By: Felix Armstrong

Retail Reporter Felix Armstrong is City AM's retail reporter, covering retail, hospitality and property news. He has previously written for The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The i Paper. Email Felix at Felix.Armstrong@cityam.com

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Crew Clothing warns on consumer confidence as profit stalls

September 29, 2026

Crew Clothing has warned that it could suffer from a significant slowdown in consumer confidence, as the retailer saw profit stall last year. The high street clothes seller said it is bracing for a potential drop-off in spending, as inflation fears caused by the Iran war tighten shoppers’ budgets. In a statement the firm said: [...]
Land shortage leaves Nato defence targets at risk, Streeting warned

September 29, 2026

The UK risks falling short of Nato defence spending targets unless it immediately slashes planning red tape to address its land shortage, the government has been warned. Demand for defence-related industries and logistics space is set to surge to 32m sq ft by 2033 if the government meets Nato’s defence spending targets. The UK is [...]
Revive VAT-free shopping to boost high streets, Selfridges urges Burnham

September 29, 2026

Selfridges has called on Andy Burnham to reinstate VAT-free shopping for international tourists as part of his push to revive British high streets and boost regional growth. The luxury department store chain hit out at then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to abolish VAT-free shopping in 2021, adding that it is “encouraged” to see the policy back [...]
Burnham to announce new publicly-owned grid operator

September 29, 2026

Andy Burnham is expected to announce a new publicly-owned body which will invest in the UK’s electricity grid in an attempt to bring down Britain’s sky-high energy costs. The Prime Minister is tipped to unveil Great British Grid, which will speed up connections to the grid by driving up competition for projects, during his Labour [...]
Astrazeneca invests $2bn in cancer drug tie-up

September 29, 2026

Astrazeneca has invested $2bn in US pharmaceutical firm Summit Therapeutics as part of a blockbuster cancer research tie-up. The FTSE 100 drugs giant has agreed to buy 109,000 shares in Nasdaq-listed Summit for $18.36 per share as part of the deal. Shares in Astrazeneca jumped by 1.4 per cent to 12,664p in early trading. The tie-up [...]
Last orders: Boss of under-fire pub regulator defends her record

September 29, 2026

The Pubs Code Adjudicator, Fiona Dickie, is preparing to step away early next year. She tells Felix Armstrong why the beleaguered watchdog deserves a future Can an industry watchdog be effective if it has launched only two investigations in its 10 years of existence? Yes – at least according to Fiona Dickie, the Pubs Code [...]
Aldi says rival supermarkets pushing up prices as shoppers feel pinch

September 28, 2026

The boss of discount grocer Aldi has accused its rivals of driving growth by raising food prices, as the supermarket committed to fending off “persistent” price inflation. Giles Hurley, chief executive of the UK’s fourth-biggest supermarket, hit out at the grocer’s competitors, insisting that Aldi is the only operator whose prices have fallen year-on-year. He [...]
Housebuilder shares rocket after Burnham revives Help to Buy

September 28, 2026

Housebuilder shares have soared after the Prime Minister announced a new Help to Buy scheme, which it is hoped will boost the UK’s construction sector. FTSE 100 housebuilders Persimmon and Barratt Redrow jumped 15 and 13 per cent in early trading, lifting the blue-chip index to early gains. FTSE 250-listed Vistry took the biggest jump [...]
Aldi to invest £900m in new stores after record turnover

September 28, 2026

Aldi is set to spend £900m opening new stores next year, as the discount grocer warned the Iran war and droughts were pushing up the “pressures” facing households. The UK’s fourth-biggest supermarket said it is seeing record sales growth because of its “relentless focus” on low prices, amid fears that the cost of food could [...]
‘Last days of the honeymoon’: Anxious bosses prepare charm offensive at Labour conference

September 25, 2026

Ahead of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday, and one month away from the Budget, businesses are feeling nervous, write Mauricio Alencar and Felix Armstrong Stepping onto an early-morning Avanti West Coast train from London Euston is now a familiar feeling for the Prime Minister. Andy Burnham is set to make the journey more regularly [...]

The anatomy of a bank tax: what can the UK learn from Europe?

Fifa election twist as Prince Ali drops ‘coercion, threats and bribes’ claim

Monkey Shoulder is winning over a new generation of whisky drinkers

By: Felix Armstrong

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