Chappell facing High Court BHS suit May 22, 2016 Administrators for BHS are to launch a High Court suit against the retail chain's former backer. City A.M. understands that Duff & Phelps will file a suit on Monday, targeting Dominic Chappell and arguing that the businessman has not co-operated with its investigation into the retailer's collapse. Chappell owns a 90 per cent stake in Retail [...]
The race to save BHS: Matalan boss John Hargreaves teams up with Select Fashions owner for rescue bid May 17, 2016 Matalan founder John Hargreaves is teaming up with Cafer Mahiroglu, owner of Select Fashions, to rescue BHS. Hargreaves has formed a consortium with the Turkish entrepreneur to rescue the struggling retailer which went into administration last month putting up to 11,000 jobs at risk. According to The Telegraph, the entrepreneurs plan to make an announcement by [...]
Shoppers beat the Brexit blues to hit the high street as footfall increased slightly in May June 13, 2016 As the battle over the fate of BHS continues, the high street bounced back slightly in May as footfall figures increased year-on-year, new figures have shown. Despite a backdrop of retail failures towards the end of May and beginning of June, with Austin Reed shutting up its shops and BHS being "wound down", total retail footfall was [...]
Investors urged to vote against Mike Ashley and Keith Hellawell at Sports Direct AGM as USC, zero-hour contracts issues rage on September 1, 2015 Sports Direct investors are being advised to vote against both founder Mike Ashley and chairman Keith Hellawell retaining their seats on the board ahead of next week's AGM. Investor group Pirc is recommending six of the 15 resolutions be opposed, and three abstained. Its biggest concern was the large number of staff employed on [...]
PMQs today: Prime Minister David Cameron under pressure on zero-hour contracts and comments by pro-Leave ministers June 8, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron came under fire from opposition in PMQs today on zero-hour contracts in the aftermath of the revealed exploitation at Sports Direct. "Will the Prime Minister do what some other European countries have done and ban exploitative zero-hour contacts here?," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn asked. David Cameron acknowledged that the practice of Sports [...]
Five suitors emerge for the whole of troubled BHS May 10, 2016 BHS has attracted five expressions of interest to buy the whole of the high street retailer. The interest was registered ahead of today's 5pm deadline, according to a spokesperson for the company. There have been a higher number of expressions of interest for specific parts of the business, with most thought to be keen to [...]
BHS fiasco rumbles on as Goldman Sachs and The Pensions Regulator due to reappear in front of the committees next week June 26, 2016 The BHS saga starts a new chapter next week, with two more evidence hearings due to take place in parliament. On Tuesday afternoon, the Work and Pensions committee and Business, Innovation and Skills committee are set to hear from Alex Dellal, Allied Commercial Exporters, Paul Sutton, Lesley Titcomb, chief executive of The Pensions Regulator and Neville Kahn, managing partner, financial [...]
Watch out Mike Ashley: Unite the union protesters to target Sports Direct AGM dressed as Dickensian workers over “Victorian” zero-hours contracts September 8, 2015 Sports Direct's AGM tomorrow is set to be an even more lively affair than usual. Unite the union has revealed plans for a protest outside the AGM with members dressed as Dickensian workers. They will be demanding "an end to ‘Victorian’ work practices at the retailer’s nearby Shirebrook warehouse and that the company pays [...]
Sports Direct in surprise Austin Reed bid May 8, 2016 Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley is thought to have thrown his hat in the ring for menswear retailer Austin Reed. It is understood that Ashley has tabled a surprise £30m bid for Austin Reed which went into administration at the end of last month. Administrators Alix Partners are thought to have received around 50 expressions of [...]
Crunch week as BHS seeks a fresh start May 23, 2016 BHS hopes to enter a new era this week with the business set to be sold while its administrators prepare a high court complaint against the retailer’s former boss Dominic Chappell. Administrators plan to announce BHS’ new owner in the coming days, with bids understood to have come from Matalan founder John Hargreaves, Poundstretcher, and an [...]