UKC

I drove past the outdoor shop on the A623 yesterday for the first time in ages on the way to Manchester. I cant remember the name of the shop - it was the one attached to a cafe at the traffic lights opposite the fuel station - but when passing it appears its going to be turned into a Spar shop.

(Ive never been into the one across the road at the traffic lights on the Manchester side - it has Leki posters in the windows.)

OK, they were expensive for many things but there are many occasions when i have made impromptu purchases on my way past, sometimes for expensive clothing and the like. Im not local so they must have decent local support.

Has it closed down or simply moved somewhere else.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Relocated to Hathersage I believe. Cafe operating under new management. The shop was called Outside.

In reply to Axel Smeets:

They already have a shop in Hathersage so they're probably just consolidating onto one site.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

My girlfriend used to work in the cafe. Pretty sad another shop has gone!

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: Do you mean the Outside shop? Gosh. Pretty good cafe, but never bought anything from there. I am not really in the market for expensive outdoor clothing.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
As Axel speculates, the shop's been absorbed by the two existing Outside branches in Hathersage, while the cafe continues (the cafe was there before the Outside shop). A pity for the nice people who worked in it, but from what I've heard of the new owner's plans they sound very positive for the area. He's planning to incorporate a post office and to sell lots of quality local produce as well as the usual Spar staples.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: its all moved back to the main hathersage stores, outside own the building and lease it to spar now, so it's not a case of another shop becoming a victim of the recession in that respect. I wouldn't say it's expensive either, visit the hathersage stores or website and there is a lot of stuff that is discounted by quite a margin or really competitive compared to stores selling comparable gear from top end manufactures . Talk to the staff as well because they really have "been there and done that " and their knowledge and advice could be invaluable

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: TBH the Calver shop was aimed at the walker and just didn't have the choice of the Hathersage shop. Maybe also the Calver shop didn't sell the stuff that people would do big spends for so there just wasn't the same profit. Add to all that if your wanting some outdoor gear and your going to the peak then you are highly likely to go to hathersage anyway as there is a good selection of shops.

Maybe having the spar shop will better serve the local comunity.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Fair enough. All in all, it seems like sensible business decisions have been made then.

In reply to Axel Smeets:

Last time we were there - which is since the shop closed - they still seemed to be doing the same breakfasts, even. Which is good.

Maybe under new management they'll consider opening at nine on weekends, since there's inevitably a queue of people waiting outside when they open at half past...