RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 12, 2017 Hi all It appears that the Modelzone in the Birmingham branch of WH Smith is closing at the end of this month, January 2017. I'm not surprised with all that full price stock and when I visit, virtually no customers. An exception being the discounts on Bachmann & Oxford products recently, although sold stock has not been replaced as far as I can see, meaning less available to buy. I wonder whether it is happening elsewhere? Cheers Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelpara Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Hi all It appears that the Modelzone in the Birmingham branch of WH Smith is closing at the end of this month, January 2017. I'm not surprised with all that full price stock and when I visit, virtually no customers. An exception being the discounts on Bachmann & Oxford products recently, although sold stock has not been replaced as far as I can see, meaning less available to buy. I wonder whether it is happening elsewhere? Cheers Keith Was that not a Hornby concession which are all closing anyway? With Ian Allan closing (eventually I'm led to believe) there will be nowhere in Birmingham to go! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazjones1711 Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 The Cardiff modelzone last Saturday had 25% off Bachmann and Oxford diecast and it was buy 1 get 1 free on plastic kits , no discount on Hornby, is the writing on the wall for modelzone ? Doomed!? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium ELTEL Posted January 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 12, 2017 Was that not a Hornby concession which are all closing anyway? With Ian Allan closing (eventually I'm led to believe) there will be nowhere in Birmingham to go! Is your comment factual regarding the closing of Ian Allen in Birmingham it's a bit cocewrming for the staff that work there. I don't agree with rumour mongering Sorry buts that I feel. Eltel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_2007 Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I've been told that a number of WH Smith/Modelzone shops up here in the North East seem to be cutting right back on shock Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 12, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 12, 2017 With Ian Allan closing (eventually I'm led to believe) there will be nowhere in Birmingham to go! I had heard it's the most successful of their (originally 4) shops, so unless they want to get out of retail entirely it would be odd. Books though are a dificult area to be in due to falling sales and rising prices and the models are really just a sideline of the business so anything's possible. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 12, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 12, 2017 The Cardiff modelzone last Saturday had 25% off Bachmann and Oxford diecast and it was buy 1 get 1 free on plastic kits , no discount on Hornby, is the writing on the wall for modelzone ? Doomed!? It was buy one get one free on all Oxford stuff AFAIK. e.g. Buy one get one free on a Adams Radial tank and it is labelled as such in Birmingham. The 25% off Bachmann products has been running in Modelzone for a couple of months Wouldn't be surprised if WHS do close MZ entirely, it doesn't seem to have been particularly succesful. Interestingly the notice is worded such "The Modelzone Concession in this WH Smith is closing..........." Why call it a Concession when WH Smith own the brand? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelpara Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Is your comment factual regarding the closing of Ian Allen in Birmingham it's a bit cocewrming for the staff that work there. I don't agree with rumour mongering Sorry buts that I feel. Eltel It was mentioned on here about Ian Allen being taken over by another entity and on their FB page about the store closing when the lease runs out. https://www.facebook.com/IanAllanPublishing/posts/1190818517699198 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted January 13, 2017 Administrators Share Posted January 13, 2017 Although this is only something overheard and then a couple of posts later the official account says the shop is operating as normal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
centraltrains Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Oh no! Now where will I turn to when I suddenly need to dash out to get a Hornby DCC Decoder! [A Oaks or WWoTaP] Not very supporting for it's closure for the same reasons already mentioned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 Hi all It appears that the Modelzone in the Birmingham branch of WH Smith is closing at the end of this month, January 2017. I'm not surprised with all that full price stock and when I visit, virtually no customers. An exception being the discounts on Bachmann & Oxford products recently, although sold stock has not been replaced as far as I can see, meaning less available to buy. I presume the discounts on non Hornby products (same in Cardiff) are part of a slow closing-down sale. It looks as if Hornby stock will stay at full price then be whisked away at some point. Not true though in a sense that stock has always been full price, as it has been included in 20% off and £5 off vouchers. The closure of the Modelzones is presumably due to Hornby ending all of its concession arrangements (as has been reported here). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 For centraltrains - how about Tennents trains? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 13, 2017 It was mentioned on here about Ian Allen being taken over by another entity and on their FB page about the store closing when the lease runs out. https://www.facebook.com/IanAllanPublishing/posts/1190818517699198 Manchester closed because of lease running out. I understood from them that they would have liked to stay but the landlord wanted twice the rent for half the space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 13, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 The closure of the Modelzones is presumably due to Hornby ending all of its concession arrangements (as has been reported here). That assumes that the income from the Hornby Group products outweighs the other manufacturers products by some margin. The MZ in Brum reduced is area for Hornby stuff to about half some time ago and replaced it with some other modelling stuff although this has now been replaced by general toys & games Not true though in a sense that stock has always been full price, as it has been included in 20% off and £5 off vouchers. Can't remember a 20% off applying to Hornby, although I can remember £5 off vouchers more than once Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 13, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 It was mentioned on here about Ian Allen being taken over by another entity and on their FB page about the store closing when the lease runs out. https://www.facebook.com/IanAllanPublishing/posts/1190818517699198 That's not what it says. Ian Allan have not been taken over, they sold some of their publishing titles (but not the Ian Allan name) to Crecy and AFAIK the model shops were not part of that business. They still also operate as Ian Allan Direct. This from Crecy's website: Crécy Publishing Ltd announced today that it has acquired the railway, transport and military history publishing interests of Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, including the ‘OPC’ railway imprint. The transaction involves the transfer of predominantly railway titles to Crécy Publishing, as well as a forward list of railway, transport and military history titles in preparation, and follows the sale of Ian Allan Publishing’s aviation titles to Crécy Publishing in 2014. Ian Allan Publishing will continue to publish its ‘Lewis Masonic’ imprint and run its dedicated bookshops in London and Birmingham. The Ian Allan Group’s other businesses including masonic publishing of books and magazines, book and model shops and specialist online retailing, property, business travel management, motor franchises and organics will continue to be developed. Note the sentence about the bookshops Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 That assumes that the income from the Hornby Group products outweighs the other manufacturers products by some margin. The MZ in Brum reduced is area for Hornby stuff to about half some time ago and replaced it with some other modelling stuff although this has now been replaced by general toys & games Not at all. It assumes that they consider the Modelzones to be unviable without being able to carry Hornby stock on a concession basis. It may just be a coincidence they are closing now - but the closure notices (seen in Cardiff as well now) do describe it as a "concession". Can't remember a 20% off applying to Hornby, although I can remember £5 off vouchers more than once I've definitely used the 20% off there vouchers several times, often saving a whole 30p on a tin of Humbrol acrylics (not stocked anywhere else in the centre of Cardiff so far as I know - in general for good reason, though their primer seems to be OK). That assumes that the income from the Hornby Group products outweighs the other manufacturers products by some margin. The MZ in Brum reduced is area for Hornby stuff to about half some time ago and replaced it with some other modelling stuff although this has now been replaced by general toys & games Can't remember a 20% off applying to Hornby, although I can remember £5 off vouchers more than once Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted January 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 That's not what it says. Ian Allan have not been taken over, they sold some of their publishing titles (but not the Ian Allan name) to Crecy and AFAIK the model shops were not part of that business. They still also operate as Ian Allan Direct. This from Crecy's website: Crécy Publishing Ltd announced today that it has acquired the railway, transport and military history publishing interests of Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, including the ‘OPC’ railway imprint. The transaction involves the transfer of predominantly railway titles to Crécy Publishing, as well as a forward list of railway, transport and military history titles in preparation, and follows the sale of Ian Allan Publishing’s aviation titles to Crécy Publishing in 2014. Ian Allan Publishing will continue to publish its ‘Lewis Masonic’ imprint and run its dedicated bookshops in London and Birmingham. The Ian Allan Group’s other businesses including masonic publishing of books and magazines, book and model shops and specialist online retailing, property, business travel management, motor franchises and organics will continue to be developed. Note the sentence about the bookshops Keith So apart from two shops, they've pretty much moved out of what was their core business? Didn't Greyhound in the US do something similar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 13, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2017 So apart from two shops, they've pretty much moved out of what was their core business? They AFAIK still have Ian Allan Direct which is a book seller/distributor. I was told some time ago in the Brum shop that the book publishing business was now only a small part of the operations, so disposing of most of it (apart from the specialist Masonic publishing), is not unexpected. I would guess that their Business/corporate travel arrangements, topmarket motor dealerships and aviation tours would be more revenue generating. They also have an Organic Gardening sector! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 That's not what it says. Ian Allan have not been taken over, they sold some of their publishing titles (but not the Ian Allan name) to Crecy and AFAIK the model shops were not part of that business. They still also operate as Ian Allan Direct. This from Crecy's website: Crécy Publishing Ltd announced today that it has acquired the railway, transport and military history publishing interests of Ian Allan Publishing Ltd, including the ‘OPC’ railway imprint. The transaction involves the transfer of predominantly railway titles to Crécy Publishing, as well as a forward list of railway, transport and military history titles in preparation, and follows the sale of Ian Allan Publishing’s aviation titles to Crécy Publishing in 2014. Ian Allan Publishing will continue to publish its ‘Lewis Masonic’ imprint and run its dedicated bookshops in London and Birmingham. The Ian Allan Group’s other businesses including masonic publishing of books and magazines, book and model shops and specialist online retailing, property, business travel management, motor franchises and organics will continue to be developed. Note the sentence about the bookshops Keith Though the worry is increased rents. The road at Waterloo (Lower Marsh) is up for redevelopment over a large stretch (not the IA shop I understand). At the back of this development is Waterloo station; the undercroft here is presently undergoing conversion to a retail area. Outside the station by the Jubilee entrance, various developments have upgraded the area recently. The Book Warehouse lost its premises (opposite the Old Vic) to redevelopment, they moved to Lower Marsh, but that site is in the new redevelopment. I can see price rises for rents here making serious changes in the near future. Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymorris Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 they do seem to be trying to sell stuff off , there are signs saying 25% off , not sure if its everything...i assume they will reduce stuff a lot more nearer end of month. Ive been going to Mikes Models , 3 - 5 brockwell road kingstanding , slightly out of the way , the number 33 bus stops outside the shop...Its R/C planes , but has a good supply of models , paints , railway stuff , wargames , its good Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymorris Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 ive had a rant on whsmiths FB page about how badly they ran MZ . its badly stocked ,they try and make shelves look full by spreading out a couple of kit boxes , prices are stupid...for example the new millenium falcon Revell, was £60...but few weeks ago it went up to £72 .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymorris Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 i asked a guy in Ian Alan yesterday if they had thougt about buying the MZ name , he didnt seem to know it was about to go bust again, or rather it was closing at union st whsmiths..he said if IA bought MZ they would also have to buy MZs debts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymorris Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 They have got a BOGOF offer on all revell products..But that started month or 2 ago.. a week or 2 ago I asked a WHMsiths staff member if she knew when that offer ends but she didnt know..Then yesterday i asked a member of staff why MZ was going , and she didnt know....again ..that sounds poor management Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymorris Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 i dont know of any other birmingham-ish whsmiths hat has a MZ dept...it migt be worth going to smiths everyday the last few days of the month to see if they just reduce every thing to silly prices just so they dont have to store what they dont sell somewhere Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
centraltrains Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 For centraltrains - how about Tennents trains? Been there once - Bit too much of a treck being based in the south of the west midlands. I don't think there are any model shops south of Birmingham within the West Midlands anymore? [Apart from Antics in Coventry?] Is it just the Birmingham MZ closing or are there multiple ones going? If it's just the Birmingham one then that's truly sad... [Though last time I went (in December) the Modle Train accessory isle has been replaced for other toys/games...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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