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Ian Allan Model Shop at Waterloo to close


andyman7
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3 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

That's because you live in London where there is excellent public transport. Head out to the rest of the country where the provision is at best patchy and you have a car, or you don't leave the house.

 

There ARE locations for specialist shops, but the town centre isn't likely to be one as the rents and rates will be far too high. However, there are numerous tiny, local shopping centres in small towns that will be cheaper, offer parking and be near enough population centres that people will travel. I cover one here: https://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-perfect-shop-location.html 

 

Isn't that what Kernow has done in Guildford, picked a shop in a small parade away - but not too far - from the centre where the rates/rent should be economic and there is passing traffic. Roxley Models in Bookham on the A246 is in a similar position. I agree it seems a logical way to go for model shops.

 

Incidentally talking about Ian Allan, does anyone know what happened to the Routemaster parked about halfway along off Lower Ground. I don't remember the number so can't look it up.

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8 hours ago, Not Jeremy said:

 

 

Ian Allan have form, anyone remember the fabulous operation Midland Counties? A really good business that was taken over by Ian Allan who then totally screwed it before closing it down, disgusting.

 

 

I remember Midland Counties with their enormous exhibition stands and their glorious retail warehouse in Hinckley. They also did a very reasonably priced magazine binding service. Fortunately, getting papers and magazines bound in Oxford isn't exactly a problem but it is in many other areas of GB.

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On 11/09/2020 at 13:37, Legend said:


So given these circumstances I’d rather opt out of public transport where I’m sharing space with strangers , or head into the centre of cities .  

The clear evidence is that you get it from friends, not strangers. That is why restrictions now focus on social gatherings and family meet ups. It is unfortunate that  public transport use has been demonised so much by this epidemic.

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15 hours ago, Not Jeremy said:

I also think that this is driven by a fundamental lack of interest in the business from the owners.

 

This miserable closure is a very sad final nail in the coffin, and I feel for Kerry and all the staff who I think have done a great job over the last few years.

 

Ian Allan have form, anyone remember the fabulous operation Midland Counties? A really good business that was taken over by Ian Allan who then totally scewed it before closing it down, disgusting.

 

Simon

 

Who still has a bookshop

It's driven by being a minimal profit making part of an otherwise thriving business.

Transport books & models have long been a mere flea on the overall performance of Ian Allan group.

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They sell "Upmarket" cars.

They also arrange business travel and have the contract to print all Masonic literature.

 The old "transport" core of the business has been underperfoming for years in comparison, hence the offloading of their transport publishing interests to other companies.

The model shops became a bit of an anachronism once they stopped having their own books & magazines to sell.

 

From what I understand the Birmingham shop was profitable at the rent they were paying but once the landlord decided he wanted either a lot more or wanted them out, it became unviable.

IMHO Even if it had survived, the current retail climate would have seen it off.

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9 minutes ago, melmerby said:

They sell "Upmarket" cars.

They also arrange business travel and have the contract to print all Masonic literature.

 The old "transport" core of the business has been underperfoming for years in comparison, hence the offloading of their transport publishing interests to other companies.

The model shops became a bit of an anachronism once they stopped having their own books & magazines to sell.

 

From what I understand the Birmingham shop was profitable at the rent they were paying but once the landlord decided he wanted either a lot more or wanted them out, it became unviable.

IMHO Even if it had survived, the current retail climate would have seen it off.

 

I remember going to an Ian Allen 'garage sale' at their Surrey base ages ago.  I picked-up several books that were 'review copies' from other publishers, a couple still had the covering letter from the publishers inside.

 

You are right that it was obvious that the "transport" and "military" publishing enterprises were starting to decline, cheap printing in the Far East being one cause.

 

jch

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Just been to the shop. Very sad news. Most of my railway and military books and many kits and model railway items were purchased at the Waterloo shop.  Must have spent a few grand in there over the years :o.

The person I spoke to behind the counter said the main reason for the closure was the landlord wanting to increase the rent. A 'To Let' sign is already above the door. Probably be another coffee shop / fast food outlet we don't need :mad:

 

Best wishes for the future to Kerry and the rest of the wonderful team.

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On 11/09/2020 at 11:56, andyman7 said:

 the shop did not do internet sales so no alternative channels were or are available during closure/reduced footfall.

The Birmingham shop ran the internet site for Ian Allan's online transport/military book sales.

When that shop closed, so did the website.

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49 minutes ago, GNR Dave said:

Just been to the shop. Very sad news. Most of my railway and military books and many kits and model railway items were purchased at the Waterloo shop.  Must have spent a few grand in there over the years :o.

The person I spoke to behind the counter said the main reason for the closure was the landlord wanting to increase the rent. A 'To Let' sign is already above the door. Probably be another coffee shop / fast food outlet we don't need :mad:

 

Best wishes for the future to Kerry and the rest of the wonderful team.

Ian Allan own the premises!!

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18 hours ago, melmerby said:

It's driven by being a minimal profit making part of an otherwise thriving business.

Transport books & models have long been a mere flea on the overall performance of Ian Allan group.

 

Hmmm, you very easily dismiss a great deal of effort and endeavour with your rather rude "mere flea" comment .

 

Assuming you actually know something about all this and aren't just one of those tedious Internet knowitalls, then are you able to offer us an equally perspicacious analysis of the Midland Counties car crash that Ian Allan directed?

 

And by your reckoning that Ian Allan's retail operations were a "mere flea" then by comparison I must be wasting my time on a worthless microbe - how stupid am I.

 

Thank you so much for enlightening me on this point, I am so very grateful.

 

Simon

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1 hour ago, Not Jeremy said:

 

Hmmm, you very easily dismiss a great deal of effort and endeavour with your raher rude "mere flea" comment .

 

Assuming you actually know something about all this and aren't just one of those tedious Internet knowitalls, then are you able to offer us an equally perspicacious analysis of the Midland Counties car crash that Ian Allan directed?

 

And by your reckoning that Ian Allan's retail operations were a "mere flea" then by comparison I must be wasting my time on a worthless microbe - how stupid am I.

 

Thank you so much for enlightening me on this point, I am so very grateful.

 

Simon

What a rude post. Try being a little polite in your replies in future.

 

The profitability of the IA transport/military books & (former) model shops is minimal compared with the overall size of the business and has been declining as a percentage over recent years.

It is obvious from the overall business that they were no longer considered a vital part and contributed little and also the reason for divesting the publishing businesses.

Or do you know something that others don't?

 

Maybe if it's so great you should make an offer for it. Or maybe wake up and smell the coffee.

 

This closure has been on the cards for ages as the company withdraws from transport etc. books & sales and concentrates on the other areas of business.

 

At no time have I dismissed the efforts of those customer facing staff that have done a good job, with what appears to have been a disinterested higher management.

I used to shop regularly at the Birmingham branch and in conversation the staff made it clear that they (The shops) weren't these days considered to be an important part of the overall IA organisation.

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I've had a look at IA Group accounts and they were steadily expanding, sales wise and had reached about £60 million in 2017, dropped to £55 million in 2018. and then nose dived somewhat to £24 million in 2019 .

In 2018 The bulk of the sales was Travel accounting for about 82%, next was vehicle sales, just under 10%, All publishing was 2.7%, property rental income about 2%, Horticulture under 2%

Travel sale collapse accounts for most of the 2019 sales drop and horticulture dropped to next to nothing.

Something clearly wrong somewhere.

 

Ian Allan the founder resigned from the company in 2010.

The original company (Ian Allan Limited), founded by him in 1923 has been dormant since 1993 and 5 others in the group including Railway World Limited are also dormant.

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On 11/09/2020 at 22:14, 5944 said:

Last day will be 31st October according another forum (can't remember which, sorry!). 

That date has also been advised to me by private email from a reliable source.  

 

 

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Who is the agent that is offering the lease?

Tennay Properties are the IA Group owned property company and they currently have a property/properties available in Waterloo.

They don't say where/which and you have to contact them for details

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Jones Granville.

 

https://www.novaloca.com/retail-premises/london/45-46-lower-marsh/192295?search=true

 

Brochure here

 

https://www.novaloca.com/propertydocuments/192295_637353309645960000.pdf

 

I note the particulars state "This letting is confidential as staff are unaware", assume it has been on the market for a while as they know now. The shop has a few challenges (in addition to COVID):

 

  • customers have to go up several steps and quite a bit of height gain to get in, so poses Equality access issues for a new tenant
  • similarly is the steps down inside IIRC
  • rental value is highest at the front of the shop, which is narrow and gets wider at the back, also limted by the steps down

 

Looks like offices above, IIRC sharing the front entrance. My guess is that it will end up as residential, although local plan may seek to protect retail frontages.

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5 minutes ago, ruggedpeak said:

Not surprising as Tennay advertise they do "managed properties" which a single shop in a terrace quite simply isn't.

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3 minutes ago, andyman7 said:

I'm not sure I would be looking to take on a shop lease in Zone 1 right now!

Especially as e.g. The Welsh govt. has said they want a 33% permanent at home workforce.

That would really devastate town centres and those that work in service industries there.

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2 hours ago, GNR Dave said:

 

It doesn't matter who the landlord is. The point is that they believe they can make more money by letting the premises to someone else.

 

Well yes, but that is not what I am talking about.

 

The point I am making is that the selling of one's own premises from under one's own business indicates a distinct lack of interest and belief in the business from under which one is selling one's own property.

 

And Ian Allan have "form" - witness the appalling wreck they turned a thriving business into with Midland Counties debacle of some years ago.

 

I claim no special knowledge by the way, but I have  bought from Ian Allan by way of trade over many years, and have sold to them by way of trade for the last five years. I also know or knew some of the protagonists within Ian Allan and have had dealings with them. I run a small business in the same trade and so am perhaps a little more interested in the future of this market than other folk may be(?)

 

The irrefutable fact is that loss of sales is not good for business and the trade. Perhaps a good subject for discussion here is the extent to which the closure of the Ian Allan shops in the last few years has either benefited or damaged the railway book trade in the UK?

 

It is also interesting that some key ex Ian Allan staffers have set up on their own since leaving Ian Allan, which rather suggests to me at least that they believe there is some value in the whole business.

 

Or perhaps they too should "wake up and smell the coffee" as someone here so very delighfully put it.

 

Not Jeremy

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