With large conglomerate industries shutting their doors and reducing Labour needs the retail sector was an avenue for many youngsters to get into work. With large retail companies going bust at an alarming rate I do fear for the future of kids in this country. They are getting shit on from all angles before they've even reached adult life.
With large conglomerate industries shutting their doors and reducing Labour needs the retail sector was an avenue for many youngsters to get into work. With large retail companies going bust at an alarming rate I do fear for the future of kids in this country. They are getting shit on from all angles before they've even reached adult life.
Unfortunately, the majority probably prefer to buy online, than the High Street.
With large conglomerate industries shutting their doors and reducing Labour needs the retail sector was an avenue for many youngsters to get into work. With large retail companies going bust at an alarming rate I do fear for the future of kids in this country. They are getting shit on from all angles before they've even reached adult life.
Thats a massively important point, that often gets lost in the shuffle in the online vs high st discussion. No question that the Internet has destroyed huge swathes of the high st, and will continue to do so until there isn't anything left except coffee shops and poundland. The first job for many school leavers (disproportionately so amongst the working class) is a high st shop - at least most of those were *actual* jobs and not part of the gig economy. No telling what will happen as Amazon crush the life out of everything and there isn't anything for the under 21s to do. The whole thing is a massive house of cards ready for collapse.
I hope like most companies that go 'bust' their Asian businesses will stay afloat (we still have C&A and Toyrs R Us here) as I really like mothercares stuff.
Sad to see another big company go, but it's utter madness these 'big players' don't try to adjust their business model.
With large conglomerate industries shutting their doors and reducing Labour needs the retail sector was an avenue for many youngsters to get into work. With large retail companies going bust at an alarming rate I do fear for the future of kids in this country. They are getting shit on from all angles before they've even reached adult life.
Thats a massively important point, that often gets lost in the shuffle in the online vs high st discussion. No question that the Internet has destroyed huge swathes of the high st, and will continue to do so until there isn't anything left except coffee shops and poundland. The first job for many school leavers (disproportionately so amongst the working class) is a high st shop - at least most of those were *actual* jobs and not part of the gig economy. No telling what will happen as Amazon crush the life out of everything and there isn't anything for the under 21s to do. The whole thing is a massive house of cards ready for collapse.
pessimistic and realistic.. where I live in a 'distressed' town, Grimsby, young people with degrees are stacking shelves in Tesco and M&S, there are so few skilled jobs available .. youngsters move to a big city to compete there for good jobs that are equally elusive .. higher education has led many young people to believe that a BA/BSc after their name will be a passport to a great career and prosperity, in most cases it won't. 'Online shopping' and its associates, AI and robotics will destroy most jobs and lifestyles in short time and I mean MOST jobs, from bricklaying to brain surgery and all this in a time where the world's population is expected to be over 10 BILLION by around 2050 I am a natural optimist but it's very difficult to see a way out of this situation without very very radical government policies and a way to redistribute the enormous resources in the hands of the Silicon Valley billionaires and their ilk.
You can bet the directors, which I'm guessing there are many, have all been picking up a high 6 figure sum each year while the companys good name that they've profited off but have added nothing to nurture and its employees are turned to shyte.
For me it's the rampant capitalism which needs blunting, years of tory rule which allowed lack of regulation and no protection for workers and consumers.
rogue entrepreneurs allowed to take over running companies badly, asset stripping purely for self gain, local councils charging sky high business rates, companies falling into the clutches of greedy banks who charge extortionate rates and run them into the ground. As long as there's enough f-ckwits who blame the EU for everything nothing will change
You look at other countries, the high street is thriving, even Mothercare itself is doing OK abroad
For me it's the rampant capitalism which needs blunting, years of tory rule which allowed lack of regulation and no protection for workers and consumers.
rogue entrepreneurs allowed to take over running companies badly, asset stripping purely for self gain, local councils charging sky high business rates, companies falling into the clutches of greedy banks who charge extortionate rates and run them into the ground. As long as there's enough f-ckwits who blame the EU for everything nothing will change
You look at other countries, the high street is thriving, even Mothercare itself is doing OK abroad
For me it's the rampant capitalism which needs blunting, years of tory rule which allowed lack of regulation and no protection for workers and consumers.
rogue entrepreneurs allowed to take over running companies badly, asset stripping purely for self gain, local councils charging sky high business rates, companies falling into the clutches of greedy banks who charge extortionate rates and run them into the ground. As long as there's enough f-ckwits who blame the EU for everything nothing will change
You look at other countries, the high street is thriving, even Mothercare itself is doing OK abroad
For me it's the rampant capitalism which needs blunting, years of tory rule which allowed lack of regulation and no protection for workers and consumers.
rogue entrepreneurs allowed to take over running companies badly, asset stripping purely for self gain, local councils charging sky high business rates, companies falling into the clutches of greedy banks who charge extortionate rates and run them into the ground. As long as there's enough f-ckwits who blame the EU for everything nothing will change
You look at other countries, the high street is thriving, even Mothercare itself is doing OK abroad
Really?
”seems that the UK is not alone in its retail woes. Struggling economies across Europe in the last 15 years have contributed to the region’s retail decline. According to Deloitte’s Global Powers of Retailing 2018 study, Europe’s share of the Top 250 global retailer’s revenues has dropped from 39.4 per cent to 33.8 per cent since 2006.”
“Across the Atlantic, North America is experiencing a retail crisis similar to our own, with many touting it the “retail apocalypse”. Retail sales have been falling unexpectedly throughout the year. Tepid wage growth and a drop-in consumer spend have hit American and Canadian retailers in much the same way they have here.”
For me it's the rampant capitalism which needs blunting, years of tory rule which allowed lack of regulation and no protection for workers and consumers.
rogue entrepreneurs allowed to take over running companies badly, asset stripping purely for self gain, local councils charging sky high business rates, companies falling into the clutches of greedy banks who charge extortionate rates and run them into the ground. As long as there's enough f-ckwits who blame the EU for everything nothing will change
You look at other countries, the high street is thriving, even Mothercare itself is doing OK abroad
Haha. What a perverted way of looking at it. What has protection for workers got to do with it becoming unprofitable! It is consumers turning their back on it that has caused their problem. Grow up and look at reality
Well we can always buy kids clothes from Amazon. They pay the same taxes as Mothercare. Don't they?
Bloke in pub today cycled 5 miles to Amazon depot for his scheduled shift but was told to come back Wednesday. No pay. Has to wear a pedometer and walk 15 kilometers per 12.5 hour shift as a picker.
And this is before Boris trashes employment rights!
Local councils upping business rates due to lack of central government funding, property companies upping rents despite empty high streets and charity shops, mimimal real wage rises, zero hours contracts, lack of affordable housing, continuing disparity between rich and poor. Tax evasion, even by an ex-Pm who didn't feel inclined to resign.
Well we can always buy kids clothes from Amazon. They pay the same taxes as Mothercare. Don't they?
Bloke in pub today cycled 5 miles to Amazon depot for his scheduled shift but was told to come back Wednesday. No pay. Has to wear a pedometer and walk 15 kilometers per 12.5 hour shift as a picker.
And this is before Boris trashes employment rights!
Local councils upping business rates due to lack of central government funding, property companies upping rents despite empty high streets and charity shops, mimimal real wage rises, zero hours contracts, lack of affordable housing, continuing disparity between rich and poor. Tax evasion, even by an ex-Pm who didn't feel inclined to resign.
That is reality Redman, you childish moron.
There is a huge Amazon call centre in Cape Town employing thousands of people - however, there is no Amazon service in South Africa - the call centre is the call centre for UK services. I once called British Gas when i was living in Portsmouth and was speaking to someone who was in an office around the corner from where my mother-in-law lived in CT.
Lots of issues at stake here, the councils and their approach to public transport and parking policy, landlords, the way people buy stuff now, the likes of Amazon dodging taxes so other shops can't compete, crap management unable to move with the times, and doing their best to feather their own nests by making sure that staff numbers are as low as possible. Anything to be said for the consumer as well? I actually like going to the shops, talking to the staff, and then actually paying a higher price to get it from that shop, but I'm probably the minority
Would just like to point out as it's been mentioned a couple of times. Business Rates are not set by councils. They are set by the valuation office and the council collect them. The council has no input on the rateable value set by the Valuation Office
I prefer to go to the shop to buy, that way, i can go and bang the table if its not right. Try doing that with Amazon. Its not right the way they are allowed to operate their business. For that reason i refuse to shop at Amazon and Starbucks - if everyone else had the same opinion then they would go bust too.
Well we can always buy kids clothes from Amazon. They pay the same taxes as Mothercare. Don't they?
Bloke in pub today cycled 5 miles to Amazon depot for his scheduled shift but was told to come back Wednesday. No pay. Has to wear a pedometer and walk 15 kilometers per 12.5 hour shift as a picker.
And this is before Boris trashes employment rights!
Local councils upping business rates due to lack of central government funding, property companies upping rents despite empty high streets and charity shops, mimimal real wage rises, zero hours contracts, lack of affordable housing, continuing disparity between rich and poor. Tax evasion, even by an ex-Pm who didn't feel inclined to resign.
That is reality Redman, you childish moron.
I am not going to debate anything with somebody who ends with that.
Would just like to point out as it's been mentioned a couple of times. Business Rates are not set by councils. They are set by the valuation office and the council collect them. The council has no input on the rateable value set by the Valuation Office
I take your point on board DA but we don't know the political agenda behind their motivations as a government agency. Economics will tell you that if demand falls, prices should fall, but despite increasing empty properties, rates are rising. Not an economic policy but a political one.
Also it is not as cut and dried as you present. If you dispute your rates, you don't get a visit from the valuation office, but a member of the local council.
I hope like most companies that go 'bust' their Asian businesses will stay afloat (we still have C&A and Toyrs R Us here) as I really like mothercares stuff.
Sad to see another big company go, but it's utter madness these 'big players' don't try to adjust their business model.
Mothercare UK is the affected business. 2,500 jobs at risk as administration is likely to be confirmed tomorrow. Sounds like the pension schemes may be transferred out of the UK business and into the parent company. That would, at least, be the right thing to do.
The overseas stores are not owned by Mothercare, all franchises, and are profitable.
Well we can always buy kids clothes from Amazon. They pay the same taxes as Mothercare. Don't they?
Bloke in pub today cycled 5 miles to Amazon depot for his scheduled shift but was told to come back Wednesday. No pay. Has to wear a pedometer and walk 15 kilometers per 12.5 hour shift as a picker.
And this is before Boris trashes employment rights!
Local councils upping business rates due to lack of central government funding, property companies upping rents despite empty high streets and charity shops, mimimal real wage rises, zero hours contracts, lack of affordable housing, continuing disparity between rich and poor. Tax evasion, even by an ex-Pm who didn't feel inclined to resign.
That is reality Redman, you childish moron.
I am not going to debate anything with somebody who ends with that.
Grow up and look at reality. Obviously a more adult response. Please justify your original comments to someone who has an Economics 'A' level. Perhaps you can rebuff my reasons for dismissing your version of 'reality'.
I'm sure Mothercare has gone into administration at least once before. I believe the UK does the highest proportion of online shopping in the world. High Street retail is on its last legs and in my view the causes are, in descending order: Online competition undercutting prices
High Street rents (and the landlords are also screwed in the medium term) Business rates
I worked at Borders in its last knockings, and what killed that was Amazon getting much better deals from publishers than Borders ever could, purely down to volume. With a 30% staff discount, Amazon was usually still cheaper. Property costs, especially for flagship stores, made it totally unsustainable. Oddly enough, Borders Ireland was profitable.
Mrs Idle has a part time job at White Stuff, and they are cutting (already low) pay rates and hours, and pushing discounts as hard as ever in a bid to keep going. Half her shop's activity is refunding customers for returned internet purchases.
In ten years the high street will be deserted unless something changes radically.
Comments
With large retail companies going bust at an alarming rate I do fear for the future of kids in this country. They are getting shit on from all angles before they've even reached adult life.
Sad to see another big company go, but it's utter madness these 'big players' don't try to adjust their business model.
higher education has led many young people to believe that a BA/BSc after their name will be a passport to a great career and prosperity, in most cases it won't.
'Online shopping' and its associates, AI and robotics will destroy most jobs and lifestyles in short time and I mean MOST jobs, from bricklaying to brain surgery and all this in a time where the world's population is expected to be over 10 BILLION by around 2050
I am a natural optimist but it's very difficult to see a way out of this situation without very very radical government policies and a way to redistribute the enormous resources in the hands of the Silicon Valley billionaires and their ilk.
rogue entrepreneurs allowed to take over running companies badly, asset stripping purely for self gain, local councils charging sky high business rates, companies falling into the clutches of greedy banks who charge extortionate rates and run them into the ground. As long as there's enough f-ckwits who blame the EU for everything nothing will change
You look at other countries, the high street is thriving, even Mothercare itself is doing OK abroad
”seems that the UK is not alone in its retail woes. Struggling economies across Europe in the last 15 years have contributed to the region’s retail decline. According to Deloitte’s Global Powers of Retailing 2018 study, Europe’s share of the Top 250 global retailer’s revenues has dropped from 39.4 per cent to 33.8 per cent since 2006.”
“Across the Atlantic, North America is experiencing a retail crisis similar to our own, with many touting it the “retail apocalypse”. Retail sales have been falling unexpectedly throughout the year. Tepid wage growth and a drop-in consumer spend have hit American and Canadian retailers in much the same way they have here.”
Grow up and look at reality
Bloke in pub today cycled 5 miles to Amazon depot for his scheduled shift but was told to come back Wednesday. No pay. Has to wear a pedometer and walk 15 kilometers per 12.5 hour shift as a picker.
And this is before Boris trashes employment rights!
Local councils upping business rates due to lack of central government funding, property companies upping rents despite empty high streets and charity shops, mimimal real wage rises, zero hours contracts, lack of affordable housing, continuing disparity between rich and poor. Tax evasion, even by an ex-Pm who didn't feel inclined to resign.
That is reality Redman, you childish moron.
I once called British Gas when i was living in Portsmouth and was speaking to someone who was in an office around the corner from where my mother-in-law lived in CT.
Its not right the way they are allowed to operate their business. For that reason i refuse to shop at Amazon and Starbucks - if everyone else had the same opinion then they would go bust too.
Also it is not as cut and dried as you present. If you dispute your rates, you don't get a visit from the valuation office, but a member of the local council.
The overseas stores are not owned by Mothercare, all franchises, and are profitable.
I believe the UK does the highest proportion of online shopping in the world. High Street retail is on its last legs and in my view the causes are, in descending order:
Online competition undercutting prices
Business rates
I worked at Borders in its last knockings, and what killed that was Amazon getting much better deals from publishers than Borders ever could, purely down to volume. With a 30% staff discount, Amazon was usually still cheaper.
Property costs, especially for flagship stores, made it totally unsustainable. Oddly enough, Borders Ireland was profitable.
Mrs Idle has a part time job at White Stuff, and they are cutting (already low) pay rates and hours, and pushing discounts as hard as ever in a bid to keep going. Half her shop's activity is refunding customers for returned internet purchases.
In ten years the high street will be deserted unless something changes radically.