Go Outdoors about to go into administration?

Only shopped there once. I think they operated a membership scheme which meant you got a discount on selected purchases.
Thought it was a bit odd at the time.
 
Pretty gutted about this, like my outdoorsy clothing and it's the kind of thing you need to go and see and pick up and have a look at, with items being quite specific.

The shops are very badly sized though, no need to have massive stores with a load of tents set up indoors, along with a load of other stuff. The Portrack one is far too big, but then the Millets in Middlesbrough is far too small, just like most Blacks shops are (all the same parent company).

There's definitely a market but three chains and a mismatch of shop sizes is never going to work in this day and age. They need a mid sized shop over Teesside park, but then pretty much every shop must be thinking that.

The UK really needs to look at the rates for online stores v rates for high street, retail park and other location stores, as it's just not working. Go outdoors are probably paying the same rates being over at portrack, than they would be at teesside park, with about 1/3rd of the footfall.
 
It doesn’t really surprise me. They are owned by JD Sports who don’t see it as their core business. They also have to compete with premium brands like Cotswolds, Kathmandu and Ellis Brigham as well as the online market. If JD Sports had to trim their business after COVID haetus then this is the way they would do it.
 
The best thing about the place is being able to view the tents out on display. Otherwise i find it fairly hit and miss. A shame though, more jobs lost.
 
Spent a small fortune in there over the last 12 years or so ago when we started camping. Having the tents up is a bonus when you're looking to buy, and I've found it a good store for outdoor kit and they carry a wide variety of stock usually. Feel bad more jobs are going to go and losing the stores is a real shame, especially as once the campsites open up, I suspect there are going to be a lot more people having a week camping in the UK rather than catching a flight somewhere while C19 is still with us
 
Go Outdoors is similar to the French Decathlon set up, with large hands on stores. I have purchased a lot of equipment from them and get an extra 15% off for being a DofE leader.

I also get a good rate when purchasing the tents.

I will be sad to see it go.
 
Online retail will kill most non-food shops in the next decade or two, best you can hope for is a managed decline.
 
Just popped into the Portrack store this morning looks like an amount of stock has been moved off the shop floor especially in the fishing department.
 
Always enjoyed popping into Portrack shop - got all my walking stuff there over the years.... took my old mum as we were passing and the staff were great with her whilst we browsed... got her a seat and water and generally fussed around her .. Pity one of the decent shops on Portrack
 
Such a shame. As an avid cyclist I love what they stock.

They have MTB shoes at 20% the normal prices, stock excellent bikes from Calibre, who regularly outscore their more expensive rivals in tests and much more.
 
They are becoming a very strong brand in the MTB community, I cannot see why they wouldn't.

They are a separate entity I believe, or at least they have their own website anyway.
 
Evil said:
They are becoming a very strong brand in the MTB community, I cannot see why they wouldn't.

They are a separate entity I believe, or at least they have their own website anyway.
Click to expand...
I guessed they were Calibre branded for Go Outdoors and may make bikes for other similar outlets. Their website only seems to link to GO.
 
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