Grocery sales surge in lockdown as shoppers go online June 23, 2020 Grocery sales in the UK grew 18.9 per cent in the four weeks up to 14 June, new data has shown, as online shopping and convenience stores continued to attract shoppers through the coronavirus lockdown period. According to data firm Kantar, online sales were the main driver of the rise, increasing 91 per cent over [...]
House of Fraser’s new owner issues profit warning | City A.M. August 1, 2018 House of Fraser’s future prospects have been dealt another blow after its owner issued a profit warning, throwing its emergency funding into doubt. C.banner, the Chinese company which also owns Hamleys, issued a statement to the market today warning its profits will be lower and cancelling a planned placing due to the plunge in its [...]
Sports Direct confirms closures of four more House of Fraser stores around the UK November 14, 2018 Four more House of Fraser branches are set to close under new owner Sports Direct as negotiations with a landlord broke down. House of Fraser said today that its Intu-owned sites in Norwich and Nottingham, as well as shopping centre stores in Lakeside in Essex and Metrocentre in Gateshead, will close in early 2019. The [...]
Former House of Fraser directors dismissed amid calls for an investigation October 1, 2018 The former directors and senior management of House of Fraser have been dismissed following the department store's collapse. Sports Direct, which bought the beleaguered high street chain for £90m in August, announced that it has sacked the former top team amid calls for an investigation into the company's spiral into administration. Read more: Mike Ashley blames landlords [...]
Mike Ashley acquires Intu property despite row with retail landlord over House of Fraser stores November 30, 2018 Mike Ashley has acquired a new property from Intu despite a public bust up with the retail landlord in which he threatened to withdraw 17 of his stores from their shopping centres. The billionaire has bought a long leasehold on the former BHS site in Derby from Intu, according to the Press Association. It comes just two [...]
Sirius Minerals shares suspended ahead of Anglo takeover March 16, 2020 Shares in Sirius Minerals were suspended this morning ahead of the embattled mining firm’s takeover by Anglo American. Shareholders earlier this month approved the controversial £405m acquisition by Anglo, which offered 5.5p per Sirius share. While most Sirius investors bought in at roughly 25p, the bid was accepted as the mining firm desperately sought funding [...]
Game takes pre-lockdown hit as virus shuts down high street March 24, 2020 Game was among the last of the non-essential high street brands to shut down during the coronavirus crisis. As with other Fraser Group brands, the retailer didn’t close its doors to customers until the government announced that it would enforce a UK-wide lockdown — against existing official advice and amidst sharply declining purchase intention. YouGov [...]
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 [...]
Hamleys replaces finance chief with House of Fraser executive after disappointing results October 17, 2018 Hamleys’ finance chief will be replaced by a former House of Fraser executive after the toymaker posted a massive drop in profits last week. Alex Jablonowski will step down with immediate effect according to an internal memo seen by City A.M. He will be replaced by a former House of Fraser executive, Yong Shen, who [...]
Shoppers spend extra £524m at UK supermarkets in April April 28, 2020 Shoppers spent an extra £524m at UK supermarkets during the coronavirus lockdown compared to April last year. Grocery sales soared 9.1 per cent in the 12 weeks to 19 April, which were £524m higher in the past four weeks than they were in April 2019. Households made a record low 14 trips to UK supermarkets [...]