11th December 2020

More Retail carnage…the year that killed the shops….for good?

philippanestie Culture, Fashion, Image

So Debenhams finally succumbed to total collapse last week after it’s 242-year-old history gone for ever..and no one will replace it as no buyer was found. The days of large department stores are finally dead as who would even dare to try and step into its very large shoes now? This was closely followed by the Arcadia group going into administration namely Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burton. I feel for all its staff who face an uncertain Christmas. It doesn’t seem appropriate celebrating Christmas this year as what exactly is there to celebrate?

A vaccine…well yes….Anyway back to retail, I don’t think Covid is totally to blame for these failures more like the final nail in the coffin that could not be recovered from. Online retailing and not moving with the times has contributed greatly. I certainly will be very sad to see these chains go, though my local Topshop store shut very rapidly about two years ago and is now a ‘sort of’ Charity shop that mainly is closed…Debenhams was always good for a browse but I barely bought anything apart from after Christmas when all the gift sets were reduced…Looks like this year will be the final time, better make sure I buy a carrier bag for posterity.

I am featuring here photos from a few years back of my local Debenhams and Topshop, a sort of momento mori which is now relegated to the ghost of Christmas past. A tragic indictment of the uncertain times we live in, not only in retail but a whole culture…shutting its doors for good…what will the new doors open to? A ‘brave’ new world?? What will that be?? As we certainly need some good news & hope…& somewhere to go…!