By: Amber Murray

Retail Reporter Amber Murray is a reporter at City A.M., covering retail, luxury and property stores. Prior to City A.M., she worked as a sub-editor for Fastmarkets and completed a Masters in Financial Journalism at City University. Please get in touch with stories/tips/coffees at amber.murray@cityam.com

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Ibstock: Housebuilding is recovering, but rebuilding supply chains will take time

October 17, 2024

Building supplies company Ibstock has said that it has seen early indications of a positive trend in the UK’s housing market, but a full recovery in end markets won’t happen soon. It said that it saw new-build residential activity improving, but that it “expect[s] this to take time to feed through into sustainably stronger demand [...]
Rentokil returns to growth after activist investor scuffle

October 17, 2024

Pest-control company Rentokil has reported an uptick in revenue as it grapples with the after-effects of a profit warning and activist investor backlash. The firm told markets this morning that revenue grew by 3.6 per cent year on year in the three months to 30 September, from £1.39bn to £1.44bn. Shares in the company rose [...]
N Brown slams AIM as company set for takeover

October 17, 2024

Retailer N Brown is set to be acquired by a company owned by its non-executive director, Joshua Alliance, as it looks to move off AIM. Its share price rose more than 40 per cent after the announcement. N Brown, which owns the brands JD Williams and Simply Be, has said the reduced appetite for UK [...]
Concern for British high street as sector set for four-fold tax rise in April

October 16, 2024

The double effect of inflation-linked tax bumps, as well as the end of business rate relief for consumer-facing firms, will lead to a four-fold tax increase for high street businesses next April, industry bodies have warned. Industry leaders across the board have been increasingly vocal about the need for reform to business rate taxes, and have [...]
Marshalls: Revenue ticks down but recovery on the horizon

October 16, 2024

Housing industry supplier Marshalls has reported another dip in revenue but has predicted a cyclical recovery in its key markets. The group, which is headquartered in West Yorkshire, said that revenue fell by three per cent year on year in the third quarter, a “material improvement”, from earlier in the year. Year-to-date revenue stood at £476m, down [...]
Marston’s ditches brewing and switches to ‘pure play hospitality’

October 16, 2024

Pub group Marston’s has officially ditched brewing and announced a new strategy, which will see it focus entirely on pubs. In a vote of confidence for the UK’s hospitality sector, it will “embark on a new chapter” as a pure-play hospitality business, its chief executive Justin Platt said. “We are outlining a differentiated strategy for [...]
Premier Inn owner Whitbread raises dividend despite slower growth

October 16, 2024

Premier Inn and Beefeater owner Whitbread has raised its interim dividend and announced a share buyback despite flat revenue. The hotel and restaurant chain told markets this morning that revenue was unchanged year on year in the six months ended 29 August at £1.57bn. It has raised its interim dividend seven per cent to 36.4p [...]
Silentnight: Profit at mattress supplier up nearly a third

October 15, 2024

Mattress supplier Silentnight has reported a sharp uptick in revenue in the last financial year as business and consumer demand for beds increased. Revenue at the UK’s “most trusted sleep brand”, reached £143.8m in the year to the end of January 2024, up 29 per cent from £111.3m in the previous year. The company, which [...]
Hostelworld: Bookings at travel agency buoyed by budget trips

October 15, 2024

Online travel agency Hostelworld Group has reported a strong performance in the year-to-date, driven by an increase in demand from budget and solo travellers. The Irish company, which is listed in London, reported record bookings in Asia and Central America in the six months to June 30. While bookings rose by seven per cent year on [...]
Starmer hands councils millions for housebuilding on brownfield sites

October 15, 2024

The Government has committed £68m to unlocking brownfield sites in 54 local authorities as it looks to deliver on its election promise of 1.5 million homes by 2029. Around a sixth of councils will receive money to turn neglected land into new homes, which the government have said will “transform local communities and help families [...]

Center Parcs: UK pension funds in talks for stake in holiday giant

Battle of the Sexes tennis: Billie Jean King says it’s just entertainment

The Italy holiday taking in amazing skiing and a lesser-visited city

By: Amber Murray

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