Unfortunately Ikea have withdrawn the offer they made on this siteDon’t expect anything to happen quickly on this unit! Real pain!Nick
Nick Gulliford ● 2524d15 Comments
That is really sad news!
Ivonne Holliday ● 2524d
Breaking News - Ikea have just bought Hammersmith Shopping Mall for 170 Million! Slightly bigger commitment than Putney High Street.
Jill Johnson ● 2498d
Picture of new store here. Opens Spring 2021... https://secretldn.com/ikea-hammersmith-store/
Adrian Pearce ● 2498d
What a pity it couldn't be Putney!
Caroline Whitehead ● 2498d
I agree Caroline, a great pity. The store does not seem that huge from the outside, of course. I wonder how they have solved the parking problem.
Ivonne Holliday ● 2498d
Parking must have been the deciding element; there is plentiful parking above the Hammersmith Mall.
What's needed for that site is a mini JL.
Simon Knight ● 2498d
Would be good Simon agree but John Lewis home format isn’t trading particularly well in my view. As a retailer they’ve also really lost their way. Recent opening in Cheltenham has been particularly poor. I saw the boss was sacked yesterday and staff aren’t getting bonuses.M and S should cut their losses and go back in with a Simply Food format. That site is costing them an absolute fortune in rent and rates every year sitting empty.
Nick Gulliford ● 2497d
I agree Nick that M&S should have a Simply Food outlet in Putney. I no longer shop at M&S for food other than buying a turkey breast at Xmas when I want to Southfields but I want to shop locally.I thought that M&S owned most of their freeholds. Interesting that they are still paying rent and rates on their old site. What a waste of resources and money. Their current management team seem as inefficient as many of their previous ones.
Lucille Grant ● 2497d
On news last night said that M and S food had done well over Christmas; it's the clothing that's letting them down. Nick, what reason do they give for not opening a Simply Food in Puteny? It seems an obvious solution, as you say. I go to the one in Barnes which is always packed.
Jane Carter ● 2497d
If M&S are still paying rent and rates on their old site, are they likely to pay out even more money for a site in SW15 where they can have a SimplyFood? Seems unlikely to me. The old site is too big just to keep for food only. I heard there were problems with the old building. I visited the Kings Rd branch yesterday just to stock up on food items and would love to see a Simply Food in Putney. regarding their clothes, I think they have improved lately.
Martine Guy ● 2497d
Hello Lucille,M&S used to own most of their freeholds. However, I think it was in the 90s, following the fashionable financial trends at the time, it sold all its freeholds and rented the premises out. Madness I agree.
Ivonne Holliday ● 2497d
I agree - make the Putney M&S a food store again. The one in Clapham Junction is bigger and packed every time I go in it. There was a rumour yonks ago that M&S food were coming to the Ram Brewery site in Wandsworth but that hasn't happened. In fact, apart from one planned coffee shop not one retail unit there has been taken up as far as I know.
Hugh Walton ● 2497d
Hugh, correct re Ram Brewery, if anyone thinks Putney High Street looks empty. Go to Ram Brewery!!!!!!!! Never in my time have I seen anything like it!
I think M&S are going direct with their Ocado tie up. The logistics of stocking the Putney site and providing access to customers are very tricky. The Barnes Simply Food has made Barnes High Street far less pleasant to hang out on; a real traffic jam.Similarly, the Ocado change has massive ramifications for Waitrose imho. Personally, I am most looking forward to being able to take direct deliveries of Percy Pigs! Less and less of our Ocado is Waitrose branded products as we prepare for the big changeover. Roll on September!
Alastair Brown ● 2497d