It was with great interest I read the article by your columnist on the demise of John Lewis store and his solution to have the owners gift the store to Aberdeen City Council.
Mr Begbie needs to be aware that organisations like John Lewis continually keep their stores’ profitability under review to ensure they can remain a viable operation.
If it does not turn a profit then, along with a few other stores in that group, the management will shut them down.
There were concerns long before Covid that the Aberdeen store was underperforming in that the footfall of customers was not what it was.
So if customers no longer frequent the store then the profit margins fall.
Why all the concern about this property, I did not see much said about the Debenhams store closure at the time.
Aberdeen has long lost the ability to attract high street businesses to the city.
No doubt a developer may come along and buy the building or Aberdeen City Council should put in an offer.
The other high street store M&S are looking closely at the portfolio of stores so don’t be surprised if there is a reduction of stores in the local area.
Ask the question why are Edinburgh and Glasgow doing well in the high street and all is not so well in Aberdeen?
A Riddel.
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