21 jobs to go at East Lancashire GAME stores (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Sad to see GAME shut down ,but Woolworths,Peacoks,B
urtons,Evans,JJB,Haw
kins Bazaar,Past Times have all shut down in Blackburn Mall.Blackburn Mall has 17 shop units empty and coudn't attract big name stores.

People downloading from the net wont help companies like this anymore.Sign of the times I'm afraid.Royal Mail will be the next.Peole e-mail now instaed of sending letters.Look at this comment for example.Years ago we would have to ring up or post a letter to get it on the paper.Now-I quick e-mail.I rest my case.Sad for the people who will lose their jobs but unfortunately thats how it is.

M.DANNY wrote:
Sad to see GAME shut down ,but Woolworths,Peacoks,B urtons,Evans,JJB,Haw kins Bazaar,Past Times have all shut down in Blackburn Mall.Blackburn Mall has 17 shop units empty and coudn't attract big name stores.

I understand where you are coming from, but 5 of those you name have either liquidated or gone into administration. This isn't an issue specific to Blackburn.
Equally, with regard to big names store, who did you have in mind? We seem to have the same stores as most other town centres: expecting the really big names to come here is wishful thinking: how many of the big names will you find outside Manchester?
Having said that, we do need a Waterstones.....

Nothing to do with this story I know but I hope the bloke from Accrington who's been jailed for having 76000 images of child abuse on his computer dies the most horrible painful death imaginable.

Hardly a surprising piece of news when you consider how the cost of producing digital media has fallen in the last 10 years, yet retail prices haven't.
Who could blame people for not buying in the shops when the same media is available to download at half the price.
Have not been in Blockbuster for years yet still manage to watch 5 or 6 movies a week that are less than 12 months, some even before they get to the Vue cinema; a place I've never been inside.
A sad, but ever growing, sign of the times.

Yes Royal Mail (as harrythehamster stated) will be the next to go as I've recently been informed that stamps are set to rise end April to 50p and 60p so the way forward will be emails.....!
Least it might stop all the junk mail......

ladysal wrote:

M.DANNY wrote:
Sad to see GAME shut down ,but Woolworths,Peacoks,B urtons,Evans,JJB,Haw kins Bazaar,Past Times have all shut down in Blackburn Mall.Blackburn Mall has 17 shop units empty and coudn't attract big name stores.

I understand where you are coming from, but 5 of those you name have either liquidated or gone into administration. This isn't an issue specific to Blackburn.
Equally, with regard to big names store, who did you have in mind? We seem to have the same stores as most other town centres: expecting the really big names to come here is wishful thinking: how many of the big names will you find outside Manchester?
Having said that, we do need a Waterstones.....

hahaha that's funny, you think that people in Blackburn can read.

Cha'mone MF wrote:
Nothing to do with this story I know but I hope the bloke from Accrington who's been jailed for having 76000 images of child abuse on his computer dies the most horrible painful death imaginable.

well said cha'mone, i hope bubba pins his do da's to the cell wall

ladysal wrote:

M.DANNY wrote:
Sad to see GAME shut down ,but Woolworths,Peacoks,B urtons,Evans,JJB,Haw kins Bazaar,Past Times have all shut down in Blackburn Mall.Blackburn Mall has 17 shop units empty and coudn't attract big name stores.

I understand where you are coming from, but 5 of those you name have either liquidated or gone into administration. This isn't an issue specific to Blackburn.
Equally, with regard to big names store, who did you have in mind? We seem to have the same stores as most other town centres: expecting the really big names to come here is wishful thinking: how many of the big names will you find outside Manchester?
Having said that, we do need a Waterstones.....

Many big names are missing in Blackburn Mall,miss selfridge,Internatio
nale, Beaverbrooks,Cex,Foo
tlocker,Waterstone,Z
ara,Jack & Jones,Poundland,Zumo
,Ted Baker,Monsoon,Perfec
t Homes,Curry Digital,Warehouse,Di
sney Store and many more.If Blackburn is the capital of East Lancashire then the Shopping Mall needs to attract more big names to Blackburn.Preston ,Blackpool,Bolton and Manchester have these stores.More Stores and more choices bring more people to Blackburn town centre.Lack of choices in Blackburn means more people prefer Preston and Manchester.Blackburn retail is just too small compared to Preston and Bolton.There are 17 shop units empty in the Mall empty and further 15% of empty shops in Blackburn town centre compared to 10% in Preston.A modern shopping centre like the Mall in Blackburn should be full of shops and fast food outlets.Who would want to come to Blackburn when you have 17 empty shop units in the Mall and one Costa Coffee.Sorry i prefer Preston and Trafford Centre.

modan wrote:

ladysal wrote:

M.DANNY wrote: Sad to see GAME shut down ,but Woolworths,Peacoks,B urtons,Evans,JJB,Haw kins Bazaar,Past Times have all shut down in Blackburn Mall.Blackburn Mall has 17 shop units empty and coudn't attract big name stores.

I understand where you are coming from, but 5 of those you name have either liquidated or gone into administration. This isn't an issue specific to Blackburn. Equally, with regard to big names store, who did you have in mind? We seem to have the same stores as most other town centres: expecting the really big names to come here is wishful thinking: how many of the big names will you find outside Manchester? Having said that, we do need a Waterstones.....

Many big names are missing in Blackburn Mall,miss selfridge,Internatio nale, Beaverbrooks,Cex,Foo tlocker,Waterstone,Z ara,Jack & Jones,Poundland,Zumo ,Ted Baker,Monsoon,Perfec t Homes,Curry Digital,Warehouse,Di sney Store and many more.If Blackburn is the capital of East Lancashire then the Shopping Mall needs to attract more big names to Blackburn.Preston ,Blackpool,Bolton and Manchester have these stores.More Stores and more choices bring more people to Blackburn town centre.Lack of choices in Blackburn means more people prefer Preston and Manchester.Blackburn retail is just too small compared to Preston and Bolton.There are 17 shop units empty in the Mall empty and further 15% of empty shops in Blackburn town centre compared to 10% in Preston.A modern shopping centre like the Mall in Blackburn should be full of shops and fast food outlets.Who would want to come to Blackburn when you have 17 empty shop units in the Mall and one Costa Coffee.Sorry i prefer Preston and Trafford Centre.

And how many of the stores you mention above will you find in Preston?
Show me where Zara, Ted Baker and Monsoon & the Disney Store are situated.
Poundland? A big high end store? We have at least three similar shops already!
I know we need a Waterstones, I mention it above.
Your adoration of the Trafford Centre makes my case: in case you hadn't noticed, it's in Manchester.....

ladysal wrote:

modan wrote:

ladysal wrote:

M.DANNY wrote: Sad to see GAME shut down ,but Woolworths,Peacoks,B urtons,Evans,JJB,Haw kins Bazaar,Past Times have all shut down in Blackburn Mall.Blackburn Mall has 17 shop units empty and coudn't attract big name stores.

I understand where you are coming from, but 5 of those you name have either liquidated or gone into administration. This isn't an issue specific to Blackburn. Equally, with regard to big names store, who did you have in mind? We seem to have the same stores as most other town centres: expecting the really big names to come here is wishful thinking: how many of the big names will you find outside Manchester? Having said that, we do need a Waterstones.....

Many big names are missing in Blackburn Mall,miss selfridge,Internatio nale, Beaverbrooks,Cex,Foo tlocker,Waterstone,Z ara,Jack & Jones,Poundland,Zumo ,Ted Baker,Monsoon,Perfec t Homes,Curry Digital,Warehouse,Di sney Store and many more.If Blackburn is the capital of East Lancashire then the Shopping Mall needs to attract more big names to Blackburn.Preston ,Blackpool,Bolton and Manchester have these stores.More Stores and more choices bring more people to Blackburn town centre.Lack of choices in Blackburn means more people prefer Preston and Manchester.Blackburn retail is just too small compared to Preston and Bolton.There are 17 shop units empty in the Mall empty and further 15% of empty shops in Blackburn town centre compared to 10% in Preston.A modern shopping centre like the Mall in Blackburn should be full of shops and fast food outlets.Who would want to come to Blackburn when you have 17 empty shop units in the Mall and one Costa Coffee.Sorry i prefer Preston and Trafford Centre.

And how many of the stores you mention above will you find in Preston?
Show me where Zara, Ted Baker and Monsoon & the Disney Store are situated.
Poundland? A big high end store? We have at least three similar shops already!
I know we need a Waterstones, I mention it above.
Your adoration of the Trafford Centre makes my case: in case you hadn't noticed, it's in Manchester.....

Doncaster opened a new shopping Mall in 2011 and all their shops are full and they have Waterstone,Disney Store,Monsoon and many more.In Blackburn Mall opened in 2010 with 17 shop units empty and one Costa Coffee.List of Stores in Preston,Curry Digital,Starbucks,Of
ficers Club,CEX,HCUK,MISS SELFRIDGE,SONY CENTRE,INTERNACIONAL
E,WATERSONE and many more.More stores means more people visits shopping centres.I prefer Preston,Bolton and Trafford Centre not Blackburn Mall with 17 empty shop units and one Costa Coffee.

I think i have to agree with Modan on this,that Mall Blackburn has lot of empty shop units.You forgot Poundland,Krispie Kreme,Zumo,Pizza Hutt Express,Harry Ramsden,Nandos,KFC,C
las Ohlson,Garage Shoes,Jack&Jones and many more could fill Blackburn Mall'S shop units.Blackburn has few big name high street stores,but only two decent food outlets Mcdonalds and Costa Coffee.With a dozen or more empty shop units in the Mall and further 15% empty shop units in Blackburn town centre it's just bad as Blackburn has one pf the highest empty shop units in the country.We need to attract more big stores and fill up up those empty shops in the town so we could attract more shoppers back to Blackburn.

Doncaster is a bit far away and as far as I know, they have nothing on the scale of Trafford within a thrity mile radius. We used to have Internacionale: shame people didn't shop there causing it to shut. Same with Officer's Club. If you want a starbucks, why not nip to the University Centre: thats where it is hiding. I assume that HCUK should read FCUK: when did that open in Preston?
Its all a bitr chicken and egg: the good shops will follow the shoppers. If you want the bigger shops, then use the shopping centre. Some big names will only be found in the regional centre: hence you will only find them in Manchester which serves the entire region.

M.DANNY wrote:
I think i have to agree with Modan on this,that Mall Blackburn has lot of empty shop units.You forgot Poundland,Krispie Kreme,Zumo,Pizza Hutt Express,Harry Ramsden,Nandos,KFC,C las Ohlson,Garage Shoes,Jack&Jones and many more could fill Blackburn Mall'S shop units.Blackburn has few big name high street stores,but only two decent food outlets Mcdonalds and Costa Coffee.With a dozen or more empty shop units in the Mall and further 15% empty shop units in Blackburn town centre it's just bad as Blackburn has one pf the highest empty shop units in the country.We need to attract more big stores and fill up up those empty shops in the town so we could attract more shoppers back to Blackburn.

Again, Pizza Hut and KFC used to be in that area: both closed due to a lack of business.....

ladysal wrote:
Doncaster is a bit far away and as far as I know, they have nothing on the scale of Trafford within a thrity mile radius. We used to have Internacionale: shame people didn't shop there causing it to shut. Same with Officer's Club. If you want a starbucks, why not nip to the University Centre: thats where it is hiding. I assume that HCUK should read FCUK: when did that open in Preston?
Its all a bitr chicken and egg: the good shops will follow the shoppers. If you want the bigger shops, then use the shopping centre. Some big names will only be found in the regional centre: hence you will only find them in Manchester which serves the entire region.

Meadow hall in Sheffield is same size has Trafford centre and is only 17 mile from Doncaster.Frenchgate shopping centre in Doncaster opened in 2011 and have all the top stores.Blackburn Mall have few like H&M,USC,Primark,Top shop/Top Man and a Costa Coffee.Debenhams,Nex
t,Boots,WH Smith,H Samuel, New Look,Argos,were already here in the 1980s and 1990s before the Mall took over Blackburn shopping centre.Mall Blackburn failed to attract top stores and cannot fill those 17 empty shop units.HCUK is big high street name Hair and beauty salon ,they have one in Preston.

ladysal wrote:
Doncaster is a bit far away and as far as I know, they have nothing on the scale of Trafford within a thrity mile radius. We used to have Internacionale: shame people didn't shop there causing it to shut. Same with Officer's Club. If you want a starbucks, why not nip to the University Centre: thats where it is hiding. I assume that HCUK should read FCUK: when did that open in Preston?
Its all a bitr chicken and egg: the good shops will follow the shoppers. If you want the bigger shops, then use the shopping centre. Some big names will only be found in the regional centre: hence you will only find them in Manchester which serves the entire region.

I agree with modan again more stores is what Blackburn Mall needs right now.With over a dozen or so empty shop units will put off many shoppers coming to Blackburn.A modern Mall must fill all the shop units.Blackburn has one of worst empty shop units in the country.With a catchment population of 500,000 people around East Lancashire,if Blackburn wants to remain the retail capital of East Lancashire then it must attract more retail investments and leisure investments.
Do your homework ladysal . Doncaster to Sheffield is only 17 miles away.Sheffield has Meadow Hall shopping centre in the same scale Trafford Centre and yet the Shopping centre in Doncaster has more stores than Blackburn Mall.Not long ago Preston wanted to build Titherbarn Shopping Centre on scale of Trafford centre and could have been a detrimentle effect on Blackburn and Blackpool town centre's economy.The good news arrived last year when John Lewis pulled out that the Tithebarn was put on hold for time being.Blackburn must plan for the long term that more investment in retail and leisure industries is needed now.If Preston city council goes ahead with Tithebarn again without John Lewis then Blackburn will be the most to loose out again.More people will head for Preston frome East Lancashire.I wrote a letter to the Editor of Lancashire Telegraph about the extention of Blackburn Shopping Centre back in 1990s .My dreams have come true in 2010 but the Mall needs to attract more stores in the Mall if Blackburn wants to compete with Preston,Bolton and Manchester.The Thwaites site should be redeveloped with a new Sainsbury Superstore,the old markets sites could be the home of a new bus station and when the Orbital Road is completed the area around King Street and Frekleton Street could be redeveloped with Retail and Leisure industries.Blackburn town centre has improved over the last ten years or so but there is still lot more to be done.

M.DANNY wrote:

ladysal wrote: Doncaster is a bit far away and as far as I know, they have nothing on the scale of Trafford within a thrity mile radius. We used to have Internacionale: shame people didn't shop there causing it to shut. Same with Officer's Club. If you want a starbucks, why not nip to the University Centre: thats where it is hiding. I assume that HCUK should read FCUK: when did that open in Preston? Its all a bitr chicken and egg: the good shops will follow the shoppers. If you want the bigger shops, then use the shopping centre. Some big names will only be found in the regional centre: hence you will only find them in Manchester which serves the entire region.

I agree with modan again more stores is what Blackburn Mall needs right now.With over a dozen or so empty shop units will put off many shoppers coming to Blackburn.A modern Mall must fill all the shop units.Blackburn has one of worst empty shop units in the country.With a catchment population of 500,000 people around East Lancashire,if Blackburn wants to remain the retail capital of East Lancashire then it must attract more retail investments and leisure investments. Do your homework ladysal . Doncaster to Sheffield is only 17 miles away.Sheffield has Meadow Hall shopping centre in the same scale Trafford Centre and yet the Shopping centre in Doncaster has more stores than Blackburn Mall.Not long ago Preston wanted to build Titherbarn Shopping Centre on scale of Trafford centre and could have been a detrimentle effect on Blackburn and Blackpool town centre's economy.The good news arrived last year when John Lewis pulled out that the Tithebarn was put on hold for time being.Blackburn must plan for the long term that more investment in retail and leisure industries is needed now.If Preston city council goes ahead with Tithebarn again without John Lewis then Blackburn will be the most to loose out again.More people will head for Preston frome East Lancashire.I wrote a letter to the Editor of Lancashire Telegraph about the extention of Blackburn Shopping Centre back in 1990s .My dreams have come true in 2010 but the Mall needs to attract more stores in the Mall if Blackburn wants to compete with Preston,Bolton and Manchester.The Thwaites site should be redeveloped with a new Sainsbury Superstore,the old markets sites could be the home of a new bus station and when the Orbital Road is completed the area around King Street and Frekleton Street could be redeveloped with Retail and Leisure industries.Blackburn town centre has improved over the last ten years or so but there is still lot more to be done.

Yes, I agree that there is much to be done. However, my main point was that some of the stores mentioned in other posts used to be in Blackburn, but left because of lack of use. If we want those stores to come back and others to arrive then we have to make it worth their while. The Mall can invest all the money they want, as can the council. But if the shoppers keep demeaning the centre and going else where to shop, then why would they?
I apologise for being wrong about Doncaster, but their experience and also that of other shopping centres around Manchester says it all. The shoppers kept going and supporting their local centres, so the big stores came and stayed. Its up to us to provide an environment which welcomes these stores and hair salons etc.