How a viral TikTok video about Prosecco helped Lidl record its busiest ever sales day January 9, 2023 Emma D’Arcy’s viral TikTok Negroni Sbagliato fad helped budget supermarket Lidl achieve its busiest day of trading in its 28-year history after sales of booze skyrocketed. The discount retailer recorded its busiest day ever on Friday 23rd December following a surge in customers switching over from more expensive rivals. The record trading came as [...]
No crumpets: Warburtons off the shelves at Waitrose for a year after ‘performance’ issues January 8, 2023 AN UNLIKELY corporate row has broken out between Waitrose and Warburtons that has seen the nation’s favourite crumpet pulled from the shelves of the middle class’ supermarket of choice. Waitrose made the call after the Lancashire bakery’s products “didn’t meet our expectations” according to a report in the Telegaph. Warburtons’ chairman James Warburton meanwhile told [...]
Just In-Time! Timpson saves watch repair firm from bankruptcy, and 110 jobs January 6, 2023 High street stalwart Timpson has swooped in to rescue watch and jewellery specialist In-Time from bankruptcy in a move that is set to save more than 100 jobs. Timpson, which provides repairs and engraving services, announced it had bought the firm in a pre-pack sale after administrators were called in to oversee the winding up [...]
Puttshack and Bounce chief: Pubs and restaurants urged to ‘get creative’ instead of expecting government support January 6, 2023 The government can only do so much to help hospitality businesses amid turbulent times, with firms needing to “get creative”, the boss of the Puttshack and Bounce brands, told CityA.M. Pub and restaurant bosses have long been calling for more government to help it charter tumultuous waters, in the form of a VAT cut and [...]
How the Chinese New Year and covid rule changes could give a tourism boost to London’s West End January 6, 2023 London’s West End is looking forward to the return of Chinese tourists this month, after the easing of the nation’s zero-Covid policy – ahead of the Chinese New Year. China has seen a surge in Covid infections in recent months, with EU countries introducing testing requirements for travellers. Travel from and to China will be [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group reduces stake in Hugo Boss as shares dip January 6, 2023 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, the owner of brands such as Sports Direct and House of Fraser, has reduced its stake in Hugo Boss after previously upping its investment into the luxury fashion house. Frasers Group said it now owns 3.9 per cent of Hugo Boss’s total share capital, a decline from the 4.3 per cent [...]
Pubs: As record number predicted to go bust in 2023 hospitality guru urges gov to lift sector from ‘the abyss’ January 6, 2023 A record number of pubs, clubs and restaurants could go to the wall this year without more support, warned a leading industry voice.
Next boss Lord Wolfson: London’s High Streets had ‘more to worry about’ four years ago despite loss of brands like Topshop January 5, 2023 Next boss Lord Wolfson has “less reason to worry about the high street” compared to a few years ago, on the tail of a slew of household names shuttering. Physical retail was in a less concerning position than in recent years, when a switch to online shopping signalled a death knell for many staple retailers, [...]
Boots: ‘Lipstick effect’ boost to sales as cash-strapped shoppers help chemist post record-breaking Black Friday sales figures January 5, 2023 High street stalwart Boots saw sales jump in its stores over its Christmas trading period, as the return of tourism and office-working proved a shot in the arm for its city locations. The privately owned chemist said like-for-like retail sales leapt 8.7 per cent in its first quarter to November, marking record-breaking sales on Black [...]
The Meal Deal Inflation Index: Tesco, Greggs, Boots and more January 5, 2023 Times are hard – with a cost of living crisis, inflation, and seemingly constant grey skies. Add strikes to the mix and it’s almost too much to get out of bed. But there is worse than even that – the hardy meal deal, the friend of the cost-conscious Londoners, is no longer quite the value [...]