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Goodbye WH smiths
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"We all shop online for the convenience and the price, so it's humbug being sad when a shop we like goes.  "
That's a sweeping assumption.A lot of people don't do their shopping online at all.
However if high street shops want to be around they do need to be affordable and offer products you actually want to buy. |
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My understanding is that WH Smith tend to own many of their properties.
With the decrease in footfall intontheir stores due to online and shopping centres, the high street in general is in decline. High business rates lower sales etc has put the company in the difficult position that some stores are going to jave to close and possibly the premisises sold.
Unfortunately, not many business are buying high street properties. "Pound" shops, charity shops and cash for gold shops are the high street staple unfortunately now |
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By *avie65Man 12 weeks ago
In the west. |
"The whole high street is disappearing sad times
And people say online shopping is great! 🤔
Online shopping has its place for sure but even charity shops are closing down "
I very rarely shop online. I only do it if I can’t get it in a shop with a 20-30 mile radius.
They seem to be thriving here. |
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"We all shop online for the convenience and the price, so it's humbug being sad when a shop we like goes.
That's a sweeping assumption.A lot of people don't do their shopping online at all.
However if high street shops want to be around they do need to be affordable and offer products you actually want to buy. "
The problem they face are rents or rates councils are charging lack of parking or cost of parking
Bills etc they have to charge more compared to likes of Amazon as they don’t have the buying power for discounts |
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"We all shop online for the convenience and the price, so it's humbug being sad when a shop we like goes. "
No we all don't but it's a good point that the public gets what the public wants... Cheap shit from China delivered to our doors by unskilled immigrant labour. |
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By *avie65Man 12 weeks ago
In the west. |
"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good.
I’m that old I can remember when it was called John Menzies.
Two different companies entirely."
One became the other up here. |
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"Disgrace. They'll be shutting Woolworths next.
I want you to sit down and brace yourself for some bad news ...
WHAT!?
You'll be telling me Our Price has shut next....."
Nope. There's one here right next to Rumbelows |
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"Disgrace. They'll be shutting Woolworths next.
I want you to sit down and brace yourself for some bad news ...
WHAT!?
You'll be telling me Our Price has shut next....."
Wait until I tell you about Debenhams and Bejams... |
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"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good.
Progress hasn't closed them, they've failed to adapt to change ..
"
Exactly this.
WH Smith has been overpriced and had limited ranges for a long time. It’s fallen foul of trying to sell too wide a range and failing to deliver.
Just because something is old, it doesn’t make it good |
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"Disgrace. They'll be shutting Woolworths next.
I want you to sit down and brace yourself for some bad news ...
WHAT!?
You'll be telling me Our Price has shut next.....
Wait until I tell you about Debenhams and Bejams..."
My first job Bejams. Brian, Eric, John, Appthorpe and Millie founding members apparently. Everyday is a school day. |
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"Disgrace. They'll be shutting Woolworths next.
I want you to sit down and brace yourself for some bad news ...
WHAT!?
You'll be telling me Our Price has shut next.....
Nope. There's one here right next to Rumbelows"
Opposite the Wimpy xx |
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"Disgrace. They'll be shutting Woolworths next.
I want you to sit down and brace yourself for some bad news ...
WHAT!?
You'll be telling me Our Price has shut next.....
Wait until I tell you about Debenhams and Bejams...
My first job Bejams. Brian, Eric, John, Appthorpe and Millie founding members apparently. Everyday is a school day."
Bejams was next to macfisheries |
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"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good.
I’m that old I can remember when it was called John Menzies. "
It was never called Menzies,totally different company. Also it was not named after its founder but after his son.The father was HW Smith |
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"My understanding is that WH Smith tend to own many of their properties.
With the decrease in footfall intontheir stores due to online and shopping centres, the high street in general is in decline. High business rates lower sales etc has put the company in the difficult position that some stores are going to jave to close and possibly the premisises sold.
Unfortunately, not many business are buying high street properties. "Pound" shops, charity shops and cash for gold shops are the high street staple unfortunately now"
They actually sold most of their premises in the 90s and rented them back. Problem was the money was spent in short order and the rents have increased considerably |
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It is a shame but they are so expensive now.
Before i got a Kindle i used to buy paper books, started in W H Smiths but soon went to Tesco because they were a lot cheaper. I don't buy them in Tesco now, far cheaper buying on my Kindle. |
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By (user no longer on site) 12 weeks ago
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The high street stores have been sold off and will be rebranded. They will still operate in railway stations, airports, motorway services etc so still around |
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Never saw the point of this shop. They’ve had a couple of decades to adapt to less demand for print media, competition online and off-line and do something different but instead they’ve not changed & just been rinsing old people for as long as possible.
Good riddance to bad business
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By (user no longer on site) 12 weeks ago
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"The high street stores have been sold off and will be rebranded. They will still operate in railway stations, airports, motorway services etc so still around "
Oh damnit |
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Felt it was a shame when first heard about it....then thought about it and realised I hadn’t actually bought anything in there for donkeys years... All their stuff is cheaper in supermarkets and their shops all look tired. |
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"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good.
I’m that old I can remember when it was called John Menzies. "
It was never called Menzies, Smiths took over Menzies, their main rival at the time. |
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By *ooBulMan 12 weeks ago
SNottingham |
I'm not surprised.... Not all co.'s last forever...
I don't think they moved fast enough with the times. Not all people want the type of product they are selling & especially in hard times.
Change is inevitable & in a flux... Just depends whether it's good or bad? Change occurs any way. |
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"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good. "
When was the last time you shopped there? How often? I always think this when I read people bemoaning the closing of x chain or premises. Use it or lose it 🤷🏾♂️ |
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"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good.
When was the last time you shopped there? How often? I always think this when I read people bemoaning the closing of x chain or premises. Use it or lose it 🤷🏾♂️"
Me personally? Usually once a week. I always try and use the high street. How else will it stay open? As you say though... If you shop online....you get what you get. Still artificial intelligence will sort it all out. |
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Honestly I was never really sure what that shop was.
It was a bit of a book shop, bit of a newsagent, bit of a stationary shop and a bit random.
You would come out empty handed or with something vaguely related to what you wanted.
It's one area where progress has superceded something for me.
I don't really think of commercial enterprises as part of my cultural heritage or anything so, yeah. I feel bad for anyone who has lost their jobs and may struggle as a consequence. |
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By *ags73Man 12 weeks ago
glasgow-ish |
"Been in our high streets for centuries and now progress has closed them. Not all changes are good.
I’m that old I can remember when it was called John Menzies.
It was never called Menzies, Smiths took over Menzies, their main rival at the time."
John Menzies still exists as a distribution company
It got out of retail and sold its chain in Scotland and the north to WH Smith in late 90s. |
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I think folks realised that due to covid and lockdowns, it was entirely possible to move one's shopping requirements to the virtual arena.
Food shopping ? Online delivery.
Nearly everything else ? Online delivery.
I've done GP consultations online.
I've attended an online funeral (because of lockdown), but it's now imprinted in my mind that this can be done even when not in lockdowns.
So much *can* be done online, with the will and the way.
And the impulsivity has gone too, thank goodness. I buy what I need, without distraction.
Sure some things will need a tradesperson, if it's dangerous or highly qualified work. But you can find numerous videos on how to change a tap online. The sort of stuff my dad would do, and he wasn't a plumber, but he knew how to do it. He wouldn't dream of paying someone to change a tap. And I think a lot of those simple skills are coming back in to the home again with the advent of YT, which can only be a good thing. To be fair, do plumbers really want to mess around with little jobs like that anymore anyway ?
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As I understood it, WHSmith have made a conscious business decision to exit the high street and concentrate their business in places like hospitals, motorway services, train stations and airports
To be fair, in areas where there is limited competition, their business model is probably a better fit - cos they aren't cheap |
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When the high streets are gone. And replaced by only charity shops and tattoo parlours. And the pubs and restaurants are gone. And you're socialising only online and having AI sex in your armchairs fantasising about the amazon drone pilot. Wonder if those supporting the Chinese economy will reflect their choices have consequences. |
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