Maplin and Toys R Us next to go pop! (1 Viewer)

wingy · Mar 8, 2018

Retailing really is hitting the buffers .
The large supermarkets having shed thousands of jobs over the last 6months.
Now New Look, even John Lewis are feeling the pain .
Colleagues bonuses of only 5% this year .
TRU cited minimum/living wage and exchange rate, rents among contributory factors.
Online transacting no doubt biting hard, but when I was buying for the grandchildren I found it straight forward click and collecting much like Argos.

Otis · Mar 8, 2018

As has been said before, the only way to draw people into shopping centres is by having other entertainment stuff going on, such as cinemas, concert venues, theatres, escape rooms, trampoline parks, water parks etc.

Be interesting to see how Zizzi gets on here in Coventry. Experts are saying there is an oversaturation of Italian style restaurants in the country and now some are suffering as a result.

Just in the city centre at the moment we already have Bella Italia, two Pizza Expresses, Pizza Hut and now Basement Browns.

I can see Pizza Express really having problems because they are way overpriced.

Franco Manca have bucked the trend and are growing substantially. They deeply undercut the likes of Pizza Express in their pricing and looking at their menu it seems very much on par with Basement Browns, which is great value.

Apparently Nandos and Wagamama are doing really well and that is down to a lack of competition.

People need to start thinking outside the box a little, which is why I understand places like the Botanist and Jam Jar and their quirky approach in order to make it an experience and not just about the food.

Wondering now if restaurant chains who were thinking about opening up at Cathedral Lanes might now have a rethink. A fair few businesses are starting to go to the wall.

SBAndy · Mar 8, 2018

Otis said:
As has been said before, the only way to draw people into shopping centres is by having other entertainment stuff going on, such as cinemas, concert venues, theatres, escape rooms, trampoline parks, water parks etc.

Be interesting to see how Zizzi gets on here in Coventry. Experts are saying there is an oversaturation of Italian style restaurants in the country and now some are suffering as a result.

Just in the city centre at the moment we already have Bella Italia, two Pizza Expresses, Pizza Hut and now Basement Browns.

I can see Pizza Express really having problems because they are way overpriced.

Franco Manca have bucked the trend and are growing substantially. They deeply undercut the likes of Pizza Express in their pricing and looking at their menu it seems very much on par with Basement Browns, which is great value.

Apparently Nandos and Wagamama are doing really well and that is down to a lack of competition.

People need to start thinking outside the box a little, which is why I understand places like the Botanist and Jam Jar and their quirky approach in order to make it an experience and not just about the food.

Wondering now if restaurant chains who were thinking about opening up at Cathedral Lanes might now have a rethink. A fair few businesses are starting to go to the wall.

Seemingly against the grain, I much prefer Italian restaurants over Nando’s and Wagamama. The thing is the latter 2 gained massive traction across young people as the ‘in’ places to go. Nando’s particularly puzzles me, as it is half self-service and I don’t want to be farting around getting up and down to order food/drinks. You also end up paying about £16 for something that can be done for about £2 at home with barely any effort. I tend to make it at home regularly now, but I must have been there less than 10 times in the last 5 years.

One striking thing I’ve noticed in a number of chain restaurants over the last year is the awful service due to the lack of staff. Busy restaurants no less, but take my last experience at Bella Italia for example, we waited 20 minutes for someone to take the drinks order, and then by the time we came we’d finished our starters. Not down to a lack of effort having paid attention to what was going on around me, but due to them having about 4 waiters/waitresses covering about 40 tables. It’s why I tend to stick to independently run restaurants as much as possible now, far superior food and a much more relaxed feel to it.

Finally a point on Pizza Express. Only been once and to be honest with the pathetically thin base I could have eaten 8 whole pizzas and still had room for dessert. Wasn’t filling in the slightest, and again I was charged about £18 for it.

Otis · Mar 8, 2018

SBAndy said:
Seemingly against the grain, I much prefer Italian restaurants over Nando’s and Wagamama. The thing is the latter 2 gained massive traction across young people as the ‘in’ places to go. Nando’s particularly puzzles me, as it is half self-service and I don’t want to be farting around getting up and down to order food/drinks. You also end up paying about £16 for something that can be done for about £2 at home with barely any effort. I tend to make it at home regularly now, but I must have been there less than 10 times in the last 5 years.

One striking thing I’ve noticed in a number of chain restaurants over the last year is the awful service due to the lack of staff. Busy restaurants no less, but take my last experience at Bella Italia for example, we waited 20 minutes for someone to take the drinks order, and then by the time we came we’d finished our starters. Not down to a lack of effort having paid attention to what was going on around me, but due to them having about 4 waiters/waitresses covering about 40 tables. It’s why I tend to stick to independently run restaurants as much as possible now, far superior food and a much more relaxed feel to it.

Finally a point on Pizza Express. Only been once and to be honest with the pathetically thin base I could have eaten 8 whole pizzas and still had room for dessert. Wasn’t filling in the slightest, and again I was charged about £18 for it.

Pizza Express is so, so overpriced. I hate going there, but my parents like it and always suggest we go. Got so naffed off last time, because I ordered an extra topping of mushroom. It was £1.50 and when it came I looked closely and if you pieced it together it would have been the equivalent of one single button mushroom. Complete rip-off.
With Basement Brown's you get one extra topping free anyway and a free sauce as standard and their toppings are much, much cheaper. Last time we went to Pizza Express it was £94 for 4 of us. At Basement Brown's it was around £35 and the pizzas were nicer too.

I prefer Italian places to Wagamama and Nando's myself. The retail experts were saying though that they just don't have the competition in the same way as Pizza Express, Pizza Hut, Zizzi, Prezzo, Bella Italia etc. They are all competiting with each other for the most part. Wagamama and Nando are a bit more unique.

I don't get the appeal of Nando's but it is undoubtedly popular.

Nick · Mar 8, 2018

I much prefer just going to Asda / Tesco where they will make you one for a fraction of the price.

Deleted member 5849 · Mar 8, 2018

Otis said:
People need to start thinking outside the box a little, which is why I understand places like the Botanist and Jam Jar and their quirky approach in order to make it an experience and not just about the food.

Thing is, it's reproduced quirkiness if it's done by a chain. As with Andy, I'd rather go somewhere independent and at least get something unique... for better or worse.

(Plus the Botanist looks a pile of horseshite anyway!)

Otis · Mar 8, 2018

Deleted member 5849 said:
Thing is, it's reproduced quirkiness if it's done by a chain. As with Andy, I'd rather go somewhere independent and at least get something unique... for better or worse.

(Plus the Botanist looks a pile of horseshite anyway!)

Not been, but my neice has and she loved it. Said the food was really good and it was fun with the quirky ideas.

Otis · Mar 8, 2018

Nick said:
I much prefer just going to Asda / Tesco where they will make you one for a fraction of the price.

Bet your missus thinks you're a real romantic.

Liquid Gold · Mar 8, 2018

Otis said:
As has been said before, the only way to draw people into shopping centres is by having other entertainment stuff going on, such as cinemas, concert venues, theatres, escape rooms, trampoline parks, water parks etc.

Be interesting to see how Zizzi gets on here in Coventry. Experts are saying there is an oversaturation of Italian style restaurants in the country and now some are suffering as a result.

Just in the city centre at the moment we already have Bella Italia, two Pizza Expresses, Pizza Hut and now Basement Browns.

I can see Pizza Express really having problems because they are way overpriced.

Franco Manca have bucked the trend and are growing substantially. They deeply undercut the likes of Pizza Express in their pricing and looking at their menu it seems very much on par with Basement Browns, which is great value.

Apparently Nandos and Wagamama are doing really well and that is down to a lack of competition.

People need to start thinking outside the box a little, which is why I understand places like the Botanist and Jam Jar and their quirky approach in order to make it an experience and not just about the food.

Wondering now if restaurant chains who were thinking about opening up at Cathedral Lanes might now have a rethink. A fair few businesses are starting to go to the wall.

Yep, city centres should become places you go to socialise and be entertained. Places that house stores like Toys R us can then be turned into housing (or football grounds) they're vacated. Save building on the green belt. People are shopping online because it's much easier so we have to accept that and look at how our cities respond. We should also be reforming tax so that everything is taxed based on the rate at the location of purchase and not where the company is based.

Captain Dart · Mar 14, 2018

All UK Toys R Us stores closing within 6 weeks.

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 · Mar 14, 2018

Captain Dart said:
All UK Toys R Us stores closing within 6 weeks.

That's so sad. It was a huge excitement in my childhood.

Otis · Mar 14, 2018

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 said:
That's so sad. It was a huge excitement in my childhood.

Don't worry, you still have adulthood to come. You might enjoy it.

Maplin and Toys R Us next to go pop! (1 Viewer)

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