Companies That You Expect to Disappear Soon

[GatwickDepress]

Running high street shops feels like a failing formula for pretty much any brand these days

Especially with so much brick and mortar competition in the outdoors sector from the likes Mountain Warehouse, Trespass, Millets, etc.

I understand the majority of Alpkit's locations are in popular outdoor areas like Ilkley or Betws-y-Coed rather than your typical busy town centre, so they capture a different market. I can’t imagine that’s too beneficial to their bottom line; anecdotally, a former boss of mine is now a Millets manager in a town centre, and he says a lot of their everyday sales are to non-outdoorsy people looking for running clothes or a decent waterproof coat.

I hope Alpkit can pull through as I've always found them to be a really pleasant company.

They've already started shutting venues with immediate effect by the looks of things

Popular bar chain closes venues across the UK, including Yorkshire sites - full list

Beloved spots are disappearing from high streets as rising costs reshape how the UK goes out

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

There are the financials of course but I think since the pandemic in particular when people were forced to stay at home the target market just got rather used to buying a load of cheap booze from the supermarket and a takeaway then having a 'night in night out' and never really went back to a 'night out', instead these days they seem to be far more attracted to going out during the day for a 'bottomless brunch' (and making the most of the 'unlimited' drinks!) and back home before the night is young

I've never been much of a clubber, but pre-pandemic when I was young and out with the girls more, Revolution was always considered a place of last resort. It felt like a vestige of early 2000s drinking culture with an obnoxious loud atmosphere, rubbish overpriced drinks, and sticky floors. I can't imagine too much has changed since in that regard.

And it doesn't help that some younger people are turning away from alcohol, although I can't find the news story I saw the other day which gave a figure of those who haven't drunk within the last year.

I think it might be this article from the BBC? As per forum guidelines, I'm quoting the relevant portion below:

Almost a quarter of adults in England do not drink alcohol, according to new figures from a government-backed NHS health survey.
The data suggests that young people, and increasing numbers of men in particular, are shunning booze.

The latest data from the Health Survey for England for 2024 suggests 24% of adults said they haven't drunk alcohol in the previous year.

But far fewer older people abstain from alcohol and those who do drink, are likely to do so at more dangerous levels.

Between 2011 and 2022, the number of adults who claimed not to drink alcohol had been fairly stable, at around 19% – almost one in five.

But these figures suggest that figure has risen, with almost a quarter of adults saying they haven't drunk alcohol in the past year.

Age and sex are playing a significant part in attitudes towards booze.

Some 39% of young men say they had abstained from alcohol. This compares to around 16% of men aged 65 and older, who say they don't drink.

Among women, 31% - almost a third of those aged 16 to 24 - are non drinkers.

But for older women aged 55 to 64, just 17% - fewer than one in five - don't drink.

And of those who do consume alcohol – both men and women – older people aged 65 to 74 are almost twice as likely to do so at risky levels compared to younger people aged 25 to 34.

Income also plays a role, with people living in more deprived areas tending to drink less than their more affluent neighbours.

There's definitely far less of an impetus to 'fit in' as a teenager by drinking these days. I remember huddling under Hastings Pier with friends drinking whatever we could get out hands on - unknown brands of lager from the corner shop that didn't check your age, lashes of White Lightning or the non-union equivalent, bottles of dusty spirits nabbed from parents! I don't think many of us wanted to genuinly spend our weekend nights doing that, but it was the only thing to do at that age and alcohol was a good grease whensocialising with people you had little in common with beyond being in the same class or neighbourhood.

If I was born a few years later, I daresay I'd be doing a lot more virtual socialisation and going to in-person board game clubs and the like without any alcohol involved at all. I'm in a DnD group and it's pretty much only the older members who drink - everyone else has soft or energy drinks.

 

[styles]

And it doesn't help that some younger people are turning away from alcohol, although I can't find the news story I saw the other day which gave a figure of those who haven't drunk within the last year.

Indeed. I have an anecdote about a students' union I was a director of where our previous over-focus on alcohol was actually harming our business and we had to pivot to avoid bankruptcy (which we did successfully).

 

[Peter Sarf]

Especially with so much brick and mortar competition in the outdoors sector from the likes Mountain Warehouse, Trespass, Millets, etc.

I understand the majority of Alpkit's locations are in popular outdoor areas like Ilkley or Betws-y-Coed rather than your typical busy town centre, so they capture a different market. I can’t imagine that’s too beneficial to their bottom line; anecdotally, a former boss of mine is now a Millets manager in a town centre, and he says a lot of their everyday sales are to non-outdoorsy people looking for running clothes or a decent waterproof coat.

I hope Alpkit can pull through as I've always found them to be a really pleasant company.


I've never been much of a clubber, but pre-pandemic when I was young and out with the girls more, Revolution was always considered a place of last resort. It felt like a vestige of early 2000s drinking culture with an obnoxious loud atmosphere, rubbish overpriced drinks, and sticky floors. I can't imagine too much has changed since in that regard.


I think it might be this article from the BBC? As per forum guidelines, I'm quoting the relevant portion below:


There's definitely far less of an impetus to 'fit in' as a teenager by drinking these days. I remember huddling under Hastings Pier with friends drinking whatever we could get out hands on - unknown brands of lager from the corner shop that didn't check your age, lashes of White Lightning or the non-union equivalent, bottles of dusty spirits nabbed from parents! I don't think many of us wanted to genuinly spend our weekend nights doing that, but it was the only thing to do at that age and alcohol was a good grease whensocialising with people you had little in common with beyond being in the same class or neighbourhood.

If I was born a few years later, I daresay I'd be doing a lot more virtual socialisation and going to in-person board game clubs and the like without any alcohol involved at all. I'm in a DnD group and it's pretty much only the older members who drink - everyone else has soft or energy drinks.

Ah.... Energy Drinks. I wonder how much they have taken over from Alcohol.

As for me Retired and since Covid out group is going to a pub maybe three or four times a year - takes a lot of organising. Before Covid some/most of our group were in the local spoons every Friday - took no organising. When I can get bottles of Ale from Morrisons for £1 it is shocking to pay £4.50 upwards for a pint, though still cheaper in Wetherspoons.

 

[Lewisham2221]

When I can get bottles of Ale from Morrisons for £1 it is shocking to pay £4.50 upwards for a pint, though still cheaper in Wetherspoons.

Not really. The cost of running a supermarket is shared amongst the thousands of other product lines on sale, purchased in large quantities by a large number of people daily. In that sense, Wetherspoons is more like a supermarket than a pub. There's just no comparison in my eyes, besides, I go to the pub for the social aspect, not solely for the alcohol consumption. How many restaurants have ever blamed "cheap supermarket food" for them going out of business?

 

[Backroom_boy]

Stonegate is owned by the same hedge fund which owns Asda.

I remember him being on one of those 'Back to the Floor' documentaries in the early 2000s, where the bosses go and do the jobs of their normal staff. When the staff told him a few home truths about the appalling working conditions, he flounced off.

Yes i saw that; and am amazed at his brass neck ever since

 

[Peter Sarf]

Not really. The cost of running a supermarket is shared amongst the thousands of other product lines on sale, purchased in large quantities by a large number of people daily. In that sense, Wetherspoons is more like a supermarket than a pub. There's just no comparison in my eyes, besides, I go to the pub for the social aspect, not solely for the alcohol consumption. How many restaurants have ever blamed "cheap supermarket food" for them going out of business?

I can understand why the price of alcohol is different BUT it does not alter the fact that people notice that difference. Also since Covid people have lost the habit of going out. So I think it is an uphill struggle for pubs to get patrons back once they have started buying from the supermarket - which they probably did when lockdowns started.

 

[styles]

I can understand why the price of alcohol is different BUT it does not alter the fact that people notice that difference. Also since Covid people have lost the habit of going out. So I think it is an uphill struggle for pubs to get patrons back once they have started buying from the supermarket - which they probably did when lockdowns started.

To run a successful pub you basically need to serve food or have live events these days. There are some pubs which survive on wet sales alone but they're dwindling in number in my experience.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I can understand why the price of alcohol is different BUT it does not alter the fact that people notice that difference. Also since Covid people have lost the habit of going out. So I think it is an uphill struggle for pubs to get patrons back once they have started buying from the supermarket - which they probably did when lockdowns started.

The trend away from pubs started a long time before Covid, but clearly that didn’t help. There were (ONS data) 47,270 pubs in the UK in 2009 and that fell to 39,145 in 2019, so a 17% reduction in the decade before the first lockdown.

Lots of factors, including:

- cost of living crisis
- austerity
- rise of Netflix / streaming
- increasing gap between on and off sales prices

 

[m0ffy]

Cost aside, pubs need to be welcoming spaces, too. There is zero chance of growth if you have regulars pushing out new custom, or landlords spouting conspiracy theories at every customer. We had two decent pubs in our village, now both of them now resemble Viz’s Flat Roof Pub.

 

[styles]

Cost aside, pubs need to be welcoming spaces, too. There is zero chance of growth if you have regulars pushing out new custom, or landlords spouting conspiracy theories at every customer. We had two decent pubs in our village, now both of them now resemble Viz’s Flat Roof Pub.

I walked out of a pub without getting the food and drink I was going to order in I think 2021 because they had stacks of The Light 'newspaper' stacked on the bar and on tables. I'm all for differing opinions but when you know people who have died from COVID and a pub is endorsing a paper comparing vaccinations to Nazi concentration camps, it's not worth the custom.

 

[m0ffy]

I walked out of a pub without getting the food and drink I was going to order in I think 2021 because they had stacks of The Light 'newspaper' stacked on the bar and on tables. I'm all for differing opinions but when you know people who have died from COVID and a pub is endorsing a paper comparing vaccinations to Nazi concentration camps, it's not worth the custom.

We had a local plant nursery that pushed that antisemitic rag on their customers. They’re no longer in business and the land was sold for housing (but I’m sure it’s all “their” fault).

 

[jon81uk]

I go to the pub for the social aspect, not solely for the alcohol consumption. How many restaurants have ever blamed "cheap supermarket food" for them going out of business?

I think the argument in favour of restaurants is that cooking is a skill which can make a big difference to the meal, I could buy the same ingredients as a trained chef is using but they will likely make the better meal.
Whereas the difference between keg lager and canned lager is smaller, there is less added skill from the bar person. Real ale might be better from a cask, or if going to a bar (not a pub) the bartenders cocktail making skill can add value to the ingrediants in the same way a chef could. But the difference between a basic estate pub and drinking at home, is as you say the social aspect plus the quiz, football on the screen or the live singer etc.

 

[Harpo]

I think the argument in favour of restaurants is that cooking is a skill which can make a big difference to the meal, I could buy the same ingredients as a trained chef is using but they will likely make the better meal.

I used to think that but the worst steak I have ever been served anywhere was where I least expected, in a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse.

While cooking does take skill, it’s the following of instructions that matters. Objectively, McDonalds seem very good at it as the results are incredibly consistent. All other views about what McDonalds offer are down to taste and budget.

 

[styles]

I used to think that but the worst steak I have ever been served anywhere was where I least expected, in a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse.

While cooking does take skill, it’s the following of instructions that matters. Objectively, McDonalds seem very good at it as the results are incredibly consistent. All other views about what McDonalds offer are down to taste and budget.

At the right price point, consistency wins over quality.

Food at Wetherspoons isn't going to knock your socks off, but it's pretty reliably fine, and despite some price rises, still relatively cheap.

McDonald's is imo very consistent. Their prices have about doubled in the past 10 years though. I think they'll maintain their market dominance partly through being cheaper than the competition though. A double cheeseburger meal at McDonald's is still around £4.99, while at Burger King near me it's £6.99. Is BK better? Sure, but they're both a bit average so I'm probably opting for McDonald's. BK do much better offers, but I don't think as many people realise.

 

[Peter Sarf]

To run a successful pub you basically need to serve food or have live events these days. There are some pubs which survive on wet sales alone but they're dwindling in number in my experience.

II agree. I remember being told about the need to serve food for a pub to survive back in about 2003 !. In Croydon the surviving pubs are ones I know and mainly because they offer that bit more. Not necessarily food but quizzes, live music, games etc. There are a couple of nice small pubs that are only cozy but they have survived.

There is one pub near me that survives against all the odds despite looking very tired - the reason is its unique selling point, lets just say you will not like it unless you are a smoker. I used to go there for a while when I discovered it was an afters pub - it was packed but my clothes stank when I encountered them the next morning !.

I think the argument in favour of restaurants is that cooking is a skill which can make a big difference to the meal, I could buy the same ingredients as a trained chef is using but they will likely make the better meal.
Whereas the difference between keg lager and canned lager is smaller, there is less added skill from the bar person. Real ale might be better from a cask, or if going to a bar (not a pub) the bartenders cocktail making skill can add value to the ingrediants in the same way a chef could. But the difference between a basic estate pub and drinking at home, is as you say the social aspect plus the quiz, football on the screen or the live singer etc.

Ale. Now that takes some looking after and there are pubs I avoid because they cannot look after ale. A lesson I learnt from an Irish neighbour and occasional drinking pal was look at how many people are drinking Guinness. If not many then he would drink lager. I realised exactly the same applied to ale. Wetherspoons generally looks after the Ale they serve but for some other pubs the bad signs are - no one drinking ale and/or only one pump "on" with the rest not advertising a drink. I have found ale bought in bottles keeps very well which is unfortunate for the pubs !.

I agree that food and food consistency is important. Mc Donalds and Wetherspoons both have a menu that is reliable and consistent. Both catering to different markets. Otherwise for me it is a proper independent.

 

[35B]

I used to think that but the worst steak I have ever been served anywhere was where I least expected, in a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse.

While cooking does take skill, it’s the following of instructions that matters. Objectively, McDonalds seem very good at it as the results are incredibly consistent. All other views about what McDonalds offer are down to taste and budget.

Former McDonalds employee here. McDonalds do that by treating their kitchens as a factory, and running them in a completely disciplined way. That leaves minimal room for variation, especially when the ingredients are all also produced in house in a highly controlled way.

 

[styles]

II agree. I remember being told about the need to serve food for a pub to survive back in about 2003 !. In Croydon the surviving pubs are ones I know and mainly because they offer that bit more. Not necessarily food but quizzes, live music, games etc. There are a couple of nice small pubs that are only cozy but they have survived.

There is one pub near me that survives against all the odds despite looking very tired - the reason is its unique selling point, lets just say you will not like it unless you are a smoker. I used to go there for a while when I discovered it was an afters pub - it was packed but my clothes stank when I encountered them the next morning !.

I know of a couple near me which survive mainly on drinks, but they either have lots of TVs with different sports etc on, or they have remarkably active darts or pool teams. They seem to keep the regulars coming in.

 

[jon81uk]

I used to think that but the worst steak I have ever been served anywhere was where I least expected, in a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse.

While cooking does take skill, it’s the following of instructions that matters. Objectively, McDonalds seem very good at it as the results are incredibly consistent. All other views about what McDonalds offer are down to taste and budget.

McDonalds have basically automated their kitchens, the patties go on the clam shell grill, they add the required amount of the salt & pepper mix and close the grill, when it beeps the burgers come out into the hot-hold drawer and then get disposed of when it beeps. Not a huge amount of skill really, its almost a factory.

 

[jon0844]

Cost aside, pubs need to be welcoming spaces, too. There is zero chance of growth if you have regulars pushing out new custom, or landlords spouting conspiracy theories at every customer. We had two decent pubs in our village, now both of them now resemble Viz’s Flat Roof Pub.

One of my locals is like that. Then there's a Wetherspoons which has extra security and all staff wearing bodycams (including those behind the bar). The nearest pub has been knocked down so Premier Inn can build more rooms.

Suffice to say, I don't drink locally. There simply isn't anywhere I'd want to spend time in.

There are pubs that do good food, but the bar area is pretty small, so you basically go there to eat. It's quite pricey, so gone are the days where you'd maybe go to the pub for a pint or two (maybe watch the football) multiple times per week.

I think people are more likely going to a coffee shop these days, where you can also chat and maybe do some work, read, or just chill out. It's far less likely there are going to be any nutters in there for one!

Most coffee shops aren't cheap, especially if you buy food, so it isn't even necessarily about cost that is seeing people skip going to the pub.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2026 ==

I walked out of a pub without getting the food and drink I was going to order in I think 2021 because they had stacks of The Light 'newspaper' stacked on the bar and on tables. I'm all for differing opinions but when you know people who have died from COVID and a pub is endorsing a paper comparing vaccinations to Nazi concentration camps, it's not worth the custom.

I'd never heard of that 'paper' but just looked at the site. Wow, it's mad. It didn't let me down with the ads for food supplements and other scams either. Alex Jones would be proud!

If I ever set foot in a place with copies of this paper lying around, I'll be out the door quick smart too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2026 ==

McDonald's is imo very consistent. Their prices have about doubled in the past 10 years though. I think they'll maintain their market dominance partly through being cheaper than the competition though. A double cheeseburger meal at McDonald's is still around £4.99, while at Burger King near me it's £6.99. Is BK better? Sure, but they're both a bit average so I'm probably opting for McDonald's. BK do much better offers, but I don't think as many people realise.

Burger King is now another place that charges a fortune but has loads of offers to make the prices reasonable again. Offers are not generally available at weekends though.

Only one offer can be used at a time, so if you are feeding a family or out with mates, you need to make lots of separate orders which is a real faff.

 

[cactustwirly]

One of my locals is like that. Then there's a Wetherspoons which has extra security and all staff wearing bodycams (including those behind the bar). The nearest pub has been knocked down so Premier Inn can build more rooms.

Suffice to say, I don't drink locally. There simply isn't anywhere I'd want to spend time in.

There are pubs that do good food, but the bar area is pretty small, so you basically go there to eat. It's quite pricey, so gone are the days where you'd maybe go to the pub for a pint or two (maybe watch the football) multiple times per week.

I think people are more likely going to a coffee shop these days, where you can also chat and maybe do some work, read, or just chill out. It's far less likely there are going to be any nutters in there for one!

Most coffee shops aren't cheap, especially if you buy food, so it isn't even necessarily about cost that is seeing people skip going to the pub.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2026 ==



I'd never heard of that 'paper' but just looked at the site. Wow, it's mad. It didn't let me down with the ads for food supplements and other scams either. Alex Jones would be proud!

If I ever set foot in a place with copies of this paper lying around, I'll be out the door quick smart too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2026 ==



Burger King is now another place that charges a fortune but has loads of offers to make the prices reasonable again. Offers are not generally available at weekends though.

Only one offer can be used at a time, so if you are feeding a family or out with mates, you need to make lots of separate orders which is a real faff.

Well in Reading a rough old Irish pub has just been refurbished to a very nice standard.
Lots of beer selection and it's very busy which is good to see
It's Heineken, gone from selling Heineken lager to Beavertown and Brixton craft beers.

It's The Railway Tavern, used to be the Gateway

 

[michaelh]

Especially with so much brick and mortar competition in the outdoors sector from the likes Mountain Warehouse, Trespass, Millets, etc.

I understand the majority of Alpkit's locations are in popular outdoor areas like Ilkley or Betws-y-Coed rather than your typical busy town centre, so they capture a different market. I can’t imagine that’s too beneficial to their bottom line; anecdotally, a former boss of mine is now a Millets manager in a town centre, and he says a lot of their everyday sales are to non-outdoorsy people looking for running clothes or a decent waterproof coat.

I hope Alpkit can pull through as I've always found them to be a really pleasant company.


I've never been much of a clubber, but pre-pandemic when I was young and out with the girls more, Revolution was always considered a place of last resort. It felt like a vestige of early 2000s drinking culture with an obnoxious loud atmosphere, rubbish overpriced drinks, and sticky floors. I can't imagine too much has changed since in that regard.


I think it might be this article from the BBC? As per forum guidelines, I'm quoting the relevant portion below:


There's definitely far less of an impetus to 'fit in' as a teenager by drinking these days. I remember huddling under Hastings Pier with friends drinking whatever we could get out hands on - unknown brands of lager from the corner shop that didn't check your age, lashes of White Lightning or the non-union equivalent, bottles of dusty spirits nabbed from parents! I don't think many of us wanted to genuinly spend our weekend nights doing that, but it was the only thing to do at that age and alcohol was a good grease whensocialising with people you had little in common with beyond being in the same class or neighbourhood.

If I was born a few years later, I daresay I'd be doing a lot more virtual socialisation and going to in-person board game clubs and the like without any alcohol involved at all. I'm in a DnD group and it's pretty much only the older members who drink - everyone else has soft or energy drinks.

Mountain Warehouse in Worcester today was running a Closing Down Sale

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Mountain Warehouse in Worcester today was running a Closing Down Sale

Supposedly moving to a new location somewhere nearby in Worcester. So whilst the Mountain Warehouse outlet/store on Broad Street might be closing, probably the company itself isn't.

 

[Jimini]

Well in Reading a rough old Irish pub has just been refurbished to a very nice standard.
Lots of beer selection and it's very busy which is good to see
It's Heineken, gone from selling Heineken lager to Beavertown and Brixton craft beers.

It's The Railway Tavern, used to be the Gateway

Yep good shout -- it's a nice boozer again now!

 

[DoubleLemon]

Game is closing the remaining stores and goes into administration.

UK gaming retailer GAME has confirmed that it will be closing the remainder of its standalone stores following its entering into administration.

Founded in 1990, the retailer was taken over by Frasers Group in 2019, going on to open a series of concessions inside Sports Direct and House of Fraser stores, and closing the majority of its standalone stores.
Now, as the company looks to further cut costs, the last three standalone stores are set to be shuttered, with managing director Nick Arran leaving his position, according to a report from The Game Business.

UK retailer GAME to close remainder of its standalone stores after entering administration

GAME over.

www.radiotimes.com

 

[styles]

Game is closing the remaining stores and goes into administration.

UK retailer GAME to close remainder of its standalone stores after entering administration

GAME over.

www.radiotimes.com

Not really surprised about this one.

Plenty of shops selling the games and consoles and accessories, including Amazon with same or next day delivery.

I think they ought to have carved out an experience of some sort. Combine decent seated gaming areas to play before you buy, etc.

I went into one a couple of years ago and it was soulless and more expensive than buying elsewhere.

 

[Kite159]

Game is closing the remaining stores and goes into administration.

UK retailer GAME to close remainder of its standalone stores after entering administration

GAME over.

www.radiotimes.com

I'm surprised they still had standalone stores after being purchased by Sports Direct group and moved into those stores.

 

[jon0844]

I'm surprised they still had standalone stores after being purchased by Sports Direct group and moved into those stores.

Having seen Game inside Sports Direct (which always seemed a bit odd, especially Sports Direct branded things like phone chargers and cables) they really do not seem to know what to do with the brand. A real mish-mash of products and more the look of a toy store than anything that a 'gamer' might actually be into.

To me, it seemed like they had to dump stock in a central warehouse and if they've shifted a lot of the stuff Game couldn't sell, there's really no desire to continue with it at all. Soon the area assigned to Game in their other stores will become a cardboard stand in a corner, or a couple of phone chargers next to the tills for impulse purchases!

 

[SuspectUsual]

The only brand the Ashleys care about is Sports Direct. After that, everything is about price

 

[jon0844]

The only brand the Ashleys care about is Sports Direct. After that, everything is about price

I ordered a jacket for my son online, and it was too small. Because it's the wrong size and therefore the item isn't faulty, I had to pay £4.99 to return it.

So that's the end of ordering shoes or clothing online! It was made by Nike, so I'll order direct from them from now on as they still have a returns policy that doesn't punish you for getting the wrong size. They (Nike) even allow returns of customised goods*, which surprised me. I bet Sports Direct wouldn't.

I realise I could have lied and said it was damaged or something to get a free return, but I didn't want to lie.

* This demonstrates how large the profit margins must be on trainers!

 

[35B]

I ordered a jacket for my son online, and it was too small. Because it's the wrong size and therefore the item isn't faulty, I had to pay £4.99 to return it.

So that's the end of ordering shoes or clothing online! It was made by Nike, so I'll order direct from them from now on as they still have a returns policy that doesn't punish you for getting the wrong size. They (Nike) even allow returns of customised goods*, which surprised me. I bet Sports Direct wouldn't.

I realise I could have lied and said it was damaged or something to get a free return, but I didn't want to lie.

* This demonstrates how large the profit margins must be on trainers!

They're even larger if the manufacturer sells direct to customer, rather than through a retailer!