* You are viewing Posts Tagged ‘Westgate Department Stores’

Now Lincolnshire Co-op is to exit non-food – but a “bright future” under new ownership is promised

Graham Soult January 30, 2013 Co-operatives, Department Stores, Home and DIY, Property, Retail History No Comments

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Lincolnshire Co-op website (30 Jan 2013). Photograph by Graham Soult

Lincolnshire Co-op website (30 Jan 2013)

Just one week after Midlands Co-op announced the closure of its department stores, another Midlands-based consumer co-op – the Lincolnshire Co-operative – has revealed that it too is to exit non-food.

However, where Midlands Co-op’s … Continue Reading

As eight Midlands Co-op department stores face closure, what might the future hold?

Graham Soult January 21, 2013 Co-operatives, Department Stores, Property, Retail History 3 Comments

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Co-op department store, Chesterfield (10 Nov 2011). Photograph by Graham Soult

Co-op department store, Chesterfield (10 Nov 2011)

Midlands Co-op has become the latest co-operative society to exit non-food, with its announcement today that eight Fashion & Home department stores are to close within six months.

Most of the affected stores are in the East Midlands, including five full-line department stores – badged as Fashion & Home – … Continue Reading

Long-lost London Woolies in High Holborn and Tottenham Court Road

Graham Soult April 09, 2011 Property, Retail History, Woolworths 11 Comments

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Grays Inn Road entrance to former High Holborn Woolworths (5 Apr 2011). Photograph by Graham Soult

Grays Inn Road entrance to former High Holborn Woolworths (5 Apr 2011)

Sometimes I wish I was able to clone my blogging self, in order to have more time to write about all the topics that I’d love to cover.

For example, following on from my … Continue Reading

Why does Stockton have so many empty shops? BBC1 tonight at 7.30 might have some answers…

Graham Soult December 06, 2010 Personal, Property, Regeneration, Shopping Centres 8 Comments

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Graham filming with the BBC's Chris Jackson in Stockton High Street

Graham filming with the BBC's Chris Jackson in Stockton High Street

Those of you in the North East and Cumbria (or anywhere else with access to Freesat), may be interested in watching BBC1 at 7.30 pm tonight (Monday 6 December)! [UPDATE: The programme is now available to watch on iPlayer.]

The … Continue Reading

Bishop Auckland Boyes to open doors on 19 November

Graham Soult November 08, 2010 Property, Variety Stores, Woolworths 1 Comment

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Boyes fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult

Boyes fascia

Boyes, the Scarborough-based variety retailer, has revealed that its latest store – in Bishop Auckland’s old Woolies premises – will open for business on Friday 19 November.

With Woolworths gone, Bishop Auckland’s retail focus has been in danger of gravitating too far towards the Newgate Centre and Marks & Spencer. However, the arrival of Boyes – a move apparently welcomed by … Continue Reading

Bishop Auckland bustles, despite its empty Woolies

Graham Soult February 28, 2010 Department Stores, Independent Stores, Market Towns, Woolworths 4 Comments

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Gregory's bakers in Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult

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 … Continue Reading

Vergo Retail – the saviour of unloved Co-op department stores?

Graham Soult July 23, 2009 Brands, Co-operatives, Department Stores, Independent Stores, Retail History 9 Comments

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Co-op Department Store, Great Yarmouth, prior to Vergo Retail’s takeover. Photograph by Stephen McKay

In the last couple of weeks, one interesting news story that has been easy to miss is the takeover of the East of England Co-op’s department store business by Vergo Retail.

Vergo Retail, as you may be aware, is the Liverpool-based operation headed by David Thompson that, in 2007, rescued Lewis’s of Liverpool, Joplings of Sunderland and Robbs of Hexham from the … Continue Reading