Full list of 31 House of Fraser closures includes Oxford Street and City of London locations June 7, 2018 House of Fraser's flagship Oxford Street store will close as part of the decision to shutter 31 stores which was confirmed this morning. The City of London will also lose its House of Fraser, which is currently situated on King William Street. Some of House of Fraser's stores have been subject to staggering business rates [...]
Marshalls paves the way for fresh buyouts as sales surge August 15, 2019 Marshalls, the paving company which supplied flooring for landmarks including Trafalgar Square and Bond Street, enjoyed a jump in sales of more than one-sixth in the first half of the year, despite Brexit uncertainty hampering the construction industry. Shares rose 0.8 per cent today as the firm said it had outperformed the rest of the [...]
Coffee and me: For the best black stuff, go back to basics November 18, 2021 Recently I mused to a friend that if pubs didn’t expand their non-alcoholic offerings, they ran the risk of losing a generation of potential consumers who don’t drink much and for whom the more natural social setting is the coffee shop. It’s not hard to see how this could happen: the bean temples of Starbucks, [...]
Westminster City Council sets out next steps for Oxford Street pedestrianisation alternative to tackle Elizabeth Line crowding July 2, 2018 After the controversial decision to put the brakes on Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans indefinitely, Westminster City Council will meet to discuss its alternative plans for the London shopping hotspot next week. The council's cabinet will meet on Monday 9 July to consider a report setting out the next steps for transforming the Oxford Street district. [...]
Britain’s mayors need more teeth to succeed in creating jobs and wealth May 6, 2021 On Thursday, seven English city regions will vote in the metro mayoral elections, including West Yorkshire for the first time. These are showcase elections with candidates setting out their bold visions and plans for the future of the cities. Mayors play a critical role in our cities. They are able to use hard and soft [...]
Philip Green’s Miss Selfridge posts £17.5m loss as sales slump September 29, 2019 Sir Philip Green’s Miss Selfridge chain fell to a loss of £17.5m last year as the retailer suffered a decline in sales and a writedown in the value of loss-making stores. The womenswear chain booked sales of £102m in the year to 1 September 2018, down more than 15 per cent on the previous 12 [...]
The interview: Sir Richard Branson on the past, present and future August 14, 2021 Christopher Jackson talks to the CEO about the pandemic, work and his friendships with Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela. Thanks to our friends at Finito for allowing us to republish their article. Fame will sometimes have a blurring effect. Public presence sustained over a long period of time can create a confusing image. During a [...]
City groups raise concerns over Elizabeth Line crowding after Oxford Street pedestrianisation is ditched June 8, 2018 Businesses and environmental groups have expressed concern that Westminster council's decision to pull the plug on Oxford Street will lead to dangerous levels of overcrowding once the Elizabeth Line comes into force. The council announced yesterday evening that after consulting with residents it has decided to take the plans "off the table for good". The [...]
Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans cancelled: Mayor Sadiq Khan hits out at ‘betrayal’ of millions of Londoners June 8, 2018 The mayor of London Sadiq Khan has hit out at the "betrayal of millions of Londoners" after Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans were shelved by Westminster City Council yesterday. "This will be seen as a betrayal of the millions of Londoners and visitors to our city who would have benefited from making Oxford Street a safer, [...]
Labour reshuffle: Former BoE economist Rachel Reeves named shadow chancellor May 10, 2021 Rachel Reeves has been named shadow chancellor after Anneliese Dodds was sacked from the role late on Sunday night. The move came as part of a reshuffle of Labour leader Keir Starmer’s top team after a host of miserable results in Thursday’s local and mayoral elections. Dodds, well-liked and a competent performer, failed to cut [...]