Companies That You Expect to Disappear Soon

[Sun Chariot]

One motorbike manufacturer that is struggling at the moment with large debts around £3billion is KTM. The manufacturer apparently filed for insolvency last week.

Rumours abound that no bikes will be built for a couple of months. There has been multiple restructuring with the company being split under different company names.

The MotoGP part has got no development happening, riders have been assured that they will race next season but Dorna are not sure.

I hadn't realised KTM were in such a situation.
They seemed such a solid and resilient bike ("The Long Way Round" television series) and I've seen examples devour the terrain in west Africa; I had presumed the manufacturer was riding the economic climate resiliently too.

 

[johntea]

This afternoon's press
Typhoo Tea has been rescued by vape maker Supreme in a £10m deal which it said would keep the brand "in British hands".

Typhoo Tea to be rescued by vape maker for £10m

The firm behind e-cigarette brand 88Vape will buy the tea business after it fell into administration.

www.bbc.co.uk

They primarily supply the pound and bargain shops so expect to see a lot of 'Typhoo' (or at least some sort of tea bags in some fancy Typhoo branded packaging) coming to those soon!

A bit like those very poor quality batteries they've bought the rights to brand with the likes of 'Panasonic'!

I guess they need to diversify their portfolio a bit considering their disposable vape lines will be pretty redundant in 6 months time!

 

[Statto]

I hadn't realised KTM were in such a situation.
They seemed such a solid and resilient bike ("The Long Way Round" television series) and I've seen examples devour the terrain in west Africa; I had presumed the manufacturer was riding the economic climate resiliently too.

Speaking of The Long Way Round, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman wanted KTM bikes as they thought they were best for the trip, KTM refused to supply the bikes because they thought Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman would fail, so Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman went to BMW instead, & BMW supplied the bikes

Long Way Round - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Russel]

This afternoon's press
Typhoo Tea has been rescued by vape maker Supreme in a £10m deal which it said would keep the brand "in British hands".

Typhoo Tea to be rescued by vape maker for £10m

The firm behind e-cigarette brand 88Vape will buy the tea business after it fell into administration.

www.bbc.co.uk

Always sad to see job losses, but I wouldn't miss Typhoo if they had gone under, I find the quality is in line with supermarket value ranges.

A yes from the teenage daughter, and a no from me.
Not helped by the tables and floor being a bit of a mess. One thing that McDonalds usually gets right.

One to miss then, more overhyped American rubbish.

Never ceases to amaze me, the number of people (on this forum, social media etc) who feel the need to proudly declare that they don't eat at McDonald's, as if it's some sort of social badge of honour. Meanwhile, McDonald's is not - to my knowledge - in danger of "disappearing" anytime soon.

For all of McDonalds faults, to me they are like Wetherspoons, you're never too far from one and you know what you're going to get.

Their coffee and wrap of the day is usually my go to, for around £4 for a quick lunch while out, you can't go wrong.

 

[GoneSouth]

I am proud to be mid-50s and ne'er a McD has passed my lips.

I salute you!

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Anyone here with a WHSmith closing down in their town?

Bournemouth will soon just have 1 branch left in a retail park with 3 shutting down across the borough including the town centre branch so too bad for the elderly due to the post office inside, they'll have to go elsewhere for the nearest PO still open.

As suspected, WHS seem to be redundant other than being located at travel hubs.

 

[Harpo]

Anyone here with a WHSmith closing down in their town?

Wolverhampton station branch has gone.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Never ceases to amaze me, the number of people (on this forum, social media etc) who feel the need to proudly declare that they don't eat at McDonald's, as if it's some sort of social badge of honour. Meanwhile, McDonald's is not - to my knowledge - in danger of "disappearing" anytime soon.

I certainly hope they don't disappear for two reasons.
They specifically do not restrict use of their toilets to customers. This might be to ease planning permission in town centres (where councils' stretched finances restrict the availability of public ones) but it means they are useful as a comfort break on journeys on trunk roads. Particularly if you are a heavy coffee drinker at other chains...,
It seems like about half the adverts on commercial radio stations are for MacDonalds effectively subsidising my listening. Not sure that the Venn diagram of listeners to some of the stations vs likely MacD consumers has much overlap - perhaps they're desperate to increase their receipts...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Anyone here with a WHSmith closing down in their town?

Yep, three of WH Smith's "High Street" stores have now permanently closed in my neck of the woods. If you look up where the nearest outlet is, it's likely to be at a railway station, an airport, motorway service station or hospital.

 

[jupiter]

WH Smith seem to have diversified too much to be relevant for anything.

 

[Merle Haggard]

WH Smith seem to have diversified too much to be relevant for anything.

In my commuting days I used to call into Menzies to buy an evening paper for the journey home. They had a stack of copies of the Standard at the entrance, with an assistant ready with change for the amounts most likely to be tendered. I could pick it up in seconds - I always cut my arrival time at St Pancras to train departure time to the minimum.
When W.H. Smith took over, I had to select my newspaper and take it to the till. There the barcode was scanned and the cost shown on the till. I passed the assistant my cash, and they carefully typed in the amount. After a few seconds, the till told them what change to give me and they opened the till and carefully counted it out. Waiting for the receipt to be printed, which they then put, with the paper, into a bag and handed it to me. The train had left by then.
I wonder why they made their staple trade so difficult.

 

[jon81uk]

WH Smith seem to have diversified too much to be relevant for anything.

In a sense its the opposite, they are focusing on their travel stores and slowly getting rid of the high street stores.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Dec 2024 ==

In my commuting days I used to call into Menzies to buy an evening paper for the journey home. They had a stack of copies of the Standard at the entrance, with an assistant ready with change for the amounts most likely to be tendered. I could pick it up in seconds - I always cut my arrival time at St Pancras to train departure time to the minimum.
When W.H. Smith took over, I had to select my newspaper and take it to the till. There the barcode was scanned and the cost shown on the till. I passed the assistant my cash, and they carefully typed in the amount. After a few seconds, the till told them what change to give me and they opened the till and carefully counted it out. Waiting for the receipt to be printed, which they then put, with the paper, into a bag and handed it to me. The train had left by then.
I wonder why they made their staple trade so difficult.

Not sure on the time frame referenced, but this would also be linked to a wider change in society, fewer people using cash so the till is needed anyway and fewer people paying for newspapers so that dedicated staff member not needed. Although the London Evening Standard went to free 15 years ago so I expect it would be before then!

 

[Merle Haggard]

Not sure on the time frame referenced, but this would also be linked to a wider change in society, fewer people using cash so the till is needed anyway and fewer people paying for newspapers so that dedicated staff member not needed. Although the London Evening Standard went to free 15 years ago so I expect it would be before then!

When you get old, past time compresses!

It was in the mid 1990s - as it happened, M.M.L. started distributing the Standard free in the 1st when they took over so I no longer had the need.

But it was in the day when pretty much everyone bought a morning newspaper and, in London, an evening one too; and no-one would think of paying small amounts by other than cash. This was when they were making that business difficult for themselves. As it turns out, it is appropriate for the current situation - and seeing someone read a newspaper on a morning train is very rare.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I know W.H.Smith is not doing too badly overall and it seems likely they are getting out of their traditional high street locations - a lot of stores might be. But for me I cannot understand how the Croydon store has stayed open. Years after they closed upstairs there are still signs encouraging people to go upstairs to the clearance outlet !. The stairs are blocked off and the escalator is behind a set of yellow lockers (for click and collect). So I get the impression things are run very badly at least at the Croydon branch.

So it might be just the Croydon branch at risk or it could be that the overview for all high street branches is very poor as no future is seen for them.

 

[J-2739]

I feel like the more people talk about the closure of W.H.Smith, the longer it will survive.

 

[brad465]

I feel like the more people talk about the closure of W.H.Smith, the longer it will survive.

WHSmith has managed to survive by getting into the captive market: everyone know it's rubbish and has regularly scored poorly in consumer surveys, but by allowing Post Offices in their premises, plus having key stores in Airport departure lounges and rail termini, they have a reliable base of customers. If another business came along that did what they do, but more cheaply and/or with a better service experience, the former would be toast (assuming no cartel/market manipulation).

 

[Jamesrob637]

I feel like the more people talk about the closure of W.H.Smith, the longer it will survive.

Toys R Us has moved into the Trafford Centre branch, so no chance of that one closing anytime soon

 

[Andyh82]

Yep, three of WH Smith's "High Street" stores have now permanently closed in my neck of the woods. If you look up where the nearest outlet is, it's likely to be at a railway station, an airport, motorway service station or hospital.

I’ve noticed that if a store is closed for any reason no new store will open in replacement

So for example in Huddersfield, the shopping centre is being emptied to be demolished, so WHSmith closed, at one time they would have relocated but not now.

I wonder what the last brand new WHSmith high street store was?

 

[ls2270]

Anyone here with a WHSmith closing down in their town?

Bournemouth will soon just have 1 branch left in a retail park with 3 shutting down across the borough including the town centre branch so too bad for the elderly due to the post office inside, they'll have to go elsewhere for the nearest PO still open.

As suspected, WHS seem to be redundant other than being located at travel hubs.

Basingstoke Town Centre one has either gone or will be imminently, including the Post Office therein.

 

[SteveHFC]

Anyone here with a WHSmith closing down in their town?

The store in Luton town centre is closing in January

 

[Cross City]

WHSmith ... has regularly scored poorly in consumer surveys, but by allowing Post Offices in their premises, plus having key stores in Airport departure lounges

My first ever job was with them at BHX. They're every bit as awful to work for as they are to shop at.

 

[Kite159]

Basingstoke Town Centre one has either gone or will be imminently, including the Post Office therein.

I saw the signs when I last was in the town centre area, bit of a shame as it removes the Post Office within the town centre area. Some memories of that store and the upstairs book department from 15odd years ago.

I guess like other places, the management have deemed those stores as not making enough money.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

When W.H. Smith took over, I had to select my newspaper and take it to the till. There the barcode was scanned and the cost shown on the till. I passed the assistant my cash, and they carefully typed in the amount. After a few seconds, the till told them what change to give me and they opened the till and carefully counted it out. Waiting for the receipt to be printed, which they then put, with the paper, into a bag and handed it to me. The train had left by then.
I wonder why they made their staple trade so difficult.

Was it WHS that introduced a money box pillar that coins could be dropped into as you get a paper then go? Or was it Menzies' idea that WHS took on? Maybe they don't do that any more due to decline in public behaviour?

Otherwise, WHS's retreat from high streets mat not be a loss as there are alternatives which I suppose is keeping Waterstones alive as the only remaining chain for books if there's a branch available.

 

[Jimini]

Was it WHS that introduced a money box pillar that coins could be dropped into as you get a paper then go? Or was it Menzies' idea that WHS took on? Maybe they don't do that any more due to decline in public behaviour?

Otherwise, WHS's retreat from high streets mat not be a loss as there are alternatives which I suppose is keeping Waterstones alive as the only remaining chain for books if there's a branch available.

I'd forgotten about those! WHS certainly did have those money boxes by the newscube. Not sure if they half inched the idea from Menzies though!

On a vaguely connected note, before it went free the Evening Standard used to issue "Eros Cards", where you paid your monthly subscription by direct debit, and then used a contactless card to 'pay' for your copy from street vendors.

 

[johntea]

Six more Cineworlds to close...

Castleford, Leigh, Middlesbrough, Northampton, Poole, Weymouth

Can't say I'm too surprised when they want £12.99 for a ticket (although students and seniors get a generous 50p discount on that!), meanwhile Vue £6.99

 

[skyhigh]

Six more Cineworlds to close...

Castleford, Leigh, Middlesbrough, Northampton, Poole, Weymouth

Can't say I'm too surprised when they want £12.99 for a ticket (although students and seniors get a generous 50p discount on that!), meanwhile Vue £6.99

The news articles suggest the landlords have decided to terminate the leases. Wouldn't be surprised if new operators are lined up for at least some of the sites.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

When I left school, you needed 5 "O" levels to work in W.H Smith - yes, seriously!

 

[Silver Cobra]

Six more Cineworlds to close...

Castleford, Leigh, Middlesbrough, Northampton, Poole, Weymouth

Can't say I'm too surprised when they want £12.99 for a ticket (although students and seniors get a generous 50p discount on that!), meanwhile Vue £6.99

Some Vue branches even offer seats for £4.99 (Bedford, Cleveleys and Hull being several examples). This is exactly why I stopped using Cineworld, when Vue opened in Bedford town centre.

Sure, they have the Unlimited scheme, but it's rare I would want to see at least three films per month to justify it's cost over going to Vue.

 

[Harpo]

Sure, they have the Unlimited scheme, but it's rare I would want to see at least three films per month to justify it's cost over going to Vue.

The film industry’s franchise greed is killing originality & making cinema listings look like football scores.

Gladiator 2 - Paddington 3
Wicked 1 - Moanna 2

 

[Cross City]

The film industry’s franchise greed is killing originality & making cinema listings look like football scores.

Gladiator 2 - Paddington 3
Wicked 1 - Moanna 2

Days Later 28-28 Months Later