My Peacocks has lost its feathers..... (Peacocks)

Member Name: welshwickedone

Product:	Peacocks
Date:	05/11/06 (299 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great if you are a size 10

Disadvantages: They have put the older generation out to pasture

Peacocks.
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History.
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Peacocks opened there first store for the public in 1884 in Warrington and later relocated there family and business to Cardiff in the 1940's. By this time, there was a steady growth in the number of stores they owned and its growth continued particularly in the regions of South Wales and Southern England. In the early 1990's Peacocks saw a dramatic increase in growth, which led to the company floating on the London Stock Exchange in December 1999? Finally, on the 1st February 2006, Peacocks became a privately owned business and begin a massive growth again. Now Peacocks has over 460 stores throughout the UK and employs over 5000 staff but it has still kept its main business headquarters in Cardiff.

Location.
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The location of the Peacocks store I am reviewing is in the Kingsway Centre (previously the In-shops) in Newport City Centre. The address is 10-12 Kingsway Centre, Newport, South Wales, NP20 1ED. Tel: - 01633 251434. According to the website http://www.peacocks.co.uk my local branch offers a womenswear, childrenwear and footwear departments, but that is news to me.


My local branch in Newport City Centre has had a major refurbishment in the last few months due to the fact they had to decrease there store size to make room for the planned Debenhams Store.

Before the Refurbishment.
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Prior to this refurbishment this branch had lots to offer including a large selection of womenwear, childrenswear, menswear, footwear, homewares and it also boasted a cafe at the rear of the store as well as toilet facilities. There store was always well stocked and full of good value clothing for all ages and although it was not the best-designed store with small aisles and customers bustling around in a cramped area. We never used to really mind as they had a good variety and offered a friendly service with great value for money. The store was well lit with clean, well-maintained facilities and friendly staff that were always pleasant and helpful. Therefore, what do they do, they close the store for a refurbishment and everything changes.

After the Refurbishment.
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The first thing you notice upon approaching the store is the wide open entrance, which is a great improvement and has made access much easier so I cannot complain at that. Then you enter the store and the first thing you notice is the size difference as the store has lost over half its size due to the development changes they were made to do, but this has done them no favours.

The store is very well lit and looks very open a spacious which is great when you think of how it use to be but all these changes have come at a price. They have totally changed the type of women’s fashion they now stock and chosen to aim mainly to the younger generation, seeming to put us older ones out the window. We are not alone though as my local Peacocks no longer stock any menswear not even socks. There brilliant childrenswear they boast to have is actually four rails hidden far at the back of the store with no real selection for younger children or boys. They also boast a footwear department, which is actually two four-shelf sections containing high fashion shoes and boots with a minimum of a 2-inch heel.

The staff have all been presented with new uniforms but they give the impression that they are lost and do not have a clue as to what they do and do not stock. If you are lucky you may be able to get a slight grunted comment of "we don't sell them now!" out of the staff when you inquire about an item.

The once cafe and toilet facilities have now disappeared long gone behind the new wall blocking the once existing rest of the store, maybe if we knock it down we will find all the rest of the great features they used to offer.

They have also vastly reduced the range of women’s clothes they now sell and even when fully stocked the store really looks very empty and limited in its design. They have also increased many of there prices in this store which is another poor feature and I feel if they continue to take this approach to all there store, Peacocks will soon lose its once great name that it spent many years building.

I give the store thumbs down on its new look and most would agree unless you are an 18 year old with a size 10 hour-glass figure who can walk on needle thin 3 inch stiletto heels.

Welshwickedone ©

Summary: A definate change for the worst.