Pret a Manger boss to retire as firm prepares for Eat merger July 1, 2019 Pret a Manger’s boss is to step down later this year, making way for the firm’s chief operating officer to lead the group as it prepares for a major tie-up with rival Eat. The sandwich chain’s boss Clive Schlee will retire in September after more than 15 years at the firm. Read more: Pret a [...]
Property giants suffer £2.7bn write-down after retail values plunge July 1, 2019 Britain’s biggest landlords suffered a £2.7bn write-down in the value of their investment properties in the last 12 months, as a sharp downturn in the retail sector sent shockwaves throughout the property industry. Real estate giants including Intu, British Land and Land Securities nursed significant losses in the overall value of their assets last year [...]
Creditors prepare to vote on Monsoon Accessorize rescue plan June 30, 2019 Creditors will decide the fate of Monsoon Accessorize this week as they vote on the company’s rescue plan, which includes proposals to slash rents at more than half of its leased stores. Last month the retailer launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which outlined plans to cut rent at 135 of Monsoon and Accessorize’s 258 [...]
Hedge funds step up bets against retail landlord New River June 30, 2019 Hedge funds are betting against New River as concerns rise that it could be the latest retail landlord hurt by the industry’s struggles. The short position in the company has increased to 7.35 per cent compared to 5.41 per cent on 1 July last year, according to disclosed positions published by Shorttracker. Read more: New [...]
Sports Direct hits back at Goals Soccer Centres after heated AGM June 30, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has escalated its war of words with Goals Soccer Centres just days after coming to blows with one of the troubled firm’s directors at a tense investor showdown. The retail tycoon’s sportswear firm has launched a bombastic attack on a senior figure at the five-aside football operator today, having made a [...]
City lookahead: Analysts forecasting drop in sales at Sainsbury’s June 30, 2019 Sainsbury’s is expected to reveal a dip in sales when it posts its quarterly results later this week, as a spell of poor weather and an increasingly competitive retail market weighs on the supermarket giant. The grocery chain is forecasted to post no improvement in its sales on Wednesday, underlining the firm’s current challenges in [...]
European heatwave: France sets new record temperature of 45.9C June 28, 2019 France has recorded its highest ever temperature today – 45.9C – as the heatwave across western Europe intensifies. The new record has been set in the country’s southern town of Gallargues-le-Montueux, surpassing the 44.3C set in Carpentras and 45.1C in Villevieille earlier in the day, and beating the previous record of 44.1C set during a [...]
Legoland owner Merlin Entertainments secures £4.8bn takeover offer June 28, 2019 Legoland and Madame Tussauds owner Merlin Entertainments today said it has secured a £4.8bn takeover offer led by the owners of Lego. Merlin said it has reached an agreement on an offer of 455 pence per share tabled by Kirkbi, the investment vehicle of the Danish billionaire family behind Lego, and private equity firm Blackstone. [...]
UK consumer confidence slumps in June June 28, 2019 UK consumer confidence slumped again this month as the public took a negative view of their personal finances and the economy. The overall index score for consumer confidence dropped by three points to -13 for fourth time this year in June. The score was down four places year-on-year. Read more: UK consumer confidence holds up [...]
UK fashion brand Karen Millen hoists for sale sign June 27, 2019 British fashion brand Karen Millen is set to be sold by its Icelandic owners. Sky News reported that advisers to Kaupthing, one of the Icelandic banks that collapsed during the financial crisis, are set to begin formal talks with potential bidders for Karen Millen in the next few days. The sale process is being led [...]