* You are viewing the archive for March, 2010

Big Homeware Strength but Barely Helpful Staff

Graham Soult March 28, 2010 Customer Service, Fashion Stores, Home and DIY 2 Comments

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Bhs in Newcastle. Photograph by Graham Soult

Bhs in Newcastle. Photograph by Graham Soult

Its interior may be somewhat dowdy, but I do have a soft spot for Newcastle’s Bhs store, in Northumberland Street.

True, the fashionability of some of the menswear is questionable, with colours and styles that are clearly aimed at an older clientele. However, the retailer’s introduction of trendier sub-brands – such as Trait and Atlantic Bay – aimed at a younger, more fashion conscious market, have … Continue Reading

Recent media coverage for Soult’s Retail View

Graham Soult March 10, 2010 Marketing, Personal No Comments

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Yours truly in Northumberland Street, with Marketwise Strategies MD Jacquie Potts

Yours truly in Northumberland Street, with Marketwise Strategies MD Jacquie Potts

Everyone likes to be in the newspaper occasionally (as long as it’s for positive reasons, of course), so I rather enjoyed my recent appearances in the Northern Echo, The Journal, and on the Entrepreneurs’ Forum website[broken link removed].

The focus of the story was the global media intelligence company … Continue Reading

Grey Street in Newcastle named Britain’s third most picturesque street

Graham Soult March 08, 2010 Property, Retail History 2 Comments

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Grey Street, Newcastle (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult

Grey Street, Newcastle (16 Feb 2010)

Though Shambles in York has understandably garnered much of the attention for being named “Britain’s most picturesque street” in the Google Street View Awards, it’s a pleasure to see Newcastle’s Grey Street coming up in third place – if only for no other reason than giving me an excuse to use some nice … Continue Reading

The ongoing mystery of Byker’s (possible) former Woolies

Graham Soult March 07, 2010 Property, Retail Parks, Woolworths 5 Comments

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Still not sure if this is an old Woolies or not... (7 Mar 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult

Still not sure if this is an old Woolies or not... (7 Mar 2010)

Back in January I posted a shot of what is now the A&S Discount store in Byker’s Shields Road, questioning whether it had … Continue Reading

‘Shopjacket’ brings hope to Whitley Bay town centre

Graham Soult March 04, 2010 Property, Regeneration 3 Comments

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The former Select store in Whitley Bay, following its 'Shopjacketting'

The former Select store in Whitley Bay, following its 'Shopjacketting'

Given the challenges that Whitley Bay town centre has faced over the last year – with a number of high-profile retail departures – it’s been great to see it at the centre of a good news story today. Sources as diverse … Continue Reading