Alex McCulloch

Director at CACI on retail, property and public space. Mildly obsessive on SE London and particularly Nunhead. And food. A bit ranty. Views are mine.

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

*tongue firmly in cheek

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Good to see the indigenous drink of London finally getting some attention in the regions*

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

With intl students and the value of their £ in the press recently it was illustrative walking around Cambridge, both an intl tourist and intl student magnet. In one run on a Monday lunch time in February you have 4 bustling operators all with a very Asian focus.

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

@kientan74 Thought definitely crossed my mind, but then do it, this slow decline just disenfranchises customers who stop engaging fullstop- including online.

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

And directly opposite?

A great looking Holland and barrett, newly fitted put, enticing, give a shit about the community they are in.

Guess which one we'll return to.

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Access is via an unopened security shutter, limiting accessibility to wheel chairs

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

The stock. Or lack thereof. Just acres of empty shelves grinding you into an ennui of gloom

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Went into @BootsUK peckham branch today and my god it was an appalling experience.

It is hard to overstate the brand damage this store experience does. You speak to people in Peckham and they actively seek out @superdrug @Poundland rather than go in.

Witness the shitness... 1

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Also, I know it's tech but 2 women / 9 men is a pretty poor balance for a morning of panels @Bisnow

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Or to put it another way- we are focused on outcomes not why. #AIinRE

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

At the @Bisnow AI for real estate conf, its clear that (like most) real estate is really still in the earliest stages of adoption, use cases are incremental efficiencies/operational not yet heard anything that is game changing. These efficiencies are evolution, not revolution.

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Also today we went to primark at Lakeside, great store and well aligned to the customer. But the dress your 6yo daughter like an All Saint was perplexing. I know fashion repeats but this was not one I was expecting.

Although more welcome than some of the other looks!

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

7/ yes the centre is old and the design dated, but the offer is solid, footfall strong, it's clean (tho toilets were sub-par) and leisure was very good. The fixes are straightforward but disappointingly basic- signage and wayfinding. It doesn't pay rent, but it does drive spend.

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

Went to lakeside today for the @NickelodeonAdv1 at Lakeside. A couple of observations:
1/ the idea if leisure driving destination trips works. We drove 50min, going past Stratford and Bluewater for it as it was my 4yo birthday

[Alex McCulloch @AlexMcRetail]

6/ piss-poor signage was baked in. We spent 10min parking. 10min walking in circles trying to find your leisure anchor despite parking next to it. 10min afterwards looking for the food court. It's not 'exploratory' it's infuriating.
PUT A CENTRE MAP AT EVERY ENTRANCE & JUNCTION!