B & Q don't seem to be doing too well:

Kingfisher to close about 60 B&Q stores:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32126970

Tesco

Not a ghost in hell chance.

Carcraft have gone bust with the loss of 500 jobs:

Carcraft closure: 500 jobs to go at second-hand car dealer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-32538820

Source: BBC

So, many people can't even afford second hand cars now? Gosh.

Yep. I am not feeling the so-called recovery are you?

It's not to do with affording used cars. Now car finance on new cars is easy to get and more car dealers are doing long term rentals on new cars which have recently have been promoted on radio adverts more. Car finance is secured against the car so it has low interest and in some cases no interest for a period because the car is the security of the finance so if that car was to be written off they would get the money from the insurance.

Car Craft was bought last year by a company who was probably already failing and their debt probably had an effect on Car Craft


If anything it shows the recovery is doing too well because it's easier to get finance on new cars

I think it's more that people couldn't afford a second had car via normal routes 8 years+ ago when Car Craft started up.

It's just that it's taken this long for how utterly **** Car Craft was to get around enough for even those that are desperate for a car and unaware of what they're signing up for to hear about it in large enough numbers that the company couldn't find enough marks to fleece.

Car Craft is/was from every account I've heard the epitome of a sleazy used car salesman, using every cheap trick in the books to get people to buy over priced cars, on high interest credit then doing their best to wash their hands of them when there was a problem.
I've had people tell me they went to browse and basically got the high pressure sales push you expect from the worst of the double glazing salesmen, or went because of an advert that stated one price, to find the car was another.

Not really, just that Carcraft are a terribly run company.

Two thousand jobs on the line as delivery firm Whistl sends staff home after suspending its postal service

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/m...l-service.html

Whistl was formerly known as TNT.

Source: This is Money

Bank Fashion has reopened in Manchester in May. Any others reopened? I wonder who knows the brand now because JD sold up.

I could be wrong but I think Ark clothing owns them now you get redirected to there website when clicking on bank fashion.

Yes maybe but they have an Ark a few shops down in Manchester that's why I thought it seemed strange unless it's like Blue Inc buying the Officers Club brand?

They were a car crash waiting to happen.

Sadly the Furniture Barn chain has gone into administration and the Lakeside branch is to close.

http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/new...dministration/

Last Paul Simon curtain and furniture stores to close in the South following administration:

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/upd...-set-to-close/

I was looking to buy from Furniture Barn last month... They do very nice high quality oak furniture. Had no idea they were in trouble.

They do have a sale on now, but will your purchace be safe if you buy from them? Such a shame so many good stores are going bust. I guess part of the reason is internet purchases.

Pay by credit card, or bring a van to buy & take away. I hope they survive as I like traditional solid wood furniture which will last a lifetime However apparently young people are more attracted to modern flat pack furniture, I wonder if that's why Furniture Barn is struggling?

I posted the other day but Brantano shoes is in administration plus Blue inc went into administration to close some stores.

Strange seeing this post again - I had a hospital appointment letter with a Whistl logo in the postmark just last week.

Oddly I have recently received a letter with a Whistl logo also. I wonder if some services were bought out as a going concern from the Administrator? I will need to investigate.

Companies don't tend to advertise the fact. Sometimes it can take one disastrous deal or one customer going bust to tip them over the edge. One of our biggest customers had a massive fire that destroyed their manufacturing plant and went bust within weeks.

I wonder if WH Smith are in trouble. It was completely empty yesterday on a busy sunny morning first thing.

No but they have been cutting back stores up in Scotland. Dundee went last year and that was a big store.

This is the reason they are struggling http://www.theguardian.com/business/...kate-swann-13m

This women did really well with them in the post Woolworths environment and I believe WH smith needs a bit of a revamp in there high street stores now to keep up with the times.

They own the travel market almost though. I bet WH Smith in railway stations make a fortune with there higher prices.