LEICESTER | Retail in the city centre

[flange]

'Comes good at the end' for N Brown

January 11, 2012

Christmas came late for N Brown whose margins were hit after flat trading in October and November forced the home shopping retailer to cut prices in December.

In the 19 weeks to January 7, Manchester-based N Brown reported total group revenues were up by 2.3 per cent.

Like for like revenues, excluding new stores, was up by two per cent.

But trading only picked up in December after additional promotional activity, which will hit the Manchester-based firm's gross margin for the financial year to March 3 by one per cent.

Chief executive Alan White said: “Sales were 1.5 per cent down after the first six weeks of the period and we had to put some extra effort into promotional activity and pricing.

“Once we got into December we saw double digit sales growth.

“We had to trade to the very best of our ability, but it came good in the end.”

Online sales at N Brown, traditionally a catalogue retailer with brands including Figleaves, Jacamo and Simply Yours, were up by nine per cent and are now almost 50 per cent of group revenues.

Mr White said: “Some of our brands now have 80 per cent online sales.

“I think there will still be a role for the catalogues in my lifetime, but I can envisage a strategy to take some paper out of some catalogues in the second half of 2012.”

The group's first ever high street stores, under the Simply Be brand in Bury and Liverpool, have succeeded in attracting new customers.

Mr White said: “I am very happy with their progress so far. The vast majority of customers at the stores are new to us and we have signed leases for five new stores which will open in 2012.”

The stores, which require an average £2m investment and create 20 jobs each, will be in Manchester's Arndale Centre, opening in September, and in Newcastle, Teesside, Leicester and Doncaster, all of which will open by Easter.

International sales in the USA have met expectations, while in Germany N Brown is focused on reducing its returns rate – customers sending back goods – which has seen some early progress.

Mr White said: “In Germany the consumer has been spoilt.

“It is normal that delivery and returns are free, so customers buy multiple sizes and colours and send back what they don't want.

“We have been seeing more than 60 per cent returns, whereas in the USA it is less than 30 per cent.”

The board believes performance for the year to March 3 will be in line with expectations , subject to customers reacting well to the new spring catalogues which are being despatched in January and February.

It said it expects customers will be under financial pressure in the year ahead, though falling inflation should prevent that getting any worse.

Mr White said he expected the Fig Leaves and High & Mighty brands to break into profit in 2012.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...nd-for-n-brown

[Leicity82]

Probably in Highcross no doubt.

[Chisit]

Sounds shit

[d4mo85]

Originally Posted by Chisit

Sounds shit

Yeah i'll go with that.

[Leicity82]

RE59 a clothes retailer has opened in Highcross according to their website.

http://re59fashion.com/

[Ruts]

Originally Posted by Leicity82

RE59 a clothes retailer has opened in Highcross according to their website.

http://re59fashion.com/

They moved in just before Christmas into the old Henleys store.

[Leicity82]

From Merc:

Two independent shops in one Leicester city centre street are closing after clocking up 35 years' trade between them.
Clothing and equipment store JC Sports has been in Belgrave Gate, Leicester, for 20 years, and record shop 2Funky in the street for 15 years.

For full article see: http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.u...ail/story.html

Not sure if these are great losses, but another nail me thinks in Belgrave Gate's coffin, I dread to think what will replace them! How many more £1 shops, takeaways or betting shops can that road take.

[Chisit]

Two more

[Leicity82]

lol

[d4mo85]

I'm really not arsed about either store.

I avoid Belgrave Gate if I can, it's like an outdoor Broadmarsh.

[Regeneration is cool]

belgrave gate is whit hopefully the new bus station if built will brighten up that area. Also is anyone interested with starting a petition to get those ugly non rotating discs taken down from the wall in the new part of highcross. i hate them

[Lears City]

Sorry I don't mind the discs and definitely don't care enough about them to sign a petition.

I would sign a petition to have Belgrave Gate levelled though. Wasteland would look better than the current street. Can anyone put up a picture of any building on Belgrave Gate, that would be missed? I'm talking about the bit between the Clock Tower and Burley's Flyover...

[Lears City]

I've found one, not particularly great building - but it is an Edward Burgess Coffee House.

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nedtrifle/5538201697/

[Lears City]

This is Grade II listed, but there is no getting away from the fact that it is abysmal...

image hosted on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3511858...n/photostream/

[Stefan88]

I can't believe that is listed. What on earth do English Heritage think is architecturally significant about that building?

[Lears City]

No idea...they give reasons, but I still don't understand?

http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/De...509&mode=quick

[candida]

It is because it is only the 2nd known example of curtain walling in the UK and the first without intervening mullions.

Still think it's awful - knock it down!!!! Anyway, if it's so brilliant to make it listed then why on earth were they allowed to put those ugly panels up?

[Lears City]

There are hundreds of buildings in Leicester, that deserve a listing status way above the Kingstone store. What is curtain walling? What are intervening mullions?

[WOTZDA POINT]

Originally Posted by Lears City

There are hundreds of buildings in Leicester, that deserve a listing status way above the Kingstone store. What is curtain walling? What are intervening mullions?

What a truly exciting building. I'm just hoping the Demostaph Plinth can join it and achieve listed status too

I guess looks is not a determining factor when considering a building for listed status.

I believe Lee Circle car park has a unique design but i cant see that achieving listed status.

I wonder who decides what building can be listed, can the general public influence things ?

[Lears City]

Yes an individual can submit a building for listing status consideration...

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/c...become-listed/

I might have a go at getting the Blue Tower of St George listed. There surely can't be another of its type?

On a serious note though, I've often thought it might be worth coming up with an index of unlisted buildings in Leicester, that deserve the merit and putting in applications for them all. There are loads that should be listed. Some of them are probably on the Council's Buildings of Local Interest list, although I've always struggled to locate this list.