Christmas decoration

Today’s BBC News story about Selfridges’ imminent opening of its Christmas shop made me wonder whether I should just dust off and recycle my blog post from a year ago.

Back then, I expressed incredulity about why anyone would wish to purchase baubles “adorned with Union flags” or ‘We Love England’ slogans a whole 137 days before Christmas. Clearly I knew nothing, however, with the BBC article revealing that Selfridges’ “festive shop sold more than 1,000 baubles during the first week of trading after opening on 8 August.”

The consequence of that success is that this year’s festive store at Selfridges is opening a whole six days earlier than a year ago. So, on August 6th, when most of us are still thinking about summer holidays and barbecues, those who are so inclined can head over to Selfridges to snap up Christmas tree decorations.

Geraldine James, Selfridges Christmas Shop’s buying manager, seems to have sussed what the logical progession will be of Christmas decoration shopping getting earlier and earlier, claiming in the article that she “can see a time when we offer a capsule Christmas collection throughout the year.”

My initial reaction to this prospect was one of horror, but then it brought to mind those all-year Christmas shops that I’ve encountered on my travels, such as The Christmas Emporium in Pitlochry. Presumably there must be a market for Christmas decorations throughout the year, or such shops wouldn’t exist.

It seems pretty clear, however, that this move towards year-round Christmas retailing isn’t really targeted at the British public, but is more about capturing the attention – and credit cards – of overseas tourists who may wish, for whatever reason, to take a Christmas-themed souvenir back home with them.

In this context, you might conclude that Selfridges’ potential all-year ‘capsule collection’ doesn’t seem such a crazy idea. On the other hand, in selling Christmas decorations to overseas tourists in August, I think Selfridges needs to be slightly careful not to evoke too much ridicule among its UK customers.

What do you think? Is this merely a harmless and throwaway story during the media’s summer silly season? Or is there something slightly unsettling – or even cynical – about a retailer launching its Christmas shop in August?

Looking forward, as always, to your thoughts.

Job ad for Wallis in Hexham

Delivering on its promise to bring quality concessions to its recently acquired Robbs of Hexham store, it seems that Beales has already signed up the Arcadia-owned womenswear brand Wallis.

A job ad has gone live today, advertising the “fantastic opportunity for Sales Advisers and Senior Sales Advisers to join our brand new store in Hexham Beales.” There are no details of when the new Wallis will open, but my expectation is that it will be ready in time for the relaunch of Robbs’ women’s fashion department, scheduled for September 1st.

Wallis logo

Hopefully the first of many such signings, Wallis coming to Robbs is clearly a positive step. Traditionally focused on classicwear for 25–45 year olds within the ABC1C2 bracket, Wallis is among the more upmarket of Arcadia’s brands, and sits well with Beales’ intention to broaden Robbs’ appeal.

Owned by Arcadia since 1999, Wallis has about 300 UK stores, as well as 60 in the Republic of Ireland and another 65 overseas. Of the UK shops, roughly half are concessions, including a growing number in Arcadia’s own Bhs stores, as well as a significant number within high-end department stores.

Wallis store within Bhs in Middlesbrough

Tyneside is already well served by Wallis – there are branches in Debenhams at Eldon Square and MetroCentre, in Fenwick in Newcastle, in Bhs at South Shields, and a standalone shop in Monument Mall – and there are also several stores on Teesside. This will, however, be the retailer’s first store in Northumberland.

Standalone Wallis store at Monument Mall in Newcastle

Having attracted Wallis, it will be interesting to see whether Beales can bring any other Arcadia names to Hexham. Dorothy Perkins has a store in Fore Street already, but Miss Selfridge – already mentioned as a possibility – would help to address Robb’s traditional weakness in young women’s fashion.

Similarly, bringing in a Burton concession would do something to remedy the chronic lack of menswear choices in Hexham town centre. With options presently limited to Robbs itself, Tesco Extra, and a disappointingly small range in Marks & Spencer, the demand is surely there.

Image from 'Scotland's Shops' book, courtesy of Historic Scotland

One of the nice things about running my own architecture subject gateway, Sapling.info, is that I get the opportunity to read about plenty of interesting buildings and places. 

Earlier this week I paid a visit to the attractive and information-packed website of Historic Scotland, ahead of updating Sapling.info’s review of that site. While there, I was excited to see that the organisation has just published ‘Scotland’s Shops’, a 199-page book that examines the architectural history of shops in Scotland. My enthusiasm will hardly surprise you – regular readers of Soult’s Retail View will know by now that retail history is one of the areas that most interests me, even if my knowledge and coverage of Scotland, E&M aside, has been rather thin to date.

Image from 'Scotland's Shops' book, courtesy of Historic Scotland

‘Scotland’s Shops’ certainly sounds like the kind of book that will be appearing on my bookcase before too long, though I was a little surprised to see that it’s not yet listed on Amazon.co.uk. It seems like I may have to have a go at ordering from Historic Scotland’s own web store instead.

The book itself has quite an interesting story behind it, being written by Dr Lindsay Lennie – an expert on the conservation of historic shops – as part of a three-year Research Fellowship funded by Historic Scotland.

Image from 'Scotland's Shops' book, courtesy of Historic Scotland

The resulting publication apparently “explains the chronological history of the design of shops in Scotland, gives a technical background to the elements and materials used in their construction, as well as advice on their conservation, and also includes a gazetteer of retail buildings around Scotland.” In doing so, it “celebrates the history of Scotland’s retail architecture in a timeline from medieval markets to the post-war period”, featuring shops “from all around Scotland from Lerwick to Stranraer.”

Image from 'Scotland's Shops' book, courtesy of Historic Scotland

Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish Minister for Culture, formally launched the book last week and rightly flagged up the importance of historic shops on various levels – whether for the stories underlying them, for the celebration of craftsmanship, or simply for their architectural delight:

“Traditional shops and shop fronts form the heart of many high streets across Scotland and play an important part in our history.  Many long established family businesses and new owners who have inherited a shop with original tiling, shelving or a cast iron frontage are proud of the significance of these shops and want to ensure their survival for future generations to appreciate.

“Traditional Scottish building materials are also vital to the conservation and maintenance of our built heritage.  Many towns and cities have their own distinctive and recognisable shop front styles. The fact that so many of them have survived across the country is testament to the quality and durability of the materials used to construct them and the skill with which they were used.  

“Our shops  form the economic and social building blocks of our town centres – they are woven into the social fabric of our towns and communities. Their architecture and conservation are of great importance in order to retain town centres that are individual, appealing and meaningful.”

Given the book’s celebration of Scottishness and individuality, there’s both logic and incongruity in it being launched at Jenners department store in Edinburgh’s Princes Street.

Jenners' Grand Hall. Photograph by Steve F

Operating from that site since 1838, it’s true that Jenners remains one of Scotland’s most iconic and well-known shops, with its baronial exterior and celebrated Grand Hall making it a must-see for any visitor to Edinburgh. On the other hand, House of Fraser’s purchase of Jenners in 2005 has meant that the store is no longer particularly individual, nor especially Scottish – House of Fraser may have been founded in Glasgow, but its corporate HQ has long been based in London.

I haven’t visited Jenners in Princes Street since the HoF takeover, though the much smaller branch at Loch Lomond Shores in Balloch, which I visited in 2008, did strike me as a rather odd combination of twee Scottish souvenirs against a backdrop of HoF own-brand and designer labels.

Jenners, Edinburgh. Photograph by Richard Webb

This battle to define what Jenners is and stands for – trying to reconcile its quirky, independent heritage with the shinier (but arguably less interesting) personality of its corporate parent – seems to continually vex retail commentators. Retail Week’s John Ryan, for example, earlier this year described Jenners in Princes Street as “failing to measure up” – “it may have the brands, the point of sale and the aspiration to match its sister store in Glasgow, but… it’s a rabbit warren [and] difficult to find your way around.” Even Mary Portas, the BBC’s Queen of Shops, has previously lamented what she sees as the store’s loss of individuality under HoF’s ownership:

“Jenners’ internal design is absolutely stunning, but it feels like House of Fraser got a hold of it and it’s just ended up with a slightly hybrid shop instead of one that is still ‘Jenners’. Now it doesn’t know what it is – Arthur or Martha.”

Perhaps more critical, however, is if the feelings of the retail gurus are shared by actual shoppers. Judging from the numerous comments on the Mary Portas article – “just another House of Fraser”, according to one reader, or “just Frasers with a higher price tag” by another – you get the impression that they could well be.

Scotland’s shops might indeed, as Fiona Hyslop contends, be “woven into the social fabric of our towns and communities.” However, lose what makes a store cherished in the first place and there’s always a danger that the stitching will start to come undone.

Thank you to Richard Webb and Steve F for the shots of Jenners. The photographs are © Copyright Richard Webb and © Copyright Steve F respectively, and both licensed for re-use under the Creative Commons Licence.

Out with the old, in with the new at Robbs (12 Jun 2010)

With just over a week now passed since Beales’ takeover of Robbs of Hexham was confirmed, details of what the welcome change of ownership might mean for the historic 192-year-old store are starting to become clearer.   

First up, it’s worth remarking that Beales buying Robbs is truly the the best possible outcome that could have been hoped for. After years of unsettledness, Robbs is now in the hands of a long-established company with a good track record in running market town department stores, and whose own fortunes are on the up – under the leadership of new Chief Executive Tony Brown – after a wobble a few years ago. Crucially, Robbs’ future now seems more secure than at any time since Merchant Retail’s ownership between 1987 and 2005.

Remarkably, Robbs is also – as yet – the only store from David Thompson’s 19-strong Vergo chain to have been saved following the company’s collapse into administration. There is no news on the future of Joplings in Sunderland or any of the other shops in the south west and east of England, despite Chris Dawson – owner of The Range – confirming that he has “bid on some of Vergo Retail’s stock and stores”.   

This week’s Hexham Courant talks excitedly of a “New era of investment for Robbs”, and the Beales era certainly gives lots of cause for optimism – not just for Robbs, but in reinforcing Hexham’s overall position as a successful retail centre. So, what do we know so far? 

1) The Robbs name is staying: Keeping the Robbs name is not a big surprise – when Beales has acquired stores before, it has tended to retain the local brands where one exists. Robbs will, however, be marketed as ‘part of the Beales family of stores’, as seen already in Beales’ half-page ad in this week’s Hexham Courant. 

Robbs ad in Hexham Courant, 12 June 2010

Despite the retention of the Robbs name, I hope that one of the first things Beales does is to replace the store’s tired and faded exterior signage – after many years of use, it is surely a much paler shade of blue than was ever intended. Adopting a tasteful white on black fascia – similar to that used at Beales’ recently opened Fareham store – will not only improve the store’s appearance significantly, but it will also be a powerful and very visible statement of Beales’ intent to invest and improve.

Robbs' Fore Street frontage

2) The post office and food hall are staying put too: While one or two Beales stores sell gift food, none to date have had a food hall; however, Robbs’ food hall has been cited in the past as the most profitable part of the business, so keeping and improving it does make good sense. The Courant quotes Beales boss Tony Brown as saying “I spent 19 years with Asda – I can do food!” 

Robbs sign facing Hallgate (30 May 2010)

3) Beales has signed a 15-year lease with the building’s owners, Buccleuch Group: This is significant – it is a much longer lease than Vergo Retail ever signed, and indicates that Beales wil be investing for the longer term, seeing Robbs through to its 200th birthday and beyond. Certainly, Buccleuch’s previous plans to redevelop the site – which made more sense before the economic downturn, and when Robbs’ ability to recover from its previous administration was still unclear – look now to have been definitively shelved. 

Robbs' Priestpopple frontage (12 Jun 2010)

4) The store will see a two-year programme of refurbishment, starting immediately: The store will relaunch officially on 1 September, by which time there will have been a first phase of refurbishment – including a new cosmetics hall – and the introduction of new, more upmarket brands and concessions. The Courant has Tony Brown praising John Lewis and Fenwick, and stating that Beales will “try to get that type of quality and brand-mix” for Robbs. 

Talk of bringing in younger brands to run alongside the ‘classic’ fashions that have dominated Robbs in recent years makes good sense, and reflects the shift that Beales has recently been implementing across its store estate. It’s important, of course, to still cater for the grey pound, but it’s right that Robbs also develops its appeal among younger shoppers – after all, getting younger people into the habit of shopping at Robbs will be key to building the store’s long-term success. 

5) Robbs will open on Sundays for the first time? Merely speculation on my part, but given that all Beales’ existing shops are open on Sundays, it’s reasonable to expect that the Hexham store will follow suit in due course. 

Beales logo

Paying a visit to Robbs yesterday was quite an interesting experience – the ‘Store Closing’ signs have obviously gone, replaced by ones that proclaim ‘Under New Management’. The shop is also in the midst of a ‘Clearance Event’ – in other words, Beales getting rid of all the random stock that it has inherited for its £250,000. 

Meanwhile, there were plenty of signs, just eight days into its ownership, of Beales bringing in its own stock, with large areas of the shopfloor piled high with boxes marked as ‘internal transfers’ from other stores in the group – Lego from Bolton, china from Horsham and kitchenware from Yeovil. Given the challenge ahead – with Beales needing to carry out clearing, restocking and refurbishment, all at the same time – it will be fascinating to see the store as it evolves and improves over the coming months.

Robbs - under new management (12 Jun 2010)

Incidentally, regarding that £250,000 figure, one or two people have asked me whether that seems a really cheap price for Beales to have paid for Robbs. In my view, it does seem quite a low figure for “all assets, brand, intellectual property and employees” – i.e. the Robbs business – given that it includes the Robbs name, all the fixtures and fittings, and whatever stock was left in the store at the time of purchase. Obviously, the building itself – owned by Buccleuch Group – isn’t part of the deal.

Of course, the flipside is that Robbs will require a lot of investment to bring the store environment up to scratch, is currently a loss-making business, and employs 76 members of staff – all risks and responsibilities that Beales is taking on. However, if Beales can turn Robbs around, I would expect it to recoup its investment fairly quickly.

After all, go back to the last financial year before David Thompson first bought Robbs and Joplings (under his Owen Owen vehicle, in 2004), and you see that the two stores made a combined profit of £2m. Even three years later, when the three-store-strong Owen Owen business collapsed in 2007, Robbs was supposedly still profitable. With the experience and purchasing power that comes from a portfolio of 13 stores, and as a member of the Associated Independent Stores buying group, I would fully expect Beales to turn Robbs back to profit within a couple of years.

After all, there’s tremendous goodwill that still exists among local people, hence the fate of Robbs being front page news on the Courant for the last six weeks on the trot. I suspect that almost all shoppers in Hexham want Robbs to be a success, but in recent months the previous management risked alienating even the most ardent supporters. Indeed, commenting on Vergo’s tenure, even Beales’ Tony Brown has described “the way this store has been managed over the last three years [as] almost sinful, with a lack of investment and under-stocking two of the main reasons for its lack of success”.

As I noted before, however, Beales was barely in a position itself to have bought Robbs in 2007, given its own travails at the time. The irony is that while Vergo gave Robbs three of the least satisfying and successful years of its long history, that stay of execution back in 2007 ensured that the business was still around to be saved, by a much stronger and growing Beales, in 2010.

Looking forward then, the prospects for Robbs in the coming years are surely much rosier than those of the recent past. Beales’ plans promise to keep and celebrate all that’s well-loved about the business already, while also bringing in some much-needed fresh ideas. There is also, finally, the investment to back those ideas up, and to give Hexham back the vibrant, quality department store that it’s been missing for so long.

Robbs of Hexham store

Just announced this morning – independent department store operator Beales has acquired Robbs of Hexham from MCR, the administrator of Vergo Retail, for £250,000.

Sarah Bell, Partner of MCR, officially announced the news:

“Following an effective administration process, we are delighted to confirm the sale of such an iconic store in the region. It’s positive news for both the 76 Company employees whose jobs will be directly transferred to the new owners, as well as the local community.”

MCR’s statement confirms that Beales has “purchased Robbs as a going concern including all assets, brand, intellectual property and employees”.

In a statement, Beales has said:

“As part of the Company’s plans to grow, Beale PLC is pleased to announce that it has acquired the Department Store of Robbs of Hexham from MCR the Administrator of Vergo Retail Limited (in administration), through its primary trading subsidiary of J E Beale plc, for £250,000. The demographics of Hexham and the trading history of Robbs align well with those of Beales. The transaction increases the Company’s portfolio to twelve stores. The Board are delighted the Company has been able to acquire the Robbs store taking it out of administration and securing its future.”

Read the Hexham Courant coverage here.

UPDATE, 13 June 2010: For a more detailed assessment of Beales’ purchase of Robbs see ‘Robbs is saved – so what happens now?’

Closing down sale at Robbs in Hexham (30 May 2010)

As the uncertainty over the future of the Vergo Retail store empire continues, potential suitors for some of the stores are starting to emerge. Here are the latest happenings…

In Liverpool’s Ranelagh Street, Lewis’s department store closed for good at the end of trade yesterday, bringing an end to a 154-year-old institution. Its closure had already been announced in February, prior to Vergo’s administration, to allow for the redevelopment of the iconic Lewis’s building. I hope to cover the history of Lewis’s in more detail in a future blog.

Of the remaining stores, the administrators MCR have already closed one, in Dovercourt, while closing down procedures are now underway at the other 18. However, MCR have confirmed that “discussions are ongoing with a number of different parties wishing to acquire part or all of the business”. As far as I understand, firm closure dates are yet to be announced for any of the remaining stores; certainly, when I walked past Robbs in Hexham yesterday it had the ubiquitous ‘Store Closing’ signs up, but not yet the dreaded countdown announcing the number of days left before closure. 

Coverage in the Hexham Courant, 28 May 2010

Following the earlier news that department store operator Beales had lodged “formal notice of interest” in buying Robbs, the front page of Friday’s Hexham Courant reports that the deal “could soon be clinched”. Beales’ Chief Executive Tony Brown has apparently visited Robbs, and is quoted as saying that his company is “continuing to pursue” its interest, and is “still in talks with both the landlord and the administrators”. For the third week in a row, there’s also a quote from someone called Graham Soult… I guess he’d better enjoy the exposure while it lasts!

The potential Beales takeover has also been noted by Drapers, writing that “independent department store chain Beales has been linked to a number of the higher profile stores such as Robbs of Hexham and Derrys in Plymouth.” 

Store closing banner at Robbs (30 May 2010)

On that subject, The Herald newspaper in Plymouth quotes local entrepreneur Chris Dawson – owner of The Range chain of home, garden and leisure stores – as saying that he is “interested in a few of the stores, parts of the group and all of the stock”, the implication being that he may step in to take over Derrys in Plymouth or – perhaps more likely, given The Range’s lack of a fashion offer – some of the South West-based Homemaker stores.

Described by Retail Week as “colourful”, Dawson’s record of buying up the stock of collapsed retailers such as Empire Direct and MFI is not to everyone’s taste, recognised in him jokingly styling himself as the “grim reaper”. However, it’s difficult to argue with Dawson’s success as a retail entrepreneur, with The Range now expanded to 46 stores (up from 33 in February last year) including its first in the North East, recently opened up in the former Big W unit in Portrack Lane, Stockton-on-Tees.

As yet, I’m not aware of any particular rumours involving Vergo’s stores in the east of England. However, the Norwich Evening News has reported on how Vergo’s collapse has affected one local couple who had paid £900 for bedroom furniture from the Norwich department store, but who may not now receive their order or their money back.

They are, unfortunately, far from alone – the Evening News’s story very much echoes an email that I received from Tony, asking what he should do about the £500 pram that his daughter had ordered and paid for from Derrys in Plymouth, but not received.

As I suggested to Derek, the best place to start if you are an outstanding customer of Vergo Retail is to visit the Vergo page of the MCR website, which includes advice on how to proceed, including a downloadable ‘Outstanding Orders Form’.

Newgate Street frontage, Debenhams Newcastle

Though I’d had a wander around several times before, today was the first occasion that I’d actually bought something from Newcastle’s recently opened Debenhams store. However, if the good quality customer service that I received is the norm, it gives me every incentive to go back.

I was looking for a nice shirt and tie, and, having decided (for once) to try somewhere a bit more upmarket than TJ Hughes, found myself in the Debenhams menswear department. This is on the ground floor of the store, one level down from the St Andrew’s Way mall, and with an entrance on to Newgate Street.

Like the rest of the shop, the interior of the menswear department is clean, classy and not too crowded, giving plenty of space to browse, and the staff appear uniformly smart and attentive.

Debenhams, Eldon Square. Photograph by Peter (aka 'Newcastle Historian')

Having made my selection, I went to the menswear tills, where both cashiers were serving but I was first in the queue. When a cash desk became free, the smartly suited staff member, Sean, apologised for the wait, though in reality I’d only been left hanging on for thirty seconds so – in many other fashion stores, that would be speedy service. While dealing with my purchase, he was chatty but polite, before holding the bag by the corners when he handed it over the counter – perhaps an old fashioned trick, but one that somehow shows due respect for both the customer and the item being purchased.

Overall then, a positive impression from my first shopping experience in Newcastle’s Debenhams, and one where the attention to detail made all the difference.

Beales logo

It seems like it’s not just me who thinks that Beales taking over Robbs would be a good idea, with today’s Hexham Courant reporting that the Bournemouth-based department store operator “has lodged formal notice of interest in the store with administrators MCR”. 

The article adds that “representatives of Beales were looking round the property yesterday”. Meanwhile, MCR has reportedly asked the owners of the Robbs building, the Buccleuch Group, and Northumberland County Council to waive the property’s rent and rates for the next ten weeks, on the basis that keeping the store open longer as a going concern will facilitate its possible sale.

Robbs store, in less uncertain times

Of course, as the Courant itself observes, this is still far from a done deal and there is no certainty that Robbs will be saved; however, Beales formally registering its interest is a significant and promising development. If nothing else, it confirms that Robbs is not a completely lost cause if a respected national retailer, with 120 years’ experience of running department stores, is at the point of taking a good look at the opportunity. 

As I reported before, a sticking point to any takeover could be Buccleuch Group’s own, medium-term development plans for the Robbs site. However, it’s hard to imagine Buccleuch turning down the opportunity to secure Beales as a tenant, given the investment and long-term commitment to Hexham that would surely follow – a much more satisfactory scenario than has been the case under Vergo Retail’s tenancy.

Let’s hope that further, positive developments are swift in coming. The Chairman of Hexham Community Partnership, quoted in the Courant’s article, is right that Robbs’ fate needs to be resolved as speedily as possible, one way or another, so that the future of the town is not left in limbo.

I also agree, however, with Hexham’s new MP, Guy Opperman, who argues that any initiative to help secure a new buyer for Robbs should be encouraged. Given the glimmer of hope that now exists, he’s quite right that all concerned – MCR, Northumberland County Council, Buccleuch Group, the wider community – should use whatever influence and power they have to deliver a positive outcome for Robbs, its staff, and for Hexham.

Robbs of Hexham

If you read the Hexham Courant, you’ll have seen the extensive coverage in Friday’s paper of Robbs’ impending closure, following the announcement, by the administrators MCR, that the department store will close within four weeks. The Courant devoting three pages to the story is hardly surprising given Robbs’ status as the largest and most prominent store in Hexham town centre – its closure is big news, and is bound to deal a short-term blow to the town’s appeal as a retail destination.

As I appended to my blog post last week, Robbs is one of nine loss-making Vergo Retail stores already earmarked for closure, while a buyer is sought for the ten remaining shops. However, just as Robbs was saved with days to spare three years ago, so there remains hope that someone could again step in and rescue the store from the brink.

With that prospect of rescue – however faint – in mind, I was pleased to have a chat last week with the Courant’s Helen Compson, talking about what the future of Robb’s might look like. You can see Helen’s article, featuring my comments, here. So who, if anyone, might be in the frame to take over Robbs this time?

To be honest, there are few plausible candidates. As I suggested to Helen, independent department stores – the most likely suitors – have been on the wane for years, with many longstanding names closing down (Cardiff’s David Morgan, for instance) or being swallowed up by larger rivals (such as Beatties and Jenners by House of Fraser, Roomes by Morleys, and Williams & Griffin and Bentalls by Fenwick).

Of those indies that remain, many are individual department stores that are very much associated with a particular place (Atkinsons in Sheffield or Rutherfords in Morpeth, for example), or are small chains focused upon particular parts of the country – such as the six-strong Morleys group in London, which has reportedly already ruled itself out of acquiring any Vergo shops due to the poor geographical fit with its current portfolio.

There are, however, a handful of operators who could conceivably come to Robbs’ rescue.

Allders

Allders in Croydon. Photograph by Neil Clifton

Croydon-based department store Allders appears to be thriving following its 2005 purchase by Jaeger owner Harold Tillman – recent successes, for example, include attracting online lingerie retailer Figleaves to open its first physical outlet. Go back just a few years, however, and Allders was itself the victim of Vergo-style over-expansion, with the then 45-strong UK-wide chain collapsing into administration in 2005.

Today, the massive 319,000 sq ft Croydon store is the only one left trading under the Allders name, after Tillman bought up both the Allders brand and the lease on the Croydon premises. Of the remaining Allders sites, many were bought up by Bhs, Primark and Debenhams.

Since Allders’ resurrection, rumours of a renewed expansion for the business have persisted, with Tillman mentioned as a possible suitor for both Robbs and Joplings (in Sunderland) last time those stores went into administration in 2007. No indication of Allders’ interest has yet emerged this time, however; indeed, Joplings and Derrys (in Plymouth) would be more likely targets than Robbs if Allders were to once again seek the flagship, city centre sites that characterised its previous incarnation.

Beales

Beales' flagship store in Bournemouth. Photograph by David Lally

If anyone’s going to snap up Robbs, Bournemouth-based Beales is surely the hot favourite, with several factors in its favour:

• Location: with its portfolio stretching from Poole in Dorset to Kendal in Cumbria, there is a geographical logic to Beales taking over a store in neighbouring Northumberland.
• Demographic: Beales’ locations, ranges and concessions see it targeting a similar market to Robbs – with the ‘grey pound’ prominent – though its recent move into ecommerce and investment in men’s young fashion has demonstrated the chain’s determination to modernise its image and widen its appeal.
• Store type: Beales tends not to compete with the big department store chains in large city centre locations, but is more usually found as the anchor store in slightly smaller towns and cities – very similar to Robbs’ status within Hexham.

Perhaps most importantly, Beales unusually finds itself in a healthier position now than it was in 2007. After snapping up several unwanted Bentalls stores from Fenwick in 2002 and a former Allders site in Horsham in 2006, Beales was seen as “underperforming” at the point when Robbs was last on the market, with one analyst rather bluntly claiming that “[It is] going nowhere without a bid and [there is] no sign of one at present”. In May 2007, just as Robbs was being ‘saved’, Beales was announcing its second profit warning in three months (suggesting that no interim dividend would be paid), and was gearing up to close its department store in Ealing.

Fast forward three years and, reinvigorated under the leadership of ex-Bhs man Tony Brown, things look much more promising for Beales. Only last month, it opened its first new store in four years, a 14,000 sq ft shop in Fareham, Hampshire under a new ‘Beales for Men’ fascia, while the retailer must surely have benefited from its tie-up with George Davies’ new venture, GIVe. Crucially, Beales has also made clear in recent months that it’s interested in acquisitions, with fashion industry journal Drapers also querying in the last few days whether this might materialise into an interest in selected Vergo stores:

Indie department store chain Beales is likely to keep a close eye on the administration process. Beales is on the acquisition trail after shareholder and property entrepreneur Andrew Perloff upped his stake in the 11-store chain to 29.7% in February. The group is believed to be interested in leasehold opportunities, pushing it to the front of the pack of potential interested parties. Beales chief executive Tony Brown said only that the business was looking to expand.

Additionally, the Drapers article suggests that possible suitors may find Robbs one of the more attractive stores within the Vergo portfolio, quoting an unnamed retail source who told the magazine that “a potential buyer could return Robbs of Hexham or Derrys in Plymouth to profitability with the right landlord deal and a store revamp”.

That landlord deal point is, of course, absolutely key, given that the Robbs premises are owned by Buccleuch Group, rather than by Vergo Retail itself, and that Buccleuch’s redevelopment plans for the site are still simmering in the background. Against this backdrop, any potential purchaser of the Robbs business will surely demand assurances regarding the store’s ability to continue trading, in the long term, from that site, with or without whatever redevelopment might take place.

David Thompson

One name I didn’t mention in my interview with Helen is David Thompson, Vergo Retail’s owner. Having taken Robbs into administration (as part of Owen Owen) and then bought it out again (as Vergo Retail) three years ago, there would be nothing to stop Thompson doing the same this time – just as former MK One business partner Elaine McPherson has done with Ethel Austin, taking the business into and out of administration in both 2008 and 2010.

Frankly, however, this prospect must be a non-starter, particularly after what the Courant says are Thompson’s recent assurances that Robbs was “thriving” – something of a contrast to MCR’s statement last week that Vergo “could not continue to trade in the short term without implementing immediate cost saving measures”. True, as the only option on the table in 2007, Thompson’s last-minute rescue of the store gave Robbs a welcome stay of execution, and hope – now dashed – that he was after all the right man to build a viable future for the business.

This time – if Robbs is to be worth saving at all – staff, concession holders, suppliers and customers will surely demand new ideas, and proper investment. Time is running out, however, to find out whether those new ideas might come from Beales, Allders, or someone else entirely.

Thank you to Dr Neil Clifton for the use of the photograph of Allders, and David Lally for the shot of Beales. The photographs are © Copyright Neil Clifton and © Copyright David Lally respectively, and both licensed for re-use under the Creative Commons Licence.

The iconic Joplings store in Sunderland

Department and home store retailer Vergo Retail has gone into administration, placing a question mark over the future of the 19-store business – including the iconic Robbs department store in Hexham and Joplings in Sunderland.   

Sarah Bell and Steven Muncaster, partners at MCR, have been appointed joint administrators, with the stores set to trade as normal while the company’s position is reviewed and a buyer sought. However, the middle of a recession is barely the best time to be selling an ailing retailer, as MCR’s recent experiences with Ethel Austin and the kidswear retailer Adams demonstrate. 

While Ethel Austin limps on as a rump of 90 stores, Adams has vanished from the high street completely (though is reportedly due to return in the autumn). For the sake of Vergo Retail’s 900+ employees, a happier outcome must be hoped for this time; sadly, however, the chances of any purchaser snapping up the entire loss-making Vergo chain is surely slim. 

Vergo's Robbs of Hexham store

It’s all a far cry from the hope and expectation that has accompanied the recent growth of the Vergo Retail business. As regular readers of Soult’s Retail View will know, Vergo Retail had an acquisitive 2009, snapping up a succession of closure threatened Co-op department and home stores. These were added to the portfolio of three large department stores – Robbs, Joplings and Lewis’s – that it rescued from the brink of closure following the administration of Owen Owen in 2007. 

Back then, it was difficult trading at Lewis’s that brought the whole Owen Owen business tumbling down, despite Robbs and Joplings both reportedly being profitable. This essence of a decent business provided some logic to the scenario of David Thompson – who had taken Owen Owen into administration in the first place – buying the business back under the new Vergo Retail banner. 

This time, despite the previously announced closure of the flagship Lewis’s store in Liverpool (set to close by June this year, ostensibly due to the impending redevelopment of the building by its owners Merepark), it seems that Vergo has simply ran out of time – and money – to turn its enlarged business over to profit: 

“Unfortunately the Company has endured periods of financial loss. It has made efforts following the recently announced closure of the Lewis’s store in Liverpool, to seek new finance to restructure the business but has been unsuccessful in finding a going concern solution. Like many retailers, it has experienced a difficult trading environment during the economic downturn.” (MCR*)  

From a North East perspective – and that of an occasional shopper in both Robbs and Joplings – Vergo’s collapse is a cruel blow to the dedicated, friendly and hardworking staff in those stores who have worked so hard to bring them back to life over the last three years. 

Equally, as the Hexham Courant reported on Friday, it’s devastating and unacceptable to those concession holders who look set to lose out on getting what they are owed – in a repeat, for many, of what happened when Owen Owen went into administration – due to all payments passing through Vergo’s own tills. 

Even if Robbs is saved, those concession holders who are reportedly owed thousands of pounds can be forgiven if they think twice about staying put – assuming, of course, that their small businesses even survive the hit. The variety of concessions, including many independents, is a core part of Robbs’ appeal, and any new owner will need to work hard to win them over. 

For now, however, we must just watch, wait, and – if we wish them to survive – do our best to support the threatened stores at this most difficult and uncertain of times. 

UPDATE – 11 May 2010: The administrators have announced today that nine of Vergo Retail’s loss-making stores – including Robbs and Joplings – will close within four weeks. Joplings was established in 1804; Robbs in 1819 – events over the next four weeks will determine whether or not 2010 sees the sad end of both these iconic department stores. 

* UPDATE – 21 May 2010: Financial information released by MCR shows that, for the year ended 26 January 2008, Vergo Retail made a total loss of £2.416m from a turnover of £15.824m. This, of course, was based on only the three stores that were in the Vergo portfolio at the time – Robbs, Joplings and Lewis’s.

Gregory's bakers in Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010)

The recent focus upon all that’s been happening in Newcastle means that I haven’t had as much time as I would like to explore some other topics of interest – there are at least half a dozen on my ‘to do’ list.  

One thing I’ve been meaning to write up – and now finally am – is a report on my visit to Bishop Auckland, in County Durham, a few Saturdays ago. Other than skirting around the edge on my way somewhere else I’d never been to Bishop Auckland before, but I was generally quite impressed by the town centre. It has a nice range of independent shops (like the 150-year-old Gregory’s bakers, above) and big-name multiples (such as M&S and Topshop), some attractive streets and buildings, and its main shopping thoroughfare – Newgate Street – had a nice buzz about the place on the day that I visited.

Market Place, Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010)

On the downside, I was disappointed by the rather gloomy Newgate Shopping Centre, and by the small and sad-looking cluster of market stalls in the Market Place. Rather like in Tamworth, the look and feel of the market was rather disparate and ad hoc; however, where Tamworth’s market suffers from being shoehorned into too small a space, Bishop Auckland’s seemed to be floating in a public square that was much too large for it.

Entrance to Auckland Castle (6 Feb 2010)

Overlooked by the imposing Town Hall and the entrance to Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland’s Market Place is undoubtedly among the North East’s most impressive public spaces. When I visited, much of the area was being dug up as part of improvement works that will include new paving and “extra space for events and market stalls”. Once complete, these enhancements will hopefully allow the Market Place to be used to its full potential.

Given what I’d seen on the Bishop Auckland Town website at bishopauckland.org, I’d also expected more of Fore Bondgate: a narrow and historic street off the Market Place that is full of character, but seems to be suffering from a lot of empty units at the moment. However, Fore Bondgate has scope to be a great location in which to build an interesting cluster of independent shops and cafes, and with the right investment and promotion could really be a distinctive and successful retail destination.

Former Woolworths, Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010)

Unsurprisingly, a highlight of the visit was being able to tick another North East Woolworths off the list, meaning that there are now only nine left to get of the 33 that closed down in December 2008 and January 2009. I hadn’t seen a photo of the store prior to visiting Bishop Auckland, but even without the giveaway of the red Woolworths fascia, it is instantly recognisable as a Woolies building, with all the familiar architectural traits. Indeed, of all those former Woolies I’ve seen so far, it’s the most similar to the mysterious is-it-an-old-Woolies-or-not in Byker.

Former Woolworths, Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010)

Just a couple of doors up from Woolworths is another property that could very easily have become an empty blight on Newgate Street – the Co-op department store, now run under the Westgate Department Stores brand by Anglia Regional Co-operative Society (ARCS). As I’ve mentioned before, Bishop Auckland’s Co-op department store was one of three North East shops rescued by ARCS when the Co-operative Group decided, in 2005, to exit non-food.

Westgate Department Store, Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult

It’s easy to see why ARCS stepped in to save the store, as it really is at the heart of Bishop Auckland town centre, and its only department store. Its street frontage is vast, and it sells all those types of products – such as toys, furniture and electricals – that would otherwise be difficult to find on the local high street. Pleasingly, the store seemed to be doing a decent trade on the Saturday afternoon when I was there – long may it continue.

Debenhams, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Peter (aka 'Newcastle Historian')

I might have been busy at work at 10:30 a.m this morning, but many thousands of others evidently weren’t, judging from the crowds that attended the grand opening of St Andrew’s Way! Such was the excitement, Eldon Square was once again a trending topic on Twitter for much of today, while even the editor of industry bible Retail Week was there to see things first hand.

New Look, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

Debenhams, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

By the time I popped in to the new mall just after 5, things had calmed down somewhat, but there were still plenty of people having a good look around. I was able to get some better photos of the street frontages (using a proper camera this time), but thought better of getting any interior shots, given how many police officers were wandering about. However, Peter – aka ‘Newcastle Historian’ from the SkyscraperCity forums – has kindly let me plunder some of his own pics from inside the mall.

St Andrew's Way, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Peter (aka 'Newcastle Historian')

Clayton Street frontage, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

First impressions are really positive – the inside of the mall is wide and bright, and the double height means that most of the retailers have created truly dramatic frontages. Debenhams’ looks great, Republic’s is as impressive as promised, and Apple’s is the bold statement that you would expect.

Best of the lot though must be Hollister. The store’s not yet open (and won’t be until April, apparently), but its shopfront is pure MetroCentre Mediterranean Village, circa 1986 – striking, kitschy, but totally on brand. It does mean that with most of the shop frontages being so flamboyant, Schuh’s – which would look very nice anywhere else – feels rather tame.

Apple Store, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Peter (aka 'Newcastle Historian')

Debenhams, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

Tesco Metro, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

Clayton Street frontage to Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

Poundland, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010)

As I’ve remarked before, a successful Tesco store probably does not bode well for the nearby Co-op food hall. However, there can surely be no better opportunity than now for the whole of the former Co-op department store building to be brought back into use. Just looking at all the people busying around in Newgate Street this evening, it really is now a great pitch, directly opposite Debenhams. If Harvey Nichols ever made up its mind to come to Newcastle, it need surely look no further for a stunning landmark property in a fantastic, prime location.

Former Co-op department store, Newgate Street (16 Feb 2010)

I also had a look around the older parts of Eldon Square, where there are now various voids from retailers moving into the new part of the shopping centre. However, these vacated units have all been screened off already – complete with ‘exciting new retailer coming soon’ banners – so merely look blank and dark rather than obviously empty. On the other hand, the existing Poundland in the old post office premises and the current All Saints in Market Street were both still happily trading when I walked past this evening, suggesting that those stores will be retained alongside their brand new Eldon Square siblings.

All Saints, Eldon Square (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Peter (aka 'Newcastle Historian')

I read this morning that five of the six now-empty sites in Eldon Square have new occupants lined up, which is very good news if true. Certainly, the banner at the former Arcadia site promises a ‘new flagship retailer’ soon – almost certainly Next. Meanwhile, at least part of the site of the former Republic store is going to be Foot Locker, presumably moving from its existing Northumberland Street site. So, tick this off as yet another seemingly un-Woolies-related blog post that in fact has a faintly obscure Woolworths link…

Debenhams, Newcastle (15 Feb 2010)

There will be plenty of analysis of the new Eldon Square mall in Newcastle over the coming weeks, and reflection on the impact of St Andrew’s Way on the wider city centre.

In the meantime, here are a few preview shots, taken on my phone this evening, ahead of the opening in less than ten hours’ time!

Apologies for the poor quality, but they at least give an idea of what the Newgate Street frontage to Eldon Square now feels like after dark.

Debenhams, Newcastle (15 Feb 2010)

New Look, Newcastle (15 Feb 2010)

Debenhams, Newcastle (15 Feb 2010)

Screenshot of holding page (15 Feb 2010)

Google ‘Vergo Retail’, and the likelihood is that you’ll currently find Soult’s Retail View among the top few search results. Indeed, since this blog launched in July, five of the top ten searches that people have used to find the site have related to the Liverpool-based department store operator, with the Ipswich store proving particularly popular:

• hollister newcastle: 262
• vergo ipswich: 252
• vergo retail: 145
• vergo retail ipswich: 84
• wilkinsons logo: 81
• clas ohlson: 63
• co-op department store norwich: 48
• hollister eldon square: 47
• vergo department stores: 47
• woolworths closing down: 47.

I suspect that the main reason why this blog has consistently shown up so highly in Google has been for want of much competition: other than a dedicated site for its famous Lewis’s store in Liverpool, Vergo has lacked any online presence of its own to date.

However, given the evident interest from people searching for information about its stores, I’ve always thought that Vergo has been missing a trick, and wondered how long it would be before a company website appeared. Consequently, even though it may mean that my own Vergo-related traffic takes a hit, I was  pleased to see that a holding page is now in place at vergoretail.co.uk (and vergoretail.net) promising that “an exciting new website is under construction”.

Vergo's Robbs of Hexham store

Helpfully, the holding page also features a list of Vergo’s 20 stores across the UK, including the aforementioned Lewis’s, the two here in the North East (Robbs of Hexham, and Joplings of Sunderland), and the remainder acquired from the Plymouth & South West and East of England Co-operative Societies during 2009.

The iconic Joplings store in Sunderland

Following my earlier questioning, the site confirms that the former East of England Co-op stores have simply been rebranded as Vergo. The full-range department stores are called Vergo Ipswich, Vergo Norwich, etc., while the slightly smaller shops go under the names of Vergo Fashion, Home & More! or Vergo at Home. The Homemaker stores that were acquired in Devon and Cornwall currently retain that name, though presumably it will make sense for them to become Vergo at Home in due course.

In a post about web usability last year, I noted that while not all retailers will want or need an e-commerce site, there’s still great value in a website “providing basic information about the business” – details such as news, opening times, directions and contact numbers.

If the upcoming Vergo site does this – as the Lewis’s one does already – then it will surely perform a worthwhile function. At the same time, the site will also help to demonstrate the company’s continued investment in growing its business, and the development of Vergo as a national brand, rather than just a slightly disparate portfolio of acquisitions.

Former Woolworths (now Primark), Sunderland (21 Nov 2009)

In an earlier post, I talked about some of the large, city centre Woolworths stores – such as the branches on Newcastle’s Northumberland Street and Sheffield’s Haymarket – that were closed down in the 1980s as the retailer trimmed its ranges and focused on generally smaller shops.  

However, one flagship Woolies that lasted rather longer than most is the one in Sunderland’s Fawcett Street, which opened in 1923 and only closed in 2004, after the company received an offer for the lease, from Primark, that it reportedly “could not refuse”.

The closure of that store meant that the only Woolworths left within Sunderland’s boundaries was the one at Houghton-le-Spring, which shut down along with all the others following Woolies’ administration at the end of 2008.

Former Woolworths in Houghton-le-Spring (11 Sep 2009)

Before that, there apparently used to be a Woolworths store, of sorts, at Washington Galleries. This closed in 1988, but was a Woolco shop – a Woolworths-owned out-of-town, discount department store and supermarket – rather than a Woolies proper.

While I’m old enough to remember the Woolco name, I can’t recall ever going to one of the stores. From what I can gather, there were only ever 14 UK Woolcos opened – many in New Towns, and including two other North East stores in Killingworth and Thornaby – all of which were sold off to Dee Corporation (Gateway) or Asda by 1988.

I understand that Asda stores still occupy the former Woolco sites at both Washington and Thornaby, while Killingworth’s was eventually demolished and replaced by the Killingworth Shopping Centre. Photos of old UK Woolcos (as opposed to the US chain) seem quite hard to come by – I’d be delighted to post some on this blog if anyone has any that they would care to share!

Next, Northumberland Street, Newcastle (5 Feb 2010)

Following the apparent confirmation of earlier rumours about Next planning to open a new store in Newcastle’s Eldon Square shopping centre next year, it seems timely to take a look at the retailer’s current Northumberland Street premises, shown above.

It’s quite a handsome building when you stand back and look at it – particularly in comparison to the brutish, blank, brown brick facades of the Primark (formerly C&A) and Bhs building next door. Imagine then how things might look if a building in the style of Next’s premises wrapped all the way round the corner into Northumberland Road, in place of the existing Bhs/Primark block… something like the view below, perhaps?

Old postcard of Bhs site, Northumberland Street, Newcastle

Perhaps I should have known already, but before getting a copy of the fascinating new Newcastle Through Time book for Christmas, I hadn’t a clue that today’s Next building is a retained fragment of the building above - the remainder of which was demolished in the early 1970s to make way for more modern premises for the then ‘British Home Stores’ and C&A. I’m none the wiser, however, about which retailer was occupying the Next site at that time, or indeed what the reason was for retaining those three last bays. Perhaps someone out there can shed some light on the matter?

The same view today

One thing I do know is that the story has a neat, if slightly tenuous, link to a building mentioned briefly in one of my first blog posts – Murton House, in Grainger Street. Having housed the Henry A Murton department store from about 1910 until its takeover by the Co-op in 1957, the Co-op made substantial changes to the interior in the 1960s, before moving out of the premises in 1971. Conveniently, C&A was able to take the property over after only a short period of vacancy, occupying the building until 1973 while its regular premises in Northumberland Street were demolished and rebuilt.

Similarly, British Home Stores apparently moved to Pilgrim Street during the redevelopment of the site – again, answers on a postcard if you have any information on where exactly that was.

Existing Topshop, Newcastle

Back in the present, we do now know a little more, courtesy of The Journal, about the proposed new Next store in Eldon Square. It will:

• Reportedly be “one of the largest branches of Next in the country”
• Supposedly replace, rather than supplement, Next’s existing Northumberland Street store (handily freeing up a prominent unit for somebody else – perhaps Zara?)
• Take over a small amount of space occupied by Eldon Leisure in order to create space for a “flagship store”.

The fact that Next will be nibbling into Eldon Leisure seems to reinforce the view that its intended location must be the current Arcadia Group space, presumably incorporating three floors - the street and mall levels (current Topshop), and the floor accessed by escalators from the mall that currently houses Topman (and, if I understand correctly, the adjacent bit of Eldon Leisure).

This space equates to the whole of the brown-brick block shown in the photo above. However, with a reported £8m redevelopment budget, it has to be hoped that something creative can be done to get rid of those blank and lifeless façades – either by building out into the open space between it and the new St Andrew’s Way (the redbrick section to the right of the shot), or by punching some more openings into what is currently there.

Sheffield Co-op in 1997

I’ve been sorting through some of my old photos recently – for old, read ’1990s’. Very few of them have much interest from a retail point of view, but then it was generally more usual in those days for me to take pictures of historic buildings and attractive landscapes, rather than of shops.

However, I did come across a couple of shots of Castle House, the now-closed Sheffield Co-op department store in Angel Street (click on the images to view them at larger size). Back in 1997, the iconic store was very much still open, and I remember going there to buy my first CD player (!) and having lunch upstairs in the cafe.

Sheffield Co-op in 1997

I can’t recall too much about the dining experience, but I have a recollection of the cafe being popular among Sheffield’s older residents, and (I think) featuring lots of trellis screens and artificial plants. Of course, even back then the shop had the faded charm and slightly peripheral location that seemed to go hand in hand with being a Co-op department store, and though it was no John Lewis, it was a nice shop to have in its own way.

As I’ve written before, in a blog about the fate of Co-op department stores nationally, Sheffield Co-op’s merger with United Co-op, which then merged in turn with the larger Co-operative Group, led to the inevitable closure of the Castle House store last year.

Though the store’s demise was deemed a ‘shock’ by the Sheffield Star newspaper, there was really little doubt that it would have to shut following the second merger – after all, the Co-operative Group had already pulled out of non-food in 2007, describing its loss-making department store operation as “a continuing major drain on our resources”.

Rather like the former Newcastle Co-op department store, where the old food hall remains in just a small part of an otherwise vacated building, I understand that the food floor in Sheffield’s Castle House is also still open, along with the city’s main post office, occupying what Chris Downer calls “one wall of a cavernous and strangely empty hall… now that its ‘parent’ store, the Co-op department store, is no more”.

Sheffield Co-op, photographed by Chris Downer on 27 April 2008 (the day after closure)

Though the 1960s building’s architecture is not to everyone’s taste, Pevsner’s architectural guide to Sheffield highlights its impressive granite frontage and internal cantilevered staircase, and its controversial listing, earlier this year, gives hope that a sensitive re-use might one day be found – provided, of course, that there is a retailer out there who would be willing and able to occupy what is a very large site.

Writing to the Star in June, “a group of ladies” supportive of the listing decision argue that the Sheffield Co-op department store should be “re-opened by a company to once again enjoy the interior and unique spiral staircase… and recreate the friendly department store as it once was”.

Perhaps this could be another opportunity for Vergo Retail, given its record in saving old Co-ops that are “important, longstanding retail features in the towns and cities that they serve”?

Thank you to Chris Downer for the use of the 2008 photograph of Sheffield Co-op, which is © Copyright Chris Downer and licensed for re-use under the CC BY-SA 2.0 Licence.

By the way, if anyone has a photograph of the building as it is now, I’d be pleased to feature it in this blog, and would obviously credit the photographer. Drop me a line if you can help!

Millets store

Today’s retail news has arguably been dominated by Marks and Spencer revealing better than expected results, and Blacks Leisure (owner of Millets, as well as its eponymous chain) announcing plans to shut 89 stores that “have not traded profitably for many years” (in which case, you may wonder why the company has persevered with those branches as long as it has – Woolworths’ demise surely demonstrates the potential for ropey stores to bring the profitable ones crashing down with them).

While established names link M&S and Blacks display mixed fortunes in their quest for future success, one of today’s other (less prominent but no less interesting) retail stories relates to a brand new presence on the high street – GIVe, the latest venture from fashion guru George Davies of Next, George at Asda and Per Una fame.

Following months of anticipation, GIVe’s Regent Street flagship has opened today, with 21 other shops – five standalone stores and 16 department store concessions – following tomorrow. Alongside London, the standalone GIVe stores are in all the top shopping centre locations that you would expect – Bluewater, Cribbs Causeway, Kingston-upon-Thames, Liverpool One, Meadowhall – with Glasgow and Harrogate following soon.

Unusually, the concessions are all located within independent department stores, including all 11 Beales sites – a refreshing change from the usual House of Frasers and Debenhams. This decision, reportedly, is linked to Davies’ wish to offer a free minor alterations service within all his GIVe shops, as well as his desire for a less corporate, more boutiquey feel – hence the sense in tying up with department stores that already provide this type of personal, customer-focused service.

Several observations can be made about the store portfolio. Most obvious, from a North East viewpoint, is the absence as yet of any GIVe stores in our region. Perhaps we shouldn’t worry – after all, there’s no GIVe store to date in Manchester, Leeds or Edinburgh either. However, compared to other major regional shopping centres, such as Bluewater and Cribbs Causeway, I do wonder sometimes about MetroCentre’s ability to attract and retain the top names – take for example the oft-cited departure of Gap and its replacement with Peacocks.

Don’t get me wrong - Peacocks is a great shop – but it’s ubiquity means that it’s not really a special shop. For me, a special shop can still be part of a retail chain, but it needs to be one that has few enough stores to make each one a real destination – shops like the John Lewis’s, Fenwicks, Selfridges, Apple Stores and Lego Stores of this world. Other than the Berghaus flagship, it’s difficult to think of stores in MetroCentre that would fit this definition. Is it a function of the existing retail mix? The fact that the 22-year-old MetroCentre, with the exception of the Red Mall extension, looks rather cheap and dated compared to its newer competitors? Or something else? 

Certainly, Apple Store’s important decision to open up in Newcastle’s Eldon Square extension (blogged about here), alongside a growing roster of big-name fashion retailers, may help give Eldon Square the edge as the most likely location for GIVe’s North East debut. Alternatively, Rutherfords in Morpeth (mentioned here) or Robbs in Hexham would be obvious candidates, were GIVe to go down the concessions route.

Another observation about GIVe’s store portfolio is quite what a coup – and potential boost – this is for Beales, whose recent performance has been patchy to say the least. Assuming that GIVe is a success, Beales is sure to reap some benefit in terms of both footfall and trade. If nothing else, it will help to make its sometimes tired-looking stores more of a retail destination again.

GIVe homepage

 Inevitably, a blog post like this would not be complete without me passing comment on GIVe’s online presence. I’m hardly qualified to comment on the women’s fashions themselves, but the good quality photographs are really effective, and I like how the clothes can be browsed by colour as well as garment type. The ‘style with’ tips – suggesting belts or bags to go with your top – also seem like a canny move. If nothing else, Davies’ ability to launch a high street retail chain and fully operational online store on the same day is pretty impressive. Recognising the synergies between bricks and clicks, the site – unlike others I could mention - also gets brownie points for featuring a list of GIVe store locations, complete with opening times, contact details, and the name of the store manager.

Any obvious website downsides? None especially, other than the predominant black and white look making the GIVe site resemble any number of other fashion retailers’ – House of Fraser or the aforementioned Tucci, to name just two. As always, if you’ve surfed the GIVe website – or indeed visited one of the high street stores – feel free to share your own reactions to the GIVe experience.

Image by Zoran

I was quite chuffed, this morning, to have a short article on web usability published in The Journal. Much of what I wrote is, or at least should be, common sense: essentially, the need to understand what information your customers are looking for, and to give it to them in a way that is clear and engaging. Though the examples I used in the article related to tourism websites, the same principles apply across the board, including to retailers.

To be fair, many of those retailers with ecommerce sites have become increasingly adept at offering an easy and stress-free user experience. On the pure etail side, for example, Play.com’s clean, uncluttered interface makes it a pleasure to use – sometimes, it has to be said, more so than the increasingly complex Amazon.co.uk. Similarly, in more niche markets, many of the sites submitted to my Home Interiors Directory and Garden & Landscape Directory manage to combine a user-friendly online shop with a quirky and distinctive tone of voice.

Among those retailers that straddle both bricks and clicks, JohnLewis.com is particularly effective at conveying those brand values of space, quality and attention to detail that are similarly prominent within its stores. In contrast, I tend to find the Ikea website confusing to use, and normally end up heading to the physical store at MetroCentre instead.

Generally, though, I often find that it’s those retailers with simpler sites – providing basic information about the business, rather than e-commerce functionality – that would benefit most from an online revamp. So, using the example of department stores, how about some candidates for those retailers that I think are most or least effective at managing their basic online presence?

Fenwick website

One retailer whose website has always disappointed me is Newcastle-based chain Fenwick. Though the site’s content has been beefed up of late, and now provides core information about the company and its stores, its imagery and overall appearance is somehow cold and aloof; certainly, there’s no sense of the retail theatre that you get when paying a visit to its Newcastle flagship.

Williams & Griffin website

In contrast, the website for Williams & Griffin – a department store that Fenwick acquired in 2008 - conveys a much warmer and more engaging feel through its purple palette and use of colour photographs. Coverage of individual departments within the store is also more comprehensive than on its parent company’s site. Instead, Willie Gee’s main oversight is failing to tell us, anywhere on its home page or ‘about us’ section, where the store actually is. Thankfully, the ‘contact us’ page reveals that we can find Williams & Griffin in Colchester.

Bentalls website

Over to another Fenwick acquisition – this time Bentalls, in Kingston-upon-Thames and Bracknell – and yet another different set of brand imagery. The layout and content of the site is functional, but the overall look is cheaper and less slick than you might expect for a quality department store brand. Generic smiling women stock photos, an unreadable scrolling ticker, and – worst of all – an @btconnect.com email address (should you fancy the advertised cookery classes) all convey a less than professional image. Equally, the ‘copyright 2006′ tag and lack of any news stories give the impression of a site that is not lovingly maintained.

Beales website

If the Bentalls site conveys an image that seems at odds with its brand, Beales’ problem is that its site struggles to convey much of a personality at all. The home page is dominated – overwhelmed, even – by an enormous offers banner, yet the site gives only a limited feel for what it’s like to shop at a Beales store. Even the ‘about us’ page links to a ‘corporate statement’, its talk about ‘entry price points’, ‘trading policy’ and ‘assortments’ squarely aimed at shareholders rather than customers. Shoppers are unlikely to be wooed by the revelation that “value, at all levels of the market, plays an increasingly important part for our customers [sic] shopping basket”.

Encouragingly, we are promised a ‘new website’, ‘coming soon’ in autumn 2009; there’s even a countdown timer, helpfully informing us that the ’time until launch’ is ’34 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes and 26 seconds’. That’s undoubtedly good news, but it’s always a risky ploy to make such a big deal of an upcoming website revamp – not only are you building customers’ expectations about what they can expect in 34 days’ time (which is fine, assuming that the new site meets or exceeds those expectations), but you’re also effectively saying to shoppers that “we realise our current site isn’t very good”.

Lewis's website

One site that is too new to require a Beales-style makeover is that for the iconic Liverpool-based department store Lewis’s.  The Lewis’s site is largely effective, speaking with a distinctly local voice that successfully conveys the retailer’s independence and uniqueness. The site also celebrates the store’s heritage – with historic photos, and visitors invited to ‘submit their memories’ – at the same time as providing plenty of information about current and planned developments. If you were to pick fault, you might argue that the site sometimes has too much going on – for example, it might benefit from a little more white space, and less content disappearing off ‘below the fold’.

Rutherford & Co website

After so many niggles, we should probably end on a more positive note. One site that I particularly like is that for Rutherford & Co, an independent, family-owned department (or ‘lifestyle’) store based in Morpeth, in Northumberland. Where the Fenwick site fails to do the physical store justice, Rutherford & Co has packed its site with beautiful photographs that effectively convey the rich and quirky instore experience. “Welcome to the sumptuous world of Rutherfords”, the site’s home page declares, and – for once – it really does deliver on its promise.

Thank you to Zoran for making available the image used at the top of this post.

Looking towards the Co-op / Vergo / unnamed store in Carr Street, Ipswich. Photograph by Tim Marchant

Regular readers may recall my post from last month, where I queried how the former East of England Co-op department stores might be rebranded following their takeover by the Lewis’s of Liverpool owner, Vergo Retail.

One advantage of spending the last three years working as a market researcher is that I will now quite happily pick up the phone and speak to anybody. Equally, I have become pretty tenacious in digging around until I find out the answers to niggling questions. I thought, therefore, that I’d put these skills to the test.

A day or two ago, I picked up the phone and called – as you do – the former Co-op, now Vergo-owned, department store in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. “I hope you don’t mind me asking a slightly unusual question”, I said to the very pleasant woman who answered, “but are you able to tell me what your store is now called?”.

“I don’t know!”, was the friendly response. “I’m not sure if it’s been decided yet. It might just be Vergo Clacton.”

So, not a huge leap further forward there. However, the very helpful woman advised that Vergo Retail’s head office might have the answer I was looking for. Conversations with two more very friendly ladies in Liverpool prompted similar responses; clearly the stores could no longer use the Co-op name, but my contacts did not think – beyond referring to the new shops as Vergo department stores – that an alternative brand had been decided upon.

How much less complicated things were with Vergo’s earlier acquisitions in the South West, where the Plymouth Co-op department store already had a brand – Derrys – that was distinct from its Co-op identity, and all that needed to be done was to remove all the Co-op cloverleaf logos.

For now then, the branding of the former East of England Co-op stores still seems to be in flux. However, given the number of searches for ‘Vergo Retail’ – and even ‘Vergo Retail rebrand’! – that are showing up in my blog stats, I can take some solace from the fact that I’m not the only person who’s curious!

Thank you to Tim Marchant for the use of the photograph of Carr Street in Ipswich, which is © Copyright Tim Marchant and licensed for re-use under the Creative Commons Licence.