Thanks for the info re administrators. That's sort of what I suspected.

It's a shame about the abuse and aggression - there's no need for that I hope the company gets sold and continues on. Peacocks are very handy for children's items - relatively trendy, relatively cheap and enough quality to last a season (shoe scuffing) or a year (clothes washing and wearing out), which is all that's needed as children grow so quickly.

Did I imagine this or did Dunelm Mill close a few stores recently?

Oh I really hope not, I love Dunelm Mill. They have refurbished a couple of the ones close to me, so it looks like they are doing ok.

The cheap shops go first as it's their customer base that are hit hardest and are cutting back most. Also manufacturing costs in the far east are rising and will continue to rise. As more stores close and more people get put out of work that will just escalate.
The mid-range and above stores do better and in fact many luxury brands have increased sales.

Early Learning Centre in Bolton has closed down. Also Sevenoaks Hi-Fi in Bolton is closing down. It was our one and only specialist hi-fi shop. But Wilkinson has just reopened the old Woolworth.

John Lewis have had a very good Xmas trade this year. I've only bought from their website but there are some very good deals available and like you say their customer service is second to none. I bought a washing machine from them and they removed my old one, unpacked the new one, put it into place and took away all the packaging all included in the purchase. Not many companies seem to do that now.

Pumpkin patch now in administration

See my post 498! I believe the mail order is still going though.

Have not read the whole thread, but has anyone mentioned Lombok? They went into admin last year, still doing online sales but their stock in very limited, they shut all there branches accept one and they sell the odd thing in House of Fraiser. I think their days are numbered, shame:

I think Past Times problem (also Hawkins Bazaar to an extent) is that they overestimate what they can charge for, at best, whimsical items, probably buoyed up by Christmas when people get into the mindset of just buying anything in desperation to tick another name off the list.

For example, I was in the one in Castleford the other day and they had a sort of kids plastic gun that release spinning discs. The type of item, and the quality, was genuinely no different than you might get as a free giveaway on the front of the Beano.

However, they'd stuck it in a 50s-style cardboard box and the original selling price was a tenner (down to three now but, frankly, even that was too much). If they had stuck to quality items at a quality price, I bet they'd have kept going a lot longer, but this move into the tat market is what has cost them....

Does anyone know of a chain called Springfield, there was a shop from that chain in the White Rose Centre, and I'm sure it's not there any more.

http://www.springfields.co.uk/ ?

No, they were a fashion retailer, I presumed they were a chain as that's all seems to be arond these days, the signage was all capital letters and the front display had metal shutters behind the mannequins.

There's a La Senza open in the White Rose, which must have opened recently, and it's still trading, unlike the Huddersfield one.

Corfitel that owns Springfield has pulled out of the UK:

http://www.shopping-centre.co.uk/new...ut_of_UK_.html

Bon Marche has been sold on and brought out of Administration, Peacocks has still gone under sort of speak. I believe 1400 jobs have gone

Bon Marche will shut 100 stores

La Senza has been in the White Rose for a fair few years

Looks like they are clearing all their stock

This thread is making very depressing reading - I used to go back to UK twice a year for shopping as, generally, the shops out here are rubbish - Chinese 'tat' shops are opening at a rate of knot - BEWARE if they start occupying the empty stores

I had been hoping to visit Gibraltar as they had a branch of Peacocks there - suppose that'll go!

Funnily enough we have a branch of C&A in our local shopping centre - they still have all the old brands - Clockhouse, Yessica, 6th Sense etc. written in English and, Loz_Fraggle, we also have a Springfield - Here are the countries they trade in - http://spf.com/es/compania/paises

We also recently had a Primark open in Málaga - there was a stampede of customers when in it first opened!

Unbelievable... And Bon Mache is the cheap and nasty side of the Peacocks brand.

They did the same for me when I bought my TV from them. 5 years free guarantee- You can't go wrong. Wish Comet would offer that instead of stuffing their extended warranty thing down our ears.

Ah right, thanks!, their website still reckons they've got stores in the UK, which is helpful!

My local Peacocks is closed this morning. Stock still on display,lights on and several staff visible through the window,so not sure if it's been permanently shut or not at this stage.

Well Retail week says Past Times looks unlikely to be back (no surprise in that one). Hawkins Bazaar are back but only online and concessions.

There's talk Edinburgh Woolen Mill will buy some Peacocks stores maybe rebrand them to Jane Norman?

Bonmarche has been sold but they reckon they will have to shut many stores.

The La Senza and Hawkins in York are both still open

Have all hawkins bazaar shops closed the last I read 30 or so were still trading hoping for a buyer ? Are they all closed now ?

I hope Peacocks survives and not too many stores have to close.But I went into my local one the other day and it was deserted and it's only been open for about two months, I wander why they opened a new store they must of known then things were bad ?