We are facing a new reality – High Streets are in crisis and there’s no denying the problem. Big names are entering administration with chains such as Toys R Us already shutting stores across the UK. But what are the main reasons why our High Streets are suffering? Embed from Getty Images Well for starters […]
Employees at Debenhams in Gloucester have been left wondering whether their jobs are safe after the retailer announced the closure of up to 50 stores this morning. After previously identifying just 10 branches, the company has now decided that a third of their department stores will be shut down, putting 4,000 jobs at risk across […]
Cheltenham’s Poundland store was still selling a controversial artificial pumpkin this lunchtime – despite a pledge to pull the product from shelves across the country. Earlier this month, Poundland began stocking polystyrene pumpkins on its shelves ahead of Halloween. Uproar broke out on social media because polystyrene can take up to 500 years to biodegrade. Several […]
A business leader has dismissed the idea that the new John Lewis store may increase rough sleepers on Cheltenham high street. As with many town centres and cities, rough sleepers on Cheltenham High Street are far from a rare sight. The department store will bring in tens of thousands of John Lewis lovers – but the […]
It was a time when Charles Dickens was in his prime and Queen Victoria was on the throne. In 1842, hardware shop Bloodworths began selling household items to the people of Cheltenham. Just over 175 years on, it’s still going strong – priding itself on its tradition of customer service. The family run shop selling hardware, cooking […]
John Lewis is the latest in a line of large chain stores to dominate our high street. Taking over from Beechwood Shopping centre, the 115,000 sq. ft building is filled to the brim with all manner of artifacts and curiosities. We met with two independent traders to find out how they picture the future of small businesses […]
High streets may be tough, but Sarah-Jane Worboys is tougher. Bryony Firth-Bernard met her to find out what it takes to have a successful business in the middle of a retail crisis. Sarah-Jane Worboys is Super Woman in disguise. She runs two successful boutiques, one in Cheltenham and one in Worcester. She’s just been voted […]
As university students across the country find themselves already in the middle of their first term, for many, their student loan is already long gone. Statistics from The Scholarship Hub show that 11% of students nationwide will have spent their entire term’s loan within the first two weeks of studying, and a further 51% will spend […]
John Lewis has unveiled its £23m store in Cheltenham. The retail group opened its doors to the public at 7:30am on Thursday, with the department store expected to channel business back into the town centre. Kevan Blackadder, head of Cheltenham’s Business Improvement District, said the opening was good news for all businesses. He said: “I […]
Popular fashion brand Coast is the latest high street chain finding itself in hot water, with 24 stores across the country set to close and a further 300 jobs put at risk. Despite the brand’s high street stores closing, department store branches will remain trading following a “rescue deal” by sister brand Karen Millen, a move that […]