Retail gloom as festive season fails to save 2024 trading January 7, 2025 High street stores showed anaemic growth in the 2024 festive season, despite hopes that Christmas trading would inject some cheer into the sector. Sales grew just 0.3 per cent overall in the ‘golden quarter’, which includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Online sales continued to beat in-store, [...]
Retail in 2025: The year of personalisation, AI, wellness – and no more barcodes December 24, 2024 2024 has been a tough year for retail. From companies sounding the alarm on business rates in the first half of the year to low consumer confidence and footfall proving stickier than expected, the festive period has now been overshadowed by stark warnings about further cost rises next year. Restructuring partner at RSM UK, Gordon [...]
Business confidence drops at fastest pace for over three years December 9, 2024 The optimism index dropped 5.8 points to 93.49 in November, which was the largest monthly fall since August 2021.
BDO becomes £1bn giant as partner profit recovers November 25, 2024 Revenue at BDO, the accountancy and business advisory giant, has surpassed £1bn for the first time in its 100-year history, it has been confirmed. The London-headquartered firm, which has offices across the country, said its “continuedprogramme of investment” helped revenue rise by 8.6 per cent to £1.02bn in the year to 5 July, 2024. The [...]
Ex-BDO senior manager handed 20-year ban for falsifying documents November 14, 2024 The audit watchdog has banned a former senior manager of accountancy giant BDO for 20 years after she was found to have been creating false documents
Retailers prepare for ‘exceptionally tough’ golden quarter after Budget November 4, 2024 The golden quarter is off to a slow start and things are only set to get tougher for retailers over Christmas, according to fresh data. In-store sales grew by 1.7 per cent year on year in October, while total sales – both in-store and online – grew 4.1 per cent, according to BDO. Whilst the [...]
Retailers pin hopes on bumper golden quarter with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas October 14, 2024 The final three months of the year, also known as the golden quarter, are make-or-break for retailers. Retail spending has consistently languished this year, or been propped up by margin-carving discounts, but pent-up demand is expected to give the sector a much-needed boost during the holidays, according to a panel of industry experts. Despite consumer [...]
Growth set to return but fears persist ahead of budget October 7, 2024 City economists expect figures published on Friday to confirm that the UK grew 0.2 per cent in August, having been stagnant for the two months prior.
Galliford Try wins second contract in two days with £90m Buckinghamshire road September 24, 2024 The new route links the A413 Wendover Road with the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road and includes construction of three roundabout junctions.
UK business output jumps to highest level in two years as further rate cuts expected August 12, 2024 UK business output has jumped to its highest level in two years, according to a closely-watched survey, as the expectation of more interest rate cuts provide optimism for the coming months.