The past decade or so has been nothing short of devastating for Nottingham shoppers, with many well-known brands disappearing from our high street altogether. These stores are often more than just bricks and mortar to us, with most carrying a certain fondness for the familiar names of yesteryear.
But which of these big hitters’ passing has hit us the hardest? A new study by savings firm Raisin UK has created a Top Five most-missed brands by analysing how many times they have been searched online and the number of social media engagements each one has had.
The answers may surprise you … let us know your thoughts in the comments below and which stores (chain or otherwise) you miss the most from Nottingham.
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DEBENHAMS - closed in 2021
The retailer in Long Row traded for the final time last year on May 4 before exiting our high street for good. The store had been a major player in the Old Market Square since the early 1970s, so the news came as quite a shock to Nottingham shoppers.
Fifty-seven per cent reacted with much sadness, showing many really did care about one of the biggest names on our high streets. It was announced last year that all Debenhams stores were set to close after last-ditch efforts to rescue the failing department store chain failed, landing it in administration for the second time inside 12 months.
The retailer’s website crashed for days as shoppers attempted to grab bargains, with Debenhams stores reopening for a short period to clear stock. The huge store was a key part of the British high street, being one of the UK’s largest department store retailers after the earlier collapse of BHS. Debenhams sold a range of goods from clothing to household items and furniture.
Sadly, the household name had been struggling for many years, with the Covid lockdowns far from helping and their main concession operator, Arcadia, also entering administration. Boohoo snapped up their online operations to bring Debenhams back online, selling a range of their usual concessions and beauty products that customers loved.
It was recently announced that Debenhams has started rehiring to open a flagship store, rumoured to be in Manchester, in an attempt to bring the chain back to the British high street.
WOOLWORTHS - closed in 2008
The much-loved Woolworths store in Nottingham’s Victoria Centre shut up shop after the firm went into administration in 2008. Our city had enjoyed a long-lasting love affair with Woolies, with the area getting its first branch in Lister Gate – complete with grand art deco frontage - way back in 1914.
At one time or another there were also branches in Eastwood, Beeston and Long Eaton. By the 1960s the Lister Gate shop expanded further along the street with a 500-seater cafe. Boots later bought the store and Woolies didn't have a presence in the city centre again until the branch opened in the Victoria Centre in 1991. But this durable relationship all came to an abrupt halt in 2008 when Woolworths - a feature of the UK high street for almost a century - went into administration with debts of £385m.
Around 44 per cent of people welcomed the return of the iconic brand on social media, proving many of us are still very fond of our Woolies. As the shutters closed on the chain’s final 199 shopfronts in towns across the UK in 2009, it is safe to say a significant piece of high street history went with it. Woolworths was the place to get the majority of things you needed. If you were after a bag of pick ’n’ mix, a wardrobe of children’s clothes and a new CD… Woolworths really was the place.
The iconic store had aisles full of affordable impulse items that had no real business being stacked together. Your school stationery would proudly sit astride bottles of perfume and socks, but that’s the way we liked it. Given all this, it’s no wonder Woolworths became a hot topic after a rumour in 2020 spoke of an imminent return.
People frantically searched for the store on Google and Twitter, but sadly it all proved to be a rather mean hoax. We still live in hope.
BHS - closed in 2016
Our now departed Broadmarsh Centre’s BHS brought the shutters down for the last time more than five years ago now. Fifty-one per cent of people reacted angrily when the brand collapsed, with blame largely apportioned to Sir Philip Green’s management of its parent retail group.
British Home Stores was one of our largest department store chains, selling clothing and household items. In its later years it expanded into furniture, electronics, entertainment, beauty and even convenience groceries. The shopping giant was part of the Arcadia Group, managed by Sir Philip Green, who later sold BHS for £1 in March 2015 to Retail Acquisitions Ltd.
All BHS stores closed by late August 2016, becoming the biggest retail collapse since Woolworths. The shop was a huge part of the British high street and is massively missed. The rest of the Arcadia Group suffered the same fate as BHS in 2021 as they too collapsed, leading to the loss of Topshop, Burton, Dorothy Perkins and more. These brands were later moved online and bought by ASOS and Boohoo. The BHS brand was later snapped up and now operates online selling ceiling lighting.
MOTHERCARE - closed in 2020
Mothercare was a huge traditional bricks and mortar retailer for mums and dads in Nottinghamshire and across the UK. So news of the store finally leaving its home in Castle Meadow Retail Park really tugged at the heartstrings.
As such it came as little surprise that 55 per cent of people on social media reacted with understandable sorrow when the brand collapsed. In November 2019, Mothercare announced it was to close its UK business after calling in administrators. The company, which opened its first store in 1961, had frequently struggled to compete with cheap supermarket clothing ranges and the rise of online shopping.
Mothercare had previously been part of the Storehouse Group which also comprised Habitat and BHS, but the group broke up when BHS was sold to Sir Philip Green. Many parents had huge emotional attachment to the brand, with Mothercare being the leading childrenswear chain in the UK. The store sold a range of clothing and home and travel products, such as pushchairs and car seats and many other essentials to parents.
Mothercare has since completed a franchise deal with Boots, meaning the pharmacy chain can now sell Mothercare-branded products within Boots stores, allowing the brand to return to the high street. The Mothercare website has now also moved to the Boots website, allowing new parents to continue to buy from the brand as usual.
BLOCKBUSTER - closed in 2013
Blockbuster collapsed into administration back in 2013, sending shock waves throughout our high streets with the closure of 528 stores. The film rental store was known for being a place of pure joy, especially when going to borrow a bunch of movies for a sleepover with your friends. You could spend hours walking up and down the aisles, reading the back of every case trying to pick a selection to rent with your blue Blockbuster card.
Could we ever see a return of Blockbuster? Sadly, probably not. With online streaming services such as Netflix and Disney Plus, a revival of the much-loved chain would be purely for nostalgia and zero convenience. Netflix doesn’t charge any late fees, after all! But with 3.6k searches every month for the brand, it’s clear to see we have never forgotten them.
What we’ve learnt
Kevin Mountford, financial expert and co-founder of Raisin UK, had this outlook for the future of our high streets.
“In the past year, we’ve seen many brands such as Debenhams, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins, Burton, Topshop and Topman being snapped up by online giants Boohoo and ASOS. With high street rent high and footfall low, as time goes on, we will be seeing more 'online-based' fashion brands doing the same thing.
“Yes, physical stores may have to close, but with an online presence, brands can now be stretched to serve younger audiences. With these online brands able to tap into their audience demographic, is there a chance for older brands to be re-born and start from scratch, appealing to newer audiences without the price tag? Online presence is absolutely key.
He went on: “Even though this would be a huge step forward for retail business, we have to also remember that after this pandemic, consumers are perhaps more than ever wanting to go out and physically purchase rather than online shop. The more we turn these brands into virtual high street blocks, the less consumer-facing experience a customer has.
“With energy prices hiking, and consumers facing an increase in National Insurance, there will be less disposable income to spend, meaning our high street may be particularly quiet as people start to take extra care when it comes to their savings.”
Mr Mountford said it’s going to be a difficult balance, and added it was positive to see other brands like Toys R Us recommitting to the UK high street with the recent announcement of new stores and new staff - giving hints that the UK high street is looking more desirable.
“The UK high street is a volatile place to be, but it has been for the past five years. What we are witnessing is brands that were already struggling finally collapsing and the stronger brands succeeding more than ever,” he said.
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