]

Thank you Captain Obvious. Clearly purchasing habits have changed as a direct consequence of the fact that online shopping is cheaper because of fewer overheads. It can also be more convenient but not necessarily. If you need something today, you can't go online. If you need to try something on, you can't go online.

When there are no shops on the high street except charity shops, pound shops, mega supermarkets and betting shops, people will stop and think "why can't it be like it was?" and the reason for that is that no government has bothered to consider the consequences of letting Amazon get away with paying no tax, and the wider idea that IMO there really ought to be a levy on all online purchases that subsidises the high street, because if that doesn't happen then our high streets are going to be grim, soulless places to see.

I buy clothes, shoes etc without the need to try them on.

Order online, you don't change much in size in your later years. If it doesn't fit, send it back.

Much better and easier than trains/parking/pushing/shoving/queues/noise etc etc. I have never needed something NOW. A day or so, what the heck?

Still, it's a nice political football, even though the decline will continue whoever runs the show.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

This news leaves me wondering where I’’m going to able to buy a plain white thin cotton t-shirt for £39.95 now?

 

[Simster]

I'd say that saving it is almost impossible. Even with a hefty discount on commercial rents (where would that money come from anyway?) the prices would probably still be higher online, plus the fact that you'd still have to get people to actually GO to a shop. Why do that when they can get everything in the comfort of their own home with a few taps on the screen of their mobile device?

I'm not sure there is a need to save it anyway. Things – including shopping habits – evolve and sometimes you can't stop it

1) The money would come from a levy on all online purchases.

2) Because there are some things that can't be bought from home. If you need something now or if you need to try things on. Plus what about those stores who bring things to market in a shop, only to see people walk away and then buy it cheaper online? They need protecting IMO. Oh and those without internet access would be screwed. And if you think that is a laughable notion, then why did so many Tory voters scoff at Corbyn's suggestion that internet access needs subsidising for the poor?


Clearly shopping habits have changed, but the real question is "how much to we value our high streets?". If the answer is "we don't, let them whither" then of course doing nothing is the right way to go. But we need to be answering that question seriously, because once it's gone, it might well never come back.

 

[Is it PotG?]

1)

Clearly shopping habits have changed, but the real question is "how much to we value our high streets?". If the answer is "we don't, let them whither" then of course doing nothing is the right way to go. But we need to be answering that question seriously, because once it's gone, it might well never come back.

A sad example of this is a prominent figure from my childhood (maybe even my father), the trusty milkman, has all but disappeared.

The romantic image of the man delivering all sorts of good to your doorstep has long since moved on in the name of progress. It's sad, as is the demise of the High Street, but it's going to happen alas.



Same as cheque books going, cash free etc etc, it will never end.

 

[Simster]

I buy clothes, shoes etc without the need to try them on.

Order online, you don't change much in size in your later years. If it doesn't fit, send it back.

Much better and easier than trains/parking/pushing/shoving/queues/noise etc etc. I have never needed something NOW. A day or so, what the heck?

Still, it's a nice political football, even though the decline will continue whoever runs the show.

You really are missing the point. OK, so you are happy with clothes that more or less fit, but some oversized people don't have that luxury, and some people are a lot more fashion conscious than you are. And one day there will be a time when you do need something NOW. Good luck you house floods and the downsized DIY stores all tell you that the pipes you need are now only available online.

This decline will continue because nothing is being considered in order to change those habits - certainly not our bone idle government of the day. You call it a political football, I call it a gradual trend that will eventually ruin town centres unless the problem is addressed.