Barnsley Council need to have a really good head scratch and come up with a solution fast. The old Lancaster's or Yorkshire Building Soc would seem obvious choices. http://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/wh-smith-to-close-in-january
Typical Chronicle scaremongering and they could have waited for Smiths to respond before printing. Anybody would think this had come out of the blue with no warning whatsoever.
What a load of ***** from the chronicle, why do BMBC have to scratch their heads? These plans are way behind schedule they should have been out months ago
"The Chronicle has contacted WH Smith to discuss the closure but it was not able to provide a comment in time for publication. However, a source at the store said it has ‘nowhere to go’ once it shuts in the new year and the keys will be handed back on February 1". So they couldn't provide a comment and then the Chronicle prints a comment from them. I'd guess Smiths is a big enough organisation to find its own new premises without the council wiping its arse for it.
Like I said, typical Chronicle. The quote isn't from Smiths though is it, its a source at the store which could be anyone.
Wait until it appears on We Are Barnsley's Facebook page, the retards will have a field day with the council. If l worked at the council l'd be on the phone to the Chronicle.
WH Smiths makes most it's money from airports and train stations etc, the high street part of the business isn't very competitive. i don't think it will try very hard to relocate in Barnsley town centre. Probably not worth the cost and effort. Would anyone miss it?
It's one of those shops you'd only miss if it closed - as a business it's not moved forward in years. Their shops look tired and dated and have lacked investment. I still shop there for magazines,papers and the odd book but I find everything else overpriced
Read an article a while ago about how some woman took over and transformed the business. Just dumped the entertainment department and built the airport, train station etc part of the business are are now the most popular newsagent type shop in such locations throuout the world, and at the time had just moved into china. It sated this is biggest part of their business. Im sure your right though and the artical was wrong
I think the retail and distribution arms are separate entities. I'd imagine the distribution arm is bigger though, and the airport /station part of the retail entity is by far its most profitable, so I suppose you're both right!
not the article i read as I dont read telegraph and it was in a newspaper, but this is jist of it http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...boom-how-Kate-Swann-transformed-WH-Smith.html
Looking at https://www.ft.com/content/812182f4-913a-11e6-8df8-d3778b55a923 you are correct. My info was a few years out of date when work had a contract with them.
The thing I'm baffled by with this is that it all seems to be getting done backwards. Build a temporary market Move semi market to temporary market Move indoor to semi Kick all shops out of cheapside Build new meat and fish market Refurb indoor market Move indoor from the semi building back to indoor building Build new semi market Move semi to new market Knock old semi down Finally build new shops I'm no expert but when you are removing all the shops on cheap side and removing all the shops on all three sides of may day green then the priority should be to replace those units as quickly as possible not putting all your effort and money into looking after the markets. Surely common sense says that once shops had already been knocked down to make way for the temporary market and the semi indoor was completely vacated the logical next step would be to knock it down and build the new street of shops which gives all cheap side and the other two sides of may day green somewhere to rather than being homeless
So you would have built the temporary market last then!http://bbs.barnsleyfc.org.uk/images/icons/icon7.png
Firstly, I'm not sure you've quite got the revised phasing right. I know that the demolition phases have changed a number of times which means it does seem a bit strange the council turfed out the semi open traders and moved them into the new temporary market, only to then move the traders from the Met Centre into the old semi open. I would assume if they knew what they know now, the semi open would've stayed as is and the indoor would've moved into the newly constructed temp market. The plan was always to demolish the car park and old semi open once the traders had moved into the temporary market. This never really made much sense considering the buildings being constructed here as a replacement (Cinema and one half of the new "shopping boulevard" were always planned to come last. Now they've seen sense and done a U-Turn, shifting the priority on refurbing the Met Centre before demolishing the car park. One thing to remember is that the second lot of development (construction of the cinema and new "shopping boulevard") isn't being funded by the council. The refurb of the Met Centre will include the following; A relocated meat and fish market Reconfigured indoor market area New shop units along Cheapside (5 on each level) A restaurant unit where the Carphone Warehouse is currently Improved entrances to the indoor markets 4 new "Kiosk" style units Demolition of 3 units (the ones closest to the Alhambra, previously Early Learning Centre, H&B and Optical Express?) - not sure when this is planned but would make sense to do it quite early to provide better access to the current meat and fish market as this is staying where it is for at least 12 months. An extension at the back of the Met Centre (partly where parts of the old Semi Open and market offices are) which will form one side of the new "shopping boulevard" (8 new shop units) - Obviously this extension won't be done until the car park is demolished. Obviously I would assume this refurbishment will be completed in phases to ensure the whole thing isn't closed all at once, I presume the Meat and Fish is the first to be completed so that the old one can be demolished as quickly as possible. I would then assume this means ALL market traders (May Day Green Temporary & Temp under the car park) can move into the new permanent market at once the refurb is complete. As a result, the rear of the Met Centre and temporary May Day Green market can be closed off and demolition of the temp market and Multi-Storey Car Park can commence. Meanwhile the front is complete and, hopefully, already providing a return on investment. I'd suggest the plan is more likely to be something like; Demolish Central Offices Construct temporary May Day Green market on site cleared from aforementioned demolition Move semi-open market to temporary May Day Green market Move indoor market to previous semi underneath the Multi-Storey Car Park Close and relocate* all shops units from the Met Centre on Cheapside Refurb the Met Centre Move Indoor and May Day Green markets from temporary locations to new permanent location Demolish May Day Green Temporary Market and Multi-Storey Car Park Construct rear extension to Met Centre Create new Market Square Relocate Temporary outdoor Market Stalls to new Market Square Construct new buildings to house new Shops/Cinema etc. *unless you're WH Smith and using the request from the council to relocate as an excuse to close a store that's probably not making enough profit.
