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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More good news for pubs as December splurge delivers crucial growth

January 22, 2025

A rush of pubgoers in the last two weeks of December brought much-needed growth across the industry in a “big relief” for businesses. Pub sales were up 4.7 per cent ahead of December 2023, while bars bounced back from soft trading throughout most of 2024 to post growth of 1.3 per cent, according to the [...]
Business rates to more than double in ‘final blow’ to UK retailers

January 21, 2025

Business rates are set to rise more than 140 per cent for thousands of high street businesses across the UK in yet another cost pressure for brick-and-mortar businesses. Business rates, which are levied on all commercial properties, were cut by 75 per cent in 2022 as high street stores found themselves unable to cope during [...]
Boohoo shareholders shun Frasers and vote to keep co-founder Kamani on board

January 21, 2025

Boohoo shareholders have voted two to one against a resolution proposed by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group to remove co-founder and vice chair Mahmud Kamani as a director of the fast-fashion giant. Four fifths of shareholders took part, and two thirds of participating shareholders voted to retain Kamani on the board of the Manchester-headquartered company. In a statement, [...]
Greggs share price falls after City broker says ‘sell’

January 21, 2025

Greggs’ share price has fallen nearly four per cent after a leading City broker downgraded its rating for the high street chain to ‘Sell’. Panmure Liberum analysts suggested that Greggs’ time of ‘supernormal’ growth – sales rose by nearly 20 per cent in 2023 – may be over. Analysts suggested that Greggs’ roll-out of evening [...]
Marshalls: Recovery in construction to ‘build throughout the year’

January 21, 2025

Housing industry supplier Marshalls has said it expects the construction industry to recover in 2025 after struggling over the past few years. But the firm still said its outlook remained “cautious” due to “continued market uncertainty” as well as the impact of an increase in costs from higher National Insurance contributions. Marshalls faces a £3m increase [...]
Pub chain Marston’s toasts record festive sales boost

January 21, 2025

Pub chain Marston’s has reported a “solid” festive quarter and record sales on Christmas day in another good sign for the hospitality sector. Total retail sales in the 16 weeks to January 18 were up three per cent, driven by growth in both food and drink sales, Marston’s said. Like-for-like sales during the same period [...]
Mr Kipling mince pies deliver biggest-ever quarter for Premier Foods

January 21, 2025

Mr Kipling remains the star seller for owner Premier Foods in both the UK and Australia, with mince pies and Brownie Bites more than doubling sales over Christmas. Premier Foods subsequently said it expected profit to be at the upper end of expectations – £180.1m to £186.4m – this year. Its share price rose by [...]
Rents in this part of London rose faster than anywhere else in the capital last year

January 21, 2025

Shoreditch has claimed the crown as the most in-demand spot in the capital for renting, although the rate of increase still remains below 2022 levels. Rents in the trendy area, known for everything from tech start-ups to vintage clothes shops, climbed by 6.6 per cent per month in 2024. Across London as a whole, the [...]
Back to the office helps City of London’s tallest tower to full capacity

January 20, 2025

The City’s tallest tower, 22 Bishopsgate, has been fully let after four years as the financial district continues to prove its ability to command premiums for best-in-class sustainable spaces. There’s little sign of the gloom pervading other areas of the commercial office sector in the City, with rents at 22 Bishopsgate the highest ever achieved [...]
‘Reason for cautious optimism’: UK consumer confidence rebound on cards

January 20, 2025

Consumer confidence is set for a pick-up this year as the economy starts to improve and the UK adjusts to higher costs, according to a new survey. While the end of last year was gloomy for both businesses and consumers, analysts at Deloitte have said there is “reason for cautious optimism” going into the summer. [...]

Less magic, more panic in Disney’s AI deal

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The 11 best pies in London to eat during British Pie Week

By: Amber Murray

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