Visitor numbers at UK shopping destinations dive in coronavirus lockdown May 18, 2020 The number of visitors to UK shopping destinations collapsed last month during the coronavirus lockdown, according to the latest research. UK footfall plunged 84.7 per cent in April, a record decline for the retail industry, due to the mandatory coronavirus lockdown that forced shops to close and restricted the movement of consumers. Shopping centre footfall [...]
US retail sales drop at record pace amid coronavirus shutdown May 15, 2020 US retail sales plunged at the quickest pace on record for the second month in a row in April, official figures have shown, as coronavirus containment measures caused shops to close and Americans to stay in their homes. The Commerce Department said sales dropped 16.4 per cent last month compared an 8.3 per cent drop [...]
London bar group Enhanced Hospitality claims 650 jobs at risk over insurer’s refusal to pay May 15, 2020 London bar and restaurant chain Enhanced Hospitality has launched legal action against Allianz, claiming that its failure to pay out under business interruption insurance has put 650 jobs at risk. Enhanced Hospitality, which owns Camden live music venue Dingwalls and Soho private members club Blacks, has hired law firm Field Fisher to pursue a claim [...]
Royal Mail chief executive Rico Back steps down after less than two years May 15, 2020 The chief executive of Royal Mail has stepped down after less than two years in the role. Rico Back has stepped down as group chief executive with immediate effect, and will leave the company on 15 August after more than 30 years. Back, who joined the company in 1989 and was appointed as chief executive [...]
Boohoo raises £198m as fashion retailer eyes acquisitions May 15, 2020 Fast fashion retailer Boohoo has raised £198m as it seeks to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to snap up global brands. Boohoo, which raised the funds through a share placing announced last night, said it would use the proceeds to “take advantage of numerous opportunities that are likely to emerge in the global fashion [...]
Ei Group reveals multi-million pound tenant support package amid mounting pressure May 14, 2020 Ei Group has granted a rent holiday for some of its bigger pubs amid mounting pressure for pub companies to announce more support for tenants. A cross-party group of 60 MPs wrote to Ei Group last week urging it to cancel rents for tenants during the coronavirus crisis. The letter said it was “unfair” for [...]
Tesco bosses receive bonus boost after Ocado removed from competitor list May 14, 2020 Tesco bosses received a bonus boost last year after the grocer removed online supermarket Ocado from a list of competitors. Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis would have missed out on around £1.6m in shares if the online rival had remained on the list used to compare Tesco’s performance against its competitors. Before Ocado was removed, [...]
Greene King launches pub grub delivery service May 14, 2020 Pub chain Greene King has launched a takeaway service from 29 London pubs to deliver meals across the capital during the coronavirus crisis. The company said 29 of its Metropolitan Pub Company sites, including the Cricketers in Richmond and the World’s End in Finsbury Park, will offer delivery through Deliveroo from 22 May. Additionally, 10 [...]
Domino’s slams Amazon’s £442m investment in Deliveroo May 14, 2020 Pizza takeaway chain Domino’s has slammed a watchdog’s decision to give the go-ahead to Amazon’s £442m investment in Deliveroo, saying the decision will harm competition and consumers. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) provisionally cleared the investment in April over concerns that Deliveroo could collapse without extra financial backing due restaurant closures during the coronavirus [...]
Marston’s secures £70m liquidity as brewer prepares for sustained pub closures May 14, 2020 British brewer Marston’s today said it has secured an extra £70m of liquidity, which will enable it to survive until the end of the financial year even if its pubs remain closed until then. The pub chain said it could survive a sustained closure of its pubs due to a £70m increase to its financing [...]