Half of Dinbych's discount quarter is now open. As of earlier today, T J Morris Ltd t/a Homebargains has joined Lidl's... as the whole Liberty Property site remains under construction for the final half of the jigsaw, Aldi and Poundworld.
How things change. 10 years ago, we were once talking about a larger Tesco on the site, larger than the one in Rhuthun/Ruthin and more than a dozen supporting shop units. Recession, developer bankruptcy, problems at Tesco and changing habits all put paid to that.
Rather oddly, the Denbighshire Free Press reported the new opening as,
Once upon a time, we felt that the Tesco development would have a detrimental impact on Rhuthun. But we reckon that Dinbych's new discount quarter will be worse.
Admittedly, the popularity of discounters may be wobbling—as mainstream retailers are fighting back—but Rhuthun hasn't any discounters other than B & M. Rhuthun's population is within 15 minutes' drive of the Dinbych discount quarter and the three stores will undoubtedly poach. We predict that the Dinbych discounters will have a marked impact not just on the town of Dinbych but also on Rhuthun.
If you think that discounters are dying, Homebargains is also opening in (London)Derry and Retford (Notts) in March; Heaton Park & Little Hulton (both in Mancaeiinion) and Barking, Norwich, Linccol, Salisbury and two stores in Sheffield in April; Ashfoird (Kent) and Thurnscoe (Barnsley) in May; Swindon and Wolverhampton in June; and Margate in August. It's also linked with the embarrassing Sainsbury's site in Llangollen.
The whole Homebargains Dinbych experience was underwhelming. It was supposed to open at 8.30 but without any ceremony whatsoever a few staff assembled at 8.22 for a photograph and people just began to walk in at 8.23. Fewer than two dozen people were waiting and some were arriving too late at 8.25. The car park was almost though not quite finished. Pedestrian access during the development of Aldi is not brilliant.
Rather oddly, the Denbighshire Free Press reported the new opening as,
"Home Bargains are set to open their new Denbigh store this weekend"and
"This will be the first Home Bargains store to open in Denbigh, joining over 400 outlets across the UK"These statements rather imply that Homebargains has other plans for other stores in Dinbych. In another significant example other changes we see, there was not one advertisement in the paper for the new store and no discount vouchers. Why bother with the local newspaper, when its relevance has declined? 25 years ago, upon the opening of Rhuthun's Lo-cost (now Co-op) there were weeks of full page spreads.
Admittedly, the popularity of discounters may be wobbling—as mainstream retailers are fighting back—but Rhuthun hasn't any discounters other than B & M. Rhuthun's population is within 15 minutes' drive of the Dinbych discount quarter and the three stores will undoubtedly poach. We predict that the Dinbych discounters will have a marked impact not just on the town of Dinbych but also on Rhuthun.
The whole Homebargains Dinbych experience was underwhelming. It was supposed to open at 8.30 but without any ceremony whatsoever a few staff assembled at 8.22 for a photograph and people just began to walk in at 8.23. Fewer than two dozen people were waiting and some were arriving too late at 8.25. The car park was almost though not quite finished. Pedestrian access during the development of Aldi is not brilliant.