Brexit secretary Dominic Raab clashes with John Lewis as profits tumble 99 per cent September 13, 2018 Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has clashed with John Lewis after its chairman Charlie Mayfield suggested the store’s 99 per cent plunge in profits was partly due to Brexit. Profits at John Lewis plummeted to just £1.2m in the first half of this year amid what Mayfield called “challenging times” for retail. He also warned that [...]
London luxury goods repair service The Restory among startups picked for Farfetch incubator September 4, 2018 A London-based start-up which repairs luxury fashion items is among the businesses selected for Farfetch's retail technology incubator. The Restory, which restores designer items, is one of 11 start-ups selected for the 12-week Dream Assembly programme. Farfetch plans to support fashion tech start-ups with talks, mentoring and networking opportunities. "The companies we have selected for the first Dream [...]
Three reasons why the UK stock market looks compelling May 31, 2019 Whatever the opposite of a sweet spot is, many investors think UK equities are currently in one. With Brexit still unresolved, some have put the market in the “too difficult” basket. While it is understandable to fear uncertainty, as stock pickers we embrace the mis-priced opportunities created by it. The global nature of the market [...]
Intu’s property empire loses £300m of value as retailers shut up shop October 23, 2018 Intu took a £300m hit to its property valuation in its latest quarter, also cutting its rental growth forecast amid the UK’s high street decline, it revealed today. The shopping centre chain is currently mulling a £2.9bn takeover offer from a consortium including British billionaire John Whittaker, Saudi investment group Olayan, and Brookfield Property Group. [...]
Why M&S’ relegation from the FTSE 100 doesn’t mean the death of the High Street September 20, 2019 Marks and Spencer (M&S) is set to be relegated from the FTSE 100 after the close of business today. This will be the first time that the company has lost its blue chip status. The UK retailer was a founder member of the FTSE 100 and a stalwart of the UK High Street. But its [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Course form points to Coulis and Escobar in Balmoral October 17, 2019 RACING purists are spoiled tomorrow with four Group Ones and a Group Two kicking off QIPCO British Champions Day, yet for many punters the most important race of the day is the closing Balmoral Handicap (4.40pm). John Gosden is yet to win Europe’s richest mile handicap, but he has saddled the runner-up in four of [...]
Number of large department stores in England falls 25 per cent in less than a decade May 29, 2018 In a further sign of the ailing UK retail sector, new research has found that the number of large UK department stores in England has fallen by 25 per cent in less than a decade. According to peer-to-peer property lending platform Lendy, the number of large department stores, which it defines as multi-level stores that [...]
Your commute to work can help change the world as the UK strives to meet the UN’s ambitious goals November 26, 2018 Are you cutting back on your use of plastic bags? Do you opt for the bus or train, or walk when going on a journey rather than taking your car? Have you ever spoken out when you’ve seen a glaring example of gender inequality? If so, then you’re already contributing to an ambitious global plan [...]
M&S should look at a tie-up with Amazon, says former digital boss June 20, 2018 A former Marks & Spencer digital boss has said that the retailer should consider a tie-up with Amazon. Amazon has been making aggressive moves into the UK’s retail sector through its acquisition of Whole Foods and a tie-up with Morrisons. It even talked to the John Lewis Partnership about a potential takeover of Waitrose, but [...]
The neo townhouse: These enduringly popular London homes are getting a modern makeover November 4, 2019 London is an architectural patchwork of cottages and terraces, mansion flats, mews and tower blocks. And then there’s the townhouse. Definitions vary for this apparently all-encompassing name – for what is a townhouse? Is it no more than a house in town? If so, what is a “town”? Or is it a particular kind of [...]