Maplin

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Just been on the news that they've collapsed. Along with Toys R Us. If you can tell the difference.

[newshound]

I thought they were quite good in their day, but don't compete for convenience with eBay for almost any sort of electronics and small tools.

[charles]

They were quite reasonable in their original mail order days,and possibly when they had half a dozen shops in sensible areas - but when they went "nationwide" including expensive central London sites anybody with any sense could see itb wouldn't work.

[The Natural Philosopher]

There is little or no hobby interest in the market to day at ALL.

Models shops have vanished Craft shops are having a hard time Electronics stores are pointless I am not even sure people HAVE hobbies any more...

[Jethro_uk]

I'd suggest the internet was the first refuge for such places ... uk.d-i- y being an exemplar.

Online fora - some attached to internet retailers have replaced the bricks and mortar element, with Amazon/eBay mopping up the rest.

A hobby I have developed since the internet - home brewing (and distilling) seems to be fairly healthy. But that's probably because a lot of shops are run by people who *want* to run them and who appreciate the sense in stocking whatchmecallits, oojimaflips and the like, as opposed to the high value/high margin s**te that Maplin were trying to push.

I suspect there will be a period of some kind of consolidation where owners (or renters) of big retail units that are starting to struggle (Sainsburys, Tescos) start to act as landlords for more niche operations (e.g. homebrewing) in an attempt to entice footfall into their domain.

Of course such a move would piss off the landlords that would like such businesses to rent a separate unit. But I suspect it's very much a buyers market, right now.

Ultimately, you'd think such closures would lead to housebuilding on the never-to-be-refilled sites. I present the fact that it won't as an argument that we don't have a housing crisis in the UK.

I have no idea what Hobbycrafts position is, but I can't help but feel they're going to feel a crunch soon. But that's a personal beef.

[whisky-dave]

I remmeber buying from them in the mid-late 70s from southend, then they ha d a shop in hammersmiths. Problem is electronics as a hobby pretty much died out, trying to find some thing interesting to make was difficult as most things could be brought rea dy made from china. Now there is a bit of a comback with embedded systems b ut it';s all modules and if it;s not in a module the average students just can't connect things together. I've just asked a student why he really needs 2 of these at £1.70 each

tor-module-ky-018

When I have these in stock (23p)

-0134

and he can freely take any resitor from our rack and same with connector. I 'm betting he;ll say he doesn't know how to connect them up as a potential divider. :-

[tim...]

It's the same scenario that did for Jessops

tim

[tim...]

yes they do

It's called facebook

tim

[tim...]

there used to be a homebrew section in larger Boots

there is no more

tim

[Martin Brown]

Toys R Us won't be missed - they really lost the plot. Maplin was handy if you ever needed something small in a big hurry.

They do, but it is certainly true that the median age of people with non-trivial hobbies that require skill and patience is getting older.

There are very few younger members in astronomy, model engineering and live steam preservation clubs these days. When I was young there were enough of us to form a separate sub group from the adults. Now they are an endangered species - preferring to mess around with their iThingys.

I swear there will be a new RSI disease of texter's thumb soon.

[Martin Brown]

Wilco's still do though.

[whisky-dave]

But there are still some that take hobbies to the extreme but they are few in number, there was one on the early news or the oneshow IIRC last night.

I don't believe what was said though in that he just got most bits from a skip, there's some serious kit there and he has more space than we have seem to have for such things so I don't see how his place can be a standard flat on mile end road.

We used to have a radio society and an electronics society now all we have is sports and islamic socities but don't tell Harry. You never hear of studetns being drunk and causing noise anymore either.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Thats a hobby like smoking crack is a hobby...

[Jethro_uk]

Ah, I'd add Boots to that list of "I remember them". They've fallen into the BHS trap of not really knowing what they are. Are they a pharmacist, or a discount make-up store flogging the odd sandwich on the side ?

Whereas Lloyds seem a bit more focussed.

[Jethro_uk]

It doesn't really compare to even the smallest home brew cave though. Which tends to be cheaper too.

(I know some Tescos stock beer and wine kits ...)

[charles]

so focussed that they no longer stock lady's razors as SWMBO found last week

[tim...]

Those three bits seem to have survived the attempts to diversify

It's all the rest that has disappeared

Of course all of the "homeware" type stuff appeared in the store when they "merged" with Timothy Whites (extra points for remembering them - ISTR there's a Dad's Army script where they get a mention)

tim

[harry]

A lot of magazines have disappeared too. Even DIY is no longer done by younger elements.

[tim...]

The problem with being a high street dispensing chemist is that your main business is moving away from you as there is a trend for even larger doctor's practices with pharmacies on site,

Plus the introduction of "electronic" repeat prescription has led to competition from companies who will order your meds for you and deliver them to you door.

tim

[tony sayer]

Yes they do computer games and playing with their smartfone;(....