I don't think The Co-Operative Food will close down entirely but I think they will close a lot of branches. They took over Somerfield which has probably landed them with duplicate stores in some areas which won't be taking enough money.
Add to that some of the financial woes the Co-Operative group have as a whole and I think they'll definitely be looking to reduce their store portfolio.
That said, a lot of areas around where my family lives, in the Somerset Mendips kind of area, The Co-Operative is often the only local grocery shop/general store so it would be a shame to lose them there,
I'm amazed high street travel agents still exist in this age of convenient online bookings - unless they have access to cheaper deals with the airlines or hotels?
I'm amazed high street travel agents still exist in this age of convenient online bookings - unless they have access to cheaper deals with the airlines or hotels?
I presume you mean the 'non-specialist' types like Thomas Cook? I know a few people who still go to them but yes I agree with you, why on earth would you use them?
^^ I use both tbh, and both have pros and cons. I like to book with a high street agent if it's some place I haven't been before, so you can get recommendations etc, for instance my Wife wanted to go to Cuba so we popped into Going Places, and the girl there had been to Cuba and when we said what sort of holiday we we were after, she suggested Mexico, and another agent had been several times to Mexico and suggested a hotel for us. Another thing I like with a high street agent, is if something goes wrong, you can actually talk to a face, not to some call centre.
But if I'm say going to the States then yes I'll book online, when we first went to Florida we used First Choice, but since then I've used an online specialist as I know my way around Florida now and tend to make a mental note of hotels, places etc that I like the look of. And I know the specialist won't let me down.
^^ I use both tbh, and both have pros and cons. I like to book with a high street agent if it's some place I haven't been before, so you can get recommendations etc, for instance my Wife wanted to go to Cuba so we popped into Going Places, and the girl there had been to Cuba and when we said what sort of holiday we we were after, she suggested Mexico, and another agent had been several times to Mexico and suggested a hotel for us. Another thing I like with a high street agent, is if something goes wrong, you can actually talk to a face, not to some call centre.
But if I'm say going to the States then yes I'll book online, when we first went to Florida we used First Choice, but since then I've used an online specialist as I know my way around Florida now and tend to make a mental note of hotels, places etc that I like the look of. And I know the specialist won't let me down.
But with a travel agent you are taking one person's opinion. Personally i'd rather book at home and use Tripadvisor.
Curry's closed their Norwich Riverside branch about a week ago, this comes as a surprise as it was in a good location for shoppers in the city as it was right opposite Morrisons. It turns out that a B&M store will be taking it's place.
Unfortunately it's not just Aylesford Print that has gone into administration. There are the other little companies that are inside site that have had to close down for the unseeable future.. Although luckily these people have gone home on paid leave but there future is also uncertain as they won't be allowed to go back on site until Aylesford has been ascertained whether it will be bankrupt or sold..and even then the new buyers may not want the company inside the site. Unfortunately I have a very good friend that has been affected by Aylesford going into administration...and they have no idea what is happening to their jobs etc...
Thanks very much for this background Andagha. I had no idea of the knock on effect.
I don't think The Co-Operative Food will close down entirely but I think they will close a lot of branches. They took over Somerfield which has probably landed them with duplicate stores in some areas which won't be taking enough money.
The Co-Operative Food has one simple problem. They are too expensive. What is it about co-operative businesses that they seem to be so poor at being commercially savvy and offering the best prices?
The Co-Operative Food has one simple problem. They are too expensive. What is it about co-operative businesses that they seem to be so poor at being commercially savvy and offering the best prices?
I've noticed the co-ops main model is to be in places that its virtually impossible for anyone else to get near to open a rival without serious amounts of effort and probably planning effort, around here they seem to be in small areas where theres no building space to have competition come in and the effort of buying up enough properties and getting change of usage planning permission generally makes it not worth for others to get involved.
But on the co-ops side they normally start discounting stuff early in the day compared to others as i think they don't like to pay for waste so if you're one of those who lives local and has the time theres been quite a few bargains to be had, brought some spices that were about 10p a jar but still had 6 months or so on them so its always worth me popping in if i'm around
The Co-Operative Food has one simple problem. They are too expensive. What is it about co-operative businesses that they seem to be so poor at being commercially savvy and offering the best prices?
I live near a Waitrose, a M&S food and a Co-Op.
The Co-Op is by far the most expensive and the quality of the food doesn't justify the cost at all.
As for them discounting food, they aren't very generous in my experience. I once saw a pack of 10 bananas which were use before that day, they had 7p knocked off - it was 10 o'clock at night.
The Co-Op is by far the most expensive and the quality of the food doesn't justify the cost at all.
As for them discounting food, they aren't very generous in my experience. I once saw a pack of 10 bananas which were use before that day, they had 7p knocked off - it was 10 o'clock at night.
Perhaps its more of a local thing? I think theres only one lorry that drops off stuff to quite a few stores around here (they're quite small generally) so having to collect too much waste may mean having to pay for more driver runs so its better for them to almost give it away than lump it on a wagon.
Perhaps its more of a local thing? I think theres only one lorry that drops off stuff to quite a few stores around here (they're quite small generally) so having to collect too much waste may mean having to pay for more driver runs so its better for them to almost give it away than lump it on a wagon.
Absolutely, to be fair I have seen some decent discounts from time to time.
But surely the fact that they discount earlier than other supermarkets indicates that there food isn't selling....because its too expensive. Either that or their buyers are buying too much stock.
Absolutely, to be fair I have seen some decent discounts from time to time.
But surely the fact that they discount earlier than other supermarkets indicates that there food isn't selling....because its too expensive. Either that or their buyers are buying too much stock.
Perhaps its a master tactic as the bargain hunters will come and hoover up all the bargains nice and early leaving space to put the new stuff out and probably you'll go in and pick up a £1 pie that was £5 and then you'll think i'll need some spuds and veggies etc so they may cover the cost from the extra items you buy especially since around here the shops are semi rural so you think do i fancy spending 20 mins to get to a supermarket to say 10p a lb on some spuds?
I'm hearing that Homebase are shutting some stores in the East of England. Boston's one is closing shortly and possibly King's Lynn's one later this year.
Curry's closed their Norwich Riverside branch about a week ago, this comes as a surprise as it was in a good location for shoppers in the city as it was right opposite Morrisons. It turns out that a B&M store will be taking it's place.
They have been cutting back stores and merging them with PC World for months.
Proobably so they don't become too large and become another Comet.
I'm hearing that Homebase are shutting some stores in the East of England. Boston's one is closing shortly and possibly King's Lynn's one later this year.
Again they announced months they are closing about a third of stores.
No surprise seems another assets stripper
.
JD Sports sold Bank and destroyed the company majority of the stores shuttered. One in Edinburgh is now a Scotland shop but I guess that's just a temporary store as the centre is due to shut up shop for redevelopment in September 2015.
Notice a lot of Topman/Topshop stores closing too. Seems they want to become a "city" brand rather than one in the towns. Seems a strategy by retailers to reverse out of towns so to speak as they fear another recession.
In 5 years I reckon some places will be "city" only shops like Waitrose/John Lewis/Ikea which have done so for years. The days of expanding are gone.
Many towns will just be left with bookies and pubs. I guess atleast the big main shopping malls will still be busy but people will have to travel to them.
Notice a lot of Topman/Topshop stores closing too. Seems they want to become a "city" brand rather than one in the towns. Seems a strategy by retailers to reverse out of towns so to speak as they fear another recession.
In 5 years I reckon some places will be "city" only shops like Waitrose/John Lewis/Ikea which have done so for years. The days of expanding are gone.
Many towns will just be left with bookies and pubs. I guess atleast the big main shopping malls will still be busy but people will have to travel to them.
Also Burton most closed around here or went into bhs or outfit the shop with all the arcadia brands under one roof on retail parks.
I agree it will be large towns cities malls and out of town retail parks. Smaller towns will have to continue to reinvent themselves if they want to survive
Comments
Rather go on the bus/car to somewhere cheaper or shop online then to go in the co-op.
Add to that some of the financial woes the Co-Operative group have as a whole and I think they'll definitely be looking to reduce their store portfolio.
That said, a lot of areas around where my family lives, in the Somerset Mendips kind of area, The Co-Operative is often the only local grocery shop/general store so it would be a shame to lose them there,
I presume you mean the 'non-specialist' types like Thomas Cook? I know a few people who still go to them but yes I agree with you, why on earth would you use them?
But if I'm say going to the States then yes I'll book online, when we first went to Florida we used First Choice, but since then I've used an online specialist as I know my way around Florida now and tend to make a mental note of hotels, places etc that I like the look of. And I know the specialist won't let me down.
But with a travel agent you are taking one person's opinion. Personally i'd rather book at home and use Tripadvisor.
Oh yes I always look on Trip Advisor before making a booking, but it's always nice to actually talk to someone whose been there.
Thanks very much for this background Andagha. I had no idea of the knock on effect.
The Co-Operative Food has one simple problem. They are too expensive. What is it about co-operative businesses that they seem to be so poor at being commercially savvy and offering the best prices?
Surely they have an easy answer. Be cheaper.
I've noticed the co-ops main model is to be in places that its virtually impossible for anyone else to get near to open a rival without serious amounts of effort and probably planning effort, around here they seem to be in small areas where theres no building space to have competition come in and the effort of buying up enough properties and getting change of usage planning permission generally makes it not worth for others to get involved.
But on the co-ops side they normally start discounting stuff early in the day compared to others as i think they don't like to pay for waste so if you're one of those who lives local and has the time theres been quite a few bargains to be had, brought some spices that were about 10p a jar but still had 6 months or so on them so its always worth me popping in if i'm around
I live near a Waitrose, a M&S food and a Co-Op.
The Co-Op is by far the most expensive and the quality of the food doesn't justify the cost at all.
As for them discounting food, they aren't very generous in my experience. I once saw a pack of 10 bananas which were use before that day, they had 7p knocked off - it was 10 o'clock at night.
Perhaps its more of a local thing? I think theres only one lorry that drops off stuff to quite a few stores around here (they're quite small generally) so having to collect too much waste may mean having to pay for more driver runs so its better for them to almost give it away than lump it on a wagon.
Absolutely, to be fair I have seen some decent discounts from time to time.
But surely the fact that they discount earlier than other supermarkets indicates that there food isn't selling....because its too expensive. Either that or their buyers are buying too much stock.
Perhaps its a master tactic as the bargain hunters will come and hoover up all the bargains nice and early leaving space to put the new stuff out and probably you'll go in and pick up a £1 pie that was £5 and then you'll think i'll need some spuds and veggies etc so they may cover the cost from the extra items you buy especially since around here the shops are semi rural so you think do i fancy spending 20 mins to get to a supermarket to say 10p a lb on some spuds?
They have been cutting back stores and merging them with PC World for months.
Proobably so they don't become too large and become another Comet.
Again they announced months they are closing about a third of stores.
http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/general-merchandise/bhs-owners-deny-store-closure-plans-as-52-stores-put-under-review/5073092.article?blocktitle=Latest-news-&-analysis&contentID=15016
No surprise seems another assets stripper
.
JD Sports sold Bank and destroyed the company majority of the stores shuttered. One in Edinburgh is now a Scotland shop but I guess that's just a temporary store as the centre is due to shut up shop for redevelopment in September 2015.
In 5 years I reckon some places will be "city" only shops like Waitrose/John Lewis/Ikea which have done so for years. The days of expanding are gone.
Many towns will just be left with bookies and pubs. I guess atleast the big main shopping malls will still be busy but people will have to travel to them.
Also Burton most closed around here or went into bhs or outfit the shop with all the arcadia brands under one roof on retail parks.
I agree it will be large towns cities malls and out of town retail parks. Smaller towns will have to continue to reinvent themselves if they want to survive
Kingfisher to close about 60 B&Q stores:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32126970