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Dave Dee to close York’s Banana Warehouse

9:20am Wednesday 28th January 2009


THE shutters at a renowned second-hand furniture warehouse are to be pulled down for the final time as the recession claims another York business.

Stock at The Banana Warehouse in Piccadilly is now being sold off, as owner Dave Dee attempts to salvage what he can of his well-known removal and second-hand goods business.

The warehouse has been a popular spot for bargain hunters for the past 15 years, at one point bringing in £1,500 a day for Mr Dee.

However, he revealed today that the past two weeks had seen the business bring in just £1,800 and he could no longer afford to keep the Banana Warehouse open.

“After 37 years of trading in this town I am going to have to close because we aren’t making enough money,” he said.

“Five years ago I had 25 staff and I am down to five now. I have had to finish some superb lads and it breaks my heart to do it because they are married men with families.”

Despite fears that a recently-opened charity shop next door to the warehouse would signal the end for his business, the 58-year-old blames the current recession for the closure.

He said: “I have been through three recessions and this is the worst. I was telling everyone “we will get past this” but now we can’t. It’s hurting more than I thought it ever would do.

“If people paid me money who owed me it then I could probably get by, but the people who owe me are going out of business.”

The situation has left the businessman with £10,000 of his own debts and he admits he cannot pay his rent on the property. “Our landlords are coming to serve notice any day,” he said.

Despite the grim outlook, Mr Dee still managed to find some of the determination and optimism which have seen him become one of the best-known businessmen in York.

“I think in 12 months the economy will be starting to get better,” he predicted. “I think the world will be climbing out of it after next Christmas.

“I think Barack Obama will be the super saviour of the world.

“It’s come a little too late for me. But if I have at least one van I can keep doing something.”


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Hieronymous, York says...
9:47am Wed 28 Jan 09

A sad loss to the city, especially to those of us concerned with theatre. DD has been an invaluable purveyor of props and stage dressings for many years.

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Soothsayer, York says...
10:04am Wed 28 Jan 09

Hieronymous wrote:
A sad loss to the city, especially to those of us concerned with theatre. DD has been an invaluable purveyor of props and stage dressings for many years.
But would you want his stuff in your house?

Or that awful eyesore of a warehouse blighting one of the main routes into the city?

One down, several to go - Piccadilly needs blowing up...!

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mlachlan01, Heinsberg says...
10:14am Wed 28 Jan 09

Still, Dave managed well over the years...
So he'll be back for sure.

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pedalling paul , York says...
10:15am Wed 28 Jan 09

Where will local amdram groups go now to hire props?

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tonezzzznoddedoff, york says...
10:22am Wed 28 Jan 09

Shop full of overpriced tat, what will happen to the tat ? Big bonfire perhaps.

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York Fox, York says...
10:24am Wed 28 Jan 09

Bye!

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Mullarkian, York says...
10:48am Wed 28 Jan 09

Since when has Piccadilly been a main thoroughfare, you cant even drive down it.

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bigt3458, york says...
11:33am Wed 28 Jan 09

another of yorks great assets gone to the wind and will be sadly missed by all who shopped there, i wish you well dave and hope that when the smoke clears you will bounce back with that dave dee smile that you always have for me and my family ....timthetaxi

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MrsHoney, York says...
12:01pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Bargain?!! Whenever I had a look it was all over-priced, I'm sorry just cause it's old doesn't mean it's an antique!! The one on Boroughbridge Rd is a million times better.

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tonezzzznoddedoff, york says...
12:22pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Were his staff called Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich ?

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sammy07, buttercrambe says...
12:43pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Oh dear what a shame look what we could have bought.
Super smashing great marvelous NOT.

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yck, rawcliffe says...
1:24pm Wed 28 Jan 09

tonezzzznoddedoff wrote:
Shop full of overpriced tat, what will happen to the tat ? Big bonfire perhaps.
a bonfire? In York? The apparent birth place of Guy Fawkes???!! Dont be silly! Its probably against CoYC Policy!!!
ps - with the exeption of the fantastic display at York Maze last year - well done Tom!!

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jt, york says...
2:04pm Wed 28 Jan 09

MrsHoney wrote:
Bargain?!! Whenever I had a look it was all over-priced, I'm sorry just cause it's old doesn't mean it's an antique!! The one on Boroughbridge Rd is a million times better.
you mean the one belonging to his brother

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Free speech, York says...
3:27pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Good riddance to bad rubbish!

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AngryandFrustrated, York says...
3:34pm Wed 28 Jan 09

I see the Press are at it again, removing all comments that could be construed as being critical of Mr Dee - little point in having comments sections if you can only make positive, non-critical postings.

Lets see how quickly this is removed - full of tat and overpriced would be (in my view) a fair description of what he has in the Banana Warehouse. Mr Dee knows that it is because 2 very good friends of mine used to work for him and he would laugh about the junk that people would buy and the money they would pay.

Eg - white MFI style chest of drawers - priced at £50. When I had finished laughing, I offered £10 for them which was refused. I went across the road to Argos and bought a brand new set of drawers for £30.

And whether the moderators of this good website like it or not, that is a FACT - it doesn't necessarily give the best impression of Mr Dee but if you call in the Press Mr Dee, you know full well there will be people who want to comment on you and the service you (don't) offer.

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tonezzzznoddedoff, york says...
4:18pm Wed 28 Jan 09

To be fair to Dave Dee one mans junk is another mans treasure hence making £1500 a day in the good days, mind you, his group did have a couple of hits in the 70's.

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Stu Pidd, York says...
4:25pm Wed 28 Jan 09

I once saw him trying to charge a quid for a BROKEN 7" Elvis record.

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newshawk, Acomb says...
5:09pm Wed 28 Jan 09

tonezzzznoddedoff wrote:
Were his staff called Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich ?
That Dave Dee died a few days ago

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pickle, York says...
5:20pm Wed 28 Jan 09

A good few years ago a friend of mine had to sell some stuff as he was going through a rocky patch and Dave Dee paid him £50 for a hi-fi that he'd originally paid a lot more for obviously thinking he'd sell it for a lot more. The funny thing was that because he didn't test it he didn't realise it didn't work so I always felt my friend had got one over on him! Making money out of other peoples misfortune is not a nice way to make a living so good riddance!

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tonezzzznoddedoff, york says...
5:26pm Wed 28 Jan 09

newshawk wrote:
tonezzzznoddedoff wrote:
Were his staff called Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich ?
That Dave Dee died a few days ago
Sorry to hear that

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Seadog, York says...
5:57pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Like Hieronymous, I too have theatrical reasons to lament the loss of a great York institution - and Soothsayer - yes I do indeed have plenty of "stuff" in my house from the Banana Warehouse! As for over-pricing; well, yes, I accept that figures on the labels were sometimes a bit on the high side, but DD was always prepared to bargain: in fact he once let me have a few items for nothing, and was always prepared to lend furniture to theatre groups ... but then perhaps that's why he went out of business! H and I, and others too, no doubt, will mourn the passing of a major thespian resource which, co-inciding with the closure of Homburg's in Leeds, could not have come at a worse time. I would, on behalf of the York Shakespeare Project (and other companies) like to say a big thank you!

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f.yutoo, york says...
6:53pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Why doesn't he use his real name Dave Hughes the one his mam and dad gave him when he lived in Crombie Ave,glad to see him go really what a rip off the banana warehouse!!nothing but junk and rubbish to say the least, and anybody who bought stuff there wanted their heads looking at,I'm sorry Mr Hughes but tough sh*t get back into the real world not the world of bullsh*t youve been in for many years, Oh and by the way your dad Billie was a first class bloke, unlike you!!

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f.yutoo, york says...
7:02pm Wed 28 Jan 09

Take a look at the photo that say's it all The Three Stooges!!!

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genghis khan, haxby says...
7:14pm Wed 28 Jan 09

wonder how long it will take to clear all the tat out of the banana warehouse. this could be the longest closing down sale in history.
thats assuming that he reduces his rip off prices!!

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chewing gum, york says...
9:20pm Wed 28 Jan 09

yes he pays peanuts for stuff and sells at a large profit, but he does have overheads, i gave him a walnut burr sideboard well he gave me a tenner plus somat out of the window, saved me going to the skips, who wants modified tat anyway , it smells and looks ugly !

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rattydriver, york says...
9:54pm Wed 28 Jan 09

it costs more in there for second hand tat then it does brand new! goodbye!

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The Wolf of, Badenoch says...
10:08pm Wed 28 Jan 09

f.yutoo wrote:
Why doesn't he use his real name Dave Hughes the one his mam and dad gave him when he lived in Crombie Ave,glad to see him go really what a rip off the banana warehouse!!nothing but junk and rubbish to say the least, and anybody who bought stuff there wanted their heads looking at,I'm sorry Mr Hughes but tough sh*t get back into the real world not the world of bullsh*t youve been in for many years, Oh and by the way your dad Billie was a first class bloke, unlike you!!
What? Like your real world? Living on benefits and rubbing your hands together with glee because your favourite reality TV show "Shameless" is back on. Sorry if I've got you wrong...But yer comments wreak of sour grapes.

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Jacqual, Carlton says...
11:33pm Wed 28 Jan 09

f.yutoo wrote:
Why doesn't he use his real name Dave Hughes the one his mam and dad gave him when he lived in Crombie Ave,glad to see him go really what a rip off the banana warehouse!!nothing but junk and rubbish to say the least, and anybody who bought stuff there wanted their heads looking at,I'm sorry Mr Hughes but tough sh*t get back into the real world not the world of bullsh*t youve been in for many years, Oh and by the way your dad Billie was a first class bloke, unlike you!!
Dave Dee is just a nickname - he is David D Hughes as all of his friends (and there are many) know. I am sorry to see the Banana warehouse go - I know a lot of people think it was full of overpriced tat and I'm sure some of it is, but in a country where every shopping street has the same shops in it, it stood out as different and interesting. Also, think of the people who have lost their jobs - it's a shame for them, no matter what you think of Dave.
Just one more thing - 10 years ago when I had got a job and flat after being unemployed and homeless, Dave helped me move and gave me a lot of stuff to furnish my flat - he didn't really know me all that well, but could see I needed help and I will always be grateful for that. Since then, he has always been a true and loyal friend to me and I know he is a 'first-class bloke' and anyone who really knows him will agree with me.

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J Kaner, york says...
3:39am Thu 29 Jan 09

Sad to see it go. Had some great stuff from there over the years. As for all the "rip off prices" comments in here...Don't you know how to haggle? I got everything for at least half the asking price, a quarter of it a lot of the times. A bit of banter and the £'s came tumbling down. Of course he'd laugh at people who pay the full asking price straight off. I would too if they were daft enough to and didn't haggle. Think I'll check the place out for one last bargain hunt.

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Alan Fetish, London says...
10:43am Thu 29 Jan 09

jt wrote:
MrsHoney wrote: Bargain?!! Whenever I had a look it was all over-priced, I'm sorry just cause it's old doesn't mean it's an antique!! The one on Boroughbridge Rd is a million times better.
you mean the one belonging to his brother
no, I mean the one belonging to his more successful brother

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Alan Fetish, London says...
10:46am Thu 29 Jan 09

"I think Barack Obama will be the super saviour of the world."

That explains the 'SS' sewn onto the back of his cape, then.

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Sethi, says...
11:43am Thu 29 Jan 09

I have to say I have never been into this place, just been passed on a bus. So I thought at least one of you can answer a question for me..............

DO YOU THINK IT IS BIG ENOUGH FOR A PRIMARK???!

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Jigsaw-13, York says...
12:36pm Thu 29 Jan 09

Sethi wrote:
I have to say I have never been into this place, just been passed on a bus. So I thought at least one of you can answer a question for me.............. DO YOU THINK IT IS BIG ENOUGH FOR A PRIMARK???!
Hopefully not, I want Primark to go where the MFI was.

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Sethi, says...
12:44pm Thu 29 Jan 09

Jigsaw-13 wrote:
Sethi wrote: I have to say I have never been into this place, just been passed on a bus. So I thought at least one of you can answer a question for me.............. DO YOU THINK IT IS BIG ENOUGH FOR A PRIMARK???!
Hopefully not, I want Primark to go where the MFI was.
Either way it would be nice to have something useful!

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irunapublol, York says...
6:45pm Thu 29 Jan 09

Has The Press reported on another business that has closed recently in the city? That's right, The Press is now being printed in Bradford following the closure and redundancies of the Printing and Engineering departments (the Journalistic staff, among others, in the front Walmgate offices remain).

York's losing too much!

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Dave Dee, who is closing his store in Piccadilly, York, with staff, Alan Thompson, left, and Steve Goodman Dave inside the Banana Warehouse

Dave Dee, who is closing his store in Piccadilly, York, with staff, Alan Thompson, left, and Steve Goodman

Dave inside the Banana Warehouse





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