The IKEA in Sheffield thread

[alchresearch]

Originally posted by pete_jim

Why is IKEA considered by so many to be some kind of retail heaven? I just don't get it. It's well under an hour to the two nearest (Nottingham & M62).

 

As a consumer (and a bloke) I'm not particuarly bothered about Ikea. But look at it from the financial point of view. The store, it's car parks and the motorways are heaving at the weekend with Ikea shoppers - may of which are coming from another town.

 

This provides other stores and towns with the opportunity to 'advertise' their area with other shops and amnities - things that the Ikea shopper wouldn't have been aware of before.

 

Before I first went to Ikea Warrington, I had no idea what the town was like and had no intention to find out. But, after going I found that Warrington isn't such a bad place, plenty of retail parks with free parking, the ship canal waterfront, nice Cheshire countryside (and some great little pubs) all around and as a result we go there more frequently than before. If it wasn't for the Ikea I still probably would never have gone.

 

If the same logic is applied to Sheffield, surely it will bring in more tourists and investment because, like Warrington, Sheffield doesn't too a great deal to encourage tourism.

 

If Sheffielders don't want to use Ikea - fine, don't use it. But don't deny all the potential out of towners who want to come and spend their cash in your area.

[theripsaw]

Originally posted by nick2

I'd still rather have a big Harvey Nichols or Selfridges in town, they would appeal to more people.

 

Theres a bit of difference between IKEA and Harvey Nic's / Selfridges mate! Obviously the latter 2 would appeal to more. Going off on your tangent I'd rather see a Harrods than another TK Maxx in Sheffield.

[alou]

r u lot mad? ikea would surely not be able to locate in the city centre - only ever on the outskirts? due to them needing a rather large amount of space for both store and parking.

 

all the ikeas i have ever known are on the edge of cities - even the one proposed in coventry will be on the outskirts of the city - close to the motorway links - as ikea dont expect its users to also go into other shops or take a wonder round town!

[weenireeni]

well i hope we do get an ikea!!! i love cheap furniture!!! plus it means we can sell all the bits on ebay at a profit, surely thats reason enough!

[Greybeard]

Originally posted by nick2

I'd still rather have a big Harvey Nichols or Selfridges in town, they would appeal to more people.

 

And why not ?, - but it doesn't have to be an either/or situation and I'm sure Sheffield is not short of people with more money than sense

[alchresearch]

Originally posted by alou

r u lot mad? ikea would surely not be able to locate in the city centre - only ever on the outskirts? due to them needing a rather large amount of space for both store and parking.

 

all the ikeas i have ever known are on the edge of cities - even the one proposed in coventry will be on the outskirts of the city - close to the motorway links - as ikea dont expect its users to also go into other shops or take a wonder round town!

 

If you read the OP you'll see it's about a new brand of small high street stores, probably selling accessories and no furniture.

[nick2]

Originally posted by Greybeard

And why not ?, - but it doesn't have to be an either/or situation and I'm sure Sheffield is not short of people with more money than sense

 

Well, yes, both would be nice, I was just thinking that HN and Selfridges sell a wider range of goods than Ikea and also tend to have more imaginative/better looking shops that would add to the city centre, the HN shop in Leeds and Selfridges in Birmingham are both great buildings, Ikea tends to look like a shed.

 

Harvey Nicholas

http://westyorkshire.net/tourpics/zLDS25.jpg

 

Selfridges

http://www.economist.com/images/20031122/4703SB1.jpg

http://www.archimage.co.uk/Images/Interiors/006Interiors.jpg

[Mathom]

I'd be disappointed if they only built a small IKEA that sold accessories. It's the furniture that's the real bargain stuff, but you either have to get a van or pay for delivery from Leeds or Nottingham, which is a pain. Yet it's still much cheaper than paying for furniture from DFS type shops, and far more reliable in terms of getting your delivery as IKEA do them next day, whereas go to somewhere like Allied and you might be waiting weeks.

 

The only furniture places comparable in price are shops like Argos, and then you've to compromise on styling, and you don't even get to try out the furniture! The quality of IKEA stuff is far better than any other 'mass market' furnishings - they do 100% cotton or linen stuff for knockdown prices for example, not nasty polyester.

 

So until I can afford to buy my furniture at places like Ponsfords I'm afraid IKEA is where I will continue to go, taking my cash outside Sheffield yet again.

 

A BIG new department store such as Harvey Nicks would be great in the space that runs up from The Moor to Division Street, together with small units, and an underground car park, making the city centre a triangle shape, and more inviting to shoppers who could go round the shops in a circle - one of the big drawbacks is the Y shape to the city centre, which is not conducive to circulating shoppers.

 

Then a new IKEA could go up between Parkway and Attercliffe, or perhaps close to the existing Retail Park. It wouldn't take ANY business from the city centre, as you simply cannot buy anything similar in Sheffield anyway!

[pete_jim]

Originally posted by alchresearch Before I first went to Ikea Warrington, I had no idea what the town was like and had no intention to find out. But, after going I found that Warrington isn't such a bad place, plenty of retail parks with free parking, the ship canal waterfront, nice Cheshire countryside (and some great little pubs) all around and as a result we go there more frequently than before. If it wasn't for the Ikea I still probably would never have gone.

 

If the same logic is applied to Sheffield, surely it will bring in more tourists and investment because, like Warrington, Sheffield doesn't too a great deal to encourage tourism.

 

If Sheffielders don't want to use Ikea - fine, don't use it. But don't deny all the potential out of towners who want to come and spend their cash in your area. [/b]

 

You are very much in the minority I'm afraid. Most visitors to IKEA and the like go no further than the store. A few shops might benefit but as a catalyst for regeneration I don't think so.

 

My main point was that the things sold by IKEA are not exactly top end in terms of design and quality. There are plenty of other places selling similar types of merchandise. I'm not saying that they don't have a place in the market but I don't think that they would attract anything 'better' to an area.

[scottf]

Originally posted by pete_jim

You are very much in the minority I'm afraid. Most visitors to IKEA and the like go no further than the store. A few shops might benefit but as a catalyst for regeneration I don't think so.

 

My main point was that the things sold by IKEA are not exactly top end in terms of design and quality. There are plenty of other places selling similar types of merchandise. I'm not saying that they don't have a place in the market but I don't think that they would attract anything 'better' to an area.

 

How can you say most visitors to ikea go no further to the store- of course they do at the minute because all they have is out of town huge outlets- possibly when it is better represented on the high street that will change!

 

I think i would attract better things to be honest, IKEA (like it or not) is a shopping sensation in england (just look at the money they make) so to get one in sheffield would benefit sheffield no end and might even help persuade some of the 'bigger' brands that sheffield is ready for shops with a more 'exclusive' name.

 

It certainly beats the **** that we have in town at the minute!