Who’s next as Greenwoods Menswear joins the high street casualties?

[Chippy_Tea]

They once had 200 stores they now have 40 and it looks like they will soon be closed for good.



A 158-year-old northern retailer describing itself as “the quintessential English gentleman’s outfitter” has become the latest victim of the malaise hitting the high street.

Greenwoods Menswear, which was rescued from administration less than 18 months ago, has gone into liquidation and its chain of stores from Doncaster to Rochdale have closed their doors, with the loss of more than 100 jobs.

All eyes will turn tomorrow to Next, which will provide an insight into trading in the crucial Christmas period in a fourth-quarter update. Analysts at Jefferies expect the fashion retailer to announce a 12.7 per cent fall in store sales, partially offset by a 10 per cent rise in online sales.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...ar-joins-the-high-street-casualties-wrktj6dzn

 

[Bigcol49]

Oh no!
Where will I get my Grenadiers now?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Oh no!
Where will I get my Grenadiers now?

Definitely not here -

 

[MickDundee]

Never heard of them

 

[terrym]

Never heard of them

Nor me

 

[Chippy_Tea]

They were a Northern retailer a bit like Booths supermarkets, I thought I would post the pictures as many members will not have heard of them.

 

[Pavros]

I always looked at them as an 'old man's fashion' shop and sadly, they failed to move with the times or move to niche/designer product many years ago. Sad to see but has been on the cards for years, I think.

(They were actually very reasonable for DJ hire if you had a function to go to but didn't go to so many that it was worth buying one)

 

[Clint]

If they'd have ditched all that pensioner clobber and stocked up on skinny jeans,tweed jackets,cravats and flip flops they'd be booming....
Quintessential gentlemen's outfitters...my ****!

 

[marshbrewer]

Aye, can't say this surprises me, their offering was always pretty pants; very 'old man' and dated ~ very middle of the road quality wise. As is often the case, the middle drops out of the market, so you end up with suits direct at one end, and uber expensive designer clobber at the other, and nowt in between.

 

[terrym]

Sadly no place for nostalgia about these businesses. If you can't compete and/or change with the times you fail or are bought and asset stripped. And there's nothing is new about this. Some on here will remember Burtons, John Collier ( the window to watch) and even the 50 Shilling Tailor. All gone, for better or worse.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It makes me wonder (worry) what our town centres will look like in 10 years time, our small market town has lost many small shops and pubs to be replaced with coffee chains, hairdressers, and wine bars I think it's a downward spiral from here.

 

[MyQul]

Evans cycles went into receivership too, not so long ago and Mike Ashley (of sports direct 'fame') bought it

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Debenhams were looking to close stores just before Christmas with 4000 job losses so they may be the next.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45972428

.

 

[Bigcol49]

It makes me wonder (worry) what our town centres will look like in 10 years time, our small market town has lost many small shops and pubs to be replaced with coffee chains, hairdressers, and wine bars I think it's a downward spiral from here.

Hi!
Town centres are already excessively homogenised - go to any unfamiliar town and you have the same shops as you have in your local town, so what's the point in going somewhere different?

 

[Gunge]

It makes me wonder (worry) what our town centres will look like in 10 years time

If they follow our town's lead, they'll be populated by spaced-out zombies throwing up all over (from the Spice or from the McDonalds,who can tell?), waiting for the benefits place or Wetherspoons to let them in.

 

[Cwrw666]

It makes me wonder (worry) what our town centres will look like in 10 years time, our small market town has lost many small shops and pubs to be replaced with coffee chains, hairdressers, and wine bars I think it's a downward spiral from here.

High streets are dieing because the world has changed and they're a bunch of dinosaurs. Eventually the dust will settle and they'll revert to living spaces rather than the dead retail places they currently are. ie. houses and flats and the coffee bars and pubs needed to serve them. Odd little shops like corner newsagents etc.
Fact is if you want something specific none of the shops have exactly what you want, but online does. I rarely go into town these days - I have money to spend but they never have what I want.

 

[Clint]

The killer is the cost of actually running the business.... rates,wages,pensions....

 

[terrym]

Unless they are selling stuff that isn't available on-line (and there can't be much of that) any high street shop usually has a massive overhead, rent, staff to pay, council tax, head office costs etc etc which they have to recover and that's what makes them expensive, plus their overhead will be even higher if they try to stock 'all of the sizes in all of the colours'. Internet based companies don't have such a high overhead. As an example go round any high street store on a typical Monday morning and the customers will be few and far between, but the staff are still there and have to be paid. That scenario won't be happening in an Amazon warehouse I'll bet, the staff will be earning their wage.
Some shops have adapted to internet selling, those that don't, won't or can't will eventually struggle if they aren't already. But that doesn't help the local shop. Typically my local M&S is a medium sized store and the range they carry is very limited, so if I want anything from M&S I buy online and take it back to the store if it isn't suitable, and that's the only time I go in the store. And I'll bet there are many more like me.

 

[MyQul]

The killer is the cost of actually running the business.... rates,wages,pensions....

I saw something on BBC news over Xmas and the bloke talking said it was 'business rates' that was doing it. I have no idea what these are btw, never having run a shop or investigated anything about it

 

[BeerCat]

Does this mean underwear will go up in price. I have been predicting this.