Is this one of the first stores that B&O are closing? Or are they just getting out before it gets worse?

Not closed by B&O (I don't know of anywhere in the UK that has been), but a conscious decision of the owner who has spent a very long time in retail with a renewal of the lease impending. Within that time things have changed a lot, and along with many others who have been in the business for a long time through good times and bad, the desire to change and drive forward was not there this time.

There is money in Hampstead, of course, but most of the residents do not throw it around and few do their shopping on the high street. The store was also very small and not ideally located so did not make sense for Bang & Olufsen to take over. A new B1 in the area at some point would not be a surprise.

Regarding the general picture, the dealership has been changing for a while and will continue to do so, and this process is being significantly sped up by the less than buoyant economic situation. New sales channels are required and while the B1 will be a vital part of the landscape it cannot be considered appropriate as the sole avenue nowadays. Once the brand is more widely in the hands of younger customers through BeoPlay by Bang & Olufsen and via the new channels we can hopefully all enjoy an ever stronger range of core Bang & Olufsen products, sold through a smaller number of larger dealerships, each with more internal expertise.

I hope that helps explain the direction things are going in.

well said - GoBeo!

Greetings Millemissen