Binns closing down

On line shopping has in many respects killed the once mighty department store. It’s hard to see what more these dinosaurs can do to attract more customers apart from offering a free overnight stay and breakfast chucked in for good measure! I dare say maybe they’ll make a comeback when remote shopping becomes a bore to the newbies.
 
tonybiriyani said:
In July apparently, always been on the cards unfortunately, a shadow of it's former self since Mr Ashley took over.
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It was in a really bad way long before Ashley took over.

So we are going to spend all that money on bars and bowling etc in Captain Cook square but have no shops to attaract people into town. You need peoiple to come and shop then have nice places to eat otherwise they end up as bars that only open a couple of nights a week at 10.00pm until daft o'clock on a weekend. Loke Flare on Albert Road for instance.
 
It used to sell quality goods, menswear had some top brands in the 1990s, you could easily spend a couple of hours in the store.

I don't understand the big fascination with online shopping for clothes, footwear etc. I like to try something on before I buy and feel the fabric etc and do that with a few items and buy one. A third of online stuff is sent back, what does that say about online shopping.
 
asredastheycome said:
Can't come up with interesting ideas like that CtC we need bowling alleys, laser fight places. Somewhere like the Arc in centre of Boro would be amazing.
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Middlesbrough and Stockton made a deal that Middlesbrough would open the art gallery and Stockton the arts centre. It makes sense and is less wasteful and perhaps more realistic for the size of the populations rather two centres in close proximity competing against each other.
Base Camp is trying to attract people in as almost an unofficial arts centre. But it isn't an easy thing to do and needs as much support as possible from everyone.
 
Sad news. Such a grand place and as a kid walking through there it just had a really special feel about it. The staircase as others have mentioned and the lifts. Nothing else quite like it in Middlesbrough, and only the sort of place you'd usually only see on TV in a cheesy American film set in the 70s/80s - well that's how I viewed it as a kid anyway. Let's hope whoever takes over will retain all of it's beautiful features.
 
It should be said as well an arts map was produced recently showing all the galleries now open in Middlesbrough and Redcar. There are absolutely loads now in Middlesbrough. MIMA of course run by the University, Navigator North at the Masham, Pineapple Black (a huge space) next to Boyes at the edge of Hill Street Centre, The Auxiliary an old warehouse converted into studios and exhibition space on Station Street. Tunnel Gallery, under Middlesbrough Station. Platform Arts has just received a major grant to redevelop their studio and gallery space within the railway centre.
This represents a lot of people working really hard to provide enterprise within the town centre. Middesbrough also has a Culture officer, Charlotte Nicol's job is to actually try and put culture into every aspect of the council's work.
I cannot show you the map because at the moment it is not online but instead an actually map distributed all over the town.
We are just finishing Local History Month - again the aim is to get people into the town and other venues throughout Middlesbrough. It has been pretty successful by and large in coaxing many back out of their houses. We will need loads more initiatives in the future and loads more support from the public. Events like the shirt museums involve such an investment in time and money by individuals, they are really appreciated by all those that visit but to stretch these things out beyond several individual days in a year needs all our support.
 
Very sad, it's a great building. Still, there's always hope. If it could survive Hitler's bombs in WWII, then it can surely survive the wrecking hands of Ashley...

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HarryVegas said:
Very sad, it's a great building. Still, there's always hope. If it could survive Hitler's bombs in WWII, then it can surely survive the wrecking hands of Ashley...

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It wasn't actually Hitler's bombs Harry but a child arsonist. Under cover of the war and the blackout the arsonist, or fire bug as he was termed, went around setting fire to many of Middlesbrough's major buildings. He was a minor so never named. The store was not replaced for over a decade because money was so tight and there were so many restrictions on new building etc immediately after the war.
 
fmttmadmin said:
It wasn't actually Hitler's bombs Harry but a child arsonist. Under cover of the war and the blackout the arsonist, or fire bug as he was termed, went around setting fire to many of Middlesbrough's major buildings. He was a minor so never named. The store was not replaced for over a decade because money was so tight and there were so many restrictions on new building etc immediately after the war.
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I stand corrected!
 
fmttmadmin said:
It wasn't actually Hitler's bombs Harry but a child arsonist. Under cover of the war and the blackout the arsonist, or fire bug as he was termed, went around setting fire to many of Middlesbrough's major buildings. He was a minor so never named. The store was not replaced for over a decade because money was so tight and there were so many restrictions on new building etc immediately after the war.
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Didn't the current council buy the actual building for £1million?
 
Effectively closed the day Ashley bought HoF.

I went in once to find wall to wall tsunami of Adidas trackies. Thought I'd walked into a Sports Direct.
 
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