Companies That You Expect to Disappear Soon

[SuspectUsual]

Agreed, that damned one way system - same in Savers. I make a point of going in the wrong way if I know what I want is near the checkout end. I will go back out through the entrance only route if it is shorter and what I am looking for is not available. Do that anyway if I am empty handed and the queues for the checkouts are in the way. It is putting me off.

Some B&Ms are the same....forced to walk past all the ambient grocery stuff

 

[TheSmiths82]

Poundland was good when the cold drink bottles were £1, but they are now £1.50 each or three for £3 so it isn't very practical if you just want a bottle of Pepsi Max for the train. One good thing about Poundland is most of them have a lot of self check out tills which means it can be very quick. I walked out of B&M in the Manchester Arndale the other day because it had just two tills open with about 25 people queuing up. I am not much of a fan of B&M either and I think they are struggling there are two large stores in Manchester which they are planning to sell and put housing on them (Sale and the ex B&Q in Burnage).

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Agreed, that damned one way system - same in Savers. I make a point of going in the wrong way if I know what I want is near the checkout end. I will go back out through the entrance only route if it is shorter and what I am looking for is not available. Do that anyway if I am empty handed and the queues for the checkouts are in the way. It is putting me off.

Ha ha, Savers is especially bad for this as their older stores are quite tiny & cramped which can feel claustrophobic but their lower pricing outweighs this also their newer stores are bigger.

Flying Tiger & Sostrene Grene are also the same. Pretty awful at busier times.

Getting back to Poundland, I've noticed in their larger/ upgraded stores they've put in supermarket style barriers "designed to trap you in" which I've always ignored and walk out if they don't have something I was looking for, this hasn't been a problem as I didn't get stopped etc.

 

[Silver Cobra]

Poundland was good when the cold drink bottles were £1, but they are now £1.50 each or three for £3 so it isn't very practical if you just want a bottle of Pepsi Max for the train.

Some Poundland branches do still have reasonable offers on their cold drinks. I was able to get Cole Zero 500ml bottles for £1 recently from branches in Great Yarmouth, Skegness and Scarborough (I was tempted to say all branches, but I recall the Coke Zero 500ml bottles being £1.50 at a branch in Norwich). Along with this, they often have 2 for £1 on cold cans, which even if all 500ml bottles were £1 would beat this. Getting two 330ml cans of regular sugared Coke for £1 versus a 500ml bottle for £1.50
is a no-brainer.

 

[Kite159]

Poundland is good for having 1.25 litre bottles of pepsi max for £1. Rather than '3 for £3' like Tesco or Iceland occasionally do (I know Iceland they do pop up for a £1 solo every now & again)

 

[Harpo]

I’ve not managed to find a definitive list of the T.G. Jones closures but a lot of branches have started closing down sales.

A quick trawl confirms Bath, Swindon, Southend, Inverness, Droitwich & Bury St Edmunds have closing sales but that’s scratching the surface I suspect?

 

[michaelh]

I’ve not managed to find a definitive list of the T.G. Jones closures but a lot of branches have started closing down sales.

A quick trawl confirms Bath, Swindon, Southend, Inverness, Droitwich & Bury St Edmunds have closing sales but that’s scratching the surface I suspect?

I popped into Droitwich TGJ yesterday -- the shop was busier for the closing down sale than I've seen it for years.
There are rumours that the Worcester shop (which includes a Post Office on the first floor) is closing in November, but they've not started the closing down sale yet.

 

[dgl]

Southampton is also closing.

 

[styles]

Southampton is also closing.

Are they building a wall to keep the Portsmouth lot out?

 

[philjo]

I saw a report somewhere that the Cambridge branch will close on September 14th. It is quite a large store on 2 floors - the 1st floor has been out of use for over a year.

 

[Kite159]

I saw a report somewhere that the Cambridge branch will close on September 14th. It is quite a large store on 2 floors - the 1st floor has been out of use for over a year.

I'm guessing the 1st floor used to be the book department when people used to buy books on the high street? (Similar to some of the stores around here, although I can't say if the top floors in those still exist as I've not been in the stores for years, and in the case of Basingstoke the store is long closed)

 

[philjo]

I'm guessing the 1st floor used to be the book department when people used to buy books on the high street? (Similar to some of the stores around here, although I can't say if the top floors in those still exist as I've not been in the stores for years, and in the case of Basingstoke the store is long closed)

Yes, the 1st floor used to have a Large book department and I think toys. Though less than 5 minutes walk away are Waterstones (previously Dillons) and also Heffers now part of Blackwells which have a much more comprehensive selection of books anyway.

 

[Ianigsy]

I’ve not managed to find a definitive list of the T.G. Jones closures but a lot of branches have started closing down sales.

A quick trawl confirms Bath, Swindon, Southend, Inverness, Droitwich & Bury St Edmunds have closing sales but that’s scratching the surface I suspect?

Fort William is closing and taking the post office with it. Residents very unhappy as Royal Mail’s suggested alternatives until new premises can be found are the sub post offices in Corpach and Spean Bridge. The nearest full service PO is Oban.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I saw a report somewhere that the Cambridge branch will close on September 14th. It is quite a large store on 2 floors - the 1st floor has been out of use for over a year.

Assuming its T.G.Jones then that is like the Croydon branch. Stationery was upstairs along with books and toys. Then it became the clearance area. The signs are still there on the wall by the blocked off stairs - must be years now. Oozes lack of care.

Fort William is closing and taking the post office with it. Residents very unhappy as Royal Mail’s suggested alternatives until new premises can be found are the sub post offices in Corpach and Spean Bridge. The nearest full service PO is Oban.

That's awful. Obviously the people responsible for information must think Scotland is as small as the isle of wight !.

 

[Harpo]

A PS on the T.G. Jones closing down sale -

I looked at some mechanical pencils that were 20% off. They’re priced (expensively) at £5 a pack but with ‘3 for 2’ not quite entirely obliterated on the hanger’s price tag.

So, previously on 3 for 2 it was £3.33 each. Now at 20% off, they’re £4.00 each!

Gawd bless Alas Smith & Jones. Sh*t, right to the end.

 

[Russel]

A PS on the T.G. Jones closing down sale -

I looked at some mechanical pencils that were 20% off. They’re priced (expensively) at £5 a pack but with ‘3 for 2’ not quite entirely obliterated on the hanger’s price tag.

So, previously on 3 for 2 it was £3.33 each. Now at 20% off, they’re £4.00 each!

Gawd bless Alas Smith & Jones. Sh*t, right to the end.

I had a quick look around the closing down sale in my local branch, I picked a few bits up and put them back when I clocked that they were still no cheaper than almost everywhere else!

 

[3rd rail land]

The so called 'closing down sale' which isn't a sale at all it seems. I'm glad my local branch closed very soon after Modella took over, it added nothing to my local neighbourhood and looked really run down. No loss really as you can get newspapers and stationary from the supermarket a few doors down.

Sadly the unit has now become a coffee shop but at least its a Black Sheep Coffee which is one of the better coffee chains.

 

[Sonic1234]

A quick trawl confirms Bath, Swindon, Southend, Inverness, Droitwich & Bury St Edmunds have closing sales but that’s scratching the surface I suspect?

Hove, Redhill and Uckfield too

 

[michaelh]

I subscribe to 3 magazines. All 3 (and I suspect many others) are offering all sorts of special offers for subscriptions - they are obviously worried about losing the casual sales from TGJ. Said magazines are a bit specialist and are not stocked by supermarkets.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I subscribe to 3 magazines. All 3 (and I suspect many others) are offering all sorts of special offers for subscriptions - they are obviously worried about losing the casual sales from TGJ. Said magazines are a bit specialist and are not stocked by supermarkets.

This is the problem. Supermarkets will cherry pick the most lucrative parts of TG Jones offerings, seems like they do the same with clothing, small "white goods" (above kitchen worktop not below) and electronic goods ?.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Wednesday at 19:29 ==

I had a quick look around the closing down sale in my local branch, I picked a few bits up and put them back when I clocked that they were still no cheaper than almost everywhere else!

I must check on the existence of my Croydon Branch. A while back they had four gang extension leads with a reasonable length lead at a very good price. I do not need any but six ganged with individual switches and 5m+ lead would be tempting - I am getting into mounting them on the wall at waist height (so many mains adaptors and so little inclination to disconnect when not in use plus motion sensor lights).

 

[WesternLancer]

I subscribe to 3 magazines. All 3 (and I suspect many others) are offering all sorts of special offers for subscriptions - they are obviously worried about losing the casual sales from TGJ. Said magazines are a bit specialist and are not stocked by supermarkets.

Yes. You’re not going to get a wide selection of transport magazines to choose from in the supermarket I don’t imagine.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Yes. You’re not going to get a wide selection of transport magazines to choose from in the supermarket I don’t imagine.

I may be wrong (I'll have to check next time I'm there) but I'm fairly sure my local Morrisons carries a reasonable range of railway, railway modelling, aviation, commercial vehicle etc etc titles.

 

[styles]

Yes. You’re not going to get a wide selection of transport magazines to choose from in the supermarket I don’t imagine.

I do wonder if actually when TG Jones branches close, the publishers may contact supermarkets and corner shops etc to see about stocking their mags elsewhere, so while the local Asda might not currently stock the railway mags, they may be persuaded to start. I don't really know how this all happens behind the scenes though!

 

[Russel]

Yes. You’re not going to get a wide selection of transport magazines to choose from in the supermarket I don’t imagine.

My local Tesco usually has a similar selection to WH Smiths to be fair.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I do wonder if actually when TG Jones branches close, the publishers may contact supermarkets and corner shops etc to see about stocking their mags elsewhere, so while the local Asda might not currently stock the railway mags, they may be persuaded to start. I don't really know how this all happens behind the scenes though!

There are reasons supermarkets don’t stock many magazines - it’s a poor use of space, doesn’t make a lot of money for them as the margin is low, and there’s a lot of admin involved. On the plus side they’re generally sale or return

 

[WesternLancer]

I may be wrong (I'll have to check next time I'm there) but I'm fairly sure my local Morrisons carries a reasonable range of railway, railway modelling, aviation, commercial vehicle etc etc titles.

Interesting to know. Not what I’d have expected

 

[michaelh]

I would think that subscriptions are attractive to publishers as it guarantees sales every month.Whilst they have to pay the postage, they dont't have to pay commission to the seller. Equally they can tailor the print run more accurately and reduce wastage due to sale or return, which looking at the plethora of magazines in my local TJG must be immense.

 

[styles]

I would think that subscriptions are attractive to publishers as it guarantees sales every month.Whilst they have to pay the postage, they dont't have to pay commission to the seller. Equally they can tailor the print run more accurately and reduce wastage due to sale or return, which looking at the plethora of magazines in my local TJG must be immense.

You mean you don't think they're selling out of their copies of Practical Pigs?

 

[Harpo]

You mean you don't think they're selling out of their copies of Practical Pigs?

The magazine for 442 fans?

 

[Peter Sarf]

The magazine for 442 fans?

Ah my beloved 442s .
What could have been. More likely to work than a 458 on the PDL, see what mess they are in.

I gave up having my Modern Railways delivered by the local news agent because someone else on the rota obviously took Model Railways (also by Ian Allen) and was not getting it consistently. So WH Smith or TG Jones will not be missed in that respect as I rely on the publishers knowing the difference between their publications.