Dunelm to repay furlough cash after sharp rise in sales October 15, 2020 Dunelm has announced it will repay furlough money to the government following a sharp rise in sales as consumers have increased spending on homewares during lockdown. The company said total sales jumped 36.7 per cent to £359.1m in the 13 weeks to 26 September as it continued to gain market share in the “buoyant” homewares [...]
London lockdown: Tier 2 restrictions the ‘death knell’ for hospitality sector October 15, 2020 The government’s announcement that London will be placed under a Tier 2 lockdown this week is the “death knell” for the capital’s struggling hospitality sector, industry bodies have warned. Care minister Helen Whately told London MPs this morning that the city will move from Tier 1 to Tier 2 on Friday night. The new restrictions [...]
Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore spots expansion opportunities in coronavirus chaos October 15, 2020 Fulham Shore, the owner of restaurant chains Franco Manca and The Real Greek, is eyeing expansion due to the low rents and empty venues caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said this morning that “the future looks promising” as more sites become available and with rents “likely to be falling for the next few [...]
Ocado’s depot plans halted by North London residents October 15, 2020 Ocado has lost the right to build a new delivery hub in north London after campaigners successfully lobbied the council to halt plans. Islington Council has withdrawn the site’s certificate of lawfulness to open the distribution centre next to Yerbury school, accusing Ocado’s landlords, Telereal, of providing “false and misleading evidence” and “withholding material information” [...]
Heineken fined for forcing pubs to stock ‘unreasonable’ amounts of beer October 15, 2020 Heineken’s pubs division has been slapped with a £2m fine for forcing its tenants to stock “unreasonable levels” of its own beers and ciders. The Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) ruled that Star Pubs & Bars, which operates the pub estate business of Heineken in the UK, had “seriously and repeatedly” breached the pubs code over [...]
Marston’s cuts 2,150 jobs due to new coronavirus restrictions October 15, 2020 Pub chain Marston’s has put 2,150 jobs at risk of redundancy following the introduction of new three-tier coronavirus restrictions. The government announced the new local lockdown system earlier this week, with most pubs in areas placed in the highest tier of restrictions expected to close. Marston’s said the introduction of the new rules is “hugely [...]
Return of live sport after lockdown pushes Domino’s sales to £342m October 15, 2020 The return of televised live sport after lockdown saw Domino’s sell an extra 600,000 orders in the third quarter, pushing sales to £342.1m. The pizza chain reported an 18.7 per cent jump in UK and Ireland sales for the 13 weeks ended 27 September, with orders also boosted by the increase in UK staycations over [...]
Gambling firms unveil new online games rules as reforms loom October 14, 2020 British gambling firms today unveiled a new code of conduct for the design of online games as they look to tackle problem gambling in the face of looming industry reforms. New measures include slowing down spin speeds on slot machines, banning several controversial game features and improving access to safer gambling information. The Betting and [...]
Retail property values forecast to fall up to 40 per cent due to pandemic October 14, 2020 Retail property values are expected to fall up to 40 per cent over the next year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the UK high street, according to a survey of investors. Commercial real estate investors are seeking more “pandemic resistant” assets, such as logistics, the analysis found. Research by Duff & [...]
Asos to launch budget brand as 20-somethings face economic impact of Covid-19 October 14, 2020 Asos is planning to launch a budget brand, the fast fashion retailer announced this morning as it warned that its core 20-something audience were vulnerable to losing their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic. The online retail giant said today that the new brand called “As You” will meet the gap in its portfolio for lower-priced [...]