May 29, 2019 11.11 am This story is over 57 months old

Which? survey names Lincoln’s best and worst shops

Great customer service and value for money important for shoppers

A Which? survey has revealed the best and worst shops in Lincoln, as voted by shoppers.

The poll of 7,700 people put WHSmith at the bottom of the list, with the chain criticised for poor value-for-money goods, a poor in-store experience and service.

It is the ninth year in a row that the stationery shop has been ranked in the bottom two of the survey.

But WHSmith dismissed the results as “neither statistically relevant nor meaningful to our loyal customer base.”

Other Lincoln shops rated poorly include Sports Direct, with a customer score of 54%, just four percentage points above WHSmith.

Other worst rated: River Island, JD Sports, New Look, Peacocks, House of Fraser and Clinton Cards.

Rated above 80% in customer satisfaction were Lakeland, Apple, Screwfix, Seasalt and Waterstones.

All of the most highly rated retailers were praised for knowledgeable and friendly staff, as well as good value for money products.

Meanwhile Lincoln is losing more shops than any other place in the county and more than most in the whole of the East Midlands regions.

Which? magazine editor Harry Rose said: “Worries about the future of the high street aren’t going away anytime soon, but it’s clear that there is still demand from shoppers for the experience and services offered by physical stores that can’t always be replicated online.

“Giving shoppers a great in-store experience is more important than ever if brands want to thrive on the high street.

“Our findings go to show that, if retailers can deliver great value, quality products and first-class customer service, customers will keep coming back.”