Hawkins Bazaar; Letterbox

Hawkins Bazaar has only been opened here for over just 12 months. It will be a shame for another store to close with the loss of even more jobs. The shopping centre here has more closed shops than opened ones !
I have to admit I only ever brought from Hawkins Bazaar via the internet and as for Letterbox I have to admit to my shame I have never heard of it, but its sad news all round

I have been buying from Hawkins Bazaar Catalogue for years - really great for silly stocking fillers. Letterbox is a fairly new one for me since I had grandchildren but the cataloque is full of lovely stuff. Are they part of the same group?

I think so. I was at work when I overheard it on the radio so I didn't hear the full story. Hopefully the catalogue will continue and it's just the retail outlets that will go. I've never found anything in the shops to match the toys from Letterbox and their delivery service is excellent. I used another catalogue this year for some presents, but have left it at my daughter's house, which means it will have been thrown away by now. There's a 'London Bus with Driver' that I so want to buy. In fact, every time I look at the catalogue I find something else that I want!

I heard about the demise of Hawkins but didn't know about Letterbox. What a shame. I've bought bits and pieces from both of these companies and have always been pleased with their products and service. La Senza is also going I think although I've not bought anything from them and Past Times is also in trouble I believe. They opened locally recently and are now having a closing down sale. Yet the likes of Tesco seem to be expanding dreadfully. There's great argy bargies going on in the next town about plans for a huge Tesco which will be absolutely ridiculous as there is a Tesco Extra already in action just over a mile or so away. Crazy days.

Don't get me started about Tesco. There's a social club that we go to that is being closed because Tesco have bought the land, and the row of beautiful little terrace house next to it have been uninhabited and boarded up for years for the same reason. The social club is always full and runs lots of events for people. The problem with Letterbox and Hawkins now is that no one will buy from the catalogues in case they don't get what they purchased which will make the problem worse.

Yes, I'm sad about Hawkins Bazaar. It was always fun browsing the catalogue, and the fight in the shop, waving a catalogue covered in highlighter ,was part of the run up to Christmas. Used to use Letterbox a lot, good stuff.

crimson I also feel the same about Tesco.
A pub not far from me closed sometime ago but Tesco has turned it into Tesco express, there is a Co-op just over the road from it which is now struggling to keep going, the Co-op has been there longer than I can remember.
We already have two Tesco's in this area along with Asda just down the road from us another super market was the last thing we needed

Why don't councils reject the Tesco planning applications? They must realise that accepting the application will put local businesses in jeopardy - and also require additions to the infrastructure eg access roads

Tesco are planning a large store in the middle of a residential area in Marple, Stockport. There have been marches and a campaign, and it is generally known that the school it will replace on one site is in need of swimming baths that could also be used for the local community. No-one wants this to happen, but if it does, they will be able to knock down the old swimming baths at last, and widen the road, build more housing and generally destroy the village shops that are its pride and joy. Councillors have been petitioned and the community keeps hearing that Tesco will have its way. How to ruin a village!

They seem to have a way of getting what they want. Friends in high places and a few back handers perhaps? Whatever happened to the monopolies comission?

Has anyone seen the Banksy Tesco Flag graffiti? Just google Banksy Tesco Flag [I can't do links!].

www.telegraph.co.uk › News › UK News
I have just had a look at it

Banksy could have used a photo of one of the trees in my nearby park! It has a tatty Tesco bag flying there, which is taking ages to break away.