SME Construction data casts doubt on UK ability to hit 1.5 million homes July 29, 2025 The number of struggling construction firms has risen further despite heavy pressure on the sector to deliver hundreds of thousands of new homes. The number of firms in critical distress – a measure of firms nearing bankruptcy – rose 15.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, according to Begbies Traynor, while the number [...]
What happened to River Island? June 26, 2025 River Island is suffering from a common affliction. Declining sales and an inability to keep up with competition have led to a restructuring plan, with imminent store closures if the strategy goes ahead. High-street peers like Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams have already disappeared and become online-only – River Island is just the “latest [...]
Halfords to shut garages amid growing cost pressures June 25, 2025 Halfords is set to close some of its garages this year as it struggles with increased labour costs introduced by last year’s Autumn Budget. Shares fell nearly two per cent in early trades. The cycling and motoring specialist said the sites earmarked for disposal are not able to provide the “level of customer experience to [...]
High street stalwart Claire’s explores a sale as cost pressures mount June 24, 2025 The accessories and piercings company Claire’s is exploring the possibility of a sale as it battles rising costs and competition. Claire’s, which is owned by US investors JP Morgan, Elliott Management and Monarch Alternative Capital, operates 2,750 shops worldwide and 281 shops on UK high streets and retail parks. Julie Palmer, partner at financial advisory [...]
AO World: Record earnings after Music Magpie acquisition June 18, 2025 AO World has reported better-than-expected revenue growth after its acquisition of Music Magpie and an expansion in its membership scheme helped boost the figures. The electrical retailers told markets this morning that life-for-like adjusted profit before tax grew 32 per cent to £45m in the year ended March 31, above the top end of its [...]
Tesco is tightening its grip on the UK supermarket crown June 12, 2025 Tesco has boosted market share again as it outperforms peers in the ever-more competitive UK grocery space. In its first-quarter results this morning, the supermarket giant reported a 5.9 per cent uplift in food sales and a 6.2 per cent rise in home and clothing sales. Tesco now has 28 per cent of the UK [...]
Optimism on construction boom lifts housebuilder stocks June 11, 2025 Shares in the UK’s major housebuilders have all risen in the past five days as news of government investment buoys the chances of a construction market boom. Vistry and Crest, which have recently boosted their focus on affordable homes, were particular winners: Vistry has risen by more than 20 per cent since June 6, while [...]
Glastonbury Festival: Huge debts of collapsed glamping firm revealed June 11, 2025 The huge debts racked up by a luxury Glastonbury Festival glamping company before it collapsed last month have been revealed. Yurtel, which is based in Corsham, Wiltshire, went into liquidation in May, leaving a number of Glastonbury glampers ticketless and out of pocket. The business had charged between £10,000 and £16,500 for its hospitality tickets [...]
Gino D’Acampo: Restaurant empire’s huge debts revealed before rescue June 9, 2025 The company behind TV chef Gino D’Acampo’s restaurant empire owed more than £11m as it collapsed into administration, it has been revealed. Upmarket Leisure Ltd, which controlled the former This Morning star’s venues, was served with a wind-up petition by HMRC in March and moved to appoint an administrator before being saved in a £5m [...]
WH Smith nears sale of high street chain as revenue rises June 4, 2025 WH Smith has confirmed it remains on track to sell its high street division to the owner of Hobbycraft by the end of the month. In March, the FTSE 250 company announced it had agreed to offload the arm to private equity firm Modella in a deal which valued it at £76m. When complete, the [...]