Debenhams: our market share is up January 10, 2011 DEBENHAMS claimed it was winning market share from rivals as it posted a small rise in sales over the key Christmas trading period that was affected by December’s snow. Sales at stores open more than a year increased 0.3 per cent including VAT sales tax in the 19 weeks to 8 January. Chief executive Rob [...]
West End Christmas sales up on last year, exceeding rest of UK December 12, 2010 WEST end shops recorded a 7.6 per cent rise in November sales compared to last year, it was announced today. Promotions such as the traffic free VIP Day (“Very Important Pedestrians”) boosted sales, according to retail trackers Springboard. The surge was considerably above the relatively flat 0.7 per cent increases in the rest of the [...]
FTSE dips as miners take hit January 14, 2011 The FTSE 100 opened lower today as weaknesses on Wall Street overnight took their toll on European markets. Mining stocks were in the firing line, with falling commodity prices and talk of an interest rate hike in China, dragging share prices down. Xstrata fell by more than one per cent in early trading. Banking stocks [...]
John Lewis sees another sales rise May 14, 2010 JOHN Lewis has posted another week of sales growth with fashion sales up by more than a fifth. The employee-owned firm – which is seen as a bellwether of the UK retail sector – said sales at its 28 department stores and one “at home” store increased 17.7 per cent to £55.1m in the week [...]
Shoppers return to stores after snow December 5, 2010 SNOW may have kept people at home for much of last week, but consumers hit the stores as soon as milder weather returned, according to data released yesterday. John Lewis recorded falls in sales on Wednesday and Thursday, compared to the same days last year. However, a weekend surge saw the department store surpass £100bn [...]
Shoppers return to stores after snow December 5, 2010 SNOW may have kept people at home for much of last week, but consumers hit the stores as soon as milder weather returned, according to data released yesterday. John Lewis recorded falls in sales on Wednesday and Thursday, compared to the same days last year. However, a weekend surge saw the department store surpass £100bn [...]
Flights and commuters hit by snow December 19, 2010 SNOW storms and intense frost risk causing commuter chaos today, train operators and airports warned last night. Holidays have also been ruined at the busiest time of year, after Heathrow abandoned all of yesterday’s flights. Flight delays are expected throughout the week, as problems build up. Around half a million passengers are thought to have [...]
TAXI TYCOON RETURNS FOOT MESSENGERS TO SQUARE MILE STREETS August 17, 2011 HAS THE City returned to 1975? Foot messengers, once a familiar sight on the streets of the Square Mile before computers killed them off, returned this week to deliver documents by hand as “the most environmentally friendly couriers in town”. Harbottle and Lewis, SJD Accountancy and Maxxim Consulting all signed up for the service, which [...]
High street sales edge up in November but retailers sweat over big item sales December 16, 2010 HIGH street sales were up in November, official figures showed yesterday. Sales rose 1.1 per cent on the previous year, and have now increased for every month since February, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The news came as John Lewis announced a sales boost of 12 per cent so far this week, [...]
Next update set to show snow losses January 3, 2011 SEVERAL consumer bellwethers are due to reveal Christmas trading figures this week, with Next, Domino’s Pizza and Clinton Cards kicking off the first reporting season of the year. Clothing retailer Next is due to reveal in a trading update on Wednesday how snow disruption and consumer spending pressures have affected sales over the 24 weeks [...]