[Archived] Blackburns Marks And Spencers

[JAL]

TJ Hughes is a somewhat "tacky" shop which people of upbringing would not be seen entering; can we not have a Primarni, or whatever they call it, instead? Or even better a John Lewis, or Sell Fridges perhaps?

By primarni do you mean Primark, if so, Primark (spelling) is going to have a flag ship store in the new shopping Mall which will hopefully be every bit as good as the one in Blackpool.

The positives of T J HUughes are there will be more electrical goods in the town centre, and garden furniture goods. The clothes are chav tack but you will find better clothing elsewhere of better quality within the town centre.

A John Lewis store for now is unsuitable, but if Blackburn can develop or progress further then who knows maybe one day but not now.

[JAL]

Told the M&S move into the Mall is in doubt, due to the council going back on some financial inducements that were put in place to help aid the giant retailers move.

[JC4LAB]

If we can get a Selfridges instead of TJ hughes then maybe Posh might allow Beckham to one day join us...Might otherwise upset her to see her brand name perfume being sold for under a fiver in TJ Hughes..

[Paul]

If we can get a Selfridges instead of TJ hughes ..............

As there are only four Selfridge stores in the UK I think the Blackburn Mall's chances are slim, still we can dream

[Mike Graham]

As there are only four Selfridge stores in the UK I think the Blackburn Mall's chances are slim, still we can dream

I am sure I heard that the shop "Sell Fridges" was already in Blackburn.

[SAS]

TJ Hughes is a somewhat "tacky" shop which people of upbringing would not be seen entering; can we not have a Primarni, or whatever they call it, instead? Or even better a John Lewis, or Sell Fridges perhaps?

I thought primark and TJ hughes would appeal to a similar type of person, one who likes stuff as cheap as possible

[Claytons Left Boot]

Wonder if Blackburn will ever get a bookshop?

I bet Waterstones have done some research into the possibility. Footflow count, types of consumer in the town, that sort of thing.

Would make interesting reading, would it not?

[Al]

Wonder if Blackburn will ever get a bookshop?

I bet Waterstones have done some research into the possibility. Footflow count, types of consumer in the town, that sort of thing.

Would make interesting reading, would it not?

We used to have an excellent one called Seed & Gabbutts but as the town became more and more of a dump they had to close down. I don't believe there is enough interest these days to support one.

[ABBEY]

now it would abdul and mohammeds

[Stuart]

We used to have an excellent one called Seed & Gabbutts but as the town became more and more of a dump they had to close down. I don't believe there is enough interest these days to support one.

I'd forgotten all about that shop. I used to get school text books from there.

Didn't we have another proper book shop (not counting WHSmith or that cheap one on the Ainsworth Street side of the mall).

I think it was across from where the old (old) Woolies (downstairs) used to be. Damn forgot the name.

We also used to have quite a few music shops before HMV monopolised. Our Price, Andy's Records, 4-Play, Reidy's. I suppose downloads have put paid to all that.

[JAL]

It appears Marks and Spencers WONT be going into the new Mall now, which is a massive hammer blow to the new shopping centre and its owners.

The Telegraph i'm told wont be printing the story because it could damage Jack Straw with the elections coming up.

Sad news for Blackburn.

[thenodrog]

It appears Marks and Spencers WONT be going into the new Mall now, which is a massive hammer blow to the new shopping centre and its owners.

The Telegraph i'm told wont be printing the story because it could damage Jack Straw with the elections coming up.

So what? Political censorship is the mark of tyrannical rule.

Truth is why would M&S ever want to have a significant presence in Blackburn? For a variety of reasons some obvious others not quite so their customers mostly go to Preston or Manchester these days.

[JAL]

So what? Political censorship is the mark of tyrannical rule.

Truth is why would M&S ever want to have a significant presence in Blackburn? For a variety of reasons some obvious others not quite so their customers mostly go to Preston or Manchester these days.

Do we not want Blackburn to be a successful town Thenodrog ?

What has been said along with the local rag not wanting to print it, is that there could be a huge financial vacuum in the councils coffers because of this with the ratepayer having to subsidise it. Its been sugested that because of this new mall, Blackburn with Darwen council is broke and that the rate payer will have to subsidise 68,000 empty square feet of retail space for the next 25 years.

I'm led to believe that M&S were given a sweetner to help assist the move to the tune of £5-6m which was pulled.

[JAL]

So what? Political censorship is the mark of tyrannical rule.

Hey, I live in Blackburn on a 8 to 12 year old estate, were we have NO vote or say in who can be elected for Blackburn. Plus, Blackburn council have not yet adopted the roads on Oakdale after all this time.

Tyrannical, tell me about it.

Blackburn resistance or Oakdale outcasts were do we belong ?

[mellison24]

Hey, I live in Blackburn on a 8 to 12 year old estate, were we have NO vote or say in who can be elected for Blackburn. Plus, Blackburn council have not yet adopted the roads on Oakdale after all this time.

Tyrannical, tell me about it.

Blackburn resistance or Oakdale outcasts were do we belong ?

Interestingly, I remember my dad going nuts about a 2005 AA road-map because those very roads were also not recognised in there. Maybe the idea of roads named after OUR famous football-related people is the reason they aren't included (or so the anti-Blackburn conspiracy theorists may tell you )

[Hughesy]

Is it a blow that M&S isnt going into the Mall??

I wouldnt say so - leave that for real 'shopping centre' shops, M&S is ok where it is!

[mellison24]

Get another Tesco Metro/Express in there. You can never have too many. Every little helps.

[JAL]

Is it a blow that M&S isnt going into the Mall??

I wouldnt say so - leave that for real 'shopping centre' shops, M&S is ok where it is!

The thing is many retailers look at what M&S are doing and simply follow them as they know that there must be cash there to be had. The new increased capacity shopping Mall needs to be filled so this action will seriously affect that.M&S were going to take up about 50,000

square feet a huge area that now has to be filled.

A new improved M&S would also have helped Rovers town centre store due to increased footfall that would have had a higher disposable income.

This IS a big blow to the new redevolpment of Blackburn shopping centre, make no mistake.

[Hughesy]

What's the size of the Primark Store?!

I think its good that M&S is still over the other side.....otherwise there would be nothing left over there anymore and that side of town would just die!

[JAL]

What's the size of the Primark Store?!

I think its good that M&S is still over the other side.....otherwise there would be nothing left over there anymore and that side of town would just die!

Somewhere between 20 - 30,000 square feet I think for the Primark store. Dont forget TJ.Hughes were going to step into the current M&S building which would have balanced things out.

[Ozz]

So what? Political censorship is the mark of tyrannical rule.

Truth is why would M&S ever want to have a significant presence in Blackburn? For a variety of reasons some obvious others not quite so their customers mostly go to Preston or Manchester these days.

The recent decision to not make Preston Bus station a listed building means the Tythbarn Project is know back on track, Tythebarn Project, the future of Blackburn as a shopping attraction to non locals seems doomed.

[mellison24]

The recent decision to not make Preston Bus station a listed building means the Tythbarn Project is know back on track, Tythebarn Project, the future of Blackburn as a shopping attraction to non locals seems doomed.

Always has been imo. I'd love Blackburn to prove me wrong someday, but Preston is by far the better place for many reasons (especially in the case of shopping). It could be worse. We could be Margate.

[thenodrog]

The recent decision to not make Preston Bus station a listed building means the Tythbarn Project is know back on track, Tythebarn Project, the future of Blackburn as a shopping attraction to non locals seems doomed.

Listed building? That faceless concrete abomination? Do me a favour.

[SAS]

Dont forget if the M&S had gone ahead the project would have been finished next year and not in a few months time as originally planned.

Altho I guess it will have the same timeline as the new waves car park which was supposed to be opened in time for xmas.

Personally I think the Mall will be a good success if it can get some good stores in, as Blackburn is already No1 in East Lancs for shopping and this will just cement this..

[thenodrog]

Do we not want Blackburn to be a successful town Thenodrog ?

What has been said along with the local rag not wanting to print it, is that there could be a huge financial vacuum in the councils coffers because of this with the ratepayer having to subsidise it. Its been sugested that because of this new mall, Blackburn with Darwen council is broke and that the rate payer will have to subsidise 68,000 empty square feet of retail space for the next 25 years.

I'm led to believe that M&S were given a sweetner to help assist the move to the tune of £5-6m which was pulled.

It's all closing the door after the horse has bolted. The shoppers with most spending power have departed in disgust and will not be persuaded back easily. Because of this the 'better' shops have closed their doors and gone too leaving the pound shops and video game swap shops. Redressing this situation is unlikley and is now a matter of the chicken and the egg.

Because of board censorship policy I cannot say why this has occurred but there is no need for me to expand upon this because everybody knows why it is and if they don't they have only to ask around.