West End retailers ‘hit by staff shortages’ as property boss urges action on visa rules September 24, 2018 London’s renowned West End retail economy is under threat from staff shortages, according to the boss of one of the area’s largest investment firms. Shaftesbury Group’s chief executive Brian Bickell, whose £3.86bn FTSE 250 property company represents nearly 600 West End businesses, told City A.M. that a combination of tight visa restrictions and uncertainty around EU [...]
Brockmans Gin doubles UK sales as supermarket expansion pays off September 24, 2018 High-end spirit producer Brockmans Gin nearly doubled UK revenues in the first six months of the year, and grew by a third globally. First-half revenue increased 35 per cent to £4.73m from £3.5m in the same period of 2017, while the company’s UK sales climbed 90 per cent, outstripping market growth of 38 per cent. The Surrey-based [...]
Debenhams looks to shore up investor panic with unveiling of its ‘store of the future’ September 24, 2018 Debenhams is gearing up for the unveiling of its “store of the future” later today, as the beleaguered retail giant looks to reassure both shoppers and investors after a challenging summer. The department store chain is also expected to reveal more details of its turnaround plans at the event in Watford today, having denied [...]
French supermarket Carrefour denies making an offer for rival Casino September 24, 2018 French supermarket Casino has claimed it has rejected an offer from rival Carrefour, though Carrefour has denied ever making a bid for the firm. Casino released a statement last night that said its board had unanimously rejected an approach from the retail giant due to potential conflicts over employment and competition. Read more: Tesco reveals budget supermarket chain, Jack's Carrefour, which is [...]
Versace set to walk the runway with rumoured sale ‘within hours’ September 24, 2018 Shares in fashion brand Michael Kors are down more than eight per cent on rumours that it is in talks to buy Versace. Fashion kingpin Versace is rumoured to be “within hours” of being sold, according to Italian news reports which emerged early this morning. Newspaper Corriere della Sera, which has cited unnamed sources, [...]
Thomas Cook share price dives after summer heatwave hits profits September 24, 2018 Thomas Cook's share price crashed more than 20 per cent in early morning trading, after the firm was forced to slash its profit forecasts in the wake of a blistering summer heatwave. The UK travel giant said it expected core earnings (Ebit) would be roughly £280m for the 12 months to the end of September, [...]
Shareholders urged to revolt against Joules founder September 23, 2018 The founder of eponymous London-listed fashion brand Joules is set to face a fresh challenge at the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday, over a board proposal that could increase his own stake in the retailer. Independent shareholder advisory firm ISS encouraged investors in a report ahead of the meeting to vote against the board's [...]
Online retail to be Next’s summertime saviour as hot weather boosts sales September 23, 2018 Fast fashion stalwart Next is preparing to reveal its half year results to investors on Tuesday, with many eager to see whether its online sales uptick continued throughout the UK’s extended hot summer. The retailer had previously warned earlier this year that it was facing its toughest trading conditions in 25 years as customers [...]
Barclay brothers’ Ritz Hotel Casino swings to £11.7m loss from customer wins in 2017 September 23, 2018 The Barclay brothers' Ritz Hotel Casino reported an £11.7m loss last year after a strong performance the previous year, in which it made a pre-tax profit of £8.9m. The Ritz Hotel Casino, which is owned by the owners of the Daily Telegraph, David and Frederick Barclay, is based in St James's and has been visited [...]
Mike Ashley hits out at landlords as three House of Fraser stores set to close September 23, 2018 House of Fraser boss Mike Ashley has hit out at "greedy" landlords as he announced the closure of three department stores. At least 15 stores that were previously earmarked for closure have been saved, House of Fraser announced, however branches in Edinburgh, Hull and Swindon face being shut down. Sports Direct owner Ashley, who [...]