Should UK stores change their brand names for Ireland?

fleet_admiral · 02-09-2014 06:43PM

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

So did he continue defending the realm or did he give in?

It was a Saturday afternoon with no banks open, so I offered him a flat exchange rate, like pound for pound. He left without buying anything but I took great pleasure in telling him he wasnt in the uk now and we dont accept money with a foreign monarch's head on it

Ive heard it happening in meteor shops too where english tourists think they are in an orange shop and look for airtime vouchers

wendell borton · 02-09-2014 06:43PM

We've a bit to go before Irish towns are like English ones. We don't have the high streets full of Pakistani shops yet.

RobbingBandit · 02-09-2014 06:44PM

Dealz could have called themselves Puntland but I for one would have gone to as many stores as possible and changed those P to big green C.

anncoates · 02-09-2014 06:45PM

They should do the opposite.

Fur example , call M & S something like Her Majesties Imperial Windsor Marks and Spencer Emporium if only to further fuel the conflagration of retardation that rages in AH.

ScumLord · 02-09-2014 06:46PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

UK cities are unique and possess a damn side more history and culture than any of the pointless, crappy town that litter Ireland. If you think they're all the same then you've clearly never been.

I wouldn't agree, walk down any street in London and it's Nandos, Witherspoons (even the ones that don't look like a cheapo witherspoons are witherspoon's), tescos, mcdonalds, starbucks, repeat, repeat, repeat. The amount of times I spent an hour walking around London looking for a place that didn't have the same exact same menu as the place before it.

Get on the motorway and it's like you're not moving at all, each service station and hotel is an exact copy of the last.

Birmingham looks exactly the same from one street to the next and have nothing but big discount stores. Outside of the centres most UK cities are bland and lifeless.

I'm not saying there are no independent places in the UK but they're few and far between. When you do find them though they do tend to be of extreme high quality and on a level you rarely get in Ireland.

fleet_admiral · 02-09-2014 06:46PM

wendell borton wrote: »

We've a bit to go before Irish towns are like English ones. We don't have the high streets full of Pakistani shops yet.

Ever been on Clanbrassil street and Talbot street in Dublin? Clanbrassil street is nicknamed little Islamabad
All we need is a greggs to complete the foreign shops line up. Actually I would love to see Carrefour open up here

md23040 · 02-09-2014 06:47PM

Terrontress wrote: »

I disagree. Independent business has gone to the wall due to these multinationals. Take them away now and there mightn't be anything in their place, but if they hadn't come, the independents would still be there, and would be making very high margins on their produce.

What is needed is good quality produce at a good price for consumers and suppliers. Who cares where the HQ of the retailer is.

This is 2014 and not 1974. We live in a fast moving consumer driven society, with millions of square feet of retail space to fill as well as compete against online activity.

To.imagine independents could have plugged that gap is unrealistic and frankly absurd.

The Backwards Man · 02-09-2014 06:47PM

fleet_admiral wrote: »

It was a Saturday afternoon with no banks open, so I offered him a flat exchange rate, like pound for pound. He left without buying anything but I took great pleasure in telling him he wasnt in the uk now and we dont accept money with a foreign monarch's head on it

Ive heard it happening in meteor shops too where english tourists think they are in an orange shop and look for airtime vouchers

You should have sent him to Donegal, we'd bite his hand off for Queen's Head up here. Excellent rates given too.

Jawgap · 02-09-2014 06:47PM

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Not like with like. Ireland is a small market next to a much bigger neighbor. You won't see a Dunnes on every corner in the UK.

It's not about coverage it's about Irish companies trying to imitate "British" ideas.

M&S have St Michael, Dunnes went with St Bernard.

Plus, as a nation of shopkeepers maybe that is there contribution to civilisation - shops

Whereas, there's an 'Irish' pub just about everywhere now - no harm if they were 'localised.'

fleet_admiral · 02-09-2014 06:49PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You should have sent him to Donegal, we'd bite his hand off for Queen's Head up here. Excellent rates given too.

Are you saying that in a Godfather sense or a fiscal sense?

The Backwards Man · 02-09-2014 06:51PM

fleet_admiral wrote: »

Are you saying that in a Godfather sense or a fiscal sense?

Fiscal, Bank of England sterling is like gold bars to us Donegal folk. I know people that won't even spend it when in England, just hoard it and force them to take the NI stuff.

Kermit.de.frog · 02-09-2014 06:51PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Witherspoons

Yup. Another one coming in to Ireland. We are swamped by UK multiples. At least there is Aldi, Lidl and Supervalu to puncture the endless monotony of our streets somewhat.

Red Nissan · 02-09-2014 06:51PM

I'd take it a stage further, we have the same roads, sometimes silly markings and buildings and fences and gate are all the same so one part of modern Europe is hardly distinguishable from the next.

I ask many times as new buildings are proposed for various parts of my city "where's the Cork in it?"

We are falling over ourselves to make ourselves as invisible as the next guy and wonder why everything looks so much the same and wonder why trade drops off, and tourists, that crumbling old building might have had character and charm and history [albeit needing a massive repair], the Aldi or Lidl in Donegal is exactly the same as the one in Meath, Navan, Cork anywhere they actually build one.

ancapailldorcha · 02-09-2014 06:51PM

ScumLord wrote: »

I wouldn't agree, walk down any street in London and it's Nandos, Witherspoons (even the ones that don't look like a cheapo witherspoons are witherspoon's), tescos, mcdonalds, starbucks, repeat, repeat, repeat. The amount of times I spent an hour walking around London looking for a place that didn't have the same exact same menu as the place before it.

Get on the motorway and it's like you're not moving at all, each service station and hotel is an exact copy of the last.

Birmingham looks exactly the same from one street to the next and have nothing but big discount stores. Outside of the centres most UK cities are bland and lifeless.

I'm not saying there are no independent places in the UK but they're few and far between. When you do find them though they do tend to be of extreme high quality and on a level you rarely get in Ireland.

I have to disagree. Those chains are successful because they're cheap and food is usually ok. How much variation do you expect each service station to offer exactly? A small shop and petrol pumps isn't a formula that has much room.
I'd disagree with you again regarding most cities. Manchester and Sheffield have cracking nightlives not limited to the city centres. There are a lot less independent places I'll grant you but I'm not going to give them my custom just for that reason.

wendell borton · 02-09-2014 06:53PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

People come out with all sorts of snide little remarks like "West Brit" as if it's a bad thing. This is the 6th richest country in the world and if some of it's biggest companies wish to invest in Ireland, why should they rebrand? It's ridiculous.

I don't agree, people have only got so much to spend therefore limiting the amount of full time service jobs. The big players from England can easily take losses to put the squeeze on native competitors.

ancapailldorcha · 02-09-2014 06:55PM

wendell borton wrote: »

I don't agree, people have only got so much to spend. The big players from England can easily take losses to put the squeeze on native competitors.

I've no idea what rebranding has to do with taking losses. A small business has to offer a better service in order to justify the higher prices.

Kermit.de.frog · 02-09-2014 06:55PM

wendell borton wrote: »

I don't agree, people have only got so much to spend therefore limiting the amount of full time service jobs. The big players from England can easily take losses to put the squeeze on native competitors.

Tesco are getting a good kicking in the Irish market now and i'm delighted because they have been ripping people off in Ireland since they came here and refuse point blank to show separate accounts here because they know themselves.

CelticRambler · 02-09-2014 06:56PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

UK cities are unique and possess a damn side more history and culture than any of the pointless, crappy town that litter Ireland. If you think they're all the same then you've clearly never been.

:eek: Where have you been? English city and town centres - even the smaller ones of <20000 people - have become clones of one another over the last twenty years, right down to the street furniture. Sure, you get the odd place like Cambridge or Chipping Norton that keep things unique, but they're few and far between.

But to answer the question: no, a brand is a brand - if there's a feeling that it's "taking over" then do something to encourage the domestic retailers to fight back. Dunnes and Supervalu are leading the way ... and I don't hear many complaints about Penneys/Primark forcing themselves on to an unwilling European public!

Fratton Fred · 02-09-2014 06:57PM

Does that also include Vodafone, BT, land rover, jaguar....

One of the reasons British companies find it easy to set up here, is because most people watch British tv and support English football clubs. When they open their first store, the name is already known.

I remember eircell was re-branded Vodafone very quickly, because at the time, half the males in the country were walking around with Vodafone plastered across the front of their expensive new jersey, despite Vodafone not having a presence here.

Talking of mobile brand names, how popular was orange with nationalists in the north?

anncoates · 02-09-2014 06:58PM

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Yup. Another one coming in to Ireland. We are swamped by UK multiples. At least there is Aldi, Lidl and Supervalu to puncture the endless monotony of our streets somewhat.

.At least the likes of WS did enter the market here to challenge the crony infested monopolies here and let actual Irish people decide for themselves.

ancapailldorcha · 02-09-2014 07:00PM

CelticRambler wrote: »

:eek: Where have you been? English city and town centres - even the smaller ones of <20000 people - have become clones of one another over the last twenty years, right down to the street furniture. Sure, you get the odd place like Cambridge or Chipping Norton that keep things unique, but they're few and far between.

Right, that's just wrong.

To answer your question:

Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Oxford, London, Brighton & Hove, Worthing, Chichester, Southampton, Birmingham & Oxford. I've been to a few of the smaller towns as well.
The chains have a presence in most towns but to say that the towns themselves are carbon copies of each other is just stupid.

Elmo · 02-09-2014 07:02PM

fleet_admiral wrote: »

Donegal catch has a uk veterinary stamp on it

Is that what you mean?

I dislike the English and their Veterinarian-ism Grrrrrr Bahhhhh

ScumLord · 02-09-2014 07:21PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I have to disagree. Those chains are successful because they're cheap and food is usually ok.

I won't go into Tescos here, I've already got a rant going in another thread so I'll leave it there.

How much variation do you expect each service station to offer exactly? A small shop and petrol pumps isn't a formula that has much room.

I'll give you that, the British road network is a completely different kettle of fish to Irelands. To them their road infrastructure is an integral part of their country that they manage and maintain probably better than any other country. It's about point A to point B and even the service stations are about getting people in and out as quickly as possible. But if you've spent any time on British motorways the only way to discribe it is as mind numbingly bland. It works, but it's bland.

I'd disagree with you again regarding most cities. Manchester and Sheffield have cracking nightlives not limited to the city centres.

That's partly down to the fact they made the mistake of having massive discount stores on the motorway years ago. It killed the centre of their cities and turned them into wastelands. They made a real effort to bring life back to their city centres with projects like the bullring. Even so, step outside the bullring and your back to blandness and wastelands as small businesses can't compete with the draw of the bullring.

I've spent time in Birmingham and london and typically if you find something worth doing it's a 10 minute taxi ride there, were you find this loan business on a quiet street and then ten minutes home to your hotel passing the usual suspects of multinationals.

Don't get me wrong, I like England and england does some things very well. They do make us look like the wild west at times but my god it can be a bland country. No wonder so many millions come to Ireland for a bit of craic each year. I don't think I could take the English lifestyle, I can certainly see why many would love it though.

Jawgap · 02-09-2014 07:21PM

Elmo wrote: »

I dislike the English and their Veterinarian-ism Grrrrrr Bahhhhh

Stay away from Wexford cheddar then - that too has a UK health mark......

.....and there are certain 'Irish' bacon brands that carry Danish health marks.....and certain brands of Brie that have a French flag on them, but on the back there's an Irish health mark!

That's globalisation for you!

My only problem is with the businesses that don't set up here - would love to see Waitrose open some outlets here.

Buona Fortuna · 02-09-2014 07:29PM

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

It is.

I don't blame them. It's understandable when the first thing you see at the airport is WH Smith and the last store leaving is Dixons.

We should try and make out cities as unique as possible because we are not part of the UK and have our own tourism product to promote. This doesn't help attract UK tourists here.

Yes, agreed - but!

These are not just UK brands. I'm thinking like McD's and others. I think with enough support (not hard to do with FB, etc) you could get some cosmetic changes. Otherwise though you can't put the $hit back in the donkey

ancapailldorcha · 02-09-2014 07:33PM

ScumLord wrote: »

I won't go into Tescos here, I've already got a rant going in another thread so I'll leave it there.

Not a fan of Tesco myself. Might look up your post on that other thread.

ScumLord wrote: »

I'll give you that, the British road network is a completely different kettle of fish to Irelands. To them their road infrastructure is an integral part of their country that they manage and maintain probably better than any other country. It's about point A to point B and even the service stations are about getting people in and out as quickly as possible. But if you've spent any time on British motorways the only way to describe it is as mind numbingly bland. It works, but it's bland.

I've been on one motorway journey with a friend; when I moved to London. I don't see what else you can really do. A pitstop should be brief and the last thing you want is to drag one out. It's bland, but no worse than most places. Ireland is spoilt with wonderful scenery so it isn't a fair comparision IMO.

ScumLord wrote: »

I've spent time in Birmingham and london and typically if you find something worth doing it's a 10 minute taxi ride there, were you find this loan business on a quiet street and then ten minutes home to your hotel passing the usual suspects of multinationals.

Don't get me wrong, I like England and england does some things very well. They do make us look like the wild west at times but my god it can be a bland country. No wonder so many millions come to Ireland for a bit of craic each year. I don't think I could take the English lifestyle, I can certainly see why many would love it though.

They can be a bit bland but most of them are cracking nights out and well worth visiting for the museums, landmarks, galleries and so on. I'm not a fan of the chain but they're there and there's not much to be done about it.

Buona Fortuna · 02-09-2014 07:40PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I've been on one motorway journey with a friend; when I moved to London. I don't see what else you can really do. A pitstop should be brief and the last thing you want is to drag one out. It's bland, but no worse than most places. Ireland is spoilt with wonderful scenery so it isn't a fair comparision IMO.

I'm a veteran of the M1, M6, M25, M18 .... if I believed in a hell this is what it would be like.

Took a holiday in France years back. Service stations were a joy - maybe I just got lucky. In one of them everyone sat around a huge horseshoe table while a young lad served coffee and cakes.

I thought this is nice. Its actual pleasant here. Plus someone has a job out of it. Its not just the minimum amount of staff, on the minimum wage slopping out the minimum gruel.

Jawgap · 02-09-2014 07:41PM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

.....It's bland, but no worse than most places. Ireland is spoilt with wonderful scenery so it isn't a fair comparision IMO.

.......

Ireland's wonderful scenery is spoilt would be a more accurate description. I've cycled through large chunks of Scotland, a bit of Wales and a lot of the Dales and Northumberland and you can spend all day and not see a house - here we've wrecked our lovely landscape with one-off bungalows - they're fuppin' eyesores.

In my view, the UK can be quiet bland because they are generally rule-abiding and therefore predictable - whereas here the rules are simply the point from which the discussion starts!

........just as an aside, I work in the small Dublin office of a large UK firm, so I get to see it from all sides.

ancapailldorcha · 02-09-2014 07:43PM

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

I'm a veteran of the M1, M6, M25, M18 .... if I believed in a hell this is what it would be like.

Ah now, that's a bit much. The infrastructure itself is fantastic, if a tad unpleasant but there has to be worse in other countries.

Red Nissan · 02-09-2014 07:46PM

Jawgap wrote: »

Ireland's wonderful scenery is spoilt would be a more accurate description. .

Thirty years ago, like in the last century I used to tour and camp roadside with the little chislers.

One can hardly pull over today anywhere in Ireland! I feel your pain, at least I have the memories.

Should UK stores change their brand names for Ireland?

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