The Retail Apocalypse (Incorporating Casual Dining Closures)

The ones in St Alban's branch always look happy.

There’s talk of B&M/Home Bargains interested - I can’t see them wanting the whole chain. Maybe some stores to rebrand, but the fact Hilco has given them capital in the past means from experience they’ll be the one at most likely gutting the stores and taking everything out of real value and doing dodgy deals for.

Wilko seems to be a product of its time that didn’t keep up and sadly will go. It’s a huge amount of jobs gone and connected jobs logistically and around stores that will see a ripple effect too.

We’ve had 5-6 places shut in the past month locally (more larger independent businesses) - mainly due to footfall/sales being lower since Covid but also the back payment of rent and such from lockdown.

That’s seemingly happening to a lot of places (Cineworld just eliminated that but administration and being taken over by lenders- but a fair few landlords look to be taking them to court over it).

Although there were grants, loans available during Covid got many it wasn’t enough or a good option even then. And 6-12 months of being shut or shuttered operations means they are chasing still those months of lost income. Our local council was Great at calling us telling us what grants were there to claim during it - being honest saying they’d lose it and wouldn’t be able to help after xx/20-21 and that so many local businesses were saying they didn’t need it or they’d survive without it as if it was wrong to take it.

Sadly one of those went under last week too

It's sad though, because Wilko is far better than B&M/Home Bargains (not only the quality of goods, but the store experience as a whole).

The last time i went into a Home Bargains, it was impossible to leave the store without actually buying anything as there were huge crowds at the tills and no means of being able to leave the store at the entrance (a one way barrier prevents people leaving at that point).

I don't like it when a shop takes me hostage and won't allow me to leave without a purchase unless i push my way through the over crowded checkouts.

Sainsburys and some Tescos are like this now - you can’t get out unless you scan a receipt for a purchase at the self service or find a staff member to let you out

I don't think I've ever seen a Home Bargains or B&M. Presumably they're more in retail parks rather than high streets though, which is one of the issue that Wilko had. At some point councils have to take some accountability for the reduction in footfall and making high streets expensive to visit. Couple that with the business rates they charge and it's no wonder so many places are struggling. This has been the case for years, yet they keep putting parking charges up, keep reducing car park numbers, keep charging insane rent, and then wonder why fewer people are visiting. The shops all suffer because of this.

Wilko is sad for 2 reasons, one there has always been one up the road from me my whole life, it takes up a big retail building that would leave a huge hole in the heart of my home towns shops... and also a lot of Wilko staff come into my work to get stuff on the way to work and are very nice people id be sad to not see as customers again, I really feel for them, sucks to not know if youll have a job soon.

Lotus wrote:...At some point councils have to take some accountability for the reduction in footfall and making high streets expensive to visit. Couple that with the business rates they charge and it's no wonder so many places are struggling. This has been the case for years, yet they keep putting parking charges up, keep reducing car park numbers, keep charging insane rent, and then wonder why fewer people are visiting. The shops all suffer because of this.

I agree, Lotus... although one factor to perhaps also consider is that the government has massively reduced council funding over the past decade; on the basis that councils can keep a higher proportion (all? I'm not sure) of business rates. The government has pretty much forced these increases upon councils by cutting central funding and, in my mind, they take a lot of the blame for the deterioration of high streets.

gaminglegend wrote:Sainsburys and some Tescos are like this now - you can’t get out unless you scan a receipt for a purchase at the self service or find a staff member to let you out

Well that's shite. :dread:

The Times: Pizza Hut’s future in doubt as debt crisis looms

Pizza Hut’s UK restaurant business has plunged into a debt crisis as it grapples with the fallout from soaring inflation.

The US giant’s biggest British franchise, with more than 4,000 workers in 152 outlets, is locked in tense negotiations to refinance tens of millions of pounds due to be repaid to lenders in April.

Bosses have been forced to seek revised terms on its debt this year as soaring prices pushed the company further into losses in 2022, despite benefiting from the relaxation of Covid restrictions.

Auditor PwC warned in accounts published yesterday that Pizza Hut UK faced a “material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the ... ability to continue as a going concern”.

I believe Pizza Hut Delivery is now a separate entity or something like that. Haven’t been into a Pizza Hut restaurant in an extremely long time (early 00s). Used to love the all-you-can-eat buffet at lunchtime.

Pizza Shut.

KK wrote:
The Times: Pizza Hut’s future in doubt as debt crisis looms

Pizza Hut’s UK restaurant business has plunged into a debt crisis as it grapples with the fallout from soaring inflation.

The US giant’s biggest British franchise, with more than 4,000 workers in 152 outlets, is locked in tense negotiations to refinance tens of millions of pounds due to be repaid to lenders in April.

Bosses have been forced to seek revised terms on its debt this year as soaring prices pushed the company further into losses in 2022, despite benefiting from the relaxation of Covid restrictions.

Auditor PwC warned in accounts published yesterday that Pizza Hut UK faced a “material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the ... ability to continue as a going concern”.

I believe Pizza Hut Delivery is now a separate entity or something like that. Haven’t been into a Pizza Hut restaurant in an extremely long time (early 00s). Used to love the all-you-can-eat buffet at lunchtime.

This seems to just be a (large) franchisee? So it won't be like Pizza Hut will dissappear? I imagine some of those franchises are pretty.valuable and will get snapped up.

One of my guilty pleasures is ordering a pizza hut for delivery to watch in front of sport when my girlfriend's out.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/corporate/w ... ill-return

The Range are starting a rollout of new Wilko stores, starting in Plymouth and Exeter. Previous Wilko staff will be prioritised when recruiting.

SEP wrote:https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/corporate/wilko-stores-will-return

The Range are starting a rollout of new Wilko stores, starting in Plymouth and Exeter. Previous Wilko staff will be prioritised when recruiting.

Jenuall will be pleased.

Even “Safe hands” Seaman couldn’t save Safestyle as nearly 700 jobs are lost as firm enters administration

Rotherham’s former England and Arsenal ace was unveiled as the new face to advertise the doors and windows company on TV and the web.

The company certainly made the most of an apparent synergy with Seaman’s glittering on-field career - videoing him last year as he introduced himself to workers saying: “You are the UK’s number one for windows and doors, I was England’s number one.“You’re a safe pair of hands - I am ‘Safe Hands’ and like you, I love making great saves."

However the adverts were among those listed in a web platform entitled: “Adverts that make you wanna smash your TV set up.”

While Seaman - who also told his new colleagues “I have always been in great teams and now I have joined a new one” - was always one to protect his employers on the football field, his contribution off it hasn’t been enough to save Safestyle.

In the last few days administrators announced the business was making around 680 of its workers redundant.

Interpath Advisory stated that only 70 or so of the firm’s 750 employees would be retained in the short term as the business is wound down.

The Bradford-based company, which has a manufacturing unit in Barnsley and 42 branches and depots across the country. had hoped to find a buyer for their firm, which specialised in the manufacture and installation of domestic double-glazed windows and doors.

That failed and share trading was suspended.

Safestyle had faced challenges including “high-cost inflation” and “fragile consumer confidence”, administrators said.

Warm weather in September also hit public demand for its products, their statement added.

Staff and union members held a protest outside the Wombwell site with workers' signs reading “Where’s the money gone?” and “Save our jobs”.

Seaman, who won 75 caps for England, has previously had better luck in the public relations and advertising world.

He just hasn't been the same since he shaved off the moustache and long hair.

They should have stuck with the "trust me, it's free fitting" character, instead of wasting money on celebrities.

Anglian's sales people will be dining out on that already, I bet. When I had them round they couldn't wait to slag off Everest and how they went bust, and are actually now "Everest 2020" despite trading off the previous name.

KK wrote:Safestyle

strawberry float 'em - they offered us a "no hassle/pressure quote" then the guy who came round proceeded to use every artificial scarcity/hard sell tactic in the book; a ridiculous quote but half off if we agreed right now because it was "locked in the system" or some BS, trying to get me to agree to it without talking to my wife fully etc. He put his hand out to shake on it and I just looked at him and told him we were done and that he should probably go at this point. We went with a local company with a showroom in town who have done pretty much our entire road and it was way cheaper and they did a quick and excellent job.

Trelliz wrote:
KK wrote:Safestyle

strawberry float 'em - they offered us a "no hassle/pressure quote" then the guy who came round proceeded to use every artificial scarcity/hard sell tactic in the book; a ridiculous quote but half off if we agreed right now because it was "locked in the system" or some BS, trying to get me to agree to it without talking to my wife fully etc. He put his hand out to shake on it and I just looked at him and told him we were done and that he should probably go at this point. We went with a local company with a showroom in town who have done pretty much our entire road and it was way cheaper and they did a quick and excellent job.

I've literally never heard of them.

The Retail Apocalypse (Incorporating Casual Dining Closures)

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