Revolution Bars secures deal to cut rents and close venues January 15, 2020 Revolution Bars Group is planning to shut two loss-making venues and has secured rent reductions at three more, as the operator aims to adapt to changing consumer habits. The company has come to an agreement with its landlord Aprirose to exit leases at five Revolution bars. Venues in Lincoln and Fallowfield – a student area in [...]
House of Fraser accused of reversing fur ban November 20, 2019 Retail tycoon Mike Ashley is facing accusations that he has overturned a ban on real fur at House of Fraser. Customers posted images on social media that appeared to show fur-lined coats found in store, despite the company’s previous no-fur stance. Read more: Sports Direct hit by ‘terminal’ House of Fraser problems Some shoppers pledged [...]
Boris Johnson to amend Brexit bill to rip out no-deal concessions December 17, 2019 Boris Johnson will bring his Brexit bill before a new intake of MPs this week without the concessions he made before the election, City A.M. understands. The Withdrawal Agreement Bill – the key legislation that will pave the way for the UK to leave the European Union on 31 January – is expected to come [...]
Iceland’s banned palm oil advert could win over middle class shoppers as supermarkets prepare for Christmas November 13, 2018 Iceland could get a shot in the arm from its banned Christmas advert by appealing to middle class shoppers, according to consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel. The supermarket's advert, which caused a storm on social media when it was deemed “too political” to be aired by Clearcast, could be exactly what the store needs to reach out to [...]
UK retail sales unexpectedly fall as economy slows November 14, 2019 The amount of goods sold in UK shops unexpectedly fell in October, official figures have shown, in the latest sign that the economy is slowing. The weak performance will be a concern to retailers as the sector heads towards Christmas, especially given that the period covered Halloween, a traditionally busy time for shops. Read more: [...]
General Election 2019: Labour to shift ‘powerful section of Treasury’ to North November 7, 2019 A Labour government would shift a “powerful section of the Treasury” out of London to the north of England, John McDonnell will say today. Speaking in his home city of Liverpool, the shadow chancellor will detail plans to move the “centre of the gravity in political decision-making and investment” out of the capital. In his [...]
How e-scooters, self-driving cars, and flying taxis will shape the future of your commute February 10, 2020 An air of tranquility hangs about Stratford’s electric scooter riders. Their bodies are still, poised, as they glide by on this crisp February morning. I try to copy them and end up skidding along, struggling to figure out how to position my feet — but after a couple of wobbles I’m gliding too. As I [...]
Retailers hit as spending drops to its lowest level in a year, and Christmas may not be the saviour October 9, 2018 UK retail sales grew by their lowest rate for almost a year in September, new figures show. An analysis from KPMG and the British Retail Consortium found like-for-like retail sales were down 0.2 per cent, while total sales increased 0.7 per cent. This is far below the 1.3 per cent average over the past 12 [...]
Hamleys’ Chinese owner eyes exit with strategic review of toy shop October 21, 2018 Hamleys’ Chinese owner is considering a sale of the toymaker a week after it posted a 500 per cent decrease in profits. C.banner, which acquired Hamleys for around £100m in 2015, has started a strategic review after being approached by potential buyers. Read more: Hamleys replaces finance chief after disappointing results However it is unlikely [...]
Inside Amazon’s Black Friday operations hub: How the e-commerce giant prepares for its busiest day of the year November 29, 2019 Where could be a better place to witness the behind-the-scenes impact of Black Friday than at the heart of Amazon’s UK warehouse operations? Some of the credit – or perhaps, blame – for the annual shopping event’s popularity in Britain surely lies with the US e-commerce giant. The fulfilment centre – which is the size [...]