Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?

[Thehooperman]

Just walked past the front of the Guildhall and some pilfering bar stewards have had it away with the canopy.

Kids these days eh?

 

[Really?]

Looks like Claire's accessories are about to go bump, both in the US and here

 

[proactive]

Looks like Claire's accessories are about to go bump, both in the US and here

Never heard of it. Where's that then?

 

[Gareth]

Claire accessories potential bankrupty is limited to the USA only for now.

That said that was the case toys r us last year, look at it now. Time will tell.

 

[Gramaisc]

Never heard of it. Where's that then?

Guildhall.

 

[Lucy]

It's probably the longest standing shop actually inside too.

 

[staffordjas]

edited....posted to wrong thread again

 

[proactive]

Guildhall.

It's probably the longest standing shop actually inside too.

News to me...

 

[Gramaisc]

News to me...

I went in there once for some fog-lights,,,

 

[Cue]

Do we know what’s happening with our Maplin yet? A few have started closing sale clearances in some towns and cities.

 

[Gareth]

New Look look like they may close 60 stores.

One in the intu centre hanley looks like it is going. Stafford, leek and crewe are not in the list.

 

[bunique]

The one closing in Hanley is the men’s store - I’m not sure New Look has ever been much of a destination for men’s clothes

 

[Goldilox]

Do we know what’s happening with our Maplin yet? A few have started closing sale clearances in some towns and cities.

I was over there at the end of last week - closing down sale POS up, 20/30% off most ranges. I had planned on stocking up on microphone and instrument cables, but they didn't seem to have many of the better quality ones left & the horrible moulded ones had gone up by a fiver at some point so with the discount they were still a couple of pounds more than I would have been willing to pay.

I'm pretty sure it's standard practice when a retail business goes into administration to start a company wide closing down sale & then if anyone does jump in to buy the brand they can transfer any stock left to the profitable stores.

Of course the thing with Maplin was that it was profitable, but had been saddled with lots of debt to its new parent company after a venture capital buyout & wasn't profitable enough to service the interest. If the owners had gone the conventional route of taking equity in the company in exchange for a cash injection, rather than offering it loans, they would have had to suffer disappointing dividends, but Maplin would still be trading. All legal, of course, but one does wonder about the morality of purchasing a company and extracting as much revenue as possible from it without shouldering any risk...

 

[staffordjas]

As anybody heard rumours about poundstretcher closing down? I have.

I went in today. 25% closing down sale across the whole store, and according to the shop assistant their last day is 24th March 2018.

Asked her if they would be opening up anywhere else in Stafford. Answer was "I think so, but they haven't told us where yet though"

 

[Thehooperman]

I went in today. 25% closing down sale across the whole store, and according to the shop assistant their last day is 24th March 2018.

Asked her if they would be opening up anywhere else in Stafford. Answer was "I think so, but they haven't told us where yet though"

I have it on good authority they've taken over the entire old M&S floor and Monsoon and every other empty store up to Market Square including the Guildhall.

Rumour has it they are also reinstating the old canopy outside the Guildhall,the bus stops, Bagnalls and the underground toilets in Market Square.

 

[proactive]

I have it on good authority they've taken over the entire old M&S floor and Monsoon and every other empty store up to Market Square including the Guildhall.

Rumour has it they are also reinstating the old canopy outside the Guildhall,the bus stops, Bagnalls and the underground toilets in Market Square.

There you go, don't go listening to rumours they're all bollocks.

It's going to be John Lewis that does all that. Mark my words and hold your breath.

 

[Pooryorick]

I heard the old Co-op is going to be a 1p shop when it ceases to be legal tender.

 

[Mikinton]

I heard the old Co-op is going to be a 1p shop when it ceases to be legal tender.

That's a point ..... what's going to happen to the 99p shop if they get rid of the 1p coin? Will we have to buy stuff in multiples of 2s or 5s?

 

[Gramaisc]

In Ireland, you only get multiples of 5c as change, the total price is rounded up or down to the nearest 5c.

Finland never minted 1c or 2c coins.

In one of Dave Gorman's shows about useful inventions, an audience member suggested minting 99p coins.

 

[Feed The Goat]

That's a point ..... what's going to happen to the 99p shop if they get rid of the 1p coin? Will we have to buy stuff in multiples of 2s or 5s?

Looking at the lack of stock in Staffords 99p store, I don't think we will have to worry for much longer