Friday, February 3, 2012

Tonbridge Shop Closures....

I don't want to start rumours but it seems that the recession is to bite Tonbridge High Street alot harder, in fact quite dramatically, over the next few months. It is only hearsay, I feel I should add, but it seems that we are soon to see a number of shop closures. Perhaps the most devastating will be Beales department store next to Sainsbury's, which sells clothes,luggage, nice kitchen equipment, gifts, you name it. Then there'll be Millets, whose parent group went into administration recently and have been bought out by JD Sports group who will be rationalizing their store locations. Then we'll more than likely see the closures of Peacocks and possibly QS, the two cut price clothing stores who are also in trouble. On the plus side I notice that there's a Cash Your Cheques Here-type shop just about to open where Bishop's green grocers used to sit. So maybe it won't be long before the High Street will be lined with new shops afterall: Cash Converters, Cash For Gold, charity shops, pawn shops etc etc. Let's hope my dark predictions don't come true....

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

On the 12th January Beales said Bosses at Beales have confirmed a shake-up of operations at head office and at 32 stores in anticipation of the tough trading conditions on the high street continuing.

There are no plans for store closures but redundancies are not being ruled out at this stage.

So was the Tonbridge store not included in this statement?

Also the administrators of Peacocks have a number of potential buyers for the group.

It is also possible that QS are just rebranding their store name as they have done elsewhere and the closing down sale is a phoney just like what happened in Tun Wells.

Things are not as black as you paint with Tonbridge having nowhere near the 25% vacant high street shops seen in other nearby towns.

Maybe you should quit if you think its so bad. I see the Punch and Judy lease is up for grabs (www.pubsales.co.uk), that would just be up you street and you could just stock local beers.

Tonbridge blogger said...

I did say that it was hearsay so I, in no way wish to scare monger. These rumours are circulating and you seem to know a little more than most so it's good that you've offered your views. Afterall part of the point of this blog is to provide a forum. I think I'll give the pub idea a miss though thanks all the same. Although Mr. Beers does have a bit of a ring to it!...

Anonymous said...

Every time a shop closes you all ways have to blog about it dont you, Show some consideration for the people who work for those shops. You just love scare mongering dont you, i think you should remove this blog, you dont know anything about retail!!!

Anonymous said...

Anon 10.29, Beales have even just posted a profit for the last year, their first profit for 6 years.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Tonbridge Blogger that you can only be worried about the direction of change in the high street in these uncertain times, and whether we will be left with the diversity of shops in the town centre that the community really needs.

Is now the time to take positive action?

Govt is inviting bids for pilot towns to set up "town teams" to positively plan for the future of their high street. See http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/newsroom/2082140. Deadline end of March.

Could Tonbridge respond to this challenge?

Anonymous said...

The government challenge is just £1 million to be divided between the worse 12 towns. These are towns with more than 30% empty shops. Tonbridge has less than 10% vacant in the High Street and as you can see businness do set up in Tonbridge when shops become vacant. £100,000 each town will come nowhere near paying for free parking in towns that the "queen of shops" would like and would only reprseent a rate rebate of about £700 per shop for 1 year in a town like Tonbridge.

Its just peanuts in what is needed in towns like Margate and to a lesser extent Chatham and Dartford.

Anonymous said...

Do think we should all be concerned if our local shops are closing especially if the variety of shops disappear - who here wants to be like other dire high streets with 30% empty shops (plus landlords don't need to pay any rates like us struggling businesses do). Tonbridge needs to encourage and support any independent enterprises to keep our High Street popular and interesting and we do need to sit up and take notice before cash converters etc. take over...

Anonymous said...

With 32 million people in the UK shopping online and 17% of all retail sales now being online its not supprising that we need less shops in the High Street. And the trend is expected to continue in 2012 with an increase of 12% forecast.

AirRaidPatrol said...

QS was clearing out the store today from what I could see. Am I right in thinking there are plans to convert the premises into two smaller retail units with flats above?

tony brown said...

Hi i love google alerts i get to see as it happens coments about my business and on this occasion i can respond quickly. i can assure everyone that we have no plans to close Beales in fact we are working to put even more brands in and hope to have a childrens department ready for Christmas, so please keep coming in and spending as it is a sure way of making the store a sucess. Tony Brown CEO Beales Department stores