What are you all up to
Comments
-
Only in a certain area though
1 -
Such good news that your grandson can now go home and good to know that their plans re equipment are all coming together. I think we worry too much about the younger generation and their organisational skills but it does all seem to work out in the end.
We have had 3 seasons here today - no summer. High winds, heavy rain, sun out, sun in, back to heavy rain again. I decided to venture into Wilko this morning as I hadn't been since before Christmas and we were running out of various toiletries and cleaning products. I thought I would enjoy a wander round. Sadly as soon I got in there I decided I didn't like being in a shop and couldn't wait to get out so I swiftly got everything on my list and came home. The rest of town is like a ghost town, so depressing. I wonder how many of the shops will actually re-open? I can envisage our town centre being all flats, coffee shops and eateries
. We had some wonderful shops here in the 1980s and 90s 1 -
That is going to be replicated across the whole of the UK I think Millie. It's going to be hard to replace big shop areas like John Lewis and Debenhams but we've found it difficult here in our town to get new businesses going in small shops as well, unless it's to do with hair or cafes.
0 -
I do wonder how much people can eat and drink WN? We used to have quite a few phone shops as well but they seem to all be going online as well.
1 -
Such good news that your grandson can now go home and good to know that their plans re equipment are all coming together. I think we worry too much about the younger generation and their organisational skills but it does all seem to work out in the end.
Milliehull my concern was how the world is at the moment, no shops open and even the online stuff has to be made and delivered. Thank goodness they weren't on THAT container ship or those following 😱
I too wonder what our high street's will be like. We have a lovely Quadrant, the co-op, basically who I feared John Lewis would damage, but they were doing ok. Never used our Debenhams just not a nice store, very big though. I used to be a Saturday girl in there when they traded under the original name, but it just got bigger and bigger. Our M&S is small, especially for the county town but that maybe its saving grace? Our Bhs still awaits other than Christmas shop occupancy. We have had so much office space converted to high street living recently at seriously silly prices......
I too whizzed into town today, busier than I expected, I only wanted Holland and Barrett, Boots and the open air market stall for fruit and veg, forgot to include the latter on yesterday's Tesco delivery - not that I've been happy with their offerings. An older couple, well late middle age plus, walking in the opposite direction chatting and I heard him say well I presume this is the high street! I tried not to over analyse the comment or draw unjust conclusions.......
0 -
Not me guv (Santander
) But the egg yes and far too much! No doubt we'll see our daughter and partner in the garden soon and along with the eggs we've bought them they'll help us with ours. Don't normally buy one!B2 good to hear things are progressing with the new family.
Millie I also went out today, to a bigger garden centre and didn't enjoy it all, just didn't feel free enough to see things easily, awkward one way system etc. I had some garden tokens but only used one of them. It will be better when all the colourful bedding etc arrives. Horrible weather too, hail showers on and off.
Good to hear your bedroom improvements for new grandson are nearly done Kj.
Hooray I finished my chair project, never again but it passes muster from a distance....I'll probably have to stop anyone sitting on it in case it can't cope!
0 -
Our local paper has just reported that there is a very strong rumour (yet to be comfirmed) that our Beales store is to re-open in May. It has been taken over by a company called Drapers. Not in the same league as John Lewis but it would be really good to see them back. I hope they keep the name Beales though as we have a very popular pub in the city centre called The Drapers and people might get confused about where they are going 🤣
2 -
Yes JVB it was a co-op department store for years, always referred to as Westgate House as that is the name of the building. If it does re-open I hope they revamp it a bit as it was very dated. We all thought that it would be converted into flats like every other building that becomes vacant in the city centre.
0 -
I just looked that up Millie because Beales first started up in Bournemouth and Drapers are a media outlet for the trade. it looks as though a company, "New Start" has taken over the Beales brand and opened a new store in Poole last year. Can't imagine what the trading year has been like for them but here's hoping there will be better news. A bit more about it HERE. I think they will be using the Beales name.
It would be great to see our local Beales opening up again, our town centre is so empty now but it looks like they are proceeding very cautiously.
0 -
Millie
I saw that but when you read more closely it's basically going to be full of franchises so the main company is only buying a tiny percentage of the stock. That could work out OK if you like what the franchises offer but that was half the problem with Debenhams as they were mainly franchise. On the brightside at least it is a shop staying open!!!
David
1 -
We have been given a (compulsory) day off tomorrow. SIL is having a friend plus girlfriend over tomorrow, to the garden, and is worried at what his friend might think about us being there......even though we are actually allowed to be there to support DD.
DD is not happy about that, but we are keeping out of it! Up to them to decide together what is more important, but goes without saying that DD is not impressed that her OH is prioritising his mate over the work on the house, and help for her with laundry, dishwashing, the children, etc, etc!
OH has a theory that SIL is looking on DD's maternity leave as her being " on holiday", and us being there when allowed as meaning he is absolved of doing any domestic chores.
Anyway............we have plenty to be doing here, no doubt OH will give me a list, plus she says we need some shopping......that will be her task.
0 -
Same here 😁
1 -
Thanks for the link brue. Interesting reading. Also thanks for your info David. Our Beales used to have a lot of concessions - some I liked and some not so much. It will be good to have a department store. I hope they make a success of it.
1 -
We must have posted at the same time Millie. It looks like the new owners are going to rely on concessions, but it's nice to think you might see the shop open again. I wonder if ours will too, Beales had two large buildings opposite each other in our town and things look very dreary at present.
0 -
Enjoy your indoor time KjellNN - I know you won't be idle 😉.
Text and photo from the new family they made it through the night, with them trying to take 2 hour shifts, apparently it kind of worked 😉. I'm curious 🙈🤐. Thoughts must stay in own head........ Pram has arrived and requires assembly, midwife coming between 8-4. They've hit the ground running, like all new families. I did ask was he sure we couldn't visit today 🤣🤣🤣.
Beginning to get a grasp of what my mum used to say when she said how much time she had and little to do, she enjoyed hobbies and outings etc and her children, my brother and I always on the go!
Beautiful sunny morning here but chilly breeze, blowing my washing nicely. Slow start here, just finishing breakfast before going out with the dog.
Enjoy your day folks
0 -
Living in rural Devon we have 110 mile round trip to get to 'proper shops' a JL or Debenhams. We used to love a good shopping spree when we visited our son in Watford. Amazed by the beautiful, newly opened ( must have cost a fortune) Debenhams. Didn't last long, now shut for good along with JL. Also enjoyed shopping at Debenhams and BHS when stopping at our static van in Stratford Upon Avon, or the two large stores at Banbury, sadly all now gone.
0 -
Do you think the Exeter JL a 'proper shop'?
I have been told, by my 'retail advisor' its not-the proper ones are the likes of Cribbs Causeway, Milton Keynes & Kingston!
Our nearest supermarket is 40 mile round trip hence my usual 22000 miles a year mileage.
0 -
No, the usual-which I don't think anyone would use as a descriptor for the last year!
Interestingly, Jean does not do 'window shopping'.
She enjoys a bit or retail therapy but will only enter a shop if she has something in mind and she thinks they may have it.
0 -
We are enjoying our "day off", having a lazy morning after an extra hour in bed. Weather not too bad so may go and see what I need to order for the caravan, we need to replace some of the old kitchen lights.
I think OH plans a small shopping trip this afternoon as we need fruit and veg.
Is it tonight we lose an hour of sleep? Must remember to go to bed a bit earlier!
0 -
Just started on a terrible paper-work exercise !! Going thro the last X-years papers and documents so that the file & the drawer it all sits in will close
. Think the paper shredder will end up running warm later this afternoon.KJ, Brian has already tweaked his clocks so that the hour has been lost this morning and the night will be just the same as normal !! But I will be celebrating the fact that DWP has told me how much my state pension increase will be AND in December I can look forward to an extra increase of a whole 25p so I'll be looking for gift horses near Christmastime !!
1 -
It’s a lovely morning here. I have a date with one of OH’s torture machines up in attic. I will at some point be assisted to climb off said machine, dumped in shower for a good soak, and then probably tickle a few plants in the garden. Just one last bed now to tidy, then it’s periodic weeding. I am struggling to find ideal spots now for certain plants, got lots of dahlias to start off in pots, so the work never ends, but the exercise is good.😂 I am at my happiest (at home) with grubby hands and knees, and some kind of gardening implement in hand👍
1 -
We have been sorting our caravan ‘stuff’ ready for our first outing in May (after second jab). We had to completely empty the caravan in October when it went in for a floor repair in a couple of places, the dreaded delamination! We have stuff in one of the spare bedrooms and the dining room so perhaps it’s a good job we haven’t been allowed visitors. Problem is, as often happens with us, I say do we really need this and the reply is ‘yes, I may need it’. Nothing has been culled so far so I dreading putting it all back in a couple of weeks time!😱😩
0
🤣.
