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Soult's Retail View

Archived blog posts (2009 to 2018) about shops on the high street and online, by North East-based retail consultant Graham Soult

Yours truly in Northumberland Street, with Marketwise Strategies MD Jacquie Potts 0

Marketing / Personal

March 10, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published March 10, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Recent media coverage for Soult’s Retail View

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...

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Grey Street, Newcastle (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 3

Property / Retail History

March 8, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published March 8, 2010 · Last modified May 7, 2018

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

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...

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An old Woolies? Maybe, maybe not. Photograph by Graham Soult 7

Property / Retail Parks / Woolworths

March 7, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published March 7, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

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

(UPDATE: Since I wrote this post, it’s been confirmed that the A&S Discount building was indeed Byker’s original Woolworths location.) Back in January I posted a...

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The former Select store in Whitley Bay, followings its 'Shopjacketting' 3

Co-operatives / Property / Regeneration

March 4, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published March 4, 2010 · Last modified May 4, 2017

‘Shopjacket’ brings hope to Whitley Bay town centre

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...

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Gregory's bakers in Bishop Auckland (6 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 4

Department Stores / Independent Stores / Market Towns / Woolworths

February 28, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 28, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Bishop Auckland bustles, despite its empty Woolies

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...

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Eldon Square extension (16 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 11

Department Stores / Shopping Centres

February 16, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 16, 2010 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Initial reactions to the new St Andrew’s Way mall at Eldon Square

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...

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New Look, Newcastle (15 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 4

Department Stores / Shopping Centres

February 16, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 16, 2010 · Last modified May 26, 2010

Eldon Square’s St Andrew’s Way opens today (16 February 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...

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Screenshot of holding page (15 Feb 2010) 0

Brands / Co-operatives / Department Stores / Independent Stores / Online

February 16, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 16, 2010 · Last modified February 1, 2013

Vergo Retail develops online presence

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...

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Waitrose Hopwood Park (14 Feb 2010). Photograph by Mark Leaver 2

Customer Service / Supermarkets

February 14, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 14, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Waitrose Hopwood Park now open!

Weekly updates on the status of Waitrose at Hopwood Park Services on the M42 have become something of a habit lately, thanks to the regular...

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Former Woolworths (now Primark), Sunderland (21 Nov 2009). Photograph by Graham Soult 4

Department Stores / Retail History / Supermarkets / Woolworths

February 14, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 14, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Sunderland’s old Woolies – a survivor almost to the end

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...

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Former Zavvi, Newcastle (27 Sep 2009). Photograph by Graham Soult 11

Property / Retail History / Woolworths

February 14, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 14, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

A Woolies twist to every story

Well, that’s a surprise! I’ve only just discovered that I’ve been photographing and blogging about a former Woolworths store – here, and more recently here –...

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Republic promo shot 3

Fashion Stores / Shopping Centres

February 11, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 11, 2010 · Last modified February 15, 2012

Best brands and iron girders for new Eldon Square Republic store

With exciting mounting over the opening of Eldon Square’s St Andrew’s Way extension in less than a week’s time (10:30 on Tuesday 16 February, to be precise), it...

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...and the same building when it was Next (5 Feb 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 9

Department Stores / Fashion Stores / Property / Retail History

February 10, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 10, 2010 · Last modified March 7, 2010

Next, past and future

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...

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Peacocks logo. Photograph by Graham Soult 4

Fashion Stores / Property / Shopping Centres

February 8, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 8, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Peacocks lined up for Newcastle’s former Zavvi

Peacocks has submitted a planning application for new signage at the former Zavvi site in Newcastle’s Northumberland Street, confirming recent rumours that the fashion retailer was being...

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A week ago... (7 Feb 2010). Photograph by Mark Leaver 1

Property / Supermarkets

February 8, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 8, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Well, that hasn’t taken Waitrose very long at all!

I’ve just received the photo above from Mark Leaver, taken on his phone last night at Welcome Break’s Hopwood Park Services on the M42. It...

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1950s scene showing Maurice Gerald in Newcastle's Bigg Market 1

Retail History

February 7, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 7, 2010 · Last modified February 24, 2011

Remember Maurice Gerald at 6 Bigg Market, Newcastle?

Given my interest in both retail history and local history more generally, it’s always a pleasure when people drop me a line to share their...

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Ethel Austin store, Byker. Photograph by Graham Soult 2

Fashion Stores / Property

February 5, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published February 5, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Lost in (Ethel) Austin?

Reports that value fashion retailer Ethel Austin and its sister homewares business, Au Naturale, are poised to enter administration – less than two years after both chains...

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Tesco Express, Eldon Garden (30 Jan 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult 1

Property / Shopping Centres / Supermarkets

January 30, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published January 30, 2010

Updates on Newcastle city centre’s new Tescos

Heavy overnight snow provided a good excuse to take a walk into Newcastle today, rather than trying to drive anywhere further afield. It was also...

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Tamworth Market (24 Dec 2009). Photograph by Graham Soult 17

Market Towns / Property

January 26, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published January 26, 2010 · Last modified May 7, 2018

Tamworth Market: the worst street market in Britain?

Edit, 2 March 2015: This post is getting an awful lot of hits today! Be aware, however – as the date on it makes clear...

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Three weeks ago (24 Jan 2010). Photograph by Mark Leaver 2

Property / Supermarkets

January 25, 2010

 by Graham Soult · Published January 25, 2010 · Last modified November 10, 2016

Building work underway at Hopwood Park Waitrose

Many thanks to Mark Leaver for sending me an MMS with this photo of work underway on the new Waitrose store at Hopwood Park Services on...

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Woolworths… from the archives

  • Boyes fascia. Photograph by Graham Soult

    Bishop Auckland Boyes to open doors on 19 November

    November 8, 2010

CannyInsights.com on Instagram

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cannyinsights

Gateshead Railway Quarter isn't a new thing, but p Gateshead Railway Quarter isn't a new thing, but putting the name up there undoubtedly makes it more real....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/04/29/gateshead-railway-quarter-how-to-improve-your-town-by-starting-with-what-is-already-good/
An initial action shot of me yesterday evening! Th An initial action shot of me yesterday evening! Thank you to Spalding & District Civic Society for the kind invitation to speak, and to the large and engaged audience for a great many pertinent questions during the Q&A afterwards 💬

Their obvious passion for the town demonstrated the power of what can be achieved by harnessing that enthusiasm and working together to make a difference. 

One woman told me afterwards "You expressed everything that I feel about #Spalding", which is always one of the best compliments I can hope for 💪☺️

#highstreet #highstreets #evolvingnotdying #lincolnshire
Specialist Speakers is a speaker bureau for keynot Specialist Speakers is a speaker bureau for keynote and motivational speakers in business, politics, economy and management....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/26/graham-soult-now-featured-alongside-famous-names-at-at-specialist-speakers-speaker-bureau/
This page details retail units currently available This page details retail units currently available to let in Durham city centre. As Retail Cupid, we help match empty shops with new tenants....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/13/march-2025-retail-cupid-update-current-retail-property-to-let-in-durham-city-centre/
Occupying the building where Wallsend Woolworths t Occupying the building where Wallsend Woolworths traded from 1929 to 1959, Tyneside Community Store offers essential items for those in need....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/12/the-building-that-housed-wallsends-original-woolworths-and-that-continues-to-serve-the-community/
Sparked by a meeting I had with Seven Stories' Cre Sparked by a meeting I had with Seven Stories' Creative Lead in Residence Richard O'Neill last year, something magical for Durham has emerged!...

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/03/07/new-durham-seven-stories-pop-up-gets-a-helping-hand-from-the-retail-cupid/
If it were not for indoor market halls like the Gr If it were not for indoor market halls like the Grainger Market, where would new businesses take their first steps on to the high street?...

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/02/28/indoor-markets-are-not-just-wonderful-heritage-they-are-where-the-retailers-of-the-future-are-born/
As occupancy climbs, North Durham MP Luke Akehurst As occupancy climbs, North Durham MP Luke Akehurst got to see some of Chester-le-Street town centre's best independent businesses....

https://www.cannyinsights.com/2025/02/10/graham-takes-chester-le-street-mp-on-a-town-centre-walkabout/

About this blog

Soult's Retail View is a blog by me, Graham Soult, taking a wide-ranging look at the UK retail industry. I'm a retail consultant based in Gateshead - and the person behind CannyInsights.com and CannySites.com - so my posts often (but not always) have a North East flavour. [read more]

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Retail property… from the archives

  • British Heart Foundation store, Hartlepool (16 Nov 2010). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Woolies photo updates from South Shields, Wallsend, Jarrow and North Shields

    November 17, 2010

  • Hoardings outside Metrocentre Lego Store site (6 Nov 2013). Photograph by Graham Soult

    Exclusive: Lego Store set for 29 November opening at Intu Metrocentre

    November 15, 2013

  • Site of Poundland, Trinity Square, Gateshead (2 March 2014). Photograph by Graham Soult

    New Gateshead Poundland to open on 29 March – with existing store retained for now

    March 11, 2014

In the News

In December 2009, global media intelligence company Cision ranked Soult’s Retail View at #2 in its list of the UK’s top ten retail blogs.

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