Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, April 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

April’s window on the shop windows

In about ten years time from Smabs Sputzer’s [2012] image, this scene will change dramatically. Since then, the TAC building has been demolished with its replacement due to be finished by the end of this year. Plus you can see Ashton’s IKEA store from the International Space Station.

• Mettricks to leave Stalybridge;
• State of local economy inspires aspirant councillors;
• Claire’s Accessories, Bargain Booze and Select Fashion in trouble;
• Prince of Orange’s transformation completed;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

We hope you have had a Happy Easter. Hopefully, whilst you are reading this, you would have polished off your chocolate eggs, ate the last slice of Simnel Cake, or seen the Manchester Derby fixture.

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Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, March 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

March’s window on the shop windows

Work in progress: the Joint Service Centre, Warrington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne. Since the demise of Carillion the contract has been transferred to Robertson.

• M&S closures in Denton and Stockport confirmed;
• Equestrianism supplies retailer moves to bigger out of town premises;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

With the worst excesses of The Beast From The East and Storm Emma, there’s every chance you may be reading this round-up at home. We don’t blame you, though yours truly was daft enough to venture out in these conditions.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, February 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

Our second window on the shop windows for 2018, and it doesn’t make for good reading in parts

A soggy Ashton-under-Lyne in January 2015, taken with a budget priced digital camera (of 1999 vintage).

• More store closures;
• Stalybridge to lose branch of Yorkshire Building Society;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

2018 is only 34 days old and has up to now been dominated by store closures and bank closures. Two of which in Stalybridge, one to follow in Denton, and one in Ashton-under-Lyne. A leading chain store is set to move out of town.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, January 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

Our first window on the shop windows for 2018

• Happy New Year from the Ashton Review of Shops;
• Crafty Pint opens in time for Christmas;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

We at East of the M60 would like to wish all readers a Happy New Year. Whether you read EM60 for the Ashton Review of Shops or our other articles, hello there. If you fancy keeping up to date with our posts, why not give our Facebook page a ‘Like’? (We know you want to).

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, December 2017: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s window on the shop windows

Merry Christmas from East of the M60: image by Mike Serigrapher, 2009 (Creative Commons License – Some Rights Reserved).

• Small Business Saturday and Tameside Christmas Market;
• Bake and Taken?
• Two for joy for accessories retailer;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

At this time of writing, we are now into the second weekend of the Tameside Christmas Market. In our opinion, Christmas doesn’t really begin in Tameside till the first trees are sold in Vaughan and Lester. With their delightful grotto display.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, November 2017: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s window on the shop windows

• Further details of new micropubs in Tameside area;
• Plus all the usual retail movements.

The Stores That Tesco Ate: A Lost Precinct Not So Perfect Ten

A look at ten supermarket chains absorbed by Tesco since 1945

For social historians and retail commentators, the recent history of Tesco is peppered with twists and turns. Contemporary hagiographies focus on the store chain’s tax affairs, or their presence on our High Streets.

Much of the groundwork was set in the 1960s and 1970s thanks to Jack Cohen. After organic growth, the end of the 1950s onwards saw Tesco buying regional chains like Irwins and Hillards. Even so, their integration wasn’t all plain sailing: for example, outstanding debts; unsuitable sites; and planning issues. Its turning point came when Ian MacLaurin joined the Tesco board after being a management trainee. As Managing Director in 1977, he ditched the Green Shield stamps, a gimmick which only ten years before, drew shoppers to their stores.

The rest, they say, is your favourite humanities cliché. It set the store chain onto an upward trajectory. Stores grew in size as well as numbers: standard sized supermarkets; plus Extras, Metros and Expresses. Then global domination, and a loyalty card scheme that took the retail world by storm.

In our Lost Precinct Not So Perfect Ten, we look at the ten store chains that Tesco have acquired since 1945.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, October 2017: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s window on the shop windows

• Rififi and Amber Lounge reopens – with new name and new look;
• Hyde United flies flag for Tameside in the F.A. Cup;
• Papa Johns latest addition to Ashton-under-Lyne’s retail offerings;
• Plus all the other retail movements.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, September 2017: The Ashton Review of Shops

This month’s window on the shop windows

We think this image via Historic Photos – Lancashire dates from the 1950s. (Creative Commons License: Attribution – Some Rights Reserved).

• Ashton Review of Shops is Up For The Cup;
• Simply Clintons is up for the chop;
• Hyde’s new store will sell you a chop, with a neat price drop;
• Plus all the other retail movements.