Sports Direct hit with second senior departure in a week July 4, 2019 A senior figure within Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has left the firm, marking the second high-ranking departure in under a week. The high street retailer’s company secretary Cameron Olson is leaving the firm to return to Australia for personal reasons, a spokesperson said today. The news, first reported by Press Association, comes just days after [...]
UK coronavirus: Which retailers are open under lockdown rules? March 25, 2020 The government announced a UK coronavirus lockdown on Monday evening, putting limits on work, socialising and going outside. Addressing the nation, the prime minister said “I must give the British people a very simple instruction – you must stay at home”. Boris Johnson said police will break up public gatherings of more than two people, [...]
Retail bosses call for £6bn corporation tax hike to fund business rates cut February 5, 2020 Retail bosses are preparing to urge the Treasury to increase corporation tax in order to cut business rates by £6bn in a bid to save the UK’s struggling high streets. The recommendation to the government will be made in a report by a sub-committee of the Retail Sector Council, due to be shared in the [...]
Which retailers are reopening as the coronavirus lockdown lifts? June 12, 2020 After two months of being closed during the coronavirus lockdown, Britain’s high streets are coming back to life. Across the board, retailers across the country are working out how to get their businesses going again – and what measures they need to take to keep people safe. So what shops can customers expect to open [...]
Game management to sell shares to Ashley’s Sports Direct July 4, 2019 Directors at retailer Game have urged shareholders to accept a £52m takeover offer from Sports Direct, saying they intended to sell their own shares to Mike Ashley’s company. Read more: Game recommends Sports Direct takeover offer Game previously recommended the offer of 30p per share, which it said was “fair and reasonable”. The bid came [...]
Sports Direct hit by £605m Belgian tax bill and ‘terminal’ House of Fraser problems July 27, 2019 As Sports Direct finally released its financial results yesterday following the close of the market, Mike Ashley admitted it may have been a mistake to buy House of Fraser last year. The sporting goods retailer delayed announcing its results, which are usually released before the market opens at the start of the day, on three [...]
City chiefs hit back after Jeremy Corbyn criticism October 31, 2019 City chiefs hit back at Jeremy Corbyn last night after the Labour leader launched a stinging personal attack on some of the country’s most prominent business figures. Retail tycoon Mike Ashley, branded a “bad boss” by Corbyn, told City A.M. the Labour leader was “clueless” and accused him of lying. Read more: Tories tap up [...]
Sports Direct pleads with big four auditors to check its books September 10, 2019 Sports Direct, the retailer founded by Mike Ashley, is pleading with the big four accountancy firms to audit its books as it worries smaller accountants would not be up to the task. Over the last fortnight the company has sent overtures to the auditors ahead of its annual general meeting tomorrow, Sky News reported. Grant [...]
Sports Direct HQ sold to Malaysian pension fund for £120m May 28, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has confirmed the freehold sale of its headquarters to a Malaysian pension fund. The sportswear retailer, which will continue to occupy the building on a 15-year lease, said this morning that it has sold its logistics centre to Kwasa Logix Sportivo for more than £120m in cash. Read more: Debenhams versus [...]
Sports Direct’s share price plunges as it delays results amid House of Fraser uncertainty July 15, 2019 Shares in Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct dived this morning after the firm pushed back the publication of its financial results. The retailer blamed the delay on troubles in its recently-acquired House of Fraser business along with increased regulatory scrutiny over auditor Grant Thornton’s inspection of its books. Read more: Sports Direct expected to post 20 [...]