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Topic History of: WHSmith announce return of Vinyl to their stores
Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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Green Man |
robbiex wrote:
Honey wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Honey wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Rich wrote:
Honey wrote:
What stores? They closed most of them.
I must admit that I thought WHSmith was one of those stores that would have been among the big names that have vanished in the past 15 years but I am pleased it hangs on, although our big store near me used to be two floors and is now just a single floor and smaller on that floor too. They have some small stores on railway stations that just rip people off with over pricing and deserve to be boycotted in those locations.
Green Man - I was still recording music and radio shows onto C90 cassette tapes until as recently as 2002. I can't believe it now. All these cassettes are now taking up a lot of cupboard space, but I couldn't get rid. I attempted to digitise some a few years back but was disappointed by the quality of so many and it took ages to do in real time.
Its only the airports and train stations that keep WH Smiths afloat. The vast majority of their income comes from these locations, the rest barely break even and are just to keep the brand presence. The one in our village of Cranleigh only opened about 8 years ago and only seems to have a smattering of customers. However its still good that they open new stores fairly recently.
I can see the appeal of singles. If you like a record, then why should you have to buy 8 or 9 other tracks that you don't necessarily like. Many groups are purely singles groups, and outside of their singles they have few good tracks. I got the Police greatest which includes all singles and a few album tracks. The album tracks aren't great (Tea in the Sahara, the beds too big without you). The same with Abba, there is very little outside of the singles. Then you have the 12inch singles, extended play and extra tracks. Duran Duran always gave good value on their singles. Their b-sides were new tracks not on any album, whereas Japan had some 12" singles which were exactly the same as the 7", which is a rip-off, as they were twice the price.
Do you live in Cranleigh, Robbie? Lucky you, it is lovely.
I am glad that Smiths are stocking vinyl, or stocking anything, come to that. Hopefully it will be a success for them.
We have got a couple of good independent bookshops locally, and I have always thought they have missed a trick by not selling vinyl, because it appeals to the same sort of customer.
I don't think its that lovely. There are 3 grotty pubs that I never go in, there is no train station (Dr Beeching closed it) and not many nice independent shops. Most of the people are up themselves. It takes 2 hours to get to central London by public transport if you're lucky. 35 mins on bus to Guildford then 35 mins to train + 20 mins on the tube + waiting times
I can get to London in two and a quarter hours from Lime St, so that sounds a pain in the neck for you.
My sister lives in Cheshire, and she said that I'm lucky to live so close to St Pancras so that I can get to France by Train. The fact is that it is virtually the same time for her to come from Macclesfield to London (< 2 hours) and then a short walk from Euston to St Pancras.
So you have a choice of banal UK or banal France. To be fair I do like the South of France - then you have more of a language barrier to deal with. If you are not fluent you are ignored even if you try your best.
A bit like Hungary the major cities the locals will have a decent knowledge of English until you go to the smaller rural areas or market towns. Then good luck to you. Hungarian is not easy to learn IMHO, I think the only time I returned home early from a holiday after a few days.
I did find it so unwelcoming.
The easiest Language for me to pick up was Latvian.
The people are upbeat over there. Even if you can't speak Latvian well they will congratulate you for trying.
Latvia does have a bit of a rock scene there, worth checking in if you are into that. |
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robbiex |
Honey wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Honey wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Rich wrote:
Honey wrote:
What stores? They closed most of them.
I must admit that I thought WHSmith was one of those stores that would have been among the big names that have vanished in the past 15 years but I am pleased it hangs on, although our big store near me used to be two floors and is now just a single floor and smaller on that floor too. They have some small stores on railway stations that just rip people off with over pricing and deserve to be boycotted in those locations.
Green Man - I was still recording music and radio shows onto C90 cassette tapes until as recently as 2002. I can't believe it now. All these cassettes are now taking up a lot of cupboard space, but I couldn't get rid. I attempted to digitise some a few years back but was disappointed by the quality of so many and it took ages to do in real time.
Its only the airports and train stations that keep WH Smiths afloat. The vast majority of their income comes from these locations, the rest barely break even and are just to keep the brand presence. The one in our village of Cranleigh only opened about 8 years ago and only seems to have a smattering of customers. However its still good that they open new stores fairly recently.
I can see the appeal of singles. If you like a record, then why should you have to buy 8 or 9 other tracks that you don't necessarily like. Many groups are purely singles groups, and outside of their singles they have few good tracks. I got the Police greatest which includes all singles and a few album tracks. The album tracks aren't great (Tea in the Sahara, the beds too big without you). The same with Abba, there is very little outside of the singles. Then you have the 12inch singles, extended play and extra tracks. Duran Duran always gave good value on their singles. Their b-sides were new tracks not on any album, whereas Japan had some 12" singles which were exactly the same as the 7", which is a rip-off, as they were twice the price.
Do you live in Cranleigh, Robbie? Lucky you, it is lovely.
I am glad that Smiths are stocking vinyl, or stocking anything, come to that. Hopefully it will be a success for them.
We have got a couple of good independent bookshops locally, and I have always thought they have missed a trick by not selling vinyl, because it appeals to the same sort of customer.
I don't think its that lovely. There are 3 grotty pubs that I never go in, there is no train station (Dr Beeching closed it) and not many nice independent shops. Most of the people are up themselves. It takes 2 hours to get to central London by public transport if you're lucky. 35 mins on bus to Guildford then 35 mins to train + 20 mins on the tube + waiting times
I can get to London in two and a quarter hours from Lime St, so that sounds a pain in the neck for you.
My sister lives in Cheshire, and she said that I'm lucky to live so close to St Pancras so that I can get to France by Train. The fact is that it is virtually the same time for her to come from Macclesfield to London (< 2 hours) and then a short walk from Euston to St Pancras. |
|
Honey |
robbiex wrote:
Honey wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Rich wrote:
Honey wrote:
What stores? They closed most of them.
I must admit that I thought WHSmith was one of those stores that would have been among the big names that have vanished in the past 15 years but I am pleased it hangs on, although our big store near me used to be two floors and is now just a single floor and smaller on that floor too. They have some small stores on railway stations that just rip people off with over pricing and deserve to be boycotted in those locations.
Green Man - I was still recording music and radio shows onto C90 cassette tapes until as recently as 2002. I can't believe it now. All these cassettes are now taking up a lot of cupboard space, but I couldn't get rid. I attempted to digitise some a few years back but was disappointed by the quality of so many and it took ages to do in real time.
Its only the airports and train stations that keep WH Smiths afloat. The vast majority of their income comes from these locations, the rest barely break even and are just to keep the brand presence. The one in our village of Cranleigh only opened about 8 years ago and only seems to have a smattering of customers. However its still good that they open new stores fairly recently.
I can see the appeal of singles. If you like a record, then why should you have to buy 8 or 9 other tracks that you don't necessarily like. Many groups are purely singles groups, and outside of their singles they have few good tracks. I got the Police greatest which includes all singles and a few album tracks. The album tracks aren't great (Tea in the Sahara, the beds too big without you). The same with Abba, there is very little outside of the singles. Then you have the 12inch singles, extended play and extra tracks. Duran Duran always gave good value on their singles. Their b-sides were new tracks not on any album, whereas Japan had some 12" singles which were exactly the same as the 7", which is a rip-off, as they were twice the price.
Do you live in Cranleigh, Robbie? Lucky you, it is lovely.
I am glad that Smiths are stocking vinyl, or stocking anything, come to that. Hopefully it will be a success for them.
We have got a couple of good independent bookshops locally, and I have always thought they have missed a trick by not selling vinyl, because it appeals to the same sort of customer.
I don't think its that lovely. There are 3 grotty pubs that I never go in, there is no train station (Dr Beeching closed it) and not many nice independent shops. Most of the people are up themselves. It takes 2 hours to get to central London by public transport if you're lucky. 35 mins on bus to Guildford then 35 mins to train + 20 mins on the tube + waiting times
I can get to London in two and a quarter hours from Lime St, so that sounds a pain in the neck for you. |
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Green Man |
When my partner and I went to Surrey to get a vehicle, we drove through Cranleigh. Our first thought was that it was another "transport trap."
I do see a lot of railway lines and track beds when I hike. It's a shame, the UK would probably have had the best rail networks in Europe if it was not due to cuts. Everything was connected, even people living in the most remote villages could go to London or Manchester.
I think Surrey lost a lot of its rail network like the rural parts of West Country, Hants, Wiltshire and Kent.
When Dr Beeching was closing the rail network, Japan was upgrading its trains and network, even developing the concept and prototype of the Bullet Train.
The UK has always been behind the times.
Back to music.
I have noticed prices are different from HMV to online. It's cheaper online for the same exact same albums. It does need looking in to. Some staff in HMV are very knowledgeable some only know newer music. I am not sure WHSmith will have staff like that.
Just don't ask HMV about Marvin Rainwater or Red Foley. |
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robbiex |
Honey wrote:
robbiex wrote:
Rich wrote:
Honey wrote:
What stores? They closed most of them.
I must admit that I thought WHSmith was one of those stores that would have been among the big names that have vanished in the past 15 years but I am pleased it hangs on, although our big store near me used to be two floors and is now just a single floor and smaller on that floor too. They have some small stores on railway stations that just rip people off with over pricing and deserve to be boycotted in those locations.
Green Man - I was still recording music and radio shows onto C90 cassette tapes until as recently as 2002. I can't believe it now. All these cassettes are now taking up a lot of cupboard space, but I couldn't get rid. I attempted to digitise some a few years back but was disappointed by the quality of so many and it took ages to do in real time.
Its only the airports and train stations that keep WH Smiths afloat. The vast majority of their income comes from these locations, the rest barely break even and are just to keep the brand presence. The one in our village of Cranleigh only opened about 8 years ago and only seems to have a smattering of customers. However its still good that they open new stores fairly recently.
I can see the appeal of singles. If you like a record, then why should you have to buy 8 or 9 other tracks that you don't necessarily like. Many groups are purely singles groups, and outside of their singles they have few good tracks. I got the Police greatest which includes all singles and a few album tracks. The album tracks aren't great (Tea in the Sahara, the beds too big without you). The same with Abba, there is very little outside of the singles. Then you have the 12inch singles, extended play and extra tracks. Duran Duran always gave good value on their singles. Their b-sides were new tracks not on any album, whereas Japan had some 12" singles which were exactly the same as the 7", which is a rip-off, as they were twice the price.
Do you live in Cranleigh, Robbie? Lucky you, it is lovely.
I am glad that Smiths are stocking vinyl, or stocking anything, come to that. Hopefully it will be a success for them.
We have got a couple of good independent bookshops locally, and I have always thought they have missed a trick by not selling vinyl, because it appeals to the same sort of customer.
I don't think its that lovely. There are 3 grotty pubs that I never go in, there is no train station (Dr Beeching closed it) and not many nice independent shops. Most of the people are up themselves. It takes 2 hours to get to central London by public transport if you're lucky. 35 mins on bus to Guildford then 35 mins to train + 20 mins on the tube + waiting times |
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