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Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:15 am
by 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?
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:09 am
by HieronymousBoschHobs
Unbelievable.
Profiteering. Surely as low as you can go?
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:31 am
by Rowls
They're just asking to be made an example of.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:12 am
by 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
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:00 am
by 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.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:16 am
by 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
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:46 am
by Zlatan
Personally I'm going to boycott them from now on (not that I went there for much anyway)
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:54 am
by Tricky Trevor
They’ve backed down. CLOSED.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:56 am
by CnBtruntru
What am I gonna do now, I can't fulfill my Nike fetish.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:57 am
by 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.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:06 am
by 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.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:41 am
by claretblue
Ashleys 'Ratners' moment!

Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:46 am
by dsr
TVC15 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:06 am
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."
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:46 am
by Dy1geo
Oh no can’t believe the news, I was about to set off and get my Dunlop umbrella and Slazenger socks.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:47 am
by FactualFrank
Dy1geo wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:46 am
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!

Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:48 am
by damo_whitehead
Evans Cycles (Part of Sports Direct) will stay open as bike shops have been listed as an essential retail business
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:49 am
by MACCA
Not anymore...
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:54 am
by damo_whitehead
MACCA wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:49 am
Not anymore...
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... inalVF.pdf
Bottom of page 3
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:01 am
by 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.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:05 am
by Billy Balfour
claretblue wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:41 am
Ashleys 'Ratners' moment!
Let's hope so.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:17 am
by Billy Balfour
On second thoughts. Oh noes. Where will I buy my tracky bottoms with the three large Adidas strips down the sides?
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:20 am
by 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.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:35 am
by IanMcL
Rowls wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:31 am
They're just asking to be made an example of.
Agreed
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:01 pm
by MT03ALG
Are golf courses still open ?
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:10 pm
by jrgbfc
MT03ALG wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:01 pm
Are golf courses still open ?
No, all closed from today.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:11 pm
by Devils_Advocate
MT03ALG wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:01 pm
Are golf courses still open ?
Nope, well not the ones I play in Leeds
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 6:54 pm
by timshorts
TVC15 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:06 am
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.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 6:56 pm
by timshorts
Billy Balfour wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:17 am
On second thoughts. Oh noes. Where will I buy my tracky bottoms with the three large Adidas strips down the sides?
Liverpool.
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:32 pm
by 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
Re: Sports Direct staying open
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:55 pm
by Claretitus
tiger76 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:32 pm
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.