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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Carmarker Lotus: ‘No plans’ to shutter UK factory despite fears of closure

June 28, 2025

Lotus has said it has ‘no plans’ to close its Norfolk factory despite media reports that the carmaker may move production to the US. Reports on Friday suggested that the company’s Hethel factory – which employs 1,300 people – could be closed within a month, but Lotus said it is “continuing normal operations” in a [...]
LSE boss calls for long-term campaign to get Brits investing again

June 28, 2025

The chief of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) has called for a new program to encourage investment in the UK’s beleaguered bourse amid fears the stock market is headed for long-term decline. Dame Julia Hoggett suggested a ‘Tell Sid’ style campaign, which was a successful advertising initiative launched in 1986 to encourage the public to buy [...]
Alibaba launches competition for UK and European SMEs

June 26, 2025

Alibaba.com has launched an innovation-based competition for UK and European small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with a prize pot of £750,000. The Co-Create Pitch awards, which launched last year internationally, will judge competitors’ products based on innovation, feasibility and market potential. Shortlisted companies will pitch at Alibaba.com’s flagship Co-Create trade events in Las Vegas and [...]
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 [...]
Serco appoints new chair amid better than expected performance

June 26, 2025

Serco has appointed Keith Williams as chair amid a period of strong growth boosted by government spending on defence and immigration. The Halfords chair will take over from John Rishton, who will have completed a nine-year tenure by the time he steps down in December. Williams said it was an “honour” to have been selected [...]
Retail is now the most distressed sector in Europe

June 26, 2025

Distress in the retail and consumer goods sector has reached its highest level since the financial crisis as geopolitical and economic volatility continue to erode businesses. The downturn has been driven by a combination of high interest rates, cost inflation and low consumer demand, with the latter a particular strain on UK businesses, according to [...]
‘Bold’ new plans for Barbican area submitted

June 25, 2025

Plans have been submitted to redevelop 1 Silk Street, featuring a public plaza at the Barbican Centre’s main entrance and a retail arcade. The proposal seeks to turn the existing building, which is currently occupied by Linklaters but set to become unlettable due to tightening energy efficiency standards, into a “long-term, sustainable” site. “We’re pleased [...]
What’s behind the post-pandemic tumble in Diageo and Pernod Ricard shares?

June 25, 2025

Two of the world’s biggest drinks companies, Diageo and Pernod Ricard, have had a bruising time of it on the stock market in the last two years. Since mid-2023, shares in Pernod Ricard have dropped nearly 60 per cent, while market leader Diageo has seen its share price fall over 40 per cent. A lot [...]
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 [...]
Selfridges: Westminster council approves in-store members club, but bans music

June 25, 2025

Department store Selfridges has won approval for an in-store private members club and dining room from Westminster council. At a planning meeting on Tuesday night, Westminster councillors unanimously approved the proposed changes to the fourth floor of the iconic Oxford Street department store. The proposal, which was approved with the condition that no music – [...]

Iceland boss calls for profit cap on energy firms as prices surge

Clubs like Chelsea won’t be able to hide from regulator scrutiny

We road test RDR, Star Wars Outlaws and Fallout 4 on Switch 2

By: Amber Murray

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