It will work only if the rent in Newbury highstreet is the same price as that which Amazon pay, wherever their warehouse is.

Not necessarily so; that's why it all hinges on the actual retail model.

If rent were peppercorn, I doubt HMV would be moving.

Impossible when selling a homogeneous product where cost & overhead are unequal.

It depends on exactly what you are selling. At the moment, in this case, its the traditional model where you go into the shop, pick up a physical product and pay at the counter. It doe a isn't need to be like that, you could be a paying club member going into the premises for an experience which could be recalled by the ability to download elsewhere. May seem far fetched, but then think of how much a glass of coke costs in a pub? If the customers will accept that, why pay to be members of drinking club? As I said, not wholly worked through but if we really want to save 'High Streets' there will need to be some radical and innovative thinking.

Well just to prove they're not in the pockets of big business, who do you think our Government have turned to for advice and guidance?

You couldn't make it up....seriously, you just couldn't....

I still think the three main factors in the demise of the high street which allows the internet to undercut are rent, rates and car parking. Two of which are under the control of our local authority.
Only when town centres are able to complete with out of town and internet price and convenience will they survive.

Staggering. At the same time as this:

The worst

A 'Which?' survey & reported by the Telegraph........hmmmmm

Do you have an issue with Which?

The readership are a certain demographic. And, as such are not representitive of the UK population as a whole. Unless of course the UK population are by & large telling lies. Hard to tell with surveys. People may aspire to shop in Waitrose, but actually, reluctantly, shop in Tesco, but be unwilling to admit it. After all, someone must be shopping there - they are the UK number 1 in terms of sales.

...ans I thought it was just me! Spot on.

Does this mean they can't have a view on the subject? As you say, they may 'reluctantly' have to shop there. Doesn't mean they can't still be depressed at the service, quaility, etc?

Tesco's customers can't have a voice? Interesting take.

Of course they can, but it would make far more impact with the voted with they wallets.

But I have a feeling those who Which? surveyed are not aspirational Waitrose shoppers at all. They are Waitrose shoppers period.

But did you notice that although in the readers' vote, Waitrose were number 1 for customer satisfaction, Aldi and Lidl were 2 and 3 respectively?

I don't subscribe to Which? as most of the time it would not be relevant to me. However, when buying a big-ticket item or white goods for example, their (independent) test reports are useful for deciding which is the best buy. However, these days, I would do my research on the internet for other people's experiences if buying a "capital" item.

So not "Waitrose shoppers period" then? Good spot JeffG.

Nah, given a list, you average Margo Leadbetter isn't going to even contemplate saying 'Budgens' or 'Tesco' as her two & three but won't mind so much mentioning those quirky continental supermarkets where you can get inrexpensive cooked meats, as there is no bad press about either.

It isn't by chance both Aldi & Lidl are located close to Waitrose in Newbury, and that the weekly 'specials' feature such things as microscopes, weather stations & the like.

Gosh, that chip must be an awful burden.

Yes, maybe I should have patented it?

I don't have a chip. You can't just take everything at face value.

A bit like a survey of Daily Mail readers.