[Brighton] RIP Debenhams

[Brian Parsons]

100% this. Most people shop with Amazon and other online retailers and then act upset and shocked when most of the highstreet disappears.

Our household refuse to shop with Amazon and prefer to shop local, especially with independent traders.

I'm as guilty as the next man. Yes I use Amazon,e-bay and other online outlets, why MONEY. I'm a pensioner so i have to spend wisely and as cheaply as possible. I would love to spend my money on the High Street but I can't afford to. Example, some years ago I was looking to buy a SatNav. In Halfords £99 on Amazon £70. It's a no brainer.

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[Palacefinder General]

100% this. Most people shop with Amazon and other online retailers and then act upset and shocked when most of the highstreet disappears.

Our household refuse to shop with Amazon and prefer to shop local, especially with independent traders.

Not forgetting the Amazon link at the top of this webpage...

 

[Swansman]

so there are jobs that many of the younger generation will end up doing that haven't even been thought of yet.

With the very rapid development of AI and robots 50% of the population is going to be unemployed in the not too distant future. When deindustrialisation happened, the old generation said "oh, there will always be work" and yet all over the western world, unemployment has always been higher than in ie the 1960s. Now when AIs and robotics are taking over, the older generation says "oh there will always be jobs" but there is absolutely nothing that indicates it. People who say that they are not worried about the impact of new technologies on unemployment never have any other argument than "oh... we've these new jobs are just not invented yet!".

 

[zefarelly]

100% this. Most people shop with Amazon and other online retailers and then act upset and shocked when most of the highstreet disappears.

Our household refuse to shop with Amazon and prefer to shop local, especially with independent traders.

Likewise, I refuse to use Amazon, struggle to avoid ebay. I can honestly say the last department store I went in was Bentalls/Beales in Worthing, prior to that would have been Hanningtons in Brighton years ago, or Libertys in London! I Have never been in BHS or Debenhams in my life.

most of my clothes copme from Independant manufacturers, a majority of my retail therapy is music or wheel related, again, somewhat specialised so invariably independant.

 

[Wozza]

I still haven't got over the loss of Longleys, tbh.

(One for the Bexhill crowd)

 

[Farehamseagull]

That is really bad and sad news.

The Debenhams in Southampton was a big deal around here for years and is somewhere I went to countless times over the years before the first lockdown. The child in me is very upset as going there then was a big part of Christmas excitement for me. Looking online can never replace the awe of a child walking into a big department store with clothes, toys and decorations everywhere you look even if your mum never bought you anything you wanted!

 

[Swansman]

That is really bad and sad news.

The Debenhams in Southampton was a big deal around here for years and is somewhere I went to countless times over the years before the first lockdown. The child in me is very upset as going there then was a big part of Christmas excitement for me. Looking online can never replace the awe of a child walking into a big department store with clothes, toys and decorations everywhere you look even if your mum never bought you anything you wanted!

Dont worry, as long as the kids got their ipads and tablets and other enslaving tools to obsess with they wont give a shit if the rest of the world falls apart. "Look kiddo at that nice christmas tree and the decorations and the fancy stuff!"... "No dad I want to go home and stare at a screen for the rest of my life. **** you and **** the dead world you cherish."

 

[zefarelly]

I'm as guilty as the next man. Yes I use Amazon,e-bay and other online outlets, why MONEY. I'm a pensioner so i have to spend wisely and as cheaply as possible. I would love to spend my money on the High Street but I can't afford to. Example, some years ago I was looking to buy a SatNav. In Halfords £99 on Amazon £70. It's a no brainer.

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I get that and we all do similar . . . . but you are making reference to two big guns, who should be similarly priced.

If I was buying say a shirt or a jumper from a shop in town and it was £5-5 more than online I'd use the local shop.

I nmormally fhead direct to the manufacturer or thier chosen distributor.

for example, I bought a Lambretta cylinder kit recently . . . 3 options, from the manufacturer in Italy, thier rep in the UK ( same price) or assortment of resellers on ebay . . . . . who will nearly match the price but for the fact they havce to pay ebay fees . . . . its not difficult to get the best deal and do the right deal if you have a bit of time to do your homework.

 

[ditchy]

Really sad for all the staff.

But Debenhams v Next is a great case study. One sat doing very little in expensive old fashioned high street locations. The other modernised, moved to brand new out of town retail sites, set up NEXT day delivery or collection. Added in more of a lifestyle feel about the business. Next may still face challenges but at least their management has done everything they can whilst the Debenhams guys have sat on their hands.

This exactly ,and was why House of Fraser , a very similar set up to Debenhams , also went .

 

[Beach Hut]

That Debenhams has lasted this long is quite amazing, they targeted a diminishing market and their stores were like Grace Brothers.

Their store layouts were retail suicide, large open spaces, scruffy and frankly boring.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

With the very rapid development of AI and robots 50% of the population is going to be unemployed in the not too distant future. When deindustrialisation happened, the old generation said "oh, there will always be work" and yet all over the western world, unemployment has always been higher than in ie the 1960s. Now when AIs and robotics are taking over, the older generation says "oh there will always be jobs" but there is absolutely nothing that indicates it. People who say that they are not worried about the impact of new technologies on unemployment never have any other argument than "oh... we've these new jobs are just not invented yet!".

Robotics has been around for years and there hasn't been anywhere near a 50% unemployment level. Yes, I appreciate that there might be a higher degree of computing power/robotics/AI/whatever now and it's rising but, despite how you mock, there WILL still be new industries in the future. Look at the YouTube 'influencers'; the rise of the 'tiktok' generation and the evolution of the technology that people use it on. The internet alone must've created – directly and indirectly – millions of jobs in the past 20-30 years.

Also in the timeframe: look at the levels of management within the public sector that never existed. Job opportunities for people all over the place for people to work their way up and around the system. Look at how the beauty treatments market has expanded with people wanting hair, nails, fillers, botox and whatever else. That whole industry was nothing two generations ago. Look at the number of people who have dogs and who spend a fortune on dog walkers, training classes, clothes, psychiatrists, food, vet bills and everything else that goes with it.

As for the future: think about mental health demands – a major problem that is only going to get worse. That will mean more resources being required and subsequently more and more money being invested into initiatives and support systems for those affected. Look at precision medicine where, especially in the Middle East but also the US and here, millions and millions of pounds is being invested and thousands of startups have emerged.

Unless you're suggesting a complete departure from basic economic principles –*and the end of the boom-bust-boom-bust cycle – there will always be jobs and there will always be new industries.

And you think they'll be 50% unemployment? Ok mate...

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

As has been mentioned in other posts there won't be a High Street anymore it'll be hairdressers and charity shops. Very sad times.

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Don't for get all the Bet Freds, William Hills and Ladbrokes who are always ready to help you unload even more cash during depressed economic times

 

[blue-shifted]

Dont worry, as long as the kids got their ipads and tablets and other enslaving tools to obsess with they wont give a shit if the rest of the world falls apart. "Look kiddo at that nice christmas tree and the decorations and the fancy stuff!"... "No dad I want to go home and stare at a screen for the rest of my life. **** you and **** the dead world you cherish."

Presumably you communicated this view to us by typing into some sort of electronic device

 

[Swansman]

Presumably you communicated this view to us by typing into some sort of electronic device

Yes. Presumably you have concerns about the environment but still own a couple of jeans, perhaps even got a car or eat imported food.

 

[blue-shifted]

Robotics has been around for years and there hasn't been anywhere near a 50% unemployment level. Yes, I appreciate that there might be a higher degree of computing power/robotics/AI/whatever now and it's rising but, despite how you mock, there WILL still be new industries in the future. Look at the YouTube 'influencers'; the rise of the 'tiktok' generation and the evolution of the technology that people use it on. The internet alone must've created – directly and indirectly – millions of jobs in the past 20-30 years.

Also in the timeframe: look at the levels of management within the public sector that never existed. Job opportunities for people all over the place for people to work their way up and around the system. Look at how the beauty treatments market has expanded with people wanting hair, nails, fillers, botox and whatever else. That whole industry was nothing two generations ago. Look at the number of people who have dogs and who spend a fortune on dog walkers, training classes, clothes, psychiatrists, food, vet bills and everything else that goes with it.

As for the future: think about mental health demands – a major problem that is only going to get worse. That will mean more resources being required and subsequently more and more money being invested into initiatives and support systems for those affected. Look at precision medicine where, especially in the Middle East but also the US and here, millions and millions of pounds is being invested and thousands of startups have emerged.

Unless you're suggesting a complete departure from basic economic principles –*and the end of the boom-bust-boom-bust cycle – there will always be jobs and there will always be new industries.

And you think they'll be 50% unemployment? Ok mate...

I think you can accurately predict that 50% of the jobs today won't exist in 10 years.

They'll be replaced by other jobs though. Mostly ones which don't exist yet.

Or the other view is that brexit will screw us and capitalism was on it's way to China anyway, so prepare for generations of decline.

I can't work out which I think is more likely

 

[blue-shifted]

Yes. Presumably you have concerns about the environment but still own a couple of jeans, perhaps even got a car or eat imported food.

Correct on all those.

It was far from clear your point was an environmental one. Seemed more of a criticism of the youth of today's obsession with spending their time on ipads. Thanks for clarifying

 

[A mex eyecan]

Low wages and badly driven/parked vans everywhere, however if people felt that strongly about the High Street they’d boycott online shopping next year, it’s like people moaning when the local pub is closing and only going their 10 times a year[emoji29]

we’re all, well those of us who,have shopped on line, at fault for this demise. we all pat ourselves on the back when we’ve seemed out ever cheaper on line pricing. Shops cannot compete. Haven’t we all done well.

 

[Springal]

we’re all, well those of us who,have shopped on line, at fault for this demise. we all pat ourselves on the back when we’ve seemed out ever cheaper on line pricing. Shops cannot compete. Haven’t we all done well.

And all that revenue to a company that only paid £6M in UK Taxes last year.

 

[Swansman]

Robotics has been around for years and there hasn't been anywhere near a 50% unemployment level. Yes, I appreciate that there might be a higher degree of computing power/robotics/AI/whatever now and it's rising but, despite how you mock, there WILL still be new industries in the future. Look at the YouTube 'influencers'; the rise of the 'tiktok' generation and the evolution of the technology that people use it on. The internet alone must've created – directly and indirectly – millions of jobs in the past 20-30 years.

Also in the timeframe: look at the levels of management within the public sector that never existed. Job opportunities for people all over the place for people to work their way up and around the system. Look at how the beauty treatments market has expanded with people wanting hair, nails, fillers, botox and whatever else. That whole industry was nothing two generations ago. Look at the number of people who have dogs and who spend a fortune on dog walkers, training classes, clothes, psychiatrists, food, vet bills and everything else that goes with it.

As for the future: think about mental health demands – a major problem that is only going to get worse. That will mean more resources being required and subsequently more and more money being invested into initiatives and support systems for those affected. Look at precision medicine where, especially in the Middle East but also the US and here, millions and millions of pounds is being invested and thousands of startups have emerged.

Unless you're suggesting a complete departure from basic economic principles –*and the end of the boom-bust-boom-bust cycle – there will always be jobs and there will always be new industries.

And you think they'll be 50% unemployment? Ok mate...

I am suggesting a complete departure from basic economic principles (remember that those principles are not very old). Yes, the internet created a lot of jobs because there was a lot of development to do manually and that computers still couldnt do. This is changing very, very rapidly. Machine Learning and Deep Learning are going to replace the majority of all the jobs where you need a brain and knowledge, the dominant attributes for most works in a service society.

 

[Easy 10]

A very sad end to a High Street institution.

In other news, I am still utterly baffled how the glorified overpriced newsagents that is WH Smith is still going.