Monday 25 April 2016

British Home Stores - how did that happen?

Yet another chain on the decks and I have steam coming out of my ears..... this morning I heard someone say that they just didn't move fast enough when Primark arrived on the high street.

WHAT????  Primark arrived at least 20 years ago, didn't they?  Well, yes, they did - the first Primark store was in Derby in 1 9 7 3 ...yes, that's right, 1973.  OK, OK, I know that it didn't spread to every town very fast, but to say that BHS didn't move fast enough - they've had a long time to move, haven't they?  So let's  leave Primark out of it.

The Verdant Green (you know who I mean) sold BHS to the current owner for £1 just a few years ago, after he gained a knighthood for services to retail.  He's got a lovely luxury yacht now, and today, in a tiny fit of guilt perhaps, offered some of his own millions to pour back into the pension pot.  Mmmmmm.

And did you know that someone or other sold BHS franchises to places outside the UK?  There's one in the Falklands;  one in Bahrain too (would you go there on holiday and then, spotting BHS, say "ooh, lovely, must just pop in for some knickers?).

I'm not a business person.  But it seems to me that if you could not compete with a cheapo but popular store like Primark, maybe you should have got out of the clothing business some years ago, and revamped to make yourself a chain of just  "Home" Stores.  Yes?

So all those staff can only be paid until the end of this month, and goodness only knows how much all those pensions will be worth after this lot.  Remember Comet?  The same scenario. 

Is it only me that gets bloomin' cross about this sort of thing?  Poor show.


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