Another chain store closes its Plymouth High Street outlet
THE Blacks outdoor leisure wear store in lower New George Street has closed – adding to a growing list of empty shops in that part of the city centre.
The outlet shut at the weekend and a sign says it has "merged" with the Millets store in upper New George Street.
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Another chain store closes its Plymouth High Street outlet
It is understood most of the Blacks workforce have transferred to the Millets branch.
Both Blacks and Millets, also an outdoor leisure wear retailer, are owned by JD Sports Fashion, which also has a shop in New George Street. But last week JD said it was set to roll out a new store format for troubled Blacks as part of a turnaround plan, which is likely to see sister brand Millets leave the high street.
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JD chief executive Barry Bown last week said the retailer is "debating having a single brand" within its outdoor division.
Staff in Plymouth's Millets told The Herald they were unsure what was going to happen but expected the store to "expand".
JD has now closed about 150 of the Blacks and Millets stores it acquired when it bought Blacks out of administration in January. The outdoor division made a £10million loss in its first half of this year.
The closure comes in the week another troubled clothes retailer, JJB Sports pulled out of Plymouth with the loss of 12 jobs. The chain, which yesterday went into administration, announced it was closing its New George Street outlet last week.
Today was due to be its last trading, but with stock reduced to half price since last Thursday, the store was almost empty on Sunday.
The Blacks and JJB closures bring more empty units to a stretch of the city centre described by city centre manager Clint Jones as creating "a bit of a barrier".
Woolworths, Officers Club, Game, Hawkins Bazaar, Derrys, TJ Hughes and Nectar are just some of the casualties along what was once the city's most bustling shopping stretch.
Last week, JJB manager Jon Evans told The Herald: "We are at the wrong end of town."
And a Millets/Blacks employee said the retail pictured worsened "as soon as you get past the Sun Dial".
However, other parts of the West End of the city centre continue to do good business. Ray Robins, chairman of the Market Traders' Association and Cornwall Street Shopkeepers Association, insisted Cornwall Street remained buoyant and Plymouth City Market, the pannier market, remained about "85 per cent full".
And overall Plymouth has a vacancy rate of just 11 per cent, below the 11.6 per cent national average.
Comments
by turner33
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 9:16PM
“questions ought to be asked why millions was spent on a slippy pavement scheme and promoting an area as an independant quarter which has such local independants as KFC, Argos, William Hill, Jessops, T-Mobile. An "independant quarter" that had woolworths, cash convertors and T.J. hughes at its centre - mmm and now the council wonder why all those from outside plymouth who were conned or duped into thinking it was an "independant quarter" never bothered to return.”
by unhappysteveo
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 6:28PM
“black and millets have been the same company for ages, i often wondered how they could sustain have 2 blacks shops and a millets all within a few hundred yards of each other. makes business sense to merge them all in to one store.”
by deputydog
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 4:30PM
“someone posted you can get all you need in the mall i dont think so”
by philofbudo
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 3:15PM
“Funnily enough W H Smith used to be at the top end of New George Street and part of their old site is now Millets! They moved down to where they are now because, at the time, it was thought to be a better location.
Just goes to show how the presence of the Drake Circus mall has completely changed the centre of gravity of the city centre.”
by Devonportboy
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 2:20PM
“my God the glass half empty mob are out in force today, if you really want to do something about it then shopping in Exeter isn't the answer”
by Asyouwouldbedoneby
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 1:53PM
“I am not surprised. I went in there a few weeks ago for some walking shoes. All the assistant kept doing was muttering to him he had to keep going up and down the stairs getting various shoes for me. Certainly no customer service and I ended up going to those very nice people at Sports Direct in Plymouth and the young guy was very helpful and very pleasant.”
by shoes11
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 12:59PM
“Dont bother with Plymouth, Exeter is by far a nicer, friendlier and better place to shop”
by hstmtu4000
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 10:10AM
“WH Smiths are now finding themselves completely "isolated" and once their existing lease expires they will no doubt want to relocate further uptown as well.To quote city centre manager Clint Jones, the Blacks and JJB closures bring more empty units creating "a bit of a barrier".Now that must be the understatement of the year.West of that "barrier" is effectively now only a "local" shopping centre for mostly "local" residents needs with mostly local levels of disposable income. Arguably the wider city centre as a national quality shopping destination now only functions in that role from the Sun dial eastwards to Drake Circus,end of.
Meanwhile in the real shopping world John Lewis opens its major new department store in Exeter on October 12th.
For those interested anyone can get a "off peak Devon and Cornwall" railcard valid after 0900 for just £10 a year and get a third off rail fares within Devon and Cornwall .For instance a day return to Exeter wold cost about £5.50 and £2 each for the kids.Here is the link.
http://tinyurl.com/cy2rfft”
by hstmtu4000
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 10:05AM
“WH Smiths are now find themselves completely "isolated" and once their existing lease expires they will no doubt want to relocate further uptown as well.To quote city centre manager Clint Jones, the Blacks and JJB closures bring more empty units to a stretch of the creating "a bit of a barrier".Now that must be the understatement of the year.West of that "barrier" is effectively now only a "local" shopping centre for mostly "local" residents needs with mostly local levels of disposable income. Arguably the wider city centre as a national quality shopping destination now only functions in that role from the Sun dial eastwards to Drake Circus,end of.
Meanwhile in the real shopping world John Lewis opens its major new department store in Exeter on October 12th.
For those interested anyone can get a "off peak Devon and Cornwall" railcard valid after 0900 for just £10 a year and get a third off rail fares within Devon and Cornwall .For instance a day return to Exeter wold cost about £5.50 and £2 each for the kids.Here is the link.
http://tinyurl.com/cy2rfft”
by Waltersmith
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 8:52AM
“I was surprised Blacks opened a shop here in the first place. It will only be a matter of time before WH Smiths go as well and the whole street ceases to function”