Category Archives: BHS

Hull and Beyond

  I’ve never knowingly been to Hull.  It’s not that I’ve anything against Hull, just that the question of going there has never arisen.  I became a little more aware of it when it owned the accolade as UK City … Continue reading

Posted in Art, BHS, Buildings, Cooperative Group, Cooperatives, Department Stores, Design, Historic Shops, History, Hull, Places, Public Realm, Regeneration, Retail History, Spaces, Uncategorized, Urban History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Damaged Goods

As Private Eye put it, serialised exclusively across all newspapers, this book says that Philip Green is not a nice person.  “Quelle surprise” as they may say in Croydon.  But on the other hand, Oliver Shah is the Sunday Times … Continue reading

Posted in BHS, Employees, Finance, Government, Leadership, Legislation, Pensions, Philip Green, Politicians, Regulation, Retail Failure, Retail leadership, Shareholders, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HoF: House of Fools?

Thursday’s much trailed announcement that House of Fraser was aiming to close 31 of its 59 stores in the UK and was seeking large rent reductions on those that remain, all as part of a seemingly contested CVA, was the … Continue reading

Posted in BHS, Buildings, Cardiff, Consumer Change, Costs, CVA, Department Stores, Edinburgh, High Streets, Historic Shops, Internet shopping, Jenners, John Lewis Partnership, Online Retailing, Oxford Street, Places, Retail Change, Retail Failure, Town & Country PLanning, Town Centres, Urban History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Talking Shops at The Engine Shed

On a number of occasions this blog has covered aspects of the past and in particular ghostsigns and historic shops and shopfronts.  Across Scotland (and beyond) there is an enduring fascination for, and concern with, our retail history. I was … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, BHS, Buildings, Falkirk, Ghost Signs, High Streets, Historic Shops, History, Retail History, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Shopfronts, Signage, Stirling, Streets, Streetscapes, Urban History, Woolworths | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fake Shops and some other retail news

Everyone pretty much agrees these days that we are living in an era of ‘fake news’, or outright lies as it would be better called.  You know the sort of things – £350m per week to spend on the NHS, … Continue reading

Posted in BHS, Brands, Employment, High Streets, Independents, Local Retailers, Places, Retail Failure, Sainsbury, Store Closures, Tesco, Town Centres, Waterstones | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Retailing’s Unacceptable Faces

Of course, the week I was away on annual leave (and if you love rain, then my home country Wales, had it in buckets) the two House of Commons Select Committee investigations into those captains of industry, Sir Philip Green … Continue reading

Posted in Agencies, BHS, Employment, Employment practices, Governance, Pensions, Retail Failure, Retail leadership, Select Committees, Sports Direct, Store Closures | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Playthings of the Monetary Rich and (In) Famous

The last couple of times this blog has fallen silent for a month, it has been because of a death in my family. Thankfully, this time that is not the case, though an alleged death threat does feature. Can you … Continue reading

Posted in administration, BHS, Closure, Comet, Governance, Liquidation, Pensions, Retail Failure, Select Committees, Store Closures | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

The Conversation: BHS

The University of Stirling is a supporter of The Conversation and I published a piece there today on the travails of BHS. I reblog it here. You will also see and read some other media coverage of mine in other … Continue reading

Posted in administration, BHS, Closure, Competition, Consumer Change, Department Stores, Finance, High Streets, Multichannel, Resilience, Store Closures, Town Centres, Variety Stores | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment