T**** got too big too quickly and diversified into areas they shouldn't have in an attempt to 'rule the world'.
The problem regarding their store is they relied on their demographic models and market trends when deciding that this was the right location to build such a store. The problem is the people of Chesterfield don't conform to national trends, never have and probably never will.
But in their defence (bloody hell JR is defending T****) they aren't the only ones. When their new store opened we were told that the profiles indicated that sainsburys would lose £X in sales to them for the first week or so then it would calm down and we would only be down by £Y.
I turned round and said we would indeed be down by £Y initially but after the novelty wore off we would be £Z up on the deal. Guess who was right? The powers that be surprise surprise had to admit we bucked all national trends. When the boss asked me where my prediction came from I told him 40+ years of experience of the people of Chesterfield including 25+ working for them!
