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I found a website which lists the retailers that have gone over the course of 2011. Warning, the list below is a bit of a long one, but I’m writing it to make a point of how badly the high-street is struggling right now (I’ve highlighted the bigger and more obvious companies):
Hawkins Bazaar
D2 Jeans
Barratt’s/Priceless
Cooks Bakery
Broadmarsh Centre
MFI
Best Buy
Comet
Alexon
Walmsley
Floors-2-Go
Lombok
TJ Hughes
Jane Norman
Habitat
Homeform
McCormick’s Music Shop – iconic music store in Glasgow
Life And Style
Haldanes
Focus DIY
ETS
HiHo Jewelers
BeCheeky – online retailer
Oddbins
Alworths – successor to Woolworths
Easy Living Furniture – retails trading name of Sofas UK
The Officers Club
Henley’s
Dekko
Autoquake
Shakeaway Milk Bars
Arrogant Cat
Triumph Furniture Company
Bennets
Fenchurch
Ollie & Nic
Auto Windscreens
Cattles
JJB Sports
HPJ Jewelers
British Bookshops and Stationers
Cruise
Balls Brothers
Suits You
Stokes
Confetti
Mad O’Roukes Pie Factory
Thoughts
Vergo Retailing
Fashionair
Laser Electrical
Labsport
Faith Shoes
Envy!
Not Only Shops!
Specialty Retail Group
Ethel Austin
Adili
Diamonds and Pearls
Adams
D2
Head
Virgin Cosmetics
Total store closures: 2469
Total job losses: 24,025
Stats from: http://www.retailresearch.org/whosegonebust.php
Sorry you had to read all, that, I was just making a point! We’ve already had La Senza, Blacks Leisure and Past Times fail this year.
The high street is still very important to the economy of this country. It still employes tens of thousands of people up and down the UK. These are very valuable jobs in a time where having a job is increasingly considered a privilege.
Maybe the high street is a bit dated. I think it still plays an important role in business. But maybe their presence should be in a different capacity. Improvements and changes obviously need to be made. Investment in the streets themselves to make them look more desirable would be a good start for the Government to make. Shops need updating, rents need to fall to ease the pressure on retail companies. Perhaps stores need to be integrated with their online portals more. Click and collect services for more stores will drive internet users through the doors to pick up their goods.
I’m not claiming to be an expert. Not like Mary, queen of shops! This was a clever little move by the Government. If anyone knows how to improve a high-street store then it’s this clever lady. I’ll be interested to see some of the ideas she’s got and how she’s going to put them into practice.
>All companies that i believe have failed to adapt to recent changes in the way businesses need to be run and the changes in the customers. I reckon that all of these companies have been slow to react to the explosion of digital – says something eh! High street is pretty much dead – all it is now is a showcase of products. I reckon most businesses don't actually make money from high street shops its just a way to show products in the flesh then people go home and research the price and purchase online. I have done it,… Read more »
>I do the same thing, go to the shops then go home and get it cheaper somewhere else! Shops for me now are to get ideas from. I'm not really sure what would get me back to the shops, I do love wondering round Exeter, it's the cues that put me off and rude or useless staff, I just can't be bothered but if I knew I could go somewhere that I wouldn't have those problems ( you can add parking and it's charges to that ) I would chose that over the Internet . It's not about price with… Read more »