Inside Missguided: Welcome to a world of celebrities, swearing, and knock-off fast fashion August 21, 2020 What is it about Manchester for producing creativity? The Hollies, The Bee Gees, Simply Red, The Verve – I could fill a whole page with the successful bands that have come out of Manchester. Then there’s Manchester-based brands and retailers: the Co-op, Kellogg’s, Warburtons, Betfred, AO.com. And then of course, there’s fashion. The Very Group, [...]
In love with Amazon? It’s just a marriage of convenience August 11, 2020 And just becauseI call you upDon’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it madeI’m not in love, no no, it’s because…. I’m sure you recognise those lyrics from the 1975 hit “I’m Not In Love” by 10cc — which was precisely 20 years before Amazon was launched onto an unsuspecting world. If only we’d [...]
DEBATE: Is the plan to revitalise John Lewis likely to be a success? July 31, 2020 Is the plan to revitalise John Lewis likely to be a success? Emma Revell, head of communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says YES. Bricks and mortar retail was in decline well before coronavirus hit and large department stores were struggling to afford sky-high rents on their enormous buildings. By recognising the changes in [...]
Business rates aren’t fit for purpose but Rishi Sunak’s digital tax is a sticking plaster, not a solution July 30, 2020 Long before the coronavirus pandemic, our high streets were struggling. Faced with the rise of online sales, many well-known retailers were either closing stores, entering a form of insolvency known as a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), or falling into administration. The oft-quoted analysis of this demise was that the costs of running a physical store [...]
