Barrie Stevens Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 They have not said so but what if M&S sees fit to close the store in Douglas? Some people would lose the will to live? Emigrate? Even less footfall down town? I used to be a cleaner in M&S Drumgold Street. One day the then Chairman paid us a "Royal Visit". His Limo he sent on ahead the driver taking the car from London to Heysham and then across on the "Ben". The Chairman then arrived at Ronaldsway on the company jet there to be met by driver and Limo aforesaid. He then made a tour of the store. Was fawned over etc. He then went back to Ronaldsway in his Limo and flew back to London on the company jet. The driver then took the car back to London on the "Ben" ... It was at this time that M&S began to make profit warnings and see the first signs of decline. M&S in Douglas and any other stores had loads of managers in suits walking around not doing much. Then the order went out that managers had to work! After that we saw managers shelf stacking, tidying up, unloading containers etc. The manager in Douglas had been with M&S man and boy with long service. He rolled up his sleeves and frankly was better at shelf stacking than many half his age. He had done his apprenticeship. The antics of the then Chairman showed that M&S had become too grand, too complacent and not caught up with the times. Seems nothing much has changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4mbi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 pointless what if, as I would be willing to bet that Douglas is one of it's most profitable stores... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 What happens? If you want clothes or furnishings from M&S buy online. Food, buy it elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 1 minute ago, b4mbi said: pointless what if, as I would be willing to bet that Douglas is one of it's most profitable stores... Them's brave words mister! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 Just now, b4mbi said: pointless what if, as I would be willing to bet that Douglas is one of it's most profitable stores... Yes, I was going to say that. But I was going mainly by the food store, which always seems busy. But what about the rest? I'd be less inclined to say that the clothing is profitable. Lot of space, a lot of staff and they need to sell a lot of knickers to pay for that/them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 5 minutes ago, guzzi said: What happens? If you want clothes or furnishings from M&S buy online. Food, buy it elsewhere. What happens if the building becomes empty that is the "What if?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 The proposed store closures are online Baz. The, er, Guardian website has the details. IoM not on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 40 minutes ago, quilp said: The proposed store closures are online Baz. The, er, Guardian website has the details. IoM not on it... The list I looked at referred to "stores across the UK"...I don't think they use a ferry to get stock to the stores listed... Drumgold Street M&S is not in the UK which is why I raised the question. So I aver that "What if" applies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 55 minutes ago, Barrie Stevens said: What happens if the building becomes empty that is the "What if?" So? They deliver to your home, just like Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted May 23, 2018 Author Share Posted May 23, 2018 1 minute ago, guzzi said: So? They deliver to your home, just like Amazon. Not the point is it...Think. Empty building in Douglas to add to the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 (edited) Oh, and the death of shopping in the town centre draws closer. Which is happening everywhere, as surely as the cotton mills of Manchester are empty today, converted into loft apartments, ball achingly cool hotels etc. Brownfield habitats are excellent for wildlife, especially invertebrates, so one day perhaps it could be dynamited and left as ruins. Edited May 23, 2018 by guzzi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b4mbi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 26 minutes ago, guzzi said: ball achingly cool hotels etc. what other cool things make your balls ache? Ailsa from Frozen?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guzzi Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 24 minutes ago, b4mbi said: what other cool things make your balls ache? Ailsa from Frozen?! Whoosh - straight over my head. Never seen it. But I once had a very cool set of motorcycle leathers that made my balls ache. In fact these days, a lot of things are a ball-ache. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Barrie Stevens said: The list I looked at referred to "stores across the UK"...I don't think they use a ferry to get stock to the stores listed... Drumgold Street M&S is not in the UK which is why I raised the question. So I aver that "What if" applies. Bazza, I am pretty sure that M&S management are not so familiar as you are with the constitutional niceties "hanging pendant from the Crown" (I got that from your voluminous correspondence to the Examiner over the years - thanks!) so I am pretty sure that if their Douglas store was going to close in this latest batch, it would most certainly be on the list. Edited May 23, 2018 by woolley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbie Bobster Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 1 hour ago, b4mbi said: what other cool things make your balls ache? "Not for intimate use" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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