[Richey79]

If the HMV brand is in trouble, would it not be wise for them to keep the Waterstone's brand as seperate as possible, particularly if they are considering selling it as a going business concern at some point in the future?

As Pookeysgirl said, there are too many HMV stores in the UK as a result of their strategy of aggressively forcing independents out of business during the eighties and early nineties. You can't try out any new artists in the HMVs I've seen in the UK (unlike Andy's Records - you are missed), where a stack-'em-high sell-em-low ethos prevails.

They look busy whenever I go past, but perhaps noone's buying anything. HMV stores tend to be unpleasant places to shop: narrow, cramped aisles, poor selection of anything other than chart music, DVDs and games, long-queues at the cash-desk, no customer service to speak of. Waterstones are pretty much the opposite, although there are two massive stores within five minutes walk of each other in Lincoln. I think the idea was originally that one would be the general use store, and the other would serve the University. They now seem to have exactly the same stock.