Consumer confidence continues to rise amid cost-of-living woes September 22, 2023 Consumer confidence is continuing to rise against a backdrop of falling inflation – but many households are continuing to struggle with cost-of-living pressures, according to a survey. GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased four points in September, but remains at a subdued minus 21. Expectations for the UK’s wider economy over the next 12 months [...]
Retail sales show signs of recovery after summer washout September 22, 2023 Retail sales volumes rose by 0.4 per cent in August 2023, partially recovering from a fall of 1.1 per cent in July 2023, new government figures show. Non-food stores sales volumes grew by 0.6 per cent in August 2023, following a fall of 1.2 per cent in July 2023 when unseasonable rainy weather drove shoppers [...]
The Little Big Things review, Soho Place theatre: Fan theatre at its best September 21, 2023 The Little Big Things review, Soho Place theatre: Fan theatre at its best
High street struggles: 2,000 local stores, pubs and hairdressers wiped away this year September 21, 2023 Nearly 2,000 independent local stores were left vacant in the first half of this year, as the cost of living crisis continues to eat away at the health of the high street and small businesses. Some 1,915 independent businesses on high streets, retail parks and shopping centres closed in the first leg of this year, marking [...]
Inside London Design Festival’s amazing St Paul’s Cathedral light installation September 21, 2023 Priests say the London Design Festival’s Aura installation “enhances” the 300-year-old St Paul’s Cathedral. It’s one of the only times the Cathedral has welcomed artists in to create in the space A minutes’ walk from Bank Tube station, twenty City workers cower from the rain. They’re standing in front of a rotating metal orb, watching [...]
Co-op invests £70m into fresh price cuts for as losses narrow September 21, 2023 The Co-op has invested a further £70m investment into lowering pricing for customers as its losses narrowed after the sale of its forecourts business to Asda. The retailer pumped £20m into price cuts in the first half year and said it now has plans for a further £70m investment, which includes 200 reductions for users [...]
Chelsea Vintners founder on sourcing £37K wine for London clients September 21, 2023 Following a successful international career, Cecily Chappel heads up Chelsea Vintners, wine merchants serving private clients looking to build the best wine collection they can. WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO WINE? The first photo of me is at my Christening with a bottle of Bollinger. My father was keen on Bordeaux and Burgundy. Every Sunday lunch [...]
Bitcoin dips marginally on Fed’s hawkish statement September 21, 2023 Bitcoin is down marginally by 0.4%, again circling the $27k-level this morning, while Ethereum's Ether is down 0.9%, trading for $1,619.
Emerging Technologies: Unveiling the Future of AI, VR, AR, and Blockchain September 21, 2023 | Sponsored Technology is always advancing at a steady pace, but sometimes it takes a great leap forward. Now, looking around at some of the technology we have today, it feels like quite a few of these great leaps have occurred very recently. We have artificial intelligence doing things even science fiction writers hadn’t imagined, while both [...]
JD Sports’ sales hit £4.7bn as trainers king ramps up athleisure drive September 21, 2023 JD Sports said revenues grew 8.3 per cent to £4.7bn in the six months to the end of July, as the trainers champion continues to plough ahead with its athleisure expansion plans. The shoe and sportswear stores reported a 25.8 per cent growth in statutory profit before tax to £375m and operating profit grew 20.2 [...]