Allders closure would have 'catastrophic' effect on Croydon, says MP
THE loss of Allders would have a catastrophic effect on Croydon, Labour MP Malcolm Wicks has said.
Commenting after the store went into administration, Mr Wicks, MP for Croydon North, said: "This is devastating news, but sadly not altogether a surprise – it is a slow motion car crash that has been happening for some time."
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Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks
He laid part of the blame for Allders' plight on Government economic policies which "are plunging the economy, including the Croydon economy, into deeper and deeper recession".
He added: "Local institutions, such as Croydon Council, and the Whitgift Foundation, must also ask themselves serious questions: their lackadaisical approach to business matters, their lack of urgency, is entirely the wrong approach."
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The Foundation is the freeholder of the Whitgift Centre.
Mr Wicks said: "Unless a buyer can be found for Allders – or buyers for different parts of the business – Allders' demise will leave a series of huge holes in Croydon: a catastrophic hole in jobs, a dismal hole in the physical make-up of the town and a huge hole in local morale, as the signs go up saying that Croydon is no longer open for business."
His view were echoed by councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council's Labour opposition, who urged the people of Croydon to get behind the store by turning up at the weekend to shop.
He said he feared there was only a two or three-week gap in which to save the store from closure by obtaining new investment.
Comments
by PeterNT
Thursday, June 28 2012, 11:42AM
“Don't worry about Allders, the mighty Westfield will save Croydon.
God help us!”
by DianaFrance
Thursday, June 28 2012, 11:26AM
“Like Dracia, the last time I bought anything in Allders, a year ago, the assistants were chattering together unsupervised and too busy doing so to sell anything to me. When I eventually got their attention neither of them understood what they were selling, only how to ring it up and take payment. This amosphere arises when there is no adequate supervision, too little training and no product knowledge and it is entirely the fault of bad management. As I said befor, Allders have only themselves to blame. They lost respect for their customers, and we went elsewhere. That is what happens when you leave management of a business to the accountants and the Human Resources department.”
by Dracia
Wednesday, June 27 2012, 12:44AM
“Last time I went into Allders I was waiting at the only till around the section I was in for someone to ring up my items. Five minutes past with members of staff brushing past me, and others chatting with friends. I left my items at the till and walked out. Do they not want money or something?”
by bondski
Monday, June 25 2012, 3:05PM
“Chris Wilcox - I wholeheartedly agree with your last comment - they were and never will be up to the job of turning Croydon into an A1 centre - we can all live in hope.”
by Chris_Wilcox
Monday, June 25 2012, 8:41AM
“@Bondski:
It was the Croydon Torys who allocated the LEGI money ( about £40 mil ) so badly. They're still in power... And the Tory govt that axed the remaining £35 mil of it ( which would have been pretty handy after The Riots ).
I agree with what you are saying. I just don't think our glorious leaders are up to the job.”
by bondski
Monday, June 25 2012, 7:42AM
“Croydon should not be surprised at the news about Alders, it has been dying on its feet for years. It is tired , jaded and looks very out of date for todays needs. Every time I have been in to the store at least one of its escalators has not been working, what does that say? Different sales areas like TV and electricals are pulled and so on, downstairs where once was cosmetics and led onto fabrics, patterns and handbags is now a bazaar a hotch potch of products that do not relate to each other, I could go on.
I think we all knew that it has been on a downward path for sometime it was only a case of when - what we need is some sense of urgency over the decision to revamp the Whitgift Centre and by which developer, to get Croydon back on track. The parking charges have been over the top for years and there needs some sort of "shoppers parking policy" to encourage visitors to the area in conjunction with a new and first class shopping centre. My fear, as ever, is too much funding going into worthless courses, talks, officers with high sounding titles and very little else - like the Legi money - all those millions and what is there to show for it in district centres? don't let that happen to Central Croydon.
We have money from the Olympics pot allocated to Croydon let's use it wisely to refurbish those areas hit by riots and to massively improve the whole central location from a tired sixties style to something worthy of 21st century. It maybe that there could be a silver lining to the Allders cloud - let's hope that our Council can find it and work on it - post haste.”
by Chris_Wilcox
Sunday, June 24 2012, 8:49PM
“And all because Theresa May did not give us an Enterprise Zone...
The Business Rates around here make it harder and harder for people to ply a trade. And that's on top of the effect The Riots and online shopping have had.
Croydon is in a lot of trouble now. We charge too much, and there aren't the punters to pay the bills anymore.”
by jackhall1
Sunday, June 24 2012, 2:50PM
“online shopping is the chief culprit for allders demise cuts out the middle man and no parking fees jack hall1 turkey”
by CMathers
Sunday, June 24 2012, 12:12PM
“Too expensive and too tatty in that store for my liking. I also agree about the parking, - Croydon doesn't do itself any favours. I'm not in the business of retail so therefore I'm not an expert, but I'd hazard a guess that cheap or free parking might entice more shoppers?”
by Ivor_Shed
Sunday, June 24 2012, 11:07AM
“come to think of it, I haven't been into Allders for years. I go in with a shopping list and nothing on it requires me to go into Allders.....or Debenhams and if I want to go to John Lewis I go to the Purley way - but not if I have to pay car park charges if they move to Croydon.”