Retail footfall dips for first time since June as Brits shun high streets and shop online August 26, 2021 Retail footfall dipped for the first time in two months last week driven by Brits shunning high streets and continuing to shop online despite the lifting of Covid restrictions, according to new data released today. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics, and supplied by Springboard, show the volume of total retail footfall slid [...]
Supply chain crisis: Quarter of all food and hospitality firms hit by low stock levels August 26, 2021 More than a quarter of food and hospitality firms have been hit by low stock levels in recent weeks as Britain’s mounting supply chain crisis takes it toll, according to new figures published this morning. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said its recent business survey found that 27 per cent of food and accommodation [...]
Watches of Switzerland poaches Rank Group’s finance boss August 26, 2021 Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino owner Rank Group this morning confirmed its chief financial officer is heading to Watches of Switzerland. Bill Floydd tendered his resignation in order to take up the same role at the FTSE-listed luxury retailer. Rank CEO John O’Reilly said Floydd “helped secure the group’s liquidity and future through the pandemic [...]
PureGym plots more UK expansion as pent-up demand pays off August 26, 2021 PureGym begins to reap the rewards of pent-up demand as all of its 506 gyms have once again opened their doors, pushing the group to expand. The gym operator recorded a revenue for June at 99 per cent of the levels seen in the June before the pandemic, in the quarter ending 30 June 2021, [...]
Co-op chief: Brexit and Covid have caused the ‘worst food shortages I have ever seen’ August 26, 2021 The boss of one of the UK’s biggest retailers has warned that current food shortages are at a “worse level” than he has ever seen. Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-operative Group, said the retailer has significantly reduced its range of some products to help serve customers. He told the Times newspaper: “The shortages [...]
Early Covid hotspot the Diamond Princess won’t return to sailing until 2022 August 25, 2021 The Diamond Princess cruise ship, which became one of the earliest hotbeds for coronavirus infections when the pandemic broke out last year, will delay its return to sailing to spring of 2022, vessel operator Princess Cruises said today. Carnival-owned Princess Cruises said it had canceled the ship’s planned fall cruise in South America that was [...]
Mecca Bingo owner Rank Group’s shares rise after win in VAT battle with HMRC August 25, 2021 Shares in Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casino owner Rank Group jumped today on the news it’s likely to secure an £80m tax rebate from HMRC. The long-running tax spat looks likely to conclude with the gambling firm nabbing a rebate of up to £80m from a VAT claim after HMRC chaose not to appeal against an [...]
UK hiring woes: Amazon lures new recruits with £1,000 joining bonus August 25, 2021 E-commerce giant Amazon is offering new warehouse recruits a £1,000 joining bonus as it looks to attracts staff amid a mounting hiring crisis. The group is advertising for “urgently needed” warehouse pickers and packers across the UK to help meet booming online shopping demand. Job ads on the Indeed website reveal it is offering to [...]
Post-Brexit staffing issues: Shortage of festive favourites like pigs in blankets and gammon looms August 24, 2021 Britons may find festive favourites like pigs harder to come by this winter as industry labour shortages continue to bite, the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) warned. They could be in short supply this Christmas as a result of post-Brexit issues. BMPA chief executive Nick Allen blamed the Government’s immigration policies for staffing challenges faced [...]
Former Amazon vice president poached for Ocado board August 24, 2021 Online retailer Ocado has poached a former Amazon vice president and robotics expert for its board, as the supermarket looks to broaden its market share. Incoming independent non-executive director and board veteran, Nadia Shouraboura, is set to join Ocado at the turn of September. Shares lifted 2.43 per cent by the afternoon, taking the group’s [...]