Topshop bottom up as it flounders in rough retail space September 12, 2019 Topshop and Topman sprung a leak in Philip Green’s pocket last year, as its parent company said it had faced a year of stiff competition. Loss before tax at the clothes retailer grew to £505m in the financial year ending 1 September last year. It was a strong rise from 2017’s much less damaging £3.8m [...]
Sir Philip Green loses his billionaire status May 12, 2019 Sir Philip Green has lost his billionaire status, rounding off a torrid 12 months for the scandal-hit fashion mogul. For the first time since 2002, Green can no longer count himself a member of the billionaires club after seeing his personal fortune halve over the course of the last year. The Topshop tycoon and his [...]
India’s Hinduja brothers top Rich List for third time as Jim Ratcliffe loses out May 12, 2019 Britain’s 1,000 richest people have again had their respective fortunes stacked against each other to determine the most wealthy person in the country, in the 2019 Sunday Times Rich List. This year it was bad news for Jim Ratcliffe, owner of chemicals giant Ineos, who dropped to third place after topping last year’s list, while [...]
High street retailers take hit from drop in footfall June 10, 2019 High streets, retail parks and shopping centres all suffered a year-on-year drop in footfall last month, according to new figures which underline the tough trading conditions facing bricks and mortar firms. The number of shoppers plunged by 3.5 per cent in May, compared with a drop of 0.4 per cent during the same month last [...]
Domino’s picks a Rennie after Wild excess June 21, 2019 A Rennie is a long-held cure for indigestion. Domino’s Pizza Group’s franchisees, who have been complaining that they have had as much as they can swallow of boss David Wild, should, then, welcome the fact that a Rennie is exactly what they’re in line to get. Having acknowledged in March that searches were underway for [...]
Is the concept of the ethical CEO too good to be true? November 6, 2019 “A fish rots from the head down.” It’s a worn cliché, perhaps, but one that resonates strongly in a world where increasing scrutiny is being placed on those at the helm of global companies. Investors, customers, governments, and even chief executives themselves, are finally starting to take real action based on the idea that unethical [...]
Primark demands rent cuts after rivals secure insolvency boost July 28, 2019 Primark is said to be demanding rent cuts on dozens of stores as it looks to keep up with struggling rivals that have cut costs through insolvency procedures. The fashion chain is asking landlords to slash rent by 30 per cent on stores where the leases have several years remaining, and is offering lease extensions [...]
Restaurants eat into retailers’ high street share August 8, 2019 Retailers are being edged out of the high street following a spike in change of use requests to convert shops into restaurants. More than a third of change of use applications made to councils last year were to swap retailers for restaurant or takeaways, despite the challenges currently facing the casual dining sector. Read more: [...]
Footwear chain Office explores restructuring plans July 1, 2019 Office is exploring options for a restructuring plan that could see the footwear chain shutter a number of its UK stores. The retailer has appointed advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal to plan a potential company voluntary arrangement (CVA), Sky News reported. Read more: Landlords pick a fight with the CVA Sources told the broadcaster that [...]
Hedge funds step up bets against retail landlord New River June 30, 2019 Hedge funds are betting against New River as concerns rise that it could be the latest retail landlord hurt by the industry’s struggles. The short position in the company has increased to 7.35 per cent compared to 5.41 per cent on 1 July last year, according to disclosed positions published by Shorttracker. Read more: New [...]