B&Q Closing stores

Agreed, but the real problem is the property company is operating on borrowed cash and it becomes the banks problem if the market is allowed to crash. The auditors are failing in their job, because the book value is false.

They're probably not, that's why Homebase are shrinking their outlets also.

Homebase has somehow managed to get itself a type of clientele that is not price sensitive

B&Q hasn't (It's just viewed as a "normal" person's builders merchant)

tim

So normal people don't maintain their property?

Judging by the collapse in the DIY market, no.

When I complained that my local (smallish) B&Q didn't sell bricks they claimed it was a home improvement store and not a builders merchant.

Perhaps. Any time I visit those two in Wandsworth, they have more staff than customers. But I'd not normally use them on a weekend.

The one in Wandsworth is a warehouse, so does offer more 'hardware' than Homebase. But at prices I simply won't pay. It has a whole second floor devoted to kitchens, bathrooms and lighting - so hardly a builders merchant. If anything, Wicks would have had that title - but now they are adding a Toolstation, likely to stop stocking many builder's materials, simply due to space.

Probably fair enough as the bricks they would have sold wouldn't improve the average property. ;-)

Sorry I don't get this extrapolation of yours

tim

Hence B & Q have to close stores.

What's that got to do with Homebase being more expensive?

tim

perhaps B&Q tried too hard to undercut Homebase and lost too much money

Has it collapsed or is it just the owners of stores such as B&Q, Homebase etc. are attempting to justify a lack of profit because they are not competing very well with what can be obtained easily on-line. Markets these days change very fast and the old model of very large sheds on trading estates may no longer be what customers want.

Supermarket owners have stated to realise that people dislike having to walk for miles around the isles of a mega-store just to do the weekly shopping.

I'd say that's the reason. And, of course, traditional trade only outlets now welcoming retail customers.

Must admit to finding B&Q quite frustrating. They sort of look like they are going to stock an item I want, but when I look for it, they don't. Even things like a particular screw size or whatever. And having looked once or twice to find there is a bin for this but is empty, can no longer be bothered looking. So just go elsewhere where I know they take more care. And of course once in such a store I might well by extra things I hadn't intended. So they lose the original sale plus any extras.

That tends to depend on my mood. If they sell 'interesting' things too, I don't mind so much. One of the things I like about Lidl and Aldi.

Your prolly quite right Alan. I can't be arsed to go to them anymore if I need it "now" Toolstation is much better all round, and if it don't need it the fingers on the keyboard can do it better;).

Rather Ironic that when Comet folded in Cambridge the building they were in became a "Wickes"!...