Is this the beginning of the end for Department Stores?

[Daisy]

John Lewis have said that 8 of its current stores won't re-open after lockdown, and more are at risk.

With House of Fraser, Debenhams, Harvey Nichols and other large store chains pulling down their shutters things aren't looking good for our high streets. There is also the loss 'local' department stores like Beales of Bournemouth, which helped to make our local high street a bit different from everyone else's.

I'm not a great fan of shopping, but I've always enjoyed having a browse round a department store. Have you got memories of 'special' department stores or won't you miss them at all?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56511374

[Oma]

We used to have a two huge stores in Sunderland called Binns and Joplings ,
Everyone shopped at these two stores they were on a par with JL , H of F and Debenhams

They closed both down some years ago and our Town slowly died , nothing could replace them , Sunderland town centre now is all cheap shops , charity shops and take away places
Not a nice shopping area at all now , its run down apart from the Bridges that's a bit like a small shopping mall .

[Gemini]

OH and I are very sad about this as York is one the the John Lewis stores who are closing.

Our very big store has only been here a few years.

[Plantaholic]

I am surprised they are shutting the JL in York Gemini. Our JL is an out of town shop and is alongside a motorway so they get people coming from outer London. I could spend hours in there. I don't go into our local large town, only decent shop there now is M&S and they haven't had anything in the clothes range that I want to buy recently.

[Gemini]

Plant it is in relatively new out of town shopping park, 4 miles from the city centre. There is a large M&S, the large JL and a large Next, and of course enormous parking area. They are the only shops and there are a few restaurants on the complex too.

[Nanto2girls]

Last week i read about JL closing some of its stores.
I know al ot of people like JL, but for some reason,i don't know why,but i've never been been fond of it.

[Daisy]

It's shocking really how large 'landmark' stores closing down can change a whole town centre, Oma. Sunderland must seem a sorry place - I remember Binns from when I worked at Wedgwoods.

Gem - I was quite shocked that the York JL was on the closure list.

Some years ago there was a huge new mall built in Southampton and the two flagship stores were JL and M&S. Lots of other shops followed - most of the high street 'names', but Debenhams ended up off the beaten track and other big stores closed - Plummers, C&A - and that end of the town died.

[Lizzie48]

Here we had huge department store's, Vroom and Dreesman, there was one in every town and city, they closed a few years ago, I used to like walking round. They all had a very good restaurant as well. We so still have smaller stores but not the same, we do still have C&A. Most towns and cities here will be changing as well when the lockdown is over.

When I was in the UK I would go do Debenhams etc in Hull or wherever I was at the time.

[Gemini]

When I was child we had a well established department store called Leak and Thorpe. Everything high quality and it had restaurant in the top floor. Proper meals with waiter service.
That closed in the eighties I think.
We have WP Brown's still. The bigger branch is in York and smaller one in Helmsley, a small town in the Dales (where my auntie lives!)
Hopefully Browns will survive.

[Daisy]

Gem - I hope Browns survives. I used to take our sons to George Henry Lees (JL now) and Tyrrell & Green (also JL) to the top floor restaurants. It was always waitress service and we'd usually have toasted teacakes and a pot of tea and they loved it. They felt very grown up giving their order to the waitress and were always on their best behaviour! Self service just isn't the same.

[WeeGranny]

The JL in Cambridge is staying, but the Peterborough one is closing. In one of the shopping centres we've lost Debenhams and BHS. There was another smaller department store, but I can't remember the name, which also closed. and became a Monsoon and several other little shops.

In Edinburgh we had Jenners ( very posh), Binns, Patrick Thomsons( my parents had an account there which was very handy when I was an impoverished student!!). We always used to go and see Santa there too. They've all closed and I'm sure there are others too that I don't know about. Used to love mooching around all the departments in those big stores.

[Plantaholic]

You will have a JL close to you here when you move WG.

[Glammanana]

I can't find any information regarding JL at Liverpool One closing I hope it manages to stay open it is such a big part of Liverpool One and I really enjoyed shopping there browsing all the departments they have it just will not be the same shopping on line .

[Lizzie48]

Glamm, I just read that the Liverpool one will be opening on April 12th.

[Glammanana]

Lizzie48, thanks for that I shall get in touch with my friend in Liverpool and make arrangements to meet up with her its been such a while since I have been to Liverpool last time I think was last year when we met for "eat out to help out" meal deal we then went on nostalgic wander down Matthew Street reliving our youth.