Aurelius: Lloyds Pharmacy owner joins race for The Body Shop Retail The owner of Lloyds Pharmacy, Aurelius, is understood to have joined the race to buy ethical cosmetics brand The Body Shop, as it looks to change hands again for the third time in five years. The investment company has joined Epiris, the private equity firm, and Elliott Advisors, the owner of Waterstones in the bidding [...]
Lloyds Pharmacy puts all 1,300 sites under threat of closure in another blow for post-Covid UK high street Lloyds pharmacy Lloyds Pharmacy has put all of its 1,300 sites at risk of closure in another major blow for the highstreet. According to reports in The Sun, the private equity owner of the embattled chemist has launched a “strategic review of its entire UK store base”. It’s understood that process could lead to a sale of [...]
Five best read on City A.M.: EY ‘business as normal’, 1,300 Lloyds Pharmacies up for closure, Cameron Smith, F1 ‘marriage’ on the rocks and crypto ban the best of city a.m. EY’s decision to push ahead with mid-year promotions after KPMG called off its April round was this week’s best read story on City A.M. It had some stiff competition with sporting heroes Cameron Smith and Lewis Hamilton vying for readers’ interest, not to mention news of a crypto ban and high street closures. We look [...]
Game changer for holidaymakers: Lloyds Pharmacy to start selling take-at-home travel test January 5, 2022 Healthcare firm MyHealthChecked has signed a contract with Lloyds Pharmacy for the supply of at-home rapid Covid tests for individuals wanting to fly abroad. The Fit to Fly antigen tests can be taken at home before travelling, or overseas before returning to the UK, with results verified by a trained professional within two hours. The [...]
WH Smith, M&S and Argos among hundreds fined for failing to pay minimum wage June 21, 2023 Hundreds of businesses including high-street heavyweights WH Smith, M&S and Argos have been named and shamed after being fined for failing to pay workers the minimum wage. Firms from sole traders to household names were ordered to repay 63,000 staff lost wages totalling close to £5m, after breaching National Minimum Wage (NMW) law. WH Smith [...]
Private equity firm Aurelius swoops for The Body Shop October 29, 2023 Brazilian cosmetics maker Natura said in August that its board of directors had authorized the company to search for "strategic alternatives" for the British beauty products chain.
Retail: Insolvencies expected to ‘uptick’ as market consolidates amid Superdry and Ted Baker trouble February 12, 2024 Less than two months into 2024 and six UK retailers have already gone bust, with a further two warning they may fall into trouble, as experts warn the market will “continue to see an uptick in insolvencies”. According to figures from Centre of Retail Research, over 400 job roles have been impacted by retailers shutting [...]
Ex-PM David Cameron lobbied Tory associate at Lloyds to salvage Greensill pharmacy deal November 23, 2021 Former Prime Minister David Cameron lobbied Lloyds bank to change a decision to slash ties with ailing Greensill Capital, it has been reported. Cameron reached out to a board member whom he had ennobled during his Downing Street stint, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The newspaper cited “people familiar with the matter” as saying [...]
Millions dished out to inactive or new companies under covid loan scheme November 24, 2021 Lenders reportedly dished out a whopping £130m to questionable companies under a government Covid support scheme that issued loans up to £5m.
Covid-19 shone a spotlight on hidden abuse — now we cannot afford to stop fighting August 4, 2020 The Covid-19 crisis has thrown the issue of domestic abuse into sharp focus. The sudden shift to working from home as offices closed meant that many victims were unable to access what is often their only safe space: the workplace. With those at risk suddenly forced to remain at home with their abusers during lockdown, [...]