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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High street sales grow but threat of closures looms

February 1, 2025

High street sales grew in January but the gains failed to offset volume losses last year, leading analysts to warn of closures as costs mount. Total retail sales in discretionary spend categories grew by 7.1 per cent in January, although this comes off the back of a 0.8 per cent drop last January, according to [...]
Government implements alcohol tax reliefs but critics say it’s not enough

January 31, 2025

The government has implemented two tax reliefs aimed at growing the UK’s alcohol sector, although critics have said they won’t be enough to offset other cost hikes this year. Labour will implement a draught relief increase, cutting 1p duty off draft pints, as well as small producer relief, which the government said will help small [...]
City of London approves major new skyscraper

January 31, 2025

The City Corporation has approved a 54-storey skyscraper on the doorstep of UK’s busiest station as demand for office space continues to grow in the capital. The site at 99 Bishopsgate, which will become one of the tallest towers in the Square Mile, is set to provide a minimum of 1.2m sq metres of office [...]
House price growth slows despite ‘busier January than normal’

January 31, 2025

House price growth slowed slightly in January, but year-on-year growth remained robust despite higher interest rates. The annual rate of house price growth slowed to 4.1 per cent in January, compared with 4.7 per cent in December, according to the Nationwide House Price Index. House prices increased by 0.1 per cent month on month, after [...]
John Lewis misses festive sales target as turnaround falters

January 31, 2025

Sales at John Lewis are reported to have fallen short over the key Christmas trading period as middle-class Brits increasingly switch to shops like Marks and Spencer. According to reports from the Daily Telegraph, sales at Waitrose similarly missed targets. The employee-owned John Lewis Partnership (JLP) blamed “lower consumer confidence and weaker than expected market confidence” for [...]
Business confidence dips but the UK ‘has what it takes to deliver growth’

January 31, 2025

Overall business confidence slipped in January, although it was driven down by poorer sentiment about the wider economy rather than about individual businesses. Overall business confidence dipped two points to 37 per cent, with just over half of businesses positive about their own trading prospects and just under a quarter positive about the wider economy. [...]
‘The Slab’ redevelopment begins construction on London’s South Bank

January 30, 2025

A mixed use construction scheme on London’s South Bank has been given the green light after developers won a court battle against a campaign group last December. Mitsubishi Estate was granted planning permission by the High Court last December for the redevelopment of 72 Upper Ground, the old headquarters of ITV, after over a year [...]
Britain’s independent brewers hit record turnover as small firms flounder

January 30, 2025

Turnover of the UK’s top 25 independent breweries hit a record high of £1.72bn in the last year although there was a higher rate of insolvencies for small brewers, according to new data. The figure was up nine per cent year on year, according to national accountancy group UHY Hacker Young. The record turnover was [...]
Fevertree shares spike on ‘transformational’ deal with Molson Coors

January 30, 2025

Fevertree shares have soared more than 20 per cent after the drinks company announced a tie-up with Coors and Carling owner Molson Coors. The agreement will see Molson Coors handle the exclusive sales, distribution and production of the Fevertree brand in the US. Analysts were uniformly positive about the deal, and expected both businesses to [...]
House prices ‘gathering steam’ before stamp duty changes

January 30, 2025

The UK’s housing market got off to its strongest start in three years in 2025 as both demand and supply increased, according to new data. Buyer demand was up 13 per cent and 10 per cent more homes were on sale, with rising sales supporting UK house price inflation of two per cent year on [...]

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By: Amber Murray

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