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Post by WillowTheWhisp on Jun 22, 2009 13:06:37 GMT
B & M Bargains will be opening up the old Woolworths store on Marine Road in Morecambe. It's a strange sort of a shop which has a mixture of food and cheap odd household items. We've got one in Accrington and sometimes you can find some really good bargain items in there. The Woolworths store in Lancaster is being taken over by TK Maxx which is supposed to be another bargains shop. Here in Accrington our old Woollies has gone a bit more upmarket as an outlet for Ossy Mills which seems to have things for sale at a slightly more expensive rate than in the mill shop.  |
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Post by accykeef on Jun 22, 2009 13:08:12 GMT
We've done alright so far for not having too many 'Pound' shops but they are on the prowl.
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trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
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Post by trevnhil on Jun 22, 2009 14:47:21 GMT
I can only wish the new company well, but it does depend what kind of shop it is.
I went into Hitchens whilst I was in Morecambe......... It has changed a lot from the Hitchens that I knew, and not for the better in my opinion. It seemed too tatty and closed in, and quality seemed in short supply. But I hasten to add........ it is only my opinion.
Cheers. Trev..
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Post by WillowTheWhisp on Jun 23, 2009 8:01:17 GMT
B&M is definitely in the same league as Hitchens only probably closer to a pound shop! Most of the stock is cheap and cheerful but they do have bargains because they have stuff which you see in other shops costing lot more and it's the actual thing not a tatty imitation. In this 'present economic climate' these seem to be the shops which are managing to survive - I mean just look at he price of shirts in Asda!  We seem to have problems every time we've bought something from hitchens though - we nearly always end up having to take it back! |
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Post by accykeef on Jun 23, 2009 17:50:56 GMT
Clothes are only so cheap because slave labour is rife in many parts of the world. Many of these items are produced in sweat shops by young children, working for a pittance. We benefit from the low prices but we should be aware of the suffering which goes into the production.
Most of the electrical items in Hitchens are re-conditioned seconds from major manufacturers. There are reasons why there is so much of that kind of stock available and it is the price we pay for the artifially low price of electrical goods.
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Post by WillowTheWhisp on Jun 24, 2009 9:29:39 GMT
There's a large grey area between the very cheap, often poor quality stuff produced by slave labour and the over inflated prices of 'designer' items where the actual workers get very little of what you pay for the thing in the shops. I like to look for the happy medium in there where I am not being charged for breathing as I enter the shop.
Although B & M don't sell clothes (at least ours doesn't) I was meaning that what they do sell is the same thing you might find elewhere at a higher price. So if they've got Frey Bentos steak pies on offer they are actually Frey Bentos pies and not "Friar Binto's" or something. I don't know how they work it. Maybe they buy up surplus stock or maybe they just have lower overheads and mark-ups.
As for the Hitchens 'refurbisheds' we don't seem to have such bad luck elsewhere. It's just become a thing with us that the 'bargain' from Hitchens turns out to be more expensive than buying elsewhere if we have to bring it back to exchange it as we have usually had to do. I've often bought Christmas stuff from the Studio Cards/Express Gifts outlet shop in Church and some of the time it's a very minor thing which puts them in the sale there (torn box for example) so well worth looking into.
I can understand people wanting bargains the way things are at the moment, especially with people out of work and struggling with mortgages etc. The sweatshop labour does need to be clamped down on though. I don't blame the consumer. I blame the wholesalers. We also need to bear in mind that what we would regard here as 'a pittance' may wll be a good wage elsewhere and if the workers were paid the equivalent of a UK wage it could upset the balance of the economy in their country with the few people working for foreign firms getting paid way above the national average thus plunging others into even deeper poverty.
I hope that makes sense.
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Post by accykeef on Jun 24, 2009 9:59:53 GMT
I don't really understand the present economic climate. I realise that there has been an increase in unemployment and those people are feeling the effects directly. The number of people out of work is still only a small percentage of the population and the employed are being paid the same as before, interest rates are very low and inflation is quite low. There are bargains to be had for those with some cash in their pockets so I don't really see what recession we are talking about. The people feeling the effects iof the recession are those who have been living beyond their means for a considerable time and the bank's desperation to account for every bean has made them put pressure on people to pay debts off. Mortgages are hard to come by because, despite what they tell us, banks have very little money to offer as loans. The situation where a bank has no money is a problem but when they get a handout from the government and then give a large chunk of it to the very guy who caused the problem in the first place - that is nothing short of scandalous. I was amused when he offered to hand a bit of it back, I say take it all off him and let him sue. He is in breach of contract by allowing the business to lose so much money. I feel better now - back to work  |
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Post by WillowTheWhisp on Jun 24, 2009 16:21:40 GMT
The recession has a knock-on effect for some people though Keef.
For instance if people who were living beyond their means start feeling the pinch, with increased interest rates and banks becoming a bit stingy with the overdraft facilities, they are quite likely to start spending less either because;
a) they have less to spend
or
b) they fear possible future job losses and so tighten their belts
In fact people who have not been living beyond their means may also be tightening their belts in fear of possible future job losses and not wanting to get into debt.
This leads to people not buying luxuries or things they know they can live without. They may hold onto a car a little longer before changing it, which results in a slowdown in the motor trade. They may not go out for a meal as often, which then leads to pubs and restaurants having less income and possibly laying off waiters. They may not organise as many trips to places of interest which cuts down on the number of jobs available to people like Coachman which in turn reduces the income of people who are paid by the job rather than a flat wekly rate, or it means that coach companies need fewer drivers so may lay some off or only employ them part time.
I have noticed that all of the job vacancies my daughter has found have been part time only. She would not be classed as unemployed if she got one of those but she certainly wouldn't be as well off as she would if employed full-time.
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Post by tommmydee on Jun 27, 2009 14:06:01 GMT
could have been worse Prinark!
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Post by gnasher on Jun 28, 2009 8:48:15 GMT
Most of the electrical items in Hitchens are re-conditioned seconds from major manufacturers. There are reasons why there is so much of that kind of stock available and it is the price we pay for the artifially low price of electrical goods.
Or returned by customers because they're faulty, not quality checked properly and packed off to Hitchens as "new returned items". I've had similar problems with electricals from Hitchens to the stage now where I don't even bother looking.
B&M is a good excuse to head off to Clevelys, I usually come away with a few jars of cheap pickles ;D
A lot of people wanted to see Primark in Lancaster, I'm quite happy with TK Maxx. New clothes and known brands but last season's unsold stock.
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Post by lifeboat1721 on Jul 10, 2009 16:42:00 GMT
looks like Wed 15th for opening..  Ian |
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trevnhil
Part of the Furniture
Posts: 2,768
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Post by trevnhil on Jul 10, 2009 17:21:34 GMT
Well I wish them all the luck in the world. They have many other stores so they should have an idea of what to expect.
Trev..
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Post by accykeef on Jul 10, 2009 20:28:12 GMT
Are they selling vans too?
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Jul 11, 2009 8:57:59 GMT
Are they selling vans too? And can anyone park on the prom like that? ;D Trev.. |
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Post by lifeboat1721 on Jul 11, 2009 9:29:24 GMT
Are they selling vans too? And can anyone park on the prom like that? ;D Trev.. Anyone seen a traffic warden  |
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