It'll be interesting to see how that pans out.

Retail has had an awful time even before Covid.

Always going to be tough for an outdoor company like that when overnight stays on hold, outdoor activity curtailed, even Scouting is on hold.

It's a pretty horrid blow and a chunk of their selling season is gone.

With a consumer hat on I'm really hoping there's a pre-pack sale here and the (great) service and offering finds a way to continue not just because it's a good place to shop but because there's 2000+ jobs at stake.

Thought they were owned by JD Sports? They used to be great, definitely went downhill after the takeover though. Will miss the price match if they go! Hopefully can stay around in some form though.

It is owned by JD.

Shit no. I got tons of bargain stuff from there. It was great for all sorts of things. And we don't even have a Decathlon.

No previous mention of this which suggests to me that JD have been hawking it round the market without success.
I could see the name being retained as it has a high level recognition.

That's a real shame, the Calibre range has been a great addition to the UK options. Love my Dune...

Ah no that's balls.

Used the one in Stockton a fair bit, it was our only proper local-ish outdoor shop. They did a good range of kids outdoor stuff too. Always had good service.

I know they did online but they were predominantly shop based I think or click n collect. In a normal year I'd probably have spent a couple of hundred in there by this time of year. Zero so far this year with no camping trips. Very exposed business model sadly.

Interesting as JD Sports also has a stake in Tiso. It’d be awful to see Tiso go too.

That’s a shame. I’ve used them a lot in the past.

I have a love hate relationship with them. But yes I've had some bargains.

They are very retail focused. I think the sector has done well online. Those barn size stores can't be cheap.

Worrying, I've been trying to get a mech hanger for my 2020 Bossnut but none available. Don't know what support and parts will be available.

@masterdabber

Try https://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/product-category/derailleur-hangers/

This is I think the BETD of many years ago who made things like upgraded rocker links and such like.

I need a couple of hangers and been looking at them as a source.

Caveat I've not ordered from there yet so cannot say if any good or not.

JD also owns Millets and Blacks. Never made much sense to me to have so many different brands across so much expensive retail space.

@masterdabber

Try https://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/product-category/derailleur-hangers/
/a>

This is I think the BETD of many years ago who made things like upgraded rocker links and such like.

I need a couple of hangers and been looking at them as a source.

Caveat I’ve not ordered from there yet so cannot say if any good or not.

Thanks @garage-dweller

I just had a look there. I could only see one hanger under Calibre and that wasn't for my Bossnut.It looks like they will make them if there is a demand I guess.  I don't actually need one at the moment but I decided about 6 weeks ago to get a spare and Go were out of stock.

Terrible news - Go Outdoors has been for many years one of the few shops I've genuinely enjoyed browsing - Spent loads in there.

Sad for the loss of job but as a business I only went when I was somewhere that didn't have a decathlon...

Really like GoOutdoors. A real shame if true - I can't find this news elsewhere, but haven't looked hard.
Was thinking of a Bossnut or Triple B for a next bike for someone, but figured I'd wait for a sale. Selfishly, I'm hoping to do a fire sale and I can get a bargain (which will include some new clothes and camping gear as well!) - really selfish thinking.
It is a real shame for the staff if this can't be saved though.

JD also owns Millets and Blacks.

Plus Tiso and GoOutdoors?

I've never got this - why have three or more companies all in same area of retail, plus IIRC they also own one of the online only outdoor retailers.

Sad day for those whose jobs are at risk now.

However I think there's a lot more of this on the way the next month or two as furlough scheme changes and businesses realise the cost of restarting, not just in retail.

Sounds like it's administration to restructure rather than death throes. So they'll probably not disappear anytime soon.

Hope your right Ben, my calibre stitch is hands down the best value bike I've ever had, I'll definitely buy from them in the future. Best get a hanger just in case though.

I'm always amazed Tiso is still going, I pop into both Glasgow stores pretty much every week on my uni days for a look, they are always dead, the Buchanan st one in particular.

Used to be good many years ago, in more recent years actually become expensive

I’ve never got this – why have three or more companies all in same area of retail, plus IIRC they also own one of the online only outdoor retailers.

The illusion of choice, even if they are all selling much the same products.
It is all part of the Pentland Group anyway, who own a variety of other brands. Including Berghaus and Endura.

I’m always amazed Tiso is still going, I pop into both Glasgow stores pretty much every week on my uni days for a look, they are always dead, the Buchanan st one in particular.

I mainly use the Perth and Aviemore branches. Both went into new developments where I guess there were significant rent incentives to be the keystone retailer. The airy openness is much more conducive to spending than the claustrophobia you get in Rose st and Buchanan st stores.

The cafe in the Aviemore store is great - almost as good as the old Active Cafe and so much better than Cobbs (although the Cobbs @ Glenmore is decent).

Very exposed business model sadly.

Not really, UK camping is always popular and even more so when times are hard and people can't afford foreign holidays. I don't think anyone could have anticipated a global lockdown like this though.

Cardiff store was always busy and I have no idea where people are going to go to get their good family camping gear. Cotswold is nowhere near useful enough for general camping stuff. Some else should move in here because there's now a huge gap in the market here.

Baals - it's one of the only shops I actually go to fairly regularly

The JD empire is rather large. 160+ companies, £4.7 billion turnover last year @ 47% gross margin.
50 thousand employees.

All that from what i thought was a crap sports shop.

If the turnover has been slashed as a result of Covid-19, it's not surprising they are letting people go and probably selling chunks off.

Doesn't stop it from being bad news although I suspect it will be just a number when the net effect of this deepens towards the end of this year and into next 🙁

We used to get quite a bit from Go Outdoors, I even bought a Bossnut but once JD Sports removed most of the "sports" stuff like anything running related so they didn't compete with their own shops we've been spending more at Decathlon.

Hopefully the chain can be kept running in some form, we generally found it a good place to shop before JD bought them.

calibre stitch is hands down the best value bike I’ve ever had, I’ll definitely buy from them in the future

The problem is if they want to stay in business they need to increase the price. Calibres are great value because they're too cheap.

That’ll explain why I got an email from them today listing items I was looking at yesterday and urging me to buy now while there are stocks. Never had that after browsing before.

Closest I've come to buying anything from them was the Dune fatbike in early 2016, but I didnt want to pay another ~£50+ for hydraulic brakes and bought the Wazoo instead for less from Halfords.

Does this mean the new Calibre Dark Peak won't see light of day, due in the next week or two?

I’ve never got this – why have three or more companies all in same area of retail, plus IIRC they also own one of the online only outdoor retailers.

You get cost savings from combining back end processes (eg one massive warehouse, mail order centre etc), purchasing power with suppliers; but you can cater for a wider range of customers with front end brand segmentation ie high end and low end stores and neither customer realises they're buying from the same place.

The problem is if they want to stay in business they need to increase the price. Calibres are great value because they’re too cheap.

It'd be interesting to know if their margins are significantly different to other similar brands like Planet-X (I'd say Bird, but even at Swinley the Bossnuts outnumber them).

It could be a loss leader, but then whenever Ive been into the shop its always been like a badly stocked LBS. There'll ve one brand of tyres, one brand of shoes, etc. So how much do people actually go back and spend on accessories?

Lots of tents. But away from the 8 person origami palaces there isnt much choice, theres a bivi bag, a 1 man tent, but no choice.

Same with kit, I wanted a new thermarest/exped synmat type thing before lockdown, and they had some similar stuff, but not exactly a range, just a handfull of price points.

And downstairs was just TK max for berghaus and wierd fish t-shirts for once youve given up on life and want to dress like your dad.

Surprised at the love above, must have been doing something right. Personally used them a bit, hated the members discount rubbish (that still going?) That put me off more than anything, only used them occasionally so the card had usually expired, still cheaper to renew than pay non members prices but I objected to paying for them to create a marketing database. It wasn't like they were particularly cheap with the discount card. Prefer Decathlon and lucky to have one of the biggest in the country at Stockport.

That’s a pity. The Bristol store is only a few minutes walk from home for me. Have had some bargains from there when popping in while out walking the dog. (Always a bowl of water and treats for the pooches too.) I hope they can find a way to stay open.

We’re a bit screwed for that kind of retail in Brizzle if it goes. Decathlon’s store opening strategy seems to concentrate on a spine from south east to north west. AFAIK from the last time I checked, there are no plans for a Bristol or Cardiff store anytime soon. I’ve never understood why they don’t have a massive store in an outdoor mad city like Bristol, or indeed molgrips’ Cardiff.

Deadly, I agree and after being spoilt with the size of the Stockport store (which still doesnt stock everything) I'm always surprised at how small some of their other stores are.

It’d be interesting to know if their margins are significantly different to other similar brands like Planet-X

Planet X has a lower margin than average bike cos I'm sure but it's made up of high margin stuff and giveaway stuff, one feeding customers to the other. A bossnut for example is a pretty unsustainable price standalone, the problem calibre has (good for it's customers though) is that I suspect all their range is priced that way. There's no offset in the bikes ranges.

I spoke to the guy that used to run the bike division about how they shipped bikes like that to the US and still made money. His answer, to paraphrase was they didn't. They lost money on them but shipping was someone else's budget so it's all good.

Edit: just checked and the RRP on the sx bossnut is £1500 which is more sustainable than the prices of old, but millets have them for £1100 in the middle of the biggest bike shortage the UK has ever known. Bonkers.

Every time we go on holidays in France, my first saved google maps search is “Decathlon stores near...” 😀

after being spoilt with the size of the Stockport store (which still doesnt stock everything) I’m always surprised at how small some of their other stores are.

Depends where in the country you are. Theres a big one in Reading, loads of SUPs and inflatable canoes for paddling on the Thames but doesn't stock any Sailing gear, the Southampton one has whole isle of sailing stuff. And the Sheffield store always had a massive MTB section. Theres a small one in Staines which mostly sells clothing and whatever's seasonal.

Edit: just checked and the RRP on the sx bossnut is £1500 which is more sustainable than the prices of old, but millets have them for £1100 in the middle of the biggest bike shortage the UK has ever known. Bonkers.

It's always that price, the £1500 is the price if you dont buy the discount card.

It must be sustainable to some extent or they wouldn't do it.

AFAIK from the last time I checked, there are no plans for a Bristol or Cardiff store anytime soon. I’ve never understood why they don’t have a massive store in an outdoor mad city like Bristol, or indeed molgrips’ Cardiff.

Or Exeter or even Plymouth.
Loads of outdoor types down this way, Decathlon would do a roaring trade in the SW.
From here either Poole or Oxford are my closest stores ☹️

What benpinnick said. They'll close a few stores, try to negotiate rent reductions on the remainder and resurface in a slimmed down form. At the same time as Alpkit are looking to expand. Retail is bonkers.

I’ve never understood why they don’t have a massive store in an outdoor mad city like Bristol, or indeed molgrips’ Cardiff

Often thought the same. I live east Dorset and have one in Southampton and one I Bournemouth but head family in Bristol and can't make out why there is not one there

Will be a shame if they close. I used to work for them in their Sheffield shop many years ago when they only had one shop and were looking at starting to expand. Im sure the business model has changed lots but it always used to be 100% markup on everything even the deal stock - a high percentage of their budget was always kept back to allow them to have spare cash to be able to always buy whatever deal stock the manufacturers had spare. The discount card was always a very open ploy to get your address to allow aggressive direct marketing - and in return 10% off rrp on all products. They always used to buy their premises rather than rent as well, but I'm sure thats changed.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if they are sold off if they previous owners who left the business dont get back involved.

Re Decathalon - I don't think the UK is market that they are that interested in expanding aggressively into - which is a shame because they sell alot of very good stuff for the price they charge.

Landlords are going to have to budge on rents, or they're going to be left with empty retail parks, especially out of town.

They still have to pay the rates.

Really irritating that they wouldn't transfer stock between stores, presumably baked into their logistics model, but hugely annoying.

Re Decathalon – I don’t think the UK is market that they are that interested in expanding aggressively into – which is a shame because they sell alot of very good stuff for the price they charge.

I’m not sure how aggressively they’re expanding but they’ve certainly increased their number over the last few years. This from their website:

Our past
Decathlon UK opened its first store in London in 1999 and has since grown to over 44 stores. Six of the stores are owned by Decathlon as to show our direction to be a long term player in the UK market and we service our customers through omni channel means using a logistics hub based in Northampton.
Our target areas
Since our initial development plan of opening stores UK wide, we have made a strategic decision to concentrate our development around the main catchments of London, Birmingham and Manchester. Once established with a strong market presence of stores in these areas, we will widen this development direction to other UK cities and wider geographical areas.

And if you look at the map of UK stores - that’s pretty much what they’re doing. You could almost draw a straight line from SE to NW (excl Scottish stores obvs).

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/vmLpTmFX/19-CECB71-E62-B-42-C4-A140-120-C417-BCB92.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/vmLpTmFX/19-CECB71-E62-B-42-C4-A140-120-C417-BCB92.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

I guess this is why the Calibre chap jumped ship to Planet X?

Decathlon clearly have store location issues - they even have one in Bolton FFS.
I'll happily spend time in both Scottish branches.

I wonder how this will turn out given there really appears to be interest in camping and other outdoor pursuits, due to this virus. Plenty of threads on here for all manner of camping kit.
I'm not sure people will for a number of years be happy with going abroad, and are looking to holiday here at home, and I think too people will be looking to save rather than spend thousands to go to Europe(Which appears to hate us anyway)

They couldn't make the Edinburgh more awkward to get to!

They couldn’t make the Edinburgh more awkward to get to!

Try getting out of the Braehead one outside of office hours!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53127083

deadlydarcy
Member
That’s a pity. The Bristol store is only a few minutes walk from home for me. Have had some bargains from there when popping in while out walking the dog. (Always a bowl of water and treats for the pooches too.) I hope they can find a way to stay open.

We’re a bit screwed for that kind of retail in Brizzle if it goes. Decathlon’s store opening strategy seems to concentrate on a spine from south east to north west. AFAIK from the last time I checked, there are no plans for a Bristol or Cardiff store anytime soon. I’ve never understood why they don’t have a massive store in an outdoor mad city like Bristol, or indeed molgrips’ Cardiff.

The Bristol store is only a 10 minute drive away for me, it will be a real shame if it shuts down. I used to enjoy pottering around there.

I agree about Decathlon, would be great to have one close, I only ever got to go to one when my son was racing in Manchester Velodrome (and when on holiday in Spain).

I'm never really sure what GO is for, I go in but rarely find much in that I'd actually want. It's a bit like outdoors TK Maxx, occasionally you do find something you want cheap, but more often you find something cheap that might do. Most of the cheap stuff is as cheap somewhere else and the kit is typically fairly basic.

It compares poorly to decathlon.

It compares poorly to decathlon.

I'm not sure thats entirely fair. There is alot of overlap but they are not quite the same market - Decathlon does pretty much all sports with a good outdoor section and a few tents and lots of own brand stuff but it doesn't have the range of camping equipment that Go Outdoors does.

I think the business model makes sense - in a recession you go camping because its cheap, when your doing well people take extra holidays camping. I think the underlying question is whether any retailer like this can compete in the days of Amazon, CRC, Wiggle etc.

I’m not sure how aggressively they’re expanding but they’ve certainly increased their number over the last few years. This from their website:

Happy to stand corrected!

Perhaps it could be bought out by Decathlon and Sports Direct.

I’m never really sure what GO is for, I go in but rarely find much in that I’d actually want.

I've bought many t-shirts from there at decent discounts; several pairs of shoes; a Rab eVent jacket for £100 (down from £250); a nice rack for my commuter that was half the price of most stuff; Rab stuff for my wife; kids' shoes; some caravan gear; cheap camping stuff, loads of things. They seem to bring in clearance stuff like TK Maxx and this is often the best bargains. There's lots of quality kit in there as well as lower end stuff but even then that's alright these days too.

Got to say, really surprised by the eulogising of gooutdoors. Let's be clear here it wasn't anything amazing. They sold a lot of stuff, of very variable quality, at generally very low prices. I got a few bargains there, still got two shrink wrapped climbing ropes that were pretty much free with the various offers they stacked together.

But a great outdoor shop they really really weren't.

And the irony of people lamenting them because they're the last/only outdoor shop in the area.

Errrmmmm

I’m never really sure what GO is for

I’m never really sure what GO is for

It just means go.

I expect when JD Sports or whoever took them over put the buy out loan on the balance sheet, took away any properties and charge them a hefty interest rate plus, rent and a big corporate overhead charge. Covid-19 has killed sales, so they have no cash flow to service that debt. By going into some form of receivership, they'll try and write-off some bad debts, renegotiate with landlords, get rid of unprofitable stores and probably wriggle out of any redundancy payments.

They should have dropped the discount card as that immediately adds a £5 premium for a casual internet purchase.

dovebiker, spot on, so many good businesses asset stripped and dumped with crippling debt.

They should have dropped the discount card as that immediately adds a £5 premium for a casual internet purchase.

Which you then save with the discount plus extra for finding it cheaper elsewhere.

JD also owns Millets and Blacks

This explains why I was seeing both advertising Fox clothing!

Got to say, really surprised by the eulogising of gooutdoors. Let’s be clear here it wasn’t anything amazing.

They're pretty good for browsing. I've not been anywhere else where you can view, and walk inside a full range of tents from various manufacturers. It's like the adult version of Toys r Us.

I don't think I've ever once bought anything from there. The discount card always put me off making any kind of casual purchases and I never seen any deals tempting enough to get one.

yep, fair point as far as big tents go. Perhaps I have was thinking of them as a 'proper' outdoor shop, not just a shop punting huge tents and camping tat to the masses. (they do the latter very well)

Perhaps I have was thinking of them as a ‘proper’ outdoor shop, not just a shop punting huge tents and camping tat to the masses.

They have plenty of 'proper' kit in there. Not in the camping section but in the clothing and footwear. As said, the real gold is where you get clearance stuff from good manufacturers at rock bottom. Then going into Tiso or Cotswold starts to look really flippin expensive.

I probably wouldn't go into GO if I were properly loaded - but I'm not, so I do.

And the irony of people lamenting them because they’re the last/only outdoor shop in the area.

Errrmmmm

Exactly what I was thinking. But the last time I tried to buy a tent from the last independent shop in this area they weren’t even close to the internet on price, never mind matching what Go Outdoors were doing. The independent has now shut, no surprise, so Go Outdoors is the last camping shop in this area.

Got to say, really surprised by the eulogising of gooutdoors. Let’s be clear here it wasn’t anything amazing.

They do some good bargains at times just keep a watch out.

They've kept me in day-to-day footwear for like 15-20 years. Whenever I need to replace them I just jump on GO and buy whichever model of Salomons they've got reduced from £140 to £60 that week.

That sucks. As a Cub leader I enjoy a decent discount at Go Outdoors, as do the Cubs. For a big chain they are actually very supportive of organisations generally.

Go Outdoors always had a good selection of kit, from cheap to expensive. It was one of the few shops I could go into and try on clothes or boots from 6 to 10 different manufacturers, get to feel the cloth, see how it fitted, stretched, how it was put together. The £5 "membership" fee was easily worth it, even if I only bought a couple of items every year. Their OEX range of camping equipment might not have been the very lightest but it was good kit for the money. I really hope they can be saved.

They aren't a bad shop I suppose but I must admit of be absolutely mortified if Decathlon went under!

I love that place.

It was one of the few shops I could go into and try on clothes or boots from 6 to 10 different manufacturers, get to feel the cloth,

You touch cloth in Go Outdoors?

They aren’t a bad shop I suppose but I must admit of be absolutely mortified if Decathlon went under!

I googled them a while back, they're massive (and profitable). Something like 10x Bigger than Dorel, the home furnishings group that owns Cannondale/GT/Mongoose/Schwin/Iron Horse.

Aye, me too Poopscoop, really canny beat an hour wandering round Decathlon, about the only retail experience I enjoy. I suggested a wee visit to the inlaws this week, just so happens they're not far from the Glasgow branch, great excuse to pop in. 🙂