PEACOCKS SHOWS OFF SOME VERY NICE PRICES
Where: Unit 17, St Stephen's shopping centre, Hull.
It sells: Men's, women's and children's clothing and accessories.
Open: Monday to Wednesday 9am to 7pm, Thursday 9am to 8pm, Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm.
Contact: 01482 218322. Visit www.peacocks.co.uk
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CONNECTION TO EXISTING , CORRECT AND ACCESSIBLE PIPEWORK ONLY
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Contact: 01482 423080
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
A fter struggling though administration last year, Peacocks has fought back and remained a presence on the British high street.
Almost a year after the retailer was sold off to Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Shop Spy went to the St Stephen's store to see how it is faring in 2013.
Window shopping
Peacocks is one of the stores that attempts to lure customers in with a wide, open frontage. Big windows showing off some of the best bargain lines make it hard to resist slipping just inside the doors to take a look what else might be in store.
Coming down the escalators from the floor above gives you an even more tempting vantage point. And so it was on this day, when I found myself drawn, as if my magic, towards some coloured jeans that seemed to be marked up with an unbelievably low £10 price tag.
First impressions
Although many stores have packed away the sale stuff, at the time Shop Spy visited, Peacocks still had a fair number of racks of clothes left that were clearly the very end of the sale stock.
As an inveterate bargain hunter, I was delighted at the idea of picking up some last-chance bargains and was more than happy to have a quick browse. After not too long, however, I decided to turn my attention to the new stock, which was also in abundance.
The jeans that had caught my eye from the escalator were indeed just £10 and came in an array of great colours for spring. I would definitely be tempted by the deep purple pair and, at that price, may even throw in the more daring cherry red pair as well.
There are plenty of tops to choose from to go with the jeans, including a bang-on-trend white shirt for just £14 and a pretty chiffon pussy bow blouse for £16.
I have always been a big fan of the Sadie Frost collection in Peacocks but could not find any sign of it when I visited.
There was an array of pretty chiffon tea dresses, however, that quite made up for the omission and, at just £20, they were half the usual price of the Frost dresses. I particularly liked a bird-print chiffon dress that could easily slip from work to play.
While not as extensive as the women's wear, the men's department also offered amazing value for money. Some jeans were also just £10, while plain cotton T-shirts started at just £4, which pitches Peacocks firmly in the Primark market.
Did I buy?
After thinking long and hard, I decided I could not really justify yet another pair of jeans, even if they were a gorgeous purple colour, but with work as an excuse, I managed to persuade myself a new dress would definitely be OK. The bird print chiffon was mine – and at a price (£20) that meant I did not have to feel too guilty.
Staff and service
The shop was looking a little haphazard and, although there were plenty of staff members on the shop floor, there was no one particularly interested in helping. A bit more attention to customers and stock would probably be good, although I know how difficult it can be to keep things tidy at the end of the sale season.
Verdict
All in all, I would say I have seen better seasons in Peacocks. There have been times when I have been spoilt for choice in this store. However, there was definitely enough to keep my interest up for a good, long browse and I am always impressed with the prices.
Peacocks has managed to struggle out of administration and I would love it to go from strength to strength. It might just have to try a little bit harder to survive, but I will definitely keep visiting to see what I can do to keep it afloat.
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