Poundland hits out at ‘speculation’ after union criticises owner Retail Poundland has hit out at the “speculation” engulfing the company’s sale after a retail workers’ union dubbed its US owner an “absolute disgrace”. Usdaw, the union representing shop workers, said earlier this week that it has “deep concerns” about US investment firm Gordon Brothers’s sale of the business. Bally Auluk, Usdaw’s national officer, claimed Poundland’s [...]
Poundland owner weighs break-up of retailer it bought for £1 Retail A flurry of bids for just some of Poundland’s 600 shops could prompt Poundland to consider a break up of the retailer, City AM understands. US investment firm Gordon Brothers initially sought offers for the entirety of the business, but may instead opt to sell Poundland’s stores to a number of different buyers, sources told [...]
Poundland suitors tussle to buy £30m discount retailer Retail Several bidders will table offers for Poundland on Friday, as the owners of the discount retailer seek £30m for the company they bought for just £1. Multiple suitors are expected to hand their bids to Gordon Brothers, which owns Poundland, as early as Friday, as the US investment firm rushes to complete a deal before [...]
Claire’s Accessories administrators hand creditors nearly £10m bill September 22, 2026 The administrators of collapsed jewellery retailer Claire’s Accessories have billed nearly £10m for their work, with bosses charging more than £1,500 per hour. The retail chain collapsed for the second time in January, just months after private equity firm Modella Capital bought it out of administration last September. The double collapse of Claire’s looks set [...]
WH Smith warns on profit again as discounting hits margins September 16, 2026 WH Smith has cut its profit target again after warning that intense discounting and “inflation headwinds” are hitting its bottom line. The convenience retailer had initially told investors it could make as much as £105m in pre-tax profit this year, before slashing the target to between £75m and £90m. On Wednesday, the group reduced its [...]
The Danish retailer plotting to outsmart ‘unsentimental’ Modella Capital August 25, 2026 On the modern-day British high street, a Scandinavian shop featuring maze-like aisles, quirky homeware and bags of licorice near the till is not quite a reinvention of the wheel. But Mikkel Grene, chief executive of Danish homeware retailer Søstrene Grene, believes his business can go toe-to-toe with Ikea and Flying Tiger for pride of place [...]
Next and Frasers go head to head for control of Harvey Nichols July 28, 2026 Retail giants Next and Frasers are set to go head to head for control of ailing department store Harvey Nichols when the Hong Kong-owned firm takes bids from British suitors later on Tuesday. The Knightsbridge-headquartered department store chain was put up for sale last month by its owner, Hong Kong billionaire Sir Dickson Poon, and [...]
Modella-owned Hobbycraft survives restructuring July 20, 2026 Hobbycraft has survived a restructuring led by its new owner, divisive high street private equity firm Modella Capital. The UK’s largest craft retailer has completed its 13-month company voluntary arrangement (CVA) ahead of schedule, reporting a jump in online users. The company’s emergence from its restructuring defies recent gloom around Modella’s swoops on other high [...]
TG Jones backs down from clash with landlords in bid to save stores June 23, 2026 TG Jones has been forced to offer a string of concessions to its landlords after proposals to slash rent in a bid to avert the collapse of hundreds of former WH Smith stores. The retailer, formerly the high street arm of WH Smith, has convinced FTSE 100 landowner British Land to drop its opposition to [...]
Regulator opens probe into PwC over WH Smith audit debacle June 9, 2026 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has launched an investigation into PwC over its audit of WH Smith that resulted in delayed annual results last year. Last August, WH Smith shares plummeted by up to 40 per cent after it admitted to an accounting error that overstated expected headline trading profit in its North American business [...]