The High Street

[Lindylou]

I’ve come to the conclusion I’ve forgotten how to clothes shop because of the pandemic!
Now,admittedly I was no great shakes before, but went holiday clothes shopping with hubby, he got 6 T-shirts, me, nothing!
Find it very overwhelming to be confronted by so much, and just wander aimlessly about! Hubby pointed out that I just looked and barely paused to touch anything and look at it in more detail!
Said to hubby I will buy if something grabs my attention but its all awful, and being a short a mostly too long.
Ive decided I have enough of my own stuff without buying more. Maybe next year the styles and choice will improve.

 

[HowlOwl]

I agree with all the comments on here. When I was working in an office, it was easy to find loads of attractive outfits, eg Karen Millen, Next, Principles, Wallis. I go in Next now (the only one left, and I work from home now anyway), and it’s all so weird.

I struggled to find even one nice dress for a wedding recently, in the end found a wraparound black-and-white print from M&S - it’s okay, I don’t love it but that’s all there was. The local department store had shut, used to have a great selection and the cosmetics/perfume hall was lovely.

 

[butterfliesandhurricanes]

Anyone else’s town had a recent influx of bubble tea shops? I knows it’s a bit of trendy thing at the minute but we’ve had 4 open in our town. I live in a smallish town not a major city or anything massively busy. I suppose maybe they have taken on short leases for the summer but still, do we need 4 in one town

We have so many empty units in my local high street. Dorothy Perkins, topshop, Debenhams, Argos to name a few. All stood empty. Looks dreadful

 

[StephenTJackson]

Anyone else’s town had a recent influx of bubble tea shops? I knows it’s a bit of trendy thing at the minute but we’ve had 4 open in our town. I live in a smallish town not a major city or anything massively busy. I suppose maybe they have taken on short leases for the summer but still, do we need 4 in one town

We have so many empty units in my local high street. Dorothy Perkins, topshop, Debenhams, Argos to name a few. All stood empty. Looks dreadful

Everywhere is the same, just empty shops. High rents, high business rates, expensive parking. People don't bother going to town because there isn't much left. It's not worth it. The cost of living crisis is just going to make things worse, a few more of the struggling chains might fail in the next two years I think. Even Matalan is at risk, a business you think is doing well, but has huge levels of debt it needs to refinance in the next few months.

 

[Captainmouse]

Everywhere is the same, just empty shops. High rents, high business rates, expensive parking. People don't bother going to town because there isn't much left. It's not worth it. The cost of living crisis is just going to make things worse, a few more of the struggling chains might fail in the next two years I think. Even Matalan is at risk, a business you think is doing well, but has huge levels of debt it needs to refinance in the next few months.

The cost of parking is a major problem, there is a m&s and a trip to the food section is 10 15 mins, but I am not paying £2 to park. The supermarkets have free parking as do the shopping centres.

 

[lastdis]

Hope one of you lovely people can help me. Daughters prom on Monday, and she’s decided to go so I need a dress for her. Her and her mates were meant to be doing a night out with bowling and food , But now decided to go prom, like today woke me up and said mum where can I get a prom dress any ideas where to try, we have looked already online and at quiz

 

[StephenTJackson]

The cost of parking is a major problem, there is a m&s and a trip to the food section is 10 15 mins, but I am not paying £2 to park. The supermarkets have free parking as do the shopping centres.

If I go for a day out shopping now, for clothes, I pretty much just go to MacArthur Glen DO, because there is actually a load of shops open, easy to get to, free parking. And skmehwere to eat for lunch. Don't even get as far as into town

 

[Pesky Tarian]

Hope one of you lovely people can help me. Daughters prom on Monday, and she’s decided to go so I need a dress for her. Her and her mates were meant to be doing a night out with bowling and food , But now decided to go prom, like today woke me up and said mum where can I get a prom dress any ideas where to try, we have looked already online and at quiz

I think I'd hit the local wedding shops and have a look at the bridesmaid sale rail. You might drop lucky.

Or perhaps e bay and look for a local one you can collect.

Hope you find something !

 

[lastdis]

Thank you. Never even thought about wedding shops ,

 

[Kim Mild]

Hope one of you lovely people can help me. Daughters prom on Monday, and she’s decided to go so I need a dress for her. Her and her mates were meant to be doing a night out with bowling and food , But now decided to go prom, like today woke me up and said mum where can I get a prom dress any ideas where to try, we have looked already online and at quiz

Tk maxx or charity shops ? It's really short notice

 

[BigMavis]

Hope one of you lovely people can help me. Daughters prom on Monday, and she’s decided to go so I need a dress for her. Her and her mates were meant to be doing a night out with bowling and food , But now decided to go prom, like today woke me up and said mum where can I get a prom dress any ideas where to try, we have looked already online and at quiz

Local Facebook? formals are big in my area so we're saturated with places that sell the dresses and also rent them. Tk maxx usually have some too. Forever unique or Asos with next day delivery?

The high Street is dead, what are we left with Primark and Zara? Had this discussion on another thread but my local city is finished, its boarded up shops and the drug problem is out of control. I was literally stepping over people on substances in the day time. And nobody seems to care...
The only good thing I've noticed is the budget shops are catering for big boobies, which is quite good because £50 on a bra is not something I want to do anymore.

 

[laughing]

We just head to the outlet villages now, have much more than our nearest shopping town

 

[Notworthy]

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[zoominmoom]

Anyone else’s town had a recent influx of bubble tea shops? I knows it’s a bit of trendy thing at the minute but we’ve had 4 open in our town. I live in a smallish town not a major city or anything massively busy. I suppose maybe they have taken on short leases for the summer but still, do we need 4 in one town

We have so many empty units in my local high street. Dorothy Perkins, topshop, Debenhams, Argos to name a few. All stood empty. Looks dreadful

We've only got one but I'd love more as I'm obsessed with it but can't be arsed to wait in the queues this place always has!

We've got lots as well - like you say, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Debenhams, but also Next, Monsoon, Accessorize. A few of the units are being turned into cafes/restaurants which is fine by me as I'm a bit of a glutton, but I do wonder how they'll compete with all the ones that already exist

Local Facebook? formals are big in my area so we're saturated with places that sell the dresses and also rent them. Tk maxx usually have some too. Forever unique or Asos with next day delivery?

The high Street is dead, what are we left with Primark and Zara? Had this discussion on another thread but my local city is finished, its boarded up shops and the drug problem is out of control. I was literally stepping over people on substances in the day time. And nobody seems to care...
The only good thing I've noticed is the budget shops are catering for big boobies, which is quite good because £50 on a bra is not something I want to do anymore.

Same here. On the weekend it's fine as it's a bit busier and you don't notice the waifs and strays as much, but I made the mistake of popping into town on a Monday afternoon and it was pretty dire. It was just full of people stumbling around, running into the road and yelling at each other and I felt quite intimidated despite it being the middle of the day! Not sure what they'll do when even less people go into town as there'll be nobody to ask for money. Presumably they struggle at the moment as I'm assuming not many people carry cash - I know I don't unless I need some for a specific reason.