HMV shuts flagship Oxford Street store just three years after comeback Retail HMV is set to close its flagship Oxford Street store just three years after its comeback to the location where it was founded more than a century ago. The music and entertainment retailer said the site will shut its doors in March next year, blaming a doubled rent bill and the cost of “substantial” renovations. [...]
Virgin Media O2 defends arena deal as £200m price tag disputed Media Virgin Media O2 has pushed back at claims it is paying around £200m to keep its name on the O2, as the heavily indebted telecoms group commits to another decade of one of Britain’s longest-running sponsorship deals. The company and venue owner AEG have not disclosed the value of the agreement, which will keep the [...]
Jousting, goblins and furries: Dispatch from a UK renaissance faire Life&Style Renaissance fairs are booming in America, now they're on UK soil too. Anna Moloney dons a doublet and investigates.
Spending hits 13-month high as Brits splurge on entertainment, Barclays says September 8, 2026 Spending in the UK economy reached a 13-month high in August after a rebound in the entertainment and travel industries, according to fresh data from Barclays. Overall card spending grew 2.1 per cent year-on-year, following on from two per cent growth in July. Both essential and non-essential spending were up 2.1 per cent, according to [...]
Hollywood Bowl strikes share boom to defy consumer spending fears May 27, 2026 Hollywood Bowl shares have rocketed after the firm said Brits are prioritising nights out to the bowling alley over going shopping as they cut down on non-essential spending. The UK’s largest tenpin bowling operator said it has seen a “robust” performance even as consumer confidence plummets amid the Iran war, sending its share price up [...]
Cinema chain Vue eyes blockbuster £1.5bn sale or listing May 6, 2026 Vue is bringing in bankers to oversee a float or sale which could value the cinema titan at as much as £1.5bn, according to reports. The British cinema chain, helmed by Canadian founder Tim Richards, has been interviewing banks in recent days as it pencils in the formal appointment of advisors later this year. Vue [...]
Disney streaming gains momentum as Hollywood pressure builds February 2, 2026 Disney beat Wall Street expectations in its latest quarter, buoyed by an unexpected improvement in its streaming business, despite rising costs hitting the entertainment industry. The media giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.63 for its first fiscal quarter, ahead of estimates of around $1.56. Revenue rose five per cent year on year to [...]
£13bn streaming boom defies sluggish UK economy January 7, 2026 The UK’s digital entertainment sector emerges as a rare diamond in the rough for a stuttering national economy, with revenues surging more than four times faster than sluggish GDP growth in 2025. Streaming services and retail drove UK revenues from video, music and games to new highs of £13.3bn, according to a recent report by [...]
Everyman boss departs with immediate effect weeks after profit warning December 29, 2025 The boss of luxury cinema chain Everyman Media Group has stepped down weeks after warning over sales and profits following poor box office trading. Shareholders were informed on Monday morning that Alex Scrimgeour was stepping down as chief executive with immediate effect, with current non-executive director Farah Golant to take over on an interim basis [...]
Joshua vs Paul: A defining moment in evolution of sport entertainment December 19, 2025 Tom Wild discusses how Joshua vs Paul shows sport can no longer be separated from the cultural forces that surround it. In a world where attention is fractured and loyalty is fluid, one of the most powerful tools available to help marketers cut through isn’t new at all – it’s culture. More specifically, it’s the [...]