Rishi Sunak says we’ll feel better off next year – but is the PM right? August 18, 2023 Rishi Sunak has pledged Brits will all feel better off next year, as he said he “passionately believes” he can bring down inflation and ease the cost of living crisis. Speaking to the Times, the prime minister vowed to be disciplined on public spending and tax rates in a bid to revive the UK’s economic [...]
Harrods hails rise in profit as iconic London store recovers from pandemic lull August 15, 2023 Harrods, the world famous department store in Knightsbridge, recorded a profit for the year ending January 2023, as the iconic London shop fully rebounded from the pandemic lull. Luxury shoppers keen to blow their cash in the capital helped hike operating profits at Harrods to £202.7m up from a weak £71.4m the prior year. The [...]
Wilko rumour mill: B&M shares up as takeover whispers gather volume August 15, 2023 Wilko has fallen into administration but rumours are flying that fellow discounters could be circling the stricken retailer
Grocery price inflation drops sharply to 12.7 per cent August 15, 2023 Grocery price inflation saw its second sharpest fall since 2008, falling 2.2 percentage points to 12.7 per cent for the four weeks to 6 August, new data shows. While food prices are still rising, some goods actually became cheaper, with shoppers paying £1.50 for four pints of milk, down from £1.69 in March, and a [...]
Wilko bidders have until Wednesday to make an offer for troubled retailer August 14, 2023 Bidders for troubled retailer Wilko have reportedly been given until Wednesday to place offers for the company after collapsing into administration last week. A number of discount retailers and financial investors are considering offers for the company, and administrator PwC is seeking offers by the middle of the week, Sky News reported. Last week, the [...]
London losing out due to ‘tourist tax’ as US and Gulf visitors opt for Paris and Milan instead August 14, 2023 London is losing out on wealthy foreign visitors splashing their cash in Oxford Street due to the so-called ‘tourist tax’, amid renewed calls to scrap it and make the capital more competitive. The removal of VAT free shopping for international tourists continues to hurt London retailers, with visitors from the US and the Gulf cutting [...]
Marshalls: Can struggling landscaping giant exceed ‘fairly low’ expectations? August 13, 2023 Investors will turn their focus to building products supplier Marshalls interim results on 16 August to see if the business has picked up any momentum amid a growing slump in the UK house building market. The group, which is headquartered in West Yorkshire, has shown signs of struggling in recent months and announced in July [...]
Soho House: Waiting list for celebrity haunt at ‘all-time high’ with 95,000 in line August 11, 2023 The wait list to secure a place at private members club Soho House has risen to “all-time high” with approximately 95,000 deep-pocketed individuals eager to secure a place at the spot globally. Soho House & Co Inc. the business behind the luxury hub, revealed its growing demand as part of its second quarter results – [...]
Mortgage and rent payments ‘difficult’ for almost 40 per cent of Brits August 11, 2023 Some 38 per cent of Brits have confessed to finding it difficult to afford their rent or mortgage payments over the past month, as the cost of living crisis continues to wreak havoc on the public’s personal finances. This figure was around 29 per cent in early August 2022, new figures from the ONS show, [...]
Bellway ‘taking steps to reduce headcount’ as rate hikes continue mortgage slowdown August 9, 2023 British housebuilder Bellway’s underlying operating margin will contract from 18.5 per cent to 16 per cent as mortgage rates continue to slow down demand in the sector. The home construction company completed the build of 10,945 homes in the year ended 31 July falling from 11,198 in the same period last year. As the central [...]