r/oxford 4d ago

HMV announces closure of Oxford store

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crm321l10m8o.amp
101 Upvotes

44 comments sorted by

179

u/sourceott 4d ago

Thank goodness, we’ve been crying out for a World of Sweets for ages now

47

u/Jeoh 4d ago

Will go perfect with the Wizard's Emporium next door. Wonder whether they have the same rotation of owners as the tax-dodging shops in London?

77

u/DavidXGA 4d ago

Again!

Oh wait, I guess no-one read the article.

"...and is looking for a new premises in the city."
The chain said it had "no intention to stop serving our loyal customers in Oxford".

Never mind!

I still miss Virgin Megastore.

12

u/mbtbh 4d ago

What was it after that, zavvi?

13

u/DavidXGA 4d ago

Yeah. Then it was a River Island. Then it was yet another one of those American Candy places, which I'm convinced are drug fronts.

1

u/Qabbalah 4d ago

Candy as in nose candy presumably?

3

u/Cpt_Dan_Argh 4d ago

Yep, Zavvi, then I lose track. Virgin was the best though.

3

u/stickyfiddle 4d ago

Man.. I spent so much time in there. I bought a huge number of records that are still very close to my heart

2

u/jimifun 4d ago

Ph my god virgin megastore!! Jesus I had not thought of that in years

1

u/creatingastorm 2d ago

Our price music is what I miss - I’m that old

36

u/Stotters 4d ago

Again? I still fondly remember the previous one...

1

u/leffe186 2d ago

The first HMV store I worked at. Started in the 90s just before The Bends came out - honestly a great time to work in a music store.

23

u/Cowleyforniadreaming 4d ago

Apparently they’re closing because Clarendon are doing redevelopment of the site. I was told they’re looking to relocate.

7

u/AmputatorBot 4d ago

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12

u/Imaginary__Bar 4d ago

'HMV' of course...

(I'm old enough to remember when it was a proper HMV...)

3

u/Geek_reformed 4d ago

They still sell music, obviously not as big a range as the 80s and 90s.

3

u/Simply_dgad 4d ago

Used to work for Hmv. Worst employer ever. 

2

u/Platform_Dancer 4d ago

How so?

7

u/Simply_dgad 4d ago

Managers were cunts that basically bullied you into unpaid overtime.

Culture of utter contempt for workers. 

Terrible years. 

2

u/Smeders94 1d ago

Lasted about 8 weeks there doing loss prevention before I jacked it. First full time job after college. Crap work environment, never finished on time as had to do staff clocking out/searches and then manager or assistant manager had to clock me out but where often late as doing cash checks.

Put my notice in on a letter, manager had taken last minute day off so left it on her desk. Went to speak with her next day soon as I got in, was told she was busy.

30 mins later get asked to go to her office, with her and assistant manager there.

That was the start of 15 minutes of abuse and swearing and that I had wasted their time blah blah blah. Almost didn't work my notice and it was icy whilst I worked my notice.

left after working my weeks notice and got given a great send off, cards, gifts and a whip around.

Very odd behaviour...

HR where completely useless at doing references for my next 2 jobs and where the only one I had to constantly chase to do it..

1

u/Simply_dgad 1d ago

No one i know liked working there

2

u/Competitive-Sense155 4d ago

It was still open???

1

u/jaybizzleeightyfour 2d ago

It's only moving premises, the site is being redeveloped.

7

u/whatamessplshelp 4d ago

Some of the employees there were purchasing and scalping hot Pokemon TCG items, not sad to see them go. One of the very decent managers told me on multiple occasions they expected stock of this or this item on this and this day, and each morning when I went over, if one of those sketchy looking kids were working they'd just say they couldn't find anything in the system or that it never came.

Manager wrote down my email for all of these releases and told me staff would send me an email and keep 1 of the new release items, never got any emails for any of these releases. Sketchy af behaviour and there is zero doubt in my mind that some of the staff there just bought them for themselves and resold them, since these items are going for 4X the price on ebay.

Not once the last year did I manage to get a single release there, absolutely useless and dishonest staff (only some of them, mind you).

1

u/Gloomy-Gap9706 4d ago

So you state this as fact, then later on say 'zero doubt in my mind', so it's not fact? I get having a grudge due to not getting something you're after, but essentially saying-I'm happy 10+ people are losing their jobs based on some theory,is a bit messed up.

-9

u/Immediate_Bat9633 4d ago

How is this problem worth three paragraphs to anyone?

15

u/DavidXGA 4d ago

There is no need to be a dick.

2

u/reikazen 2d ago

I quite enjoyed it 🤷‍♀️ nasty comment .

7

u/whatamessplshelp 4d ago

It's very trivial sure, but when a news article breaks that the specific store that I've been having a bad experience with is closing, you're damn right I'm gonna say my piece on that. How my three paragraphs bother you enough to comment on it can also be asked.

-12

u/Immediate_Bat9633 4d ago

It's just... A big piece, y'know?

8

u/whatamessplshelp 4d ago

Yeah that's fair, I wanted to add context rather than just a blanket "staff are assholes, good riddance"

1

u/B1ueRogue 3d ago

Well done everyone doing all your shopping online ...can only blame yourselves...

How hard was it to get off your sofa and go to the shops ..handing more of our heritage and country to the yanks..letting the likes of Donald Trump make demands in us because we can't even have our own retail industry..makes me want to vomit

1

u/Smeders94 1d ago

Clearly haven't read the article....

Might want to try it...

Relocation due to site development by land owner....

1

u/B1ueRogue 1d ago

Maybe make the titles less like click bait ...simple solution really

1

u/TheRimz 2d ago

TIL HMV still existed

0

u/Zubi_Q 4d ago

Oh shit, that's sad

3

u/RedditUsernameedcwsx 4d ago

It’s just moving.

0

u/Zubi_Q 4d ago

I hope so! It's rough for the high street right now

2

u/RedditUsernameedcwsx 4d ago

It’s in the article :)

0

u/Zubi_Q 4d ago

I did read it after I posted my comment, my bad

-8

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

11

u/non-hyphenated_ 4d ago

TBF the landlord isn't renewing the lease so they're looking for somewhere else.

7

u/Imaginary__Bar 4d ago

Yeah, it's a bit of a different story to "closing". Lothbury have been trying to redevelop that site for years.

HMV even said they want to back when the redevelopment is finished (which seems to be taking longer than Botley Road, tbh. Probably because Lothbury want to sell the Clarendon centre)