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Posted By: Excoriator M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 31st Jan 2018 10:55am
Closing in April. Now that will leave a big hole in the Pyramids shopping centre!

I wonder if anyone else will move in? I imagine Primark is happy where it is. It is a pity, but I think the M&S organisation is reaching the end of its life as a clothes shop.
Posted By: Gibbo Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 31st Jan 2018 11:17am
I guess they don't do so well on clothing in Birkenhead. The food section always seems much busier.
Posted By: fish5133 Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 31st Jan 2018 12:57pm
not enough spare money in the area plus saturation of shops and possibly changeing tastes of population. Id better spend my M and S gift voucher asap
Posted By: venice Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 31st Jan 2018 4:18pm
Probably right Ex. Caught a footline on the news this morning that M&S are closing 14 stores , although I dont know where.
Posted By: Littlebear Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 31st Jan 2018 5:43pm
Birkenhead needs another Poundland/world/planet/galaxy/universe.

Interesting hearing a council member commenting on it on the radio while being blissfully unaware of the reason.
Posted By: RUDEBOX Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 1st Feb 2018 11:13pm
So farewell then to the Marks & Spencer store in Birkenhead after a long and continuous presence in the town. It may be only one store – but it is hugely symbolic of the state of Birkenhead town centre – and do we mean state !

It’s certainly a fist in the face to Birkenhead First isn’t it? Proving to the Wirral Chamber of Commerce backed initiative ,which aims to make Birkenhead an attractive and vibrant retail and leisure destination, that there’s more needed than litter picks and pop-ups when it comes to the cut-throat world of commerce.

Whilst there have long been rumours that House of Fraser is on the way out -and let’s face it since the demise of Beattie’s it has rapidly gone downhill – it staggers on , but for how long? As far as we’re concerned that would be the final nail in the coffin and then all Birkenhead will be fit for is a set for a remake of ‘Dawn of the Living Dead’ – the zombie movie set in a shopping mall.

As for Birkenhead MP Frank Field “demanding” a meeting with M&S chiefs – that’s the trouble with him , he’s so used to “demanding” and getting his own way with Wirral councillors that when the harsh reality of the business world hits he’s suddenly out of his depth and left wallowing in the poverty of his constituents , all prissy pursed lips and a put upon expression.

Council leader Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies is even more delusional and in peak Pollyanna mode is quoted in the Liverpool Echo as saying :

“Good public transport links , £2 all-day parking and plans to re-invigorate the market are positive signs , and the business community ,residents and shoppers are keen to see to see Birkenhead invested in and improved”

But even Pip must know that a headline such as ” Make no mistake … M&S Birkenhead closure is a disaster” in the usually compliant Liverpool Echo means that this is not a good news story.

It’s not a question of running down Birkenhead – it’s already run down or to use Presidential language – it’s a shithole! Time for Pip, Frankenfield and co to wake up and smell the weed wafting down Grange Road.

So spare us the artists’ impressions for fantasy schemes that will never happen , the deceptive , expensive and manipulative wraparound advertising features in Wirral Globe, the press releases about the billions of pounds about to come Birkenhead’s way soon, honest, the cheque’s in the post etc; etc;

If all Wirral Council’s ‘transformers’ can come up with is plans for more car parking charges and a drive-in Maccy D’s whilst transforming their bank balance at our expense and jetting off to Cannes to hawk the tawdry wares that Birkenhead has to ‘offer’ then surely Marksy’s departure is the beginning of the end for the town.

And so we say to the young people of Birkenhead – get an education and GET OUT OF TOWN! Leave the dereliction to the derelicts and those who have been derelict in their duty for decades.

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2018/02/01/get-out-of-town-the-death-of-birkenhead/
Posted By: Greenwood Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 2nd Feb 2018 5:12pm
I went into Birkenhead this morning - I rarely visit there, to be honest. Walking through from the car park by the bus station I was alarmed to see how many empty units there are now; that section of the place is certainly dying on its feet. Very sad. Our townscapes are changing so much, casualties of lower incomes, higher shop rents and business rates, out-of-town shopping, online shopping etc.
Posted By: diggingdeeper Re: M&S to close Birkenhead Branch - 2nd Feb 2018 6:13pm
Part of the reason for closures is the uncertainties of the future, every time they "redevelop" it has a huge effect on businesses, likewise the effects of parking charges. I used to pop into Birkenhead shopping area a lot but the nause of parking meters means its generally low down my list of priorities.

if the Council want to invest in the future, use some of that regeneration money to have free parking and free transport to the places that they want the people to go.

Hate the bus station and looking at the faces of the people waiting there so do most others. Woodside bus station of old used to be a vibrant place and you'd see people hanging around with their kids eating butties as well as the commuters, shoppers.

Its funny that you'd expect the popular shop locations to be the ones closest to the bus station but it appears to have quite the opposite effect.
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