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

All 1422 Articles

Unite’s sales boom as student housing demand shows no sign of slowing

February 25, 2025

Unite Students has reported double-digit growth as demand for student housing continues to far outpace supply. The FTSE 100 firm, which owns and manages university housing, reported earnings of £213.8m for 2024 – up 16 per cent year on year. Rents grew by 8.2 per cent, the company said, with occupancy at 97.5 per cent. [...]
Britain’s hospitality leaders face a crisis of confidence as tax rises bite

February 25, 2025

Optimism in Britain’s hospitality sector has continued to slip, with only a third of leaders confident about the next year of trading as cost pressures mount. It’s the fifth month in a row that the confidence of Britain’s hospitality leaders has fallen, according to CGA by NIQ’s latest Business Confidence Survey. Morale is now at [...]
Higher taxes will force two-thirds of hospitality business to cut jobs

February 24, 2025

The hospitality sector will be drastically affected by higher taxes on employees’ wages, a new survey has found. A majority of businesses will reduce employment, while over one in ten have to close at least one site and just under two thirds will cancel investment, according to UKHospitality. The UK’s three core hospitality trade bodies [...]
Retail job vacancies have almost halved in a year

February 24, 2025

The number of advertised jobs in retail has almost halved in the last year as companies continue to buckle down on costs. Job vacancies have fallen 42.25 per cent in the last year, the most significant drop in any UK sector, according to Adzuna’s latest jobs report. There has been a contraction in retail for [...]
Massive civil service office complex approved for Manchester

February 24, 2025

A huge new tech-focused Government office complex in Manchester has been given planning permission. The 5.5 acre project, which could support as many as 7,000 civil service jobs in the city, will bring together a range of government departments with a focus on technology. “The new digital campus plays to Manchester’s strengths. We have fostered [...]
B&M lowers profit guidance and announces CEO change

February 24, 2025

Shares in B&M have fallen after the discount chain reduced its profit guidance for the year as it fails to gain momentum in an ever-more-competitive market. Its share price fell nearly five per cent in early trades. The bargain retailer said it expected earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to be in the [...]
Just Eat shares rise 50 per cent on £3.3bn Prosus deal

February 24, 2025

Global tech firm Prosus has made an offer to acquire Just Eat Takeaway.com for £3.3bn. The Amsterdam-based firm said it intends to launch the offer “as soon as practically possible”, which the company said was likely to be in the second quarter. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year. [...]
New Look closes all stores in the Republic of Ireland

February 21, 2025

High street fashion giant New Look will fully exit the Republic of Ireland, putting all of its workers in the country at risk of redundancy. The retailer’s Irish arm, which employs about 347 people, has entered into redundancy following years of losses at the high street chain. The privately-owned company said it has had to [...]
Consumer confidence rises in February but cost-of-living crisis ‘far from over’

February 21, 2025

Brits’ confidence rose in February, fueled by better personal finances and a brighter outlook on the general economy. However, confidence remained down on last year. GfK’s index measuring changes in personal finances during the last year rose three points to -7, seven points better than February 2024. The major purchase Index rose three points to [...]
Green shoots? UK retail sales beat expectations in January

February 21, 2025

Brits returned to the shops in January as discount spending fueled the first monthly rise in retail sales volumes since last August. Retail sales volumes rose 1.7 per cent in January, following a fall of 0.6 per cent in December, according to the ONS. Analysts had expected growth of just 0.3 per cent. This was [...]

Tax crackdown in 2026: Why experts predict a wave of enforcement actions

Tottenham Hotspur co-owner Daniel Levy gets gong in New Year Honours list

The best London theatre 2026 from musicals to West End transfers

By: Amber Murray

All 1422 Articles

Subscribe