Have Brits fallen out of love with DIY? B&Q and rival Wickes eye lower profits after costs soar and demand dwindles March 20, 2023 B&Q owner Kingfisher and rival Wickes are set to reveal falls in profits over the past year as surging costs dampen the outlook for the home improvements market. Kingfisher, which runs B&Q and Screwfix, has previously indicated its sales and profits have weakened over the past year, as it also saw DIY demand from locked-down [...]
American candy stores or retail hub? What might be next for Oxford Street March 19, 2023 It has been three years since the UK was plunged into its first-ever full scale lockdown – forcing the majority of stores in London’s West End to temporarily cease trading and arguably altering the state of physical retail forever. The pandemic forced once seemingly indestructible retailers such as Debenhams, Topshop, and Gap off Oxford Street, [...]
American candy stores: Calls for ‘stronger’ laws and business rate reform to clamp down on shops which blight Oxford Street March 17, 2023 Westminster City Council has called for a “stronger” economic crime bill and reform of business rates to officially bring a halt to American candy and souvenir stores which continue to litter Oxford Street. “We are dealing here with a sophisticated operation which is skilled at exploiting UK legal loopholes,” Cllr Adam Hug, leader of Westminster [...]
Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold dies aged 62 March 17, 2023 Jacqueline Gold the boss of lingerie brand Ann Summers has died aged 62, her family has said. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to the businesswoman who passed away on Thursday evening following a seven-year battle with cancer. She was heralded as a “brilliant retailer and champion of champion of women in business”, as her family [...]
Brexit: Hospitality sector slams Government’s decision to exclude overseas restaurant and bar workers in shortage occupancy lists March 17, 2023 Hospitality figures have described the government’s decision to not include overseas restaurant and bar workers in its shortage occupation list as “disappointing” as the sector claims that ongoing labour shortages are “crippling” businesses. “Ongoing labour shortages are crippling hospitality businesses, forcing them to reduce their hours and costing the industry billions in lost trade,” Kate [...]
Explainer: Why Waitrose is no longer the jewel in the John Lewis crown and how the group’s future may lie in property, not produce March 17, 2023 Times are tough for John Lewis as chair Sharon White admitted when the high street stalwart this week announced it had made a £234m loss in 2022. The sum was worse than market expectations and marked the second year the upmarket retailer had gone into the red. In a sympathetic letter addressed to the company’s [...]
John Lewis blames ‘pain of inflation’ for £234m loss and admits it will not be paying partner bonuses March 16, 2023 John Lewis Partnership has blamed shoppers feeling the “pain of inflation” and a write down in the value of its Waitrose stores for its second year of losses in a row. For the year ending January, the middle class favourite, which owns John Lewis department stores and grocery chain Waitrose, posted a loss of £234m [...]
Deliveroo shares slide as £1.9bn reported revenue fails to bolster market confidence in food delivery favourite March 16, 2023 Deliveroo shares have continued to pedal downwards this morning as investors struggle to regain confidence in the brand following its decision to slash some 350 job roles and disastrous IPO listing. It comes as the food delivery group, which has seen its share price fall consecutively over the past 12 months due to tough market [...]
Rail strikes: Hospitality says it has lost £3bn as it becomes ‘collateral damage’ in rail dispute March 16, 2023 London retail and hospitality bodies have said that the sector is “suffering” due to ongoing tube strikes as the disruptions continue to take a large bite out of the sector’s earnings. As Tube and rail strikes grind London to a halt this week, trade body UKHospitality has claimed that pub and restaurant businesses are expected [...]
Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury benefits as Brits turn to books as affordable treat in cost of living crunch March 15, 2023 People turning increasingly to books as an affordable hobby in the cost-of-living crisis has helped Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury hike its full-year profit outlook. The group – which is also the publisher behind Bake Off star Paul Hollywood’s latest cookbook Bake – said it was seeing surging demand for titles in print, ebook and audio, [...]
