Newbury Retail Park could lose Borders after rescue bid talks with WH Smith were reported to have broken down.

The American bookseller has been suffering from heavy discounting by supermarkets and Amazon, and had discussed selling the Pinchington Lane store, along with others to either HMV – which owns Waterstone – or WH Smith.

The UK arm recently posted a £10m loss, and the parent company in the US is also struggling to compete with ongoing price wars.

Borders opened in Newbury in 2006, and has in-store concessions for GAME, Starbucks and Paperchase.

All 45 stores nationwide could be in administration tomorrow.

there is a possibliity the administrators will hold a 'Woolies' style liquidation sale, but with many new books stocked on a sale or return basis this is unlikely.

And on the subject of bookshops, the Invicta Bookshop, which has traded for 40 years in Newbury is set to close in March 2010, pending a planning decision.

Quoted from 78

And on the subject of bookshops, the Invicta Bookshop, which has traded for 40 years in Newbury is set to close in March 2010, pending a planning decision.

I heard that the other day whilst at my favourite bookshop in Wantage.

The reality is that Play & Amazon work on such tiny margins that it is nigh on impossible to compete. It's often the case that I can buy cheaper from Amazon or Play than I can from my wholesaler.

Quoted from 78

All 45 stores nationwide could be in administration tomorrow.

We have had a phone call from a Newbury resident saying that they had had a phone call from Borders today, advising them to pop back to the store at the earliest opportunity to retrieve a deposit on a book that they ordered over the weekend.

Things are not looking good for certain retailers at the moment. Blacks Leisure are trying to restructure themselves by persuading their landlords to accept a lower rent. If this fails, it could mean the closure of Millets in Northbrook Street.

I can only think that rented space in the high street will devalue.  Shops are increasingly finding it harder to compete with on-line commerce.

The loss of Invicta would be a great loss, presumably a lot depends on the sale of the cottages and any planning decisions.  However, its been in the air for some time now

I hope we loose neither the Invicta or Borders. The Invicta is a priceless shop which supplies some great books at very good prices.

I also love my Starbucks fix at Borders whenever I go there.

Quoted from 26

I heard that the other day whilst at my favourite bookshop in Wantage.

The reality is that Play & Amazon work on such tiny margins that it is nigh on impossible to compete. It's often the case that I can buy cheaper from Amazon or Play than I can from my wholesaler.

The selling of new books from the high street is finished.
The Invicta, and the bookshop in the Regent Arcade in Wantage are mainly selling OOP titles - so not in direct competition with Amazon.
Oh, and the bookshop in Kingsclere is closing too.

Quoted from blackdog

The loss of Invicta would be a great loss, presumably a lot depends on the sale of the cottages and any planning decisions.  However, its been in the air for some time now

About 18 months.

Quoted from Administrator

Things are not looking good for certain retailers at the moment. Blacks Leisure are trying to restructure themselves by persuading their landlords to accept a lower rent. If this fails, it could mean the closure of Millets in Northbrook Street.

Creditors of Blacks Leisure have agreed a rescue plan that should allow the retailer to stay in business.

The outdoor goods company said 97% of creditors - primarily its landlords - had accepted its company voluntary agreement (CVA) to reduce its debts.
BBC news website.

Quoted from 78

Creditors of Blacks Leisure have agreed a rescue plan that should allow the retailer to stay in business.

The outdoor goods company said 97% of creditors - primarily its landlords - had accepted its company voluntary agreement (CVA) to reduce its debts.
BBC news website.

They are still closing just over 100 stores. Just keep your fingers crossed that Newbury is not one of them. Millets in Newbury had a really rough time with the prolonged sewer works in Northbrook Street. As did Waterstones. Park Way has not done the shopkeepers of Newbury any favours this year.

As you will see from the Blacks CVA, they have only managed to survive by persuading their landlords to accept reduced rents. All other landlords are under similar pressure from their tenants. Unfortunately, if the recession continues and rental potential does fall off, then this may jeopardise the viability of the Park Way scheme.

Quoted from Administrator

They are still closing just over 100 stores. Just keep your fingers crossed that Newbury is not one of them. Millets in Newbury had a really rough time with the prolonged sewer works in Northbrook Street. As did Waterstones. Park Way has not done the shopkeepers of Newbury any favours this year.

As you will see from the Blacks CVA, they have only managed to survive by persuading their landlords to accept reduced rents. All other landlords are under similar pressure from their tenants. Unfortunately, if the recession continues and rental potential does fall off, then this may jeopardise the viability of the Park Way scheme.

Perhaps Newbury landlords will take note - it seems that several businesses have gone recently owing to the high rents in town. I have always thought that the glut of new retail premises available when Parkway is ready should push rents down in Northbrook St &c.  My hope was that this would make shops available for independent traders - I guess the recession has put paid to that dream for a while.

Quoted from blackdog

Perhaps Newbury landlords will take note - it seems that several businesses have gone recently owing to the high rents in town. I have always thought that the glut of new retail premises available when Parkway is ready should push rents down in Northbrook St &c.  My hope was that this would make shops available for independent traders - I guess the recession has put paid to that dream for a while.

Forever I'd say. Retailing on the high street is doomed. http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/september/dixons

Quoted from 78

Forever I'd say. Retailing on the high street is doomed. http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/september/dixons

Ironically, I got a much better deal on my plasma TV from John Lewis than Dixons were prepared to offer (either on- or off-line). Free five year warranty, too.

Quoted from misc

Ironically, I got a much better deal on my plasma TV from John Lewis than Dixons were prepared to offer (either on- or off-line). Free five year warranty, too.

details, details please.

Oh it was a year or two ago now. A Panasonic 42" 1080p plasma that had all the features I was looking for, and top notch reviews. Originally £799, Dixons/Currys could only get down to £769. I talked John Lewis down to £729 (including the five year warranty) and got a further £10 off when I went to collect it and they didn't have it in stock.

Unfortunately, our greed to buy cheaper (and we are all guilty, including myself) will cause more closures of high street retailers.

Remember year's ago a SALE was either a mid summer SALE, or a Boxing Day start/January SALE. Now the SALE sign is out all year round. Gone are the queues for that "special" deal for the chosen few when the sale starts.

Ironically, the knock-on effect is less jobs, which means less money, which means less buying power, which means less buyers, thus forcing down prices and reducing profit margins even further. It is a disasterous spiral, where we will self-destruct the high street as it is now, and then there will be nowhere to go to see and purchase products on speck. And I can't see an end or a resolve........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8380268.stm

Such a shame, particularly as the staff their really tried hard to play a part in the local community (much harder than some of the independent local businesses that I could mention).

But who of us can say that they haven't browsed in Borders and then ordered a book from Amazon at £10 less than Borders' price on their smart phone while sipping an Americano in Starbucks?  Certainly not me.

Quoted from noobree

But who of us can say that they haven't browsed in Borders and then ordered a book from Amazon at £10 less than Borders' price on their smart phone while sipping an Americano in Starbucks?  Certainly not me.

Me for one. If a shop has an item that I want, and I think the price is acceptable, then I'd buy it there and then. While it's good to save money where possible, I can't see the point in constantly shopping around for the absolute lowest price as if that's the most important thing. It's like driving miles out of your way to a petrol station that has unleaded 1p cheaper than elsewhere.

Quoted from massifheed

Me for one. If a shop has an item that I want, and I think the price is acceptable, then I'd buy it there and then. While it's good to save money where possible, I can't see the point in constantly shopping around for the absolute lowest price as if that's the most important thing. It's like driving miles out of your way to a petrol station that has unleaded 1p cheaper than elsewhere.

It's pretty much accepted these days that everything is more expensive on the high street than it is online. Websites like Amazon or Play (for books, music, films and games)  and eBuyer or Novatech (for technology) are one-stop shops - each of which has a gigantic product range and excellent prices. There's really not much need to shop around.

The only thing I consider to be worth buying from an old fashioned bricks and mortar retailer is clothing, so I can try it on, although many online clothing retailers now offer free postage and packing, and even free return postage (along with a full refund) if an item doesn't fit.