Sports Direct staying open

[tiger76]

Sports Direct says it will stay open
UK sports retailer Sports Direct says it will stay open despite the guidance announced by the government.

Its rationale was set out by finance chief Chris Wootton in an email sent to the Press Association news agency: "We stock a huge range of sports equipment designed for exercising at home... indeed home fitness is the number one trending topic on social media after coronavirus itself.

"Against the backdrop of the closure of gyms the demand for these types of products has increased exponentially as the population looks to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

"Consequently, we are uniquely well placed to help keep the UK as fit and healthy as possible during this crisis and thus our Sports Direct and Evans Cycles stores will remain open where possible to allow us to do this (in accordance with the Government's current social distancing guidance)."

I thought all non-food and medical stores were supposed to close their doors,i can understand to some extent Sports Direct arguing they're needed for sports kit and equipment,fair enough,but why can't they supply this through an online operation?

[HieronymousBoschHobs]

Unbelievable.

Profiteering. Surely as low as you can go?

[Rowls]

They're just asking to be made an example of.

[Claret Till I Die]

Not that I frequented the place too much before but I will never set foot inside one of their stores again. Hope they go bust when we eventually get back to normal

[mikeS]

Around 7:40 this morning Dan Walker on BBC news asked Michael Gove if Sports Direct are an essential service. Gove said no. Ten minutes later the Chief Financial officer for the company said they would not be open.

[AlargeClaret]

Sports Direct know damn well what the score is and have maxed out some huge free publicity .People howling about their quite obvious almost comedy posturing needs to get a grip . Probs one of the few retailers who won’t be hit much due to their huge online operation .Feckin horrible company though

[Zlatan]

Personally I'm going to boycott them from now on (not that I went there for much anyway)

[Tricky Trevor]

They’ve backed down. CLOSED.

[CnBtruntru]

What am I gonna do now, I can't fulfill my Nike fetish.

[FactualFrank]

That's like saying DIY shops should stay open, in case someone's kitchen table needs tightening with a screwdriver, as they need somewhere to eat their dinner.

[TVC15]

Sports Direct are idiots with the reasons they came up with - pathetic profiteering.
But the advice is ambiguous as to where the supply chain starts and ends for key workers. Eg a manufacturing company who makes parts for a NHS hospital bed.
There is a lot of confusion this morning in terms of who has turned up for work.

[claretblue]

Ashleys 'Ratners' moment!

[dsr]

But the advice is ambiguous as to where the supply chain starts and ends for key workers. Eg a manufacturing company who makes parts for a NHS hospital bed.
There is a lot of confusion this morning in terms of who has turned up for work.

Or the tooling company that makes the parts that service the machines for the manufacturing company that makes parts for an NHS bed.

"It's a ticklish sort of job making a thing for a thing-ummy-bob
Especially when you don't know what it's for
But it's the girl that makes the thing that drills the hole
that holds the spring that works the thing-ummy-bob
that makes the engines roar.
And it's the girl that makes the thing that holds the oil
that oils the ring that works the thing-ummy-bob
that's going to win the war."

[Dy1geo]

Oh no can’t believe the news, I was about to set off and get my Dunlop umbrella and Slazenger socks.

[FactualFrank]

Oh no can’t believe the news, I was about to set off and get my Dunlop umbrella and Slazenger socks.

To be fair - the golf course is probably one of the safest places you can go!

[damo_whitehead]

Evans Cycles (Part of Sports Direct) will stay open as bike shops have been listed as an essential retail business

[MACCA]

Not anymore...

[damo_whitehead]

Not anymore...

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... inalVF.pdf

Bottom of page 3

[houseboy]

I'll stick with my two benches, two racks and loads of weight equipment. My daughter who is still at home has said she wants to use them now as the gym at uni is obviously closed. Got a project now as well - gonna do some work (long overdue) on the bikes.

[Billy Balfour]

Ashleys 'Ratners' moment!

Let's hope so.

[Billy Balfour]

On second thoughts. Oh noes. Where will I buy my tracky bottoms with the three large Adidas strips down the sides?

[SammyBoy]

To be fair the gym being closed is probably the worst thing about this for me as I usually go 4 times a week and it's great for managing stress (I know, could be a lot worse), but this is just rubbish by Sports Direct. I went in there on Saturday and their range of home workout stuff was poor to say the least, basically a flimsy looking pull up bar and some dumbbells that were so light my Nan could probably curl them all day.

[IanMcL]

They're just asking to be made an example of.

Agreed

[MT03ALG]

Are golf courses still open ?

[jrgbfc]

Are golf courses still open ?

No, all closed from today.

[Devils_Advocate]

Are golf courses still open ?

Nope, well not the ones I play in Leeds

[timshorts]

Sports Direct are idiots with the reasons they came up with - pathetic profiteering.
But the advice is ambiguous as to where the supply chain starts and ends for key workers. Eg a manufacturing company who makes parts for a NHS hospital bed.
There is a lot of confusion this morning in terms of who has turned up for work.

I didn't think I was supposed to - but then got rung up asking where I was. Like a lot of people, I have parts of my job which is in the key worker category but mostly it isn't.

[timshorts]

On second thoughts. Oh noes. Where will I buy my tracky bottoms with the three large Adidas strips down the sides?

Liverpool.

[tiger76]

Is Mike Ashley trying to become the most hated man on the planet,charging Newcastle fans for next season's ticket at this time of uncertainty and hardship,what's wrong with him does he have no soul.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52040579

[Claretitus]

Is Mike Ashley trying to become the most hated man on the planet,charging Newcastle fans for next season's ticket at this time of uncertainty and hardship,what's wrong with him does he have no soul.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52040579

Yes he has soul, in fact he is soul. R-soul.