Another shop bites the dust

[Macwull]

I take it Values in Wick has closed down? Went past today and it has cardboard covering the windows, anyone know??

[stekar]

It only opens half a day on Wednesdays, but unfortunately it is due to close down by the end of the month.

Such a shame after all the hard work the lassies put in moving premises last year....

[evileenz2210]

yes im affraid that this shop is now closing not sure what date

[Gizmo]

What shop is this?...never even heard of it.

Giz

[Venture]

I think its better known as what used to be the 99p shop

[evileenz2210]

yes, it took over the building that used to be R.S. waters,

[bekisman]

Went in the other day and asked why they were closing; "not selling enough" they said..

[balto]

i dont go in it as i believe you get what you pay for, but i know a lot pf people who go in it, but in my eyes the shop in thurso is a waste of a big shop seems empty every time you pass it.

[scorrie]

What gets me is the people who wax on about picking up packets of envelopes for 10p in Tesco and then they turn around and wonder why a 99p shop is closing. Moving a shop a few doors won't help long term. Even if you stuck the 99p shop right by Tesco it wouldn't help. Tesco is big, big is beautiful. Tesco pay James Nesbitt a fortune to tell you that every little helps. If they stopped paying that money jockey, who moonlights as an actor occasionally, such an exorbitant sum, then perhaps you might save more.

[JAWS]

And who is James Nesbitt when he's at home?

[Bobinovich]

A quick check of IMDB (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0626362/) gives you a bio & pics

[j4bberw0ck]

I know the shop you mean and I don't mean to interfere, but just as a general point there are factors other than Tesco's competition - rent on the shop premises may have gone up (and with goods at 99p it kind of sets a limit on how much profit you can make), local authority business rates (which will surely be exorbitant for a high-street shop presence - they are here), pressure of minimum wage and employment costs - all sorts of stuff going on which also affect Tesco but simply not as much.

There's a £1 shop in Kirkwall which does a roaring trade. It's in a tiny premises well off the high street, up a wynd. It's neat, tidy, clean, well-lit, stacked with good quality goods - a huge assortment. My hat's off to those people - I have no idea at all how they do such a wonderful job, but they do - and their overheads will be much more modest.

[henry20]

I went into the new premises just before Xmas and wasn't impressed at all. I didn't think it was clean or tidy and it put me off wanting to go in again. It seemed drab and lacked something compared to the old premises.

I'm not sure I like the way they've gone onto selling items for £2.99, £3.99, £4.99 etc either, but maybe thats just me.

[rob16d]

I agree with henry.....not impressed! Messy! Also I found the staff to just sit chatting and being completely oblivious to my futile attempts to try and sift through the piles of mixed goods for something in particular.

[bobbyrussell09]

i liked that shop.was only place that had this sweet that i liked.oh well i can try the 99p shop in thurso

[TBH]

It is a shame that the shop has to close, soon charity shops and takeaway restaurants will be all that is left.

[badger]

We've been here before several times. That little shop in Wick was a mess and didn't seem to quite know what it was doing. The 99p shop was better but I always regretted the passing of the More stores which were better still - very useful. No doubt the Council could help by reducing rates but the rest of it is up to the shops themselves. If they want to compete with Tesco they have to be far more attractive, open longer hours, stop closing for lunch and one afternoon a week. There are very few window displays in the older shops that make you really want to go in. A couple in Thurso - Aurora and the one near it whose name I can't remember. Many of them are dreary and oldfashioned looking. Some staff make you feel welcome but many don't. Unless the rot stops soon, the more shops that close the more will follow as there are fewer to tempt people to stop in town.

It's not just size, it's attitude. I would much prefer to shop in Tesco than Homebase. Tesco have friendly staff, a nice little cafe, clean loos, no muzac - it's just a nice place to be. Homebase isn't because it has a completely different atmosphere, probably because it's Argos.

[Macwull]

I agree with henry, much prefered the 99p shop, the new shop just didn't feel as organised. Just seemed like a flea market or something! Its still a shame to see it close though as there are customers who like it, think it was the companies fault in the long run, not the girls who work there!

[scorrie]

And who is James Nesbitt when he's at home?

As I said, Money Jockey and occasional actor.