What British company just makes no sense that it is somehow still operating in modern times?

[-]

neilm1000@reddit

A year ago I would have said WH Smith. but that's now TG Jones and they're going under.

[-]

Martipar@reddit

TG Jones was never going to be around long, the company behind them are an asset stripping business. Their current target is Flying Tiger.

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neilm1000@reddit

Their current target is Flying Tiger.

Modella now own them. So a successful targeting.

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Martipar@reddit

Yes, Modella, the company behind TG Jones.

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ClassroomDowntown664@reddit

wh Smith still exists in transport hubs and hospitals . TG Jones was the high street part of the business

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Cpt_Saturn@reddit

Didn't know WH Smith even operated in high streets. Was everything overpriced like their airport and rail station counterparts there as well?

[-]

ClassroomDowntown664@reddit

they were good for niche magazines and books

[-]

neilm1000@reddit

wh Smith still exists in transport hubs and hospitals . TG Jones was the high street part of the business

I am fully aware of that. The high street operation is now owned by Modella.

[-]

cragglerock93@reddit

'TG Jones' was the weirdest marketing decision ever. Up there with Consignia or whatever it was.

I realise they couldn't continue to use 'WHSmith', but even calling it Books, Books, Books would be better than looking like a knockoff WHSmith.

[-]

pooey_canoe@reddit

Just "Smith's", given that's what most people call it anyway!

Btw what happens with the post offices when J G goes under?

[-]

neilm1000@reddit

I should have said 'TG Jones Ltd owned by Modella Capital', perhaps?

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Moppo_@reddit

Oh, I'm just obnoxiously disregarding their pointless rebranding.

[-]

Inevitable-Lead6191@reddit

Matalan is a great one for school uniforms for kids - maybe that’s how it stays afloat? 😂

[-]

limitedregrett@reddit

I secretly love a bit of Matalan. Remember back in the 00's you couldn't shop their without a membership card. what a place.

[-]

neilm1000@reddit

Someone else has mentioned Matalan as it happens!

[-]

self_loading_trifle@reddit

Any American candy store in every big town and city 🤔

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AltruisticGain2587@reddit

The title said "British" and "UK" and yet you still manage to mention American. 😂🤣

[-]

Arnoave@reddit

These shops are in the UK on every high street

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

It's just the absurd hatred of Americans and America, especially on this sub is insane. Don't act like this is some crazy thing I'm saying.

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self_loading_trifle@reddit

No hatred of Americans with me , I'll chomp my way thru loads of Reese's stuff , my apologies if you took my comment the wrong way

[-]

Arnoave@reddit

You have fundamentally misunderstood the entire point

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

No, YOU have just buried your head in the sand. Not worth any more effort to engage with you further.

[-]

I'll give you an upvote for definitely stating the obvious boo boo I made ....but I'm not getting at Americans ,just these ridiculous fronts for money laundering.....you just never see anyone shopping in them 🫣👍

[-]

RoutineCloud5993@reddit

They're literally shops that sell American candy and chocolate though... Have you not been to a town or city in the last 15 years?

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

Does hatred of the US live in your mind rent free?

[-]

grey-zone@reddit

It’s nothing to do with a like or dislike of the US. It’s just what many of them are called and what they have generically become known as.

Perhaps don’t be so defensive.

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

Not you gaslighting me like that doesn't exist at all. 🤣😂

[-]

Purp1eMagpie@reddit

You know you could've just admitted you misunderstood the comment rather going off on these rants to various people. Unhinged

[-]

Arnoave@reddit

The dirty deletes tell the whole story 🤣

[-]

RoutineCloud5993@reddit

They blocked a bunch of people too

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Alt4Norm@reddit

Ah. That’s why they wouldn’t let me reply.

[-]

Alt4Norm@reddit

No one’s hating anything here. The shops sell American sweets and pop. That’s all.

You’ve clearly never been to the UK, probably never even left your state. Calm yourself down lil boy.

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

I'm not even male, and I've been to many countries so your comment is embarrassing and funny to me. 😂🤣

[-]

TheRealWhoop@reddit

You’re entirely missing the point. It’s nothing to do with being American, that’s literally what they’re called. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-61777445

[-]

RoutineCloud5993@reddit

r/shitamericanssay

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

That sub would totally fit people of your kind.

[-]

Wiggles_21@reddit

It's a category of shop, they're called American Candy Stores and they were a big fad years ago when foreign sweets were a novelty but they aren't really popular anymore.

It's not a dig at Americans, I'm sure the sweets/cereal etc they sell are nice enough. It's just surprising how many there are considering how little they must sell.

[-]

Moppo_@reddit

They're not talking about actual Americans, they're talking about dubiously-run American-style sweet shops in Britain.

[-]

AltruisticGain2587@reddit

People here hate everything American

[-]

afpow@reddit

Private Eye has been covering these for years. It’s no secret they are fronts.

[-]

Additional-End-7688@reddit

But yet, they remain there - a decade on

[-]

Scooob-e-dooo8158@reddit

I thought the police were supposed to be going after the owners for money laundering and tax evasion.

[-]

Original_Document748@reddit

Yeah the American candy stores in London are a eyesore and really overpriced

[-]

cragglerock93@reddit

I might be dead wrong and their finances may well tell a different story but just instinctively... Matalan. The one near me is quite nice and was refurbished a couple of years ago but it just feels like such an old fashioned sort of place even if the fixtures and decor is kind of modern. I can't imagine anyone under the age of 50 shopping there. And it always looks pretty dead, too, despite it being massive. Those retail park overheads and all those staff cannot be cheap.

[-]

JoelPetey@reddit

Crazy to think you used to need a membership card to shop there. I remember being dragged round there by my Mum in the 00s and thinking it must be incredibly high end and exclusive

[-]

BananaNo8179@reddit

Dont underestimate the power of boomer pensions

[-]

No-Department-4561@reddit

Even the boomers don’t shop there any more. The quality has gone downhill and now everything seems expensive for what it is.

[-]

Better_Builder_3504@reddit

Or just UK demographics - there are a LOT of people over 50.

[-]

SM_83@reddit

"I can't imagine anyone under the age of 50 shopping there"

That cut deep

[-]

cragglerock93@reddit

Sorry, maybe my imagination is poor. The last time I shopped there was for emergency work trousers when I squatted too vigorously and tore a big hole in my crotch.

[-]

doomladen@reddit

Yes indeed! I love Matalan, and I am over 50.

[-]

SM_83@reddit

It's ok. I normally only buy something in there if it's on offer!

[-]

Jasboh@reddit

Lol I did the same once upon a time

[-]

silent_pm@reddit

Fixtures and fittings arent the most modern, but for cheap kids wear and smalls it's really good value. We don't have an Asda near us and the Primark quality has been slipping (and prices have been rising) so the Matalan is a good alternative

[-]

Sirlacker@reddit

Matalan is great for kids clothes too.

[-]

BG3restart@reddit

Their kids clothes are super cheap. Where I live there aren't that many options for kids' clothing, so young mums often shop there. I notice there are also people coming out with suitcases at the moment, so I'm guessing they're cheap too.

[-]

tutters1@reddit

Shoe Zone

[-]

Smooth-Captain-6151@reddit

I always get slippers and croc like shoes from Shoe Zone. Free delivery too if you can't be arsed to go in store.

[-]

Lanky_Commission5064@reddit

Key word - "Always"

Because you are buying from Shoe Zone you have to keep going back, as they don't last long.

Get a real pair of crocs and they will last you years and years.

[-]

Smooth-Captain-6151@reddit

No - they absolutely last, I've had the same main pair for 10+ years.

Then a spare pair for travel, some sliders just for the shower only and "crocs" for outside only (like taking the bins out).

The reason I went there in the first place is because it was the first moulded (all in one style) slipper I came across (so the top wasn't glued or stitched to the bottom - those ones just seem to fall apart in months)

[-]

Martipar@reddit

I agree. Many years ago i bought some boots from there, mostly to see how i looked in then but also because i was going to an event.

They were okay but I'd say they lasted about a month of constant wear. It's not enough for me to justify going again, they were about £15 at the time and i definitely could've got a much better pair for £40 at the time.

It's not like i don't buy cheap shoes occasionally but not from Shoe Zone. I have some pumps i bought at Primark for £7 a few months and they've lasted longer than the boots did. I wear them regularly for cycling but it's not like i don't walk in them too.

[-]

Wiggles_21@reddit

A lot of people buy school shoes from there. I think that's probably where most of their income comes from.

As a kid I used to be so jealous of kids that got their school shoes from Wynsors

[-]

Avertia@reddit

The closing down sale has been nice for the last 15 years

[-]

Scooob-e-dooo8158@reddit

Oakland in Redditch was like that. Every time I walked past it, there was a sale on. Eventually, they did finally bite the dust.

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kelleehh@reddit

You mean the ‘warehouse’ is closing

[-]

Emergency_Mistake_44@reddit

Think about how many school children there are and then think about how few of their parents are buying name brand shoes every year.

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Moppo_@reddit

Every time I look in there it's just a corridor of practically identical black shoes. And they don't look comfortable.

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Successful_Tree8655@reddit

We had one in our town that had a “closing down sale” every few months. After 10 years of that it did finally go

[-]

Zealousideal_Run_575@reddit

WH Smith or whatever the fuck its called now. Why does it even exist?

Unnecessarily inflated yet absolutely substandard quality products.

[-]

Inevitable-Lead6191@reddit

Ridiculous rebrand!!! It looks awful and just why???

[-]

CrossCityLine@reddit

It’s not a rebrand that’s why, the High Street part of Smith’s got bought out by an unrelated company.

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Zealousideal_Run_575@reddit

Ya private equity. They had to rebrand it as part of the deal.

[-]

iloovehugecock@reddit

And apparently they also pay a license fee to WH Smith to use the made up ‘TG Jones’ brand that literally anybody could have came up with.

I can’t believe the buyers of the high street stores could have been so stupid to think ‘well we need a new name. I have nothing… but WH Smith will charge us millions a year if we use their TG Jones brand’ and that’s apparently just what they did.

[-]

Zealousideal_Run_575@reddit

They dont pay WHSmith. Modella created a new company that simply owns the brand TGJones and that gets paid. Modella made sure they get paid irrespective of whether the company profits or not.

But ya, what you said is correct.

[-]

iloovehugecock@reddit

Ah thanks. I didn’t fully understand the article when I read it so that was how I understood it. Thanks for correcting me!

[-]

Zealousideal_Run_575@reddit

Also, just saw your username! 💀

[-]

Wretched_Colin@reddit

Someone has said

“Ok, we’ve bought WH Smith’s but not the name. What will be change it to?”

“Jones is a stereotypical name also, why not WH Jones?”

“No, still too close”

“ehm……T…….G…….Jones?”

“Winner!”

“lovely, that will be £250k. I’ll send an invoice.”

[-]

MattGSJ@reddit

I’d give it a few weeks and you won’t need to ask this question.

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Zealousideal_Run_575@reddit

Interestingly, I felt the same so I was doing some reading. Apparently not. The retail brand that was sold to Modella in 2025, rebranded to TGJones (required as per contract), still does around £41 million in EBIDTA. Add to the fact the Modella does not wait for profits but instead charges licence fees to individual stores to use the brand name (which is conveniently owned by a different company), they will make their monies out within 2 years. Its all profit after that.

Once they have made enough, they will sell it, a new private equity will rebrand it, and the cycle will continue.

The company TGJones will keep raking in debt but the owners would be richer everyday they own it.

Atleast as per what I read in the last 20 minutes.

[-]

BG3restart@reddit

I still buy magazines and books for my grandkids from WHSmith. They're the same price as anywhere else. Cards and wrapping paper don't seem any dearer either for similar quality. I have to walk past it to get to M&S, so I often pop in.

[-]

Wiggles_21@reddit

The Works and Card Factory and even most supermarkets are more standard pricing imo. Although the best thing about WHSmiths was the range of products imo. They always have what you need, even if it is expensive.

[-]

Novacoda@reddit

Can't upvote this enough. Need a small mortgage to buy a drink on there.

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Wretched_Colin@reddit

You need a mortgage and a phd to buy a drink. One bottle of coke is £3.45 but I can buy three for £6.25. Which attracts me because I don’t want to spend over £3. But if I think about it, I can go to Tesco and pay something similar per bottle, but only have to buy one.

Then, when I get to the till, they tell me that if I buy a packet of Werther’s Originals, I’ll get a mars bar and a copy of The Telegraph for free.

I just can’t understand it all.

[-]

xdq@reddit

There's a bespoke furniture manufacturer near me who're on their 2nd or 3rd restructuring in recent years.

I've bought from them in the past and both the service and quality are great but there aren't large number of people who buying "Prices on request", hand-made in Northumberland with a 50-year guarantee sofas when they can finance a DFS special over 5 years, by which time the sofa will have worn out and they won't mind getting a new one because theirs is out of style.

[-]

parasoralophus@reddit

I don't understand how 'adult shops' still exist. Surely no one buys porn DVDs any more and you would think internet shopping would have hit the dildo market pretty hard too (pun intended). How can they still be viable?

[-]

xdq@reddit

The markup on sex toys is massive so I reckon they survive through online sales of those.

I considered setting up an online "adult toy" store and while it didn't pan out I saw that there's >5-10x markup in retail price compared to buying on Aliexpress. Buying in bulk on Alibaba would increase those margins while allowing customisation of the device and packaging.

It's no surprise Lovehoney et al offer generous money-back satisfaction guarantees, a single sale easily covers a customer making one or two returns.

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LazyEmu5073@reddit

Dominos. Why are people still buying at these prices?

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DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit

Dominos aren't a British company: they were founded in Michigan, U.S

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LazyEmu5073@reddit

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02882515

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DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit

"Domino’s started out small, with just one store in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1960. Fast forward more than 65 years, and Domino’s has grown to become one of the most recognized and leading pizza brands in the world. "

https://biz.dominos.com/about-us/history/

An American company being registered in the UK does not make them a British company

[-]

LazyEmu5073@reddit

But you're not Emu!! And I'm too lazy!! ^((genuinely only just got dressed 30 mins ago!))

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Geezer-McGeezer@reddit

They have their own delivery, so you are not waiting up to a hour, like ordering via the generic good apps.

Always do a deal.

And I really like their Vegi Volcano pizza

.

[-]

neilm1000@reddit

Because they always have a BOGOF or similar.

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Sirlacker@reddit

Even with the deals they're still barely mediocre pizzas and aren't worth it.

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UnacceptableUse@reddit

They're mediocre pizzas, but as with most fast food chains it's consistently mediocre. You can order from any dominoes in the country and get the same uneventful experience, instead of having to chose between, say, "Mr Pizza" and "Pizza 4 U" and not knowing which is less likely to give you food poisoning.

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

I feel like i would go as far as to call dominos pizza decent.

I feel like Pizza is Pizza and the difference between the best pizza I've ever eaten in my entire life and the worst pizza I've ever eaten is a relatively small scale.

[-]

Sirlacker@reddit

This is very true. This is the exact reason I don't mind Wetherspoons having a location in every town. Don't know why I didn't associate that with Dominos.

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jamnut@reddit

In your opinion. It's likely that the masses don't share the same opinion and that's why it's still going

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PanicStil@reddit

Their deals are implemented in such a way that it’s still overpriced. Always £1 away from spending enough to get a good ‘deal’

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

Eh? my local one the deal that seems to be constantly on is £14 large pizza, £12 for a 2 topping large pizza.

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jamnut@reddit

Because people like it? These types of companies always come up in threads like this and you always get the usual 'its so gross I don't know how they're still in business' completely forgetting there's a world outside their own opinions on it. For what it's worth I think they're alright as a treat once or twice a year, but not my favourite

[-]

Purp1eMagpie@reddit

No one with a brain is buying at full price. There are always offers

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zero_sevenn@reddit

Used to work at dominos part time on the side during the weekends. The amount of people paying full price, £24 for a single large pizza was ridiculously high, which is odd considering the app/ website shoves the deals in your face, very hard to miss

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Purp1eMagpie@reddit

I present to you the brainless

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

if you actually order online once you select your store the first thing it offers you is to 'view deals'

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

My local dominoes always has a deal on a large pizza is £12 which seems alright for a takeawy pizza to be honest?

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Funny-Force-3658@reddit

They're reliably mediocre, have advertising everywhere and have gamified the entire experience of purchasing. The food is almost secondary to how the business is ran.

Source; i have worked for them and my partner currently works for them.

[-]

Scooob-e-dooo8158@reddit

And don't get me going on their 💩y advertising campaign. Has to be the most annoying advert ever.

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Lanky_Commission5064@reddit

Don't get how. So many family owned italian restaurants that are cheaper and better.

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OrbitingPlanetArse@reddit

I worked in the space industry for seven years.

Most space companies would fold in a week if they weren't propped up with bloated government contracts.

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conrat4567@reddit

The UK Space industry could easily get launch capabilities. We have potential sites in Cornwall and we can launch from Oz as well. I know its cost, but we could become an asset to European space projects and launch our own satellites

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OrbitingPlanetArse@reddit

The UK does have a reasonable track record on building space, but the industry seems to operate despite itself most of the time.

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Silvagadron@reddit

I think most submarine and nuclear warhead manufacturers would do too. But I don't think the space or military industries are really trying to appeal to the high street!

[-]

DescriptionSignal458@reddit

Acme whistles. I hope they're still going 100 years after I'm gone but after all the manufacturers who have shut down one of the ones that remain is a whistle manufacturer.

6 months ago I would have said Denby and I'd have been sadly right.

[-]

silent_pm@reddit

I heard there's a big lawsuit coming the way of Acme, not specifically the whistles division but their products have been faulty for a long time. I hope that guy Wile E gets the compensation he deserves...

[-]

jamnut@reddit

I used to work for their customer services and apparently he'd ring up and wouldn't say anything, but occasionally you'd hear a 'meep meep' in the background then a load of clattering

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silent_pm@reddit

Seething with rage and couldn't get the words out most likely...

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VandelSavagee@reddit

Mobile repair phone shops that have 4 of them next to each other

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Emergency_Mistake_44@reddit

Whilst I have no doubt money laundering is going on, to be fair, EVERYONE has a mobile phone and it would be naïve to think the entire population aren't damaging them and don't want to pay full manufacturer repair prices.

A bit like garages. Everyone needs their car fixed because we use them so often but most prefer a local, independent one to a main dealer. I can believe the same thing applying to phones.

And then multiply everyone having a phone by whatever amount of people also have a tablet and/or laptop. Things need fixing somewhere.

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OddlyDown@reddit

Yep. If you are planning to launder money why pick a shop that performs a reasonably skilled and time consuming service where you also have to potentially deal with people coming in for more repairs under warranty, when you could just choose a barber (cash only, reasonably easy to train) el a sweet shop (selling stuff that needs basically no training and is unlikely to have to deal with returns)?

There’s probably laundering in almost any business, but some seem more likely than others.

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Emergency_Mistake_44@reddit

Yeah, I don't get why so many people assume because there's loads of them something dodgy must be going on. No one thinks it's dodgy having 5 betting shops on one high street or having a Tesco Express, Sainsbury's Local and Morrisons on one street but for some reason, four phone repair shops must be laundering... As if people aren't constantly dropping their phones.

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pixel-powder@reddit

In all honesty though, do you know anyone who's ever taken their phone to a 'repair shop' for a fix?

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OddlyDown@reddit

I take my girlfriend’s one because she smashes the screen so often that my main priority is whatever is cheapest and will do it within 20 minutes. To be fair to them they’ve always done a good job.

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EffectzHD@reddit

Ehh, I’d say most people that get their phones repaired aren’t going to their carriers or an Apple Store just due to the prices.

I’d love to see the ratio of genuine to non genuine displays on phone owners of those that have had replacements.

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pixel-powder@reddit

They're just money laundering

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SnoopyMcDogged@reddit

AcTuAllY No ThEy’rE nOT!

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Logical_Bake_3108@reddit

Of course not. They're as legitimate as any of the Turkish barbers and American sweet shops on the same street.

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Jaguarmadillo@reddit

BT. They always seem to break new ground on treating customers/clients with contempt

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pixel-powder@reddit

And the Talking Clock by BT.

Who tf needs to call to find out the time anymore?!

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Scooob-e-dooo8158@reddit

What time is it?

Sorry, couldn't resist it.

[-]

pixel-powder@reddit

At the tone, the time in the UK, will be exactly 14:07 and 10 seconds BST

Beeeeeeeeep

[-]

Pr6srn@reddit

At the tone, the time [sponsored by Accurist] will be...

[-]

pixel-powder@reddit

It doesn't say that anymore 😭

I will admit I know this because I called the other day hahaha

[-]

colin_staples@reddit

What time is it?

It's Chico Time

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No-Department-4561@reddit

Everyone calls the Butterfield Time Line these days (remember to send a cheque to Brian afterwards)

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Material-Water-9610@reddit

The consumer end of BT sucks, but they have alot of government contracts and secret services that work with them. That's how they survive.

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Technical_Front_8046@reddit

I’m still amazed that people go with BT for broadband. They are so expensive! Even worse, if you go with another supplier 9 times out of 10 they use BTs infrastructure, so they are literally paying for the name. Only variable of course is the customer service.

[-]

TomAtkinson3@reddit

Any of those 118 phone lines. Really can't imagine there's that many people paying for a service you could realistically get for free

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Technical_Front_8046@reddit

My guess would be the OAPs who don’t have internet. But I agree, must be a declining market.

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

can't be many OAPs who don't know how to use the internet these days.

My Gran was 90 when she died and that was 6 years ago and even she'd be using the internet for a good 10 years by that point.

[-]

nightfire_83@reddit

Maureen, 118 two one twhooooo. Absolute rip off prices. It's just a knobber on a phone, doing a Google

[-]

No-Department-4561@reddit

Mancierge

[-]

Inevitable-Lead6191@reddit

Thames Water. Fricken terrible. Please renationalise!!

[-]

No-Department-4561@reddit

The Inside the Crisis documentary was unintentional comedy gold though

[-]

Effective_Topic_4728@reddit

Post office. Sending innocent people to prison and then covering it up really ought to have been the final nail in their coffin.

[-]

Additional-End-7688@reddit

I found it bizarre that that was nothing more than a short news story, and never talked about again. And also Fujitsu faced no consequences

[-]

Technical_Front_8046@reddit

I think the best solution would be for the post office to be handed to the postmasters and ran as mutual partnership by the postmasters. It feels morally right after all they have been through

[-]

Feisty_Baseball_6566@reddit

Royal Fail

British Gaf

Parcel Farce

OpenSleeze

CostaLotta

All train companys and the

Network Fail

Lloyds Wanking Group

Vodagone

[-]

Material-Water-9610@reddit

Lloyd's is never going to go down, they own way to much and insure way to many ships etc

[-]

AverageThat5267@reddit

Anything owned by Britannia Hotels

KFC

WH Smith

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Material-Water-9610@reddit

Talktalk owe like 500m to BT

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AverageThat5267@reddit

They do, TalkTalk also owe Sky millions for carriage of their TV channels for their former tv service.

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ImNot_AnNPC@reddit

Argos.

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CptConnor18@reddit

I'd say Argos is pretty safe, whilst they don't stock everything they offer reasonably affordable items for quite a lot of things that the average household needs. Toys, appliances, tech, furnishing etc.

Not the cheapest by any means but within a price range that's just about okay for click & collect as well as delivery.

[-]

kelleehh@reddit

The theft will be incredibly low compared to regular shops that have their items on the shop floor too.

[-]

jamnut@reddit

And product training, POS etc. The store front could just be a doctor's waiting room painted entirely white and people would still go there

[-]

lbuttigieg@reddit

I love Argos! It’s British and it’s heaps better than waiting for a delivery and not knowing when it going to arrive

[-]

Scooob-e-dooo8158@reddit

Didn't Sainsbury's close down all the Argos stores and incorporate them all inside Sainsbury's?

[-]

limitedregrett@reddit

This is quite interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZK69vNOi6k

[-]

Kinbear@reddit

It opened the link for me about a third of the way watched.

Yeah, looks like sainsburys lost out for not figuring that it wasnt actually that good in the days of internet shopping. 😉

[-]

ChaoticBanana77@reddit

Very - they are basically Kay's Catalogue.

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ConsiderationIll3361@reddit

They are what’s left of Kay’s catalogue and littlewoods

[-]

Realm_Oat@reddit

Evri/Hermes

[-]

ResplendentBear@reddit

People want cheap deliveries and every year there's more stuff to deliver.

[-]

Realm_Oat@reddit

No, people actually want stuff delivered rather than dashed in the street or lost during transit. My biggest fear is an email from a company saying your parcel is being delivered by evri.
In the last few years I've had 4 parcels out of 38 actually delivered to me personally. The rest have either not turned up at all or have been left on my doorstep in the middle of a busy street and is never usually there by the time I get back from work, despite 30 separate complaints which all ended with a so called manager responding by saying leaving it in the street is not part of our terms of service and I cannot understand why this has happened,I will raise a complaint with the local depot manager which never fixes a thing.

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Material-Water-9610@reddit

I had a delivery due from amazon today, just got an evri tried to deliver but your property was not able to access your property, interesting given another amazon driver gave me a parcel about 10 mins ago.

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Material-Water-9610@reddit

Yeah but neither of those company's deliver.

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Cielo11@reddit

This isn't right I'm afraid.

EVRi has revolutionised online delivery, making it cheap to operate and effective at delivering millions of items a day. So the High street companies love EVRi because they are cheap logistics solution.

The reason why they shouldn't exist?

Because the above means treating human beings like human garbage. Couriers are paid pennies per delivery, have to take on the costs of running a vehicle and have no security... Your vehicle breaks down in a huge way? Welp your delivery round will be given to someone else. Constant pay cuts for Couriers. Constantly manipulating the pay structure to favour the company rather than the couriers/sorters.

Which is why the company is shit, because the people in the system know they are being treated like shit. So they have no respect for the work. So the customers get a shit service.

But the High Street keep throwing delivery contracts at them because they are so cheap. Which means more profit. Profit is more of a draw than good service.

EVRi business model is immoral and exploiting labour. But hey... Makes truck loads of money for the big businesses.

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jamnut@reddit

This makes perfect sense. The sellers will use it because it's cheaper than the competition and they couldn't give a shit about the actual quality of service

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Technical_Front_8046@reddit

Interestingly, two years ago the local evri driver would be up and down our street every day without fail. Now he only delivers once maybe twice a week and to a single house at that. I feel like big retailers have ditched evri recently

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Less_Local_1727@reddit

Holland & Barrett

Spending £15 on vitamin C supplements instead of occasionally eating fruit and veg…

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VioletFireCat@reddit

There's been a Holland and Barrett in my town for as long as I can remember. I don't think I've ever seen more than maybe two people in there whenever I walk past, and that's including the staff. I have no idea how it's stayed open so long.

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conrat4567@reddit

Argos and their catalogues. We still have independent stores around us as well as the Sainsburys locations and It baffles me each time. HOWEVER, Argos has come in clutch sometimes. I have been in a tight spot multiple times and needed an item, and Argos has always surprised me when it has that item in stock.

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GasQuirky3938@reddit

The Inland Revenue.

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Vindex9323@reddit

Hasn't existed by that name in over twenty years.

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savagesoundsystem@reddit

Doesn't exist since 2005.

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GasQuirky3938@reddit

You know what I mean.

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savagesoundsystem@reddit

HMRC? Pretty sure someone has got to collect tax.

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Previous_Kale_4508@reddit

Bank of England. How do they keep going, giving nothing but bad news all the time?

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WildKey9307@reddit

British Gas

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Technical_Front_8046@reddit

100%. I was one of those caught up in the billing saga. Never again.

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Pottrescu@reddit

Poundstretcher/Bargain Buys. B&M and Home Bargains are so much better and cheaper and Poundstretcher seems to have been on life support for years but it carries on. Same goes for TJ Hughes really.

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jamnut@reddit

Fuck I love a B&M/Home Bargains

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setokaiba22@reddit

WHSmith & TG Jones

WHSmith has the monopoly on Airport stores which is the only reason they’ve survived and can charge stupid prices I guess

TG Jones sold a dying retail arm from Smiths again that sells expensive products you can get next door much cheaper but probably only survives or will in smaller stores because of the post office & they stock magazines/papers still when 99% have stopped doing so

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stealthw0lf@reddit

As a 90s teenager, WHSmith’s stationery was far better than the offerings at Staples. I used to love their pencils, pens, and especially their A4 lined paper and tablet shaped rubbers.

Where does everyone buy their stationery these days?

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cherrycoke3000@reddit

Aliexpress or market stalls at car boots for kiddie stuff.

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Wiggles_21@reddit

The Works. But also, I think people simply need stationary less nowadays than the 90s. Everything is digital! My dissertation was written and submitted entirely online whereas in the 90s I would've had to write it, or at least print it out, and have it bound.

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nrsys@reddit

Welcome to the world of modern retail...

The local art shops? All long gone.

Staples? Gone.

WHSmiths? Going...

Off to the internet then I guess.

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Antergaton@reddit

I found it shocking that not only is Rymans still going but actually doing okay. Struggled under COVID but turned a profit in recent years.

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Prediterx@reddit

Normally permanent borrowing from the office.

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spoo4brains@reddit

Hobbycraft, The Range.

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CrossCityLine@reddit

Dogshit quality

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DefinitelyNotEmu@reddit

I only see WH Smith at Motorway Services now. I go in there to ask for a shower key.

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pajamakitten@reddit

A lot of TG Joneses are now closing.

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frlawton@reddit

TG Jones seems unlikely to last, at least at it's current scale. Modella were always going to have to slim the business down and refocus it on things people actually want to buy on the high street.

Modella also owns an administration business and the purchase price they initially paid to WHS was a fraction of the total deal. The rest is supposed to be paid if/when the TGJ business reaches performance targets. Feasibly, they could claim that the whole business is unviable and appoint their own administrating arm to strip the business for assets.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/06/dozens-of-former-wh-smith-stores-face-closure-putting-thousands-of-jobs-at-risk

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HeadBat1863@reddit

TG Jones is a dead man walking. Think it's owned by venture capitalists now, who'll no doubt load it with debt and sail off into the sunset when it finally collapses.

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FlaviousTiberius@reddit

The leather shop in liverpool central station. Who is buying this leather to keep them in business?

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ImDankest@reddit

Also the umbrella and walking cane shop in Holborn. Its such a massive store in such a central part of london and it's still in business. How many walking sticks and umbrellas are they selling in order to stay in business!? Can't wrap my head around it tbh

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iphonedyou@reddit

James Smith & Sons is different. It's a British institution; people go it and buy from it because it's James Smith & Sons. And at £200 - £500 they're not your average umbrella.

I had one when I lived in London and it was a lovely thing.

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Wiggles_21@reddit

What's it like compared to a normal umbrella from Primark or Asda? Less likely to break? Holds up against the wind better?

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oktimeforplanz@reddit

Better materials, sturdier so they're less likely to break, but also completely repairable if they do break.

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iphonedyou@reddit

It's just a lovely thing to hold and use, in a way that a disposable umbrella bought for a fiver isn't.

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justolli@reddit

Likely both, and also the price tag. Why does a shirt from a designer label cost more than one from Primark/Asda? Because that's what people will pay for it.

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Biglig@reddit

When I shop there there are usually a lot of tourists buying traditional London brollys as a souvenir.

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KalamariNights@reddit

A lot of these older shops will own their premises, at that point it's a lot easier to break even and stay open with low profit when you know you have a huge property in Holborn to sell when you finally feel like retiring.

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cherrycoke3000@reddit

It's been open 195 years. People still need walking sticks and umbrellas, and this place is the best known. Yes to owning property, no to to retirement fund on this occasion.

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Better_Builder_3504@reddit

That place is actually pretty renowned. People come from quite a long way to buy from there. It’s often busy. Some of their stuff is quite expensive, and they do repairs etc.

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Otocolobus_manul8@reddit

Always love seeing that. There's a shop that only sells rubber ducks round Bloomsbury/Holborn as well.

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Novacoda@reddit

They probably have a big contract supplying leather to whoever.

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paulbamf@reddit

Is the concept that commuters break their belts/bags on the way and need a replacement for work?

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Ipm1128@reddit

What an answer! Never been in but apparently its an institution and people come from all over just to go there! you know people who really like leather

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nerotable@reddit

CEX - how do they manage to make a profit? Or maybe I don’t understand their business model

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AnUdderDay@reddit

Fray Bentos although they're owned by Baxter's. I can't imagine an independently-owned Fray Bentos would still be in business.

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KoMaMcNoob@reddit

Card shops... If a minimum wage employee costs over £100 per day, plus business rates, rent utilities etc. Who on earth is buying that many cards and extras a day?

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weary_dave@reddit

BT - hardly anyone uses landlines anymore and their broadband offerings feel like they lack compared to their competitors.

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DragaTheImpala@reddit

D M Buttons makes buttonholes and covered buttons. A shop that specialises in making buttonholes in things seems wild.

https://dmbuttons.com/

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JealousCheek7265@reddit

Thames Water

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organic_soursop@reddit

Boots

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Melodic-Guitar192@reddit

cardfactory

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Silvagadron@reddit

May I ask why? They sell cheap cards and people still want cheap cards. They're operating with healthy profits and still growing so people definitely still use them.

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Zealousideal_Run_575@reddit

I dont understand why buy a card for £3.

I bought a printer for only £20 (used), and subscribed to HP instant. Costs me 1.5£ a month to print 10 pages. The only thing I print is Cards. I bought fancy paper in bulk and have the liberty to print custom cards for everyone!

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Emotional_Pick9327@reddit

My go to shop wife birthday, xmas and other family members

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ClassroomDowntown664@reddit

in a similar vain Clinton's cards

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tk1178@reddit

I found myself in one last month getting a birthday card for my mum, since I couldn't be bothered going to one of the online places. The place was busy, so it obviously must see a lot of traffic on at least a weekly basis.

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thebrowncanary@reddit

Why? To me it is very obvious why card factory is still a visibile, thriving business?

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poshbakerloo@reddit

The one in my town is always so busy!

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Original_Bad_3416@reddit

It’s always packed though

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Overseerer-Vault-101@reddit

Hobby craft, the amount of times i hear ""i could have got it cheaper at (name of physical store not far from hobby craft) and even less online."

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

Hobby craft has the advantage of being a bit of a catch all though.

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Original_Document748@reddit

Asda - i used to work there many years ago and its only gotten more of a shit show from what ive heard.

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kelleehh@reddit

Same. I can’t see it lasting the next 5 years. For the staffs sake I hope I’m wrong.

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nightfire_83@reddit

Pandora

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RedBedHead94@reddit

Shoe Zone.

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Silvagadron@reddit

Shoe Zone is one of those that excuses itself as being necessary (for its wasteful cheap products) for low income people. They would argue that there are people who can't afford £100 for a pair of shoes, so offer some cheap glued-on bits of fake leather or fabric that will only last 2 months and then get continued repeat business. And many of the people who buy them think that's just what all shoes are like, so "why would I bother paying hundreds for the same thing" with no consideration for manufacturing quality. So while Shoe Zone and many other fast fashion retailers ought not exist, they do still have a place.

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Equal-Application731@reddit

The cake box, is it just a front for something else? Nobody is ever in them. Are the cakes even that good?

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DistinctUsual6815@reddit

One of these opened up across from my work. Its never busy so god knows how they keep up with the town centre costs (even mcdonalds moved out cos it wasnt worth it)

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Nutty103X@reddit

subway like how's the target audience for it now?

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TheSmallestPlap@reddit

They had a very heavy emphasis on their meat free, vegetarian options... That is until they stopped doing them and replaced them with "Ominous brown slab #3"

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NatureUnique1277@reddit

People who eat lunch?

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Additional-End-7688@reddit

The “American candy shops” x 6 on Oxford street

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limitedregrett@reddit

Superdry...always full of stock in airports and ALWAYS dead empty.

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ResplendentBear@reddit

Everyone thought it was a cool Japanese brand 10-15 years ago. Turns out it's never had a store in Japan, and was created by two middle aged men from the Cotswolds (and one of them was a giant sex criminal).

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Remarkable_Cell_5441@reddit

Halfrauds

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VolSpurs74@reddit

I would have said the American candy stores everywhere, but it seems like the government finally figured those out…

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Kinbear@reddit

Front for the CIA over here?

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LFCRedAnt@reddit

Evri,all day long it's absolutely useless

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frlawton@reddit

But a very successful business nonetheless

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/11/30/britains-worst-parcel-company-pays-out-100m-dividend/

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