The Range owner confident of sales success but Homebase rescuer struggles to return to profit November 19, 2024 The owner of The Range has forecasted a continued rise in its sales as it carries on taking advantage of “high profile retail casualties” after rescuing Wilko and Homebase. CDS (Superstores International) hit the headlines again recently when it snapped up part of strike DIY chain Homebase out of administration. The move came after the [...]
Exclusive: Labour’s relationship with business ‘at a critical point’, retail boss warns November 19, 2024 If a week is a long time in politics, then four months in retail is a lifetime. When Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), last sat down with City AM in late July, she could hardly have been more effusive in her praise for the incoming Chancellor and her business [...]
Could the digitisation of social care pave the way for a better NHS? November 19, 2024 The system, as it stands, is struggling – and the debate over what should or can be done to fix it is still ongoing.
Budget could destroy seventh-generation pub giant, warns boss November 18, 2024 The changes announced in the Budget represent an ‘existential threat’ to the future of a seventh-generation pub and brewing giant, its owner has warned. William Lees-Jones, who owns and runs Manchester-based JW Lees, which has produced real ale since 1828, has warned he is now “facing the very real prospect that we will never be able to [...]
Go Outdoors: Brand owned by FTSE 100 giant JD Sports slumps to a loss November 18, 2024 Go Outdoors, which is owned by FTSE 100 giant JD Sports, has slumped into the red thanks to a “disproportionate” rise in costs. The business, which also operates the Go Outdoors Express, Taylor’s and Fishing Republic brands, has reported a pre-tax loss of £1.4m for the year to 3 February, 2024. The loss comes after [...]
London pubs giant Young’s issues Budget warning after £11m costs hike November 14, 2024 Pub giant Young’s, which has locations across London and the South East, has insisted it has no plans to increase the price of drinks despite the Budget adding around £11m in annual costs. The listed group said it was instead focusing on increasing efficiency, better use of technology and internal investment in order to deal [...]
Working mothers will pay for Labour’s tax rises November 13, 2024 Employers’ national insurance hikes will increase the cost of childcare and put nurseries out of business, making life for working mothers even harder than it already is, says Alys Denby Governments are notoriously bad at picking winners, but Britain is about to find out what happens when leaders are more interested in picking losers. From [...]
Employer National Insurance hike a ‘significant burden’ and will impact working people, warns Thwaites November 12, 2024 The hike in employer National Insurance contribution (NICs), which was revealed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Budget, will place a “significant burden” on historic brewer, pub and hotel owner, Daniel Thwaites, the company has said. The Lancashire-headquartered group added that the increase, together with the rise in the National Living Wage, “make it less [...]
Wage growth comes in ahead of expectations despite loosening labour market November 12, 2024 Bank of England rate-setters received a mixed picture from the latest labour market figures, with progress on wage growth stalling even as unemployment crept up. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), pay growth excluding bonuses eased to 4.8 per cent in the three months to September, down from 4.9 per cent previously but [...]
Business Budget backlash builds as hospitality giants write to Chancellor November 11, 2024 The government is under increasing pressure to revisit its hikes to employer national insurance contributions and the minimum wage after a number of the UK’s largest employers voiced concerns about the impact of the changes on their costs and operations. Over 200 of the UK’s biggest hospitality businesses signed a letter to the Chancellor yesterday [...]