Retail round up: What’s happening on the high street? January 11, 2019 Not as bad as it could have been. That’s the general feeling about high street performance over Christmas after major retailers and the supermarkets published their festive figures this week. The British Retail Consortium says that 2018 was the worst Christmas for retails for 10 years but, as ever, the figures show there are winners [...]
Super Thursday: Embattled retailers could learn from the Tesco turnaround plan January 10, 2019 It wasn’t only children who traditionally looked forward to Christmas: time was when Yuletide sales could be guaranteed to give a substantial boost to Britain’s retailers. No longer. A slew of dismal results published today showed Christmas figures sharply down for a number of household names including M&S and Debenhams, in what the British Retail [...]
Could Capita’s move to put workers to boards fix capitalism’s crisis? May 14, 2019 Capitalism is being questioned in Britain more intensely than for decades. Some want to destroy it. Others believe that it is the only economic system which works, but want to reform it. I am in the latter camp. Part of the debate around Brexit has centred on preserving workers’ rights, enshrined in EU law. But rights [...]
Outsourcing giants to discuss contracts reform with Whitehall officials February 24, 2020 The country’s biggest outsourcers will hold Whitehall talks with top civil servants to discuss changes to the public sector’s procurement process. Twenty chief executives – from companies such as BT Group, Capita and G4S – will meet with civil service chief executive John Manzoni tomorrow. City sources told Sky News the meeting will address “new [...]
Britain’s small businesses deserve a simpler, fairer tax system May 21, 2019 “When you look after small business,” Sajid Javid said last week, “you look after Britain”. But too often, he admitted, the government has focused its attention elsewhere – big government finding it easier to talk to big business than small. Britain has an enviable record of company creation. Indeed, alongside our stellar job creation rates, [...]
Ted Baker expected to boost revenues despite high street worries September 30, 2018 Retailer Ted Baker is expected to show it has raised revenues in results released this week, despite tough high-street conditions. Analysts suggest the clothing company’s half-year revenue will be shown to have gone up around 4.5 per cent when it announces results this Thursday, as luxury goods continue to escape the bloodbath at the lower [...]
Selfridges defies high street turmoil with sparkling Christmas sales January 7, 2019 While other retailers look set to report miserable Christmas trading periods, Selfridges has posted record-breaking results over the festive period. The luxury department store best known for its flagship Oxford Street store bucked the trend of decline on Britain’s high streets with an eight per cent sales boost across its physical and online business in [...]
Interiors: We delve into the world of knitted furniture, a crafty homeware solution with women at its core March 22, 2019 If you know your Mayfair art galleries, then Hauser & Wirth and Messum’s will be familiar territory. In the past few years both have established art centres in the English countryside – Hauser & Wirth in Somerset and Messums in Wiltshire – destination idylls to tempt us city folk into bucolic bliss. An exhibition on [...]
Train delays hit 12-year peak amid timetable and weather disruption September 18, 2018 The punctuality of Britain's trains has reached its worst level in 12 years this year following disruption from severe weather and a botched timetable change in May. One in seven trains missed the industry’s public performance measure (PPM) in the year to 18 August, according to the rail regulator, the Office for Road and Rail (ORR). PPM measures whether [...]
Train delays hit 12-year peak amid timetable and weather disruption September 18, 2018 The punctuality of Britain's trains has reached its worst level in 12 years this year following disruption from severe weather and a botched timetable change in May. One in seven trains missed the industry’s public performance measure (PPM) in the year to 18 August, according to the rail regulator, the Office for Road and Rail (ORR). PPM measures whether [...]