Thetownend.com

Just gone into administration.

Branson did well selling to them when he did!

3500 jobs at risk.

Damn right he did. They did their business with Woolworths and therefore it's goodnight from them.

Bad news for their employees but my employers will be high fiving today.

Bloody hell. I mean, I know Zavvi was only a matter of time, but it seems like there's one every day. Mfi, Whittards yesterday, Zavvi today, etc.

Not long until Tesco rule the UK and then, the world.

Who is going to be next?

I'll go for The Bed Shed.

I fucking hate Zavvi-and HMV,both soulless dives

Yup, and I am often told this by customers (as if my name is HMV and I call the shots) before they spend hundreds of pounds on CD's and DVD's etc.

You'd be suprised how "into" HMV the management are - I think they get brainwashed or something at all those conferences they go to.

I was a temp before and didn't get kept on when a position came up because I didn't have any intention to join the "HMV family" - then the guy they kept on left after a week and they called me. My situation hasn't changed :)

We'd all love a world of Championship Vinyl stores - or would we? I don't know.

we'd all love to be on the serving side of things rather than the having to prove ourselves as worthy customers side.

:D

I don't mind being a punchbag for customers but I hate till work. I prefer to be on the shop floor talking to customers. I prefer to do what I did last night and work 1500-2330 and put out stock.

Officers Club too today.

I've heard that WH Smith won't be too far behind.

Not really. Branson is still Guarantor I think?

Were going to end up with Women shops everywhere.

when i worked at hmv my week of night shifts were the best. we'd be in for the last hour of store opening, then worked til about midnight putting stock out. working with no customers was infinitely less annoying, we got to play our own music, go out for a jazz fag break, and it was only me, a mate, and weird manager lady working.

my method was to do all the heavy lifting first, have my jazz fag break, then spend the next three hours theraputically stacking whilst listening to great music quite loud. i always got loads done and my displays were immaculate. happy days.

 You fellas have got me here....the only Zavvi I know is the rather excellent midfielder who plays for Barcelona, just not spelt that way.

I saw Xavi play and score last season and he was indeed the best player on the pitch.

times, they are achanging.

Yep,nothing personal Rich.You must be one of he few employees that actually strike up conversation with the customers,that's what I miss about small record shops-musical musings with someone who knows what they're talking about

It's the latest incarnation of former high street record seller Our Price Reg.

A world if indepenadnt record shops would do it for me mate.

Many years ago I was best man for my best mate who worked in HMV bath and was marrying a girl from HMV head office. So all the HMV top brass were there, and they were arseholes.  My missus was on a table with them being told that 'his speech beeter be good'!  Or what mr HMV arsehole?  Im sure its much nice people now.

I'd be surprised if he was. Virgin don't actually own all of the Virgin businesses - they rent their name out for something like 5% of turnover (that was the kind of figure I heard Virgin Media pay). There was a management buyout resulting in the Zavvi re-branding and I can't believe for one second that there would have been any guarantees as part of the deal.

Sounds like its Woolworths folding that has been Zavvi's downfall, due to their reliance on EUK and then being unable to pay their outstanding debt to EUK when the administrators called it in.

Whilst it might sound harsh I think this is one of the positive things that come from a recession - the weak businesses fold leaving the remaining businesses stronger. It kind of clears out the crap.

I hope no-one got gift vouchers for christmas!! Stores will not take gift cards.

What all stores?? Or just the ones in the shitter?

All zavvi store incl outlets.

send it away and u get ur money back, u dont lose out

Yeah I noticed on my brief stint in town that Zavvi weren't taking gift vouchers.

Even more annoying was that the cd I wanted buy wasn't being sold anywhere. Grumble.

Actually does anyone know if you can spend HMV gift card thingies online? They have the cd on their website.

no, you cant.

What a bunch of cunts. I'm going to have to pay for that cd and spend the gift card on some other rubbish.

I hold Rich Pullen solely responsible.

Why dont you just ask the store to order it in?

I figured that would take at least a week for them to do and I'm not planning on going back into town anytime soon, mainly because shopping is one of my least enjoyable things to do, after ironing but before sticking an electrode down my japseye whilst watching animal porn.

Me mother made the mistake of thinking that when her 35 year old son said he wanted a set of lights for his pushbike, it meant he wanted a Nintendo DS, along with 3 games....from Zavvi ::), so when I took it back yesterday to get a refund, yep, you guessed it  :cry: :bye:

now, I could take it back to another shop playing the old 'lost the receipt' card, but that aint gonna get me a refund...now I do have a Nintendo Wii (much more grown up than a DS dont you think ;)) but there isn't anything I'm after on that front at the moment.

suggestions?? other than keep it :D

I didn't even get me bike lights either  :(

I'll give you £20 for it.

ok, where do I sign  ::)

Here:


............................................
Mr. Jimbob

loving ya work  ;D

Stick it on ebay. Wait until February time though.

They asked me "Rich, bubby, shall we let customers use gift cards online", I said "No. Fuck em". So you're right.

It's also accurate that it's ridiculous.

i thought they were closing down. still charging 30 boys for the wire season 5.

Fuckers.

I know.

In contrast I went into Woolworths and it looked like a half empty poundshop. I left soon after.

I love the way the old romantics pine for independent high street stores to replace the chain stores.  Shame nobody actually uses the bloody things to buy products though, hence why the chain stores have taken over.  A bit like how everyone moans at Tesco's dominance over the High Street - don't shop there then.

I thought Curry's were a likely Administration case and it wouldn't suprise me if WH Smith don't do some sort of restructuring before long.  They always suffered like Woolies when the pinch hit.

On Zavvi, Branson was a Guarantor, but not sure what that means in business speak.  I presume it's a little different to to someone doing it on your mortgage.

Smiths are supplied by EUK also. Thankfully they only have small entertainment depart,ents and most of the money comes from elsewhere, else I wouldn't have had a job this Christmas!

£2 for a Kool Moe Dee vinyl though.


I went into Woolies in Hackney the other day, everything was for sale. And by that I mean everything - the shelving (£50), wet floor signs (£5), and baskets (£2).

You'll be able to get some decent sized stores soon, didn't they have a pretty good property protfolio whereas most retailer lease?