Discounters win war of the supermarkets amid sluggish Christmas growth January 8, 2019 Aldi led the way during a record-breaking Christmas for groceries, even as sales growth slowed across the sector. The supermarket increased sales by 10.4 per cent, narrowly beating fellow discounter Lidl to the top spot, figures from Kantar Worldpanel show. “The discounters have continued to make their mark over Christmas: two-thirds of all households shopped [...]
West End property giant Shaftesbury posts ‘resilient’ retail demand ahead of investor showdown February 8, 2019 London landlord Shaftesbury said this morning that demand for retail space had been resilient over the crucial Christmas trading period, with consumers continuing to visit bars and restaurants in the firm’s West End portfolio during the festive season. The FTSE 250 group, which is bracing itself for a shareholder showdown at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) [...]
Christmas sales slump at Bonmarché January 25, 2019 Women’s fashion retailer Bonmarché reported a drop in sales over the crucial Christmas trading period this morning. Total sales at the value fashion chain tumbled 8.1 per cent in the 13 weeks to 29 December, as the firm came in line with its recently reduced expectations. Like-for-like sales in the Christmas quarter slumped 11.1 per [...]
Marks & Spencer blames weak consumer confidence for drop in Christmas sales January 10, 2019 Sales slumped at Marks & Spencer over the key Christmas shopping period, the retailer said today, as analysts criticised its "outdated" business model for an over-reliance on high street shoppers. The figures Like-for-like UK sales fell by 2.2 per cent year on year in the three months to the end of December to hit £2.78bn. [...]
House prices 2020: How will the UK property market fare next year? December 26, 2019 It’s been a rocky year for the property market, as protracted political uncertainty and affordability problems left house prices largely stagnant in London and across the UK. But with a resounding victory for Boris Johnson in the General Election earlier this month, and the prospect of an end to the Brexit saga in sight, 2020 [...]
The Gym Group eyes Toys R Us sites as it targets further expansion March 20, 2018 Toys R Us sites are among the opportunities being considered by fast-growing budget gym operator The Gym Group, which reported annual results this morning. The company, which is the only London-listed fitness group, is targeting another 15 to 20 new openings in 2017, on top of the current estate of 128. Chief executive John Treharne [...]
Quiz share price plummets as retailer issues second profit warning on poor Christmas sales January 11, 2019 Fashion retailer Quiz saw shares plunge this morning as it issued its second profit warning in just three months today, after Christmas sales fell below expectations. Profits are now expected to hit £8.4m for 2018, down from October’s estimate of £11.5m, with shares nosediving by 24 per cent in early morning trading to leave Quiz’s [...]
Pub group Marston’s scales back expansion plans as it looks to slash debts January 23, 2019 Marston's today said it will limit its expansion plans in a bid to reduce its £1.4bn debt pile amid continued economic uncertainty. In a trading update Marston’s said like-for-like sales rose 1.4 per cent in the 16-week period to 19 January, boosted by strong trading over the Christmas fortnight. Read more: Pub chain Marston's raises a [...]
Superdry points finger at warm weather for cooling winter sales February 7, 2019 Superdry suffered a dip in sales over the crucial Christmas trading period, citing unseasonably warm weather for a fall in demand for the fashion group’s flagship Japanese winter hoodies. The British fashion group, which has seen its shares crash 70 per cent in the last 12 months, said its performance in the three months to [...]
Eddie Jones’s Rugby World Cup checklist: What’s on England head coach’s agenda as countdown to tournament gathers pace July 7, 2019 Starting today, the players selected for England’s Rugby World Cup training squad have five weeks to show head coach Eddie Jones why they deserve a place on the plane to Japan. Last Thursday Jones announced a list of 35, plus three injured players receiving treatment, that he says will be whittled down to the final [...]