Fashion Factory closing - kind of

Jade-clothing

Well-Known Forumite
Most of the Fashion Factory in the old co-op is apparantly closing down at the end of the month. The only part that will remain is the furniture section.
 

Katniss

Well-Known Forumite
I'm not surprised, it always looked deserted when I used to cut through it to avoid the rain.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Never been in and never planned to, so apart from being sad at the loss of people's jobs I don't really care.

The place and the precinct behind it, needs demolishing and something more suitable to the kind of 21st Century retail/town centre environment constructed in its place.
 

Katniss

Well-Known Forumite
I preferred it when it was the Co-op because I could get my favorite Dior make-up from there.
 

Jade-clothing

Well-Known Forumite
That shop will never be successful, it needs knocking down. It's far too old fashioned, with too many nooks and crannies and different levels.
 

Katniss

Well-Known Forumite
That shop will never be successful, it needs knocking down. It's far too old fashioned, with too many nooks and crannies and different levels.

You are probably right but if I go to Birmingham I always like going to the department stores to shop and they are very old fashioned imo.
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
The building is fine and the front is pleasant enough and not insulting. The configuration needs altering internally but that is easily done. If it was a developer saying to knock the building down there would be some kicking off on here ;)

town centres need more leisure and less retail as people's habits are differing with more convenience and internet shopping so vast. The new cinema and new resturants and gym/s are a good start. I would like the old co-op be turned into something like that new trampoline place in stone.

Sadly because of its size and larger shops going south end of town, I can only see it being empty for years just like the guildhall because the people do not know the arse from their elbow about what do and are to slow evolving with demands.
 

Wormella

Well-Known Forumite
I'm sure it could be a fantastic something with the right vision - and money thrown at it. I suspect it suffers from a few different issues - too big for somethings, too small for other things (a john lewis for instance).

It is a lovely building though - I'd love to see it turned into a series of high end boutique / independent shops like the Leeds Corn Exchange or the Cavendish Arcade in Buxton
 

Katniss

Well-Known Forumite
I'm sure it could be a fantastic something with the right vision - and money thrown at it. I suspect it suffers from a few different issues - too big for somethings, too small for other things (a john lewis for instance).

It is a lovely building though - I'd love to see it turned into a series of high end boutique / independent shops like the Leeds Corn Exchange or the Cavendish Arcade in Buxton

That is a good idea, I would like a decent shoe shop because my weakness is shoes and handbags.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I'm sure it could be a fantastic something with the right vision - and money thrown at it. I suspect it suffers from a few different issues - too big for somethings, too small for other things (a john lewis for instance).

It is a lovely building though - I'd love to see it turned into a series of high end boutique / independent shops like the Leeds Corn Exchange or the Cavendish Arcade in Buxton
The problem is all the different levels. You even need to go up a few steps to get to the lift. Not disabled friendly. The cost of rectification would be huge and uneconomical.

The existing building is hardly a thing of beauty anyway, so it's not as if it would be missed if something more appropriate were constructed in its place.
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
I agree with Wormella, something I would see the Guildhall do.

i would be inviting the independent shops at the sides of greenhall, rigout, macgregors and other smaller shops the mango bean to take up empty units from the main entrance from the boutique.

Entice them with same rent as they pay nowand see how they do with stock levels, customers and so on and go from there. Too short sighted though and the centre management fill people with half and made up promises.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
town centres need more leisure and less retail


as people's habits are differing with more convenience and internet shopping so vast. The new cinema and new resturants and gym/s are a good start. .


I totally disagree with this.

The town centres that have lots of diverse retail, including department stores and independants are thriving.

If people could find what they wanted locally and easily they would be less inclined to shop online.


 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
You are probably right but if I go to Birmingham I always like going to the department stores to shop and they are very old fashioned imo.

Where do you shop?

Selfridges, John Lewis, House of Fraser, The Mail Box are hardly old fashioned.
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
It is a lovely building though -
WTF?

It's a fecking mess on the inside, and a feckin meh on the out.

The only possible potential positive about the migration southwards of the town centre, with the new spangly Riverside thing, is that that whole Princes St area will become devoid of life and thus ripe for the ball 'n' bulldozer. It looks like shit, is shit, and should be obliterated.

What it should be replaced with is an entirely different matter, but it is hugely difficult to believe that anything could be worse.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
What it should be replaced with is an entirely different matter...
Rugby pitches.

Hockey pitches.

Micro pubs.

A much needed extra supermarket.

Executive housing.

Council offices.

A recruitment centre for Stoke University.

A town centre A&E (24 hours).
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
It could probably accommodate most of those things.

Especially the Ball & Bulldozer micro-pub...
 
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