Halfords next to go???

Blimey, well I wouldn't be surprised if Halfords is on the way out!

I stopped off at a local branch yesterday evening. Staff were all engrossed in messing about with the selection of car stereos, certainly far too busy to help out a customer. Anyway, I made my selection then had to wait for several minutes at the till for anyone to come and take my money!

They may have a bigger selection than the local motor shop, but I know I can walk in there and get the service and advice I'm looking for. I actually can't remember the last time a major retailer seemed so reluctant to take my money!

 

Could something happen to Threshers do you think?

The 2 I have been in recently were VERY understocked (on NYE!), I know it's a franchise, but are people staying away from them? After all they aren't all that cheap...

 

I looked at a Threshers shop last year to let (which is still available) - apparently they are closing some of them down to concentrate on their 'wine shops' - as far as supplying some booze goes they can't compete with the supermarkets (or so the agent told me)

 

Actually, has anyone seen anything mentioned about Instore/Poundstretcher?

I find it hard to believe they can be coping at present. They have very little to offer over the cheaper Pound Shops and the likes of Home Bargains, and they seem to lack any real focus a la Woolworths, except they don't have the audio/video and pick & mix to keep them going!

I own a store that shares a site with one of their stores and know that on occasion they have taken less than £200 a day!

 

Threshers was not in essence a franchise....what they did was to blackmail their managers of the unprofitable shops a year or two back by telling them that the only way to keep their jobs/shops was to take on a franchise! - and they have since been trying to con the general public into taking on franchises on other unprofitable shops too.... I had a booze business a few years ago , and heard a lot of grumbling in the industry media.

(isnt the franchise trade wonderful - all you have to do to legitimize a scam is to call it a franchise! - then it becomes whiter than white.)

No doubt these ex managers having traded in their pension funds to buy the shops have now run out of all their savings too.....so are now about to go bust

They never could compete with bargain booze. - and yes these booze chains can go under.....unwins went 3 years ago

this is the same model that pub chains are using....take peoples savings to move into a pub....strip them of all they have to run it for two more years with overpriced forced purchase agreements. If they do make a profit put up the rent till they dont....and then when they go bankrupt sell the "franchise" to the next mug.

One of my mates owns a free house and was in court for his renewal when he heard a magistrate tell the brewery of a new applicationthat as far as they were concernet, this was the last tenant they would EVER approve....the magistrates knew what was going on but were powerless to stop it.

 

Come on Keith,
This is the general business forum. I am sure that the facts and figures on Halfords are mightily impressive but what do they actually mean?

 

Halfords staff should start looking for another job?

 

Thats interesting about Threshers.

I walked past our local shop yesterday and thought it was unusual that all the advertisng posters etc were down...

I'm going to have to walk past again today and find out.

.

 

poundstretcher have bought some of the woolworths stores in southwales so cant be doing that bad if they are expanding in current climate