I take my hat off and congratulate the recent success of JJB’s new management team in steering a difficult course of extracting themselves out of poor performing stores whilst renegotiating with the landlords on the remaining stores. It is a sign of the times and a measure of their experience that they achieved a win win outcome.
I do believe though that they have done the easy part and something that the old management team should have done. The real test will now be to keep the momentum and re-energise the brand and the consumer offer. Its offer still feels ‘pile them high sell them cheap’ and it remains neither the specialist nor the category killer however my money is on Sir David to find some more magic as a final farewell to retail street.
