OPINION: What does the future hold for high street retailer BHS?

This week the financial pages have been reporting on the difficulties at veteran high street retailer BHS. While the business has sales of over £600 million, it operates at a loss.

This doesn’t surprise me. A visit to a store last year in Slough and a couple of years before that in Worthing gave me a shopping experience that I don’t want to repeat. I was put off by the store layout, ambiance and the products.

But what will happen?

Will we see a takeover by another owner who thinks they have a better formula? Or will the brand disappear, the store chain get broken up and other retailers take over the space? Similar to what we saw with Woolworth’s.

What I do know is that whatever the outcome, there will be lessons to learn from any new formula that is created to make profitable use of the stores.