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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Housebuilding stocks recover as industry reaches ‘rock bottom’

April 15, 2026

The UK’s biggest housebuilder kept to the well-rehearsed tone of gloom which has loomed over the sector in recent months, when it became the latest to pull back on spending amid the market uncertainty caused by the Iran war. FTSE 100 firm Barratt Redrow said its financial targets hold firm, but warned that the blockage [...]
Pizza king points to youth joblessness as restaurant group eyes takeovers

April 15, 2026

The boss of restaurant group Bow Street raised concerns over youth joblessness as the firm behind Dim T slipped into an annual loss, but outlined his dealmaking plans. David Page, now the chief executive of the Aim-listed firm, is a former boss of Pizza Express and played a key role in the expansion of Franco [...]
Supermarkets ‘taking mickey’ on pricing, says olive oil boss

April 15, 2026

A leading retail trade body has taken on big olive oil over claims supermarkets are “taking the mickey” over their pricing of the product. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has hit back at the boss of olive oil maker Filippo Berio after he accused grocers of failing to pass falling prices onto consumers. The price [...]
Lidl and Iceland censored under junk food ad rules

April 15, 2026

Lidl and Iceland have become the first supermarkets to have adverts blocked by regulators under the government’s crackdown on junk food. The rules cover some sugary and fatty foods, including sweets, pizza and chocolate. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has been policing the new ban since January, but today’s warnings are the first it has [...]
‘Entirely avoidable’: Build-to-rent housebuilding slows as London planning wait doubles

April 15, 2026

The construction of build-to-rent homes in Britain is in danger of grinding to a halt as the planning wait for London homes has almost doubled in this decade. The number of build-to-rent homes under construction has fallen for the ninth consecutive quarter, according to data shared exclusively with City AM. The government has pledged to [...]
Tesco nears crucial update as Iran war threatens food inflation

April 15, 2026

As the bosses of the country’s biggest supermarkets crowded into the chancellor’s office earlier this month, no voice will have been as loud as that of Ken Murphy, chief executive of Tesco. Rachel Reeves summoned grocery executives to discuss how the Iran war will impact Brits’ weekly shops, and Tesco’s results tomorrow will pull back [...]
Help to buy scheme had ‘limited impact on social mobility’

April 15, 2026

Previous help-to-buy schemes did little to improve social mobility and mainly benefited high earners, the government has been warned, as it mulls reviving the programme. Help-to-buy, which offered equity loans to first-time buyers, had a “limited impact on social mobility,” the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said. The government is reportedly considering revising help-to-buy, [...]
OK computer: will AI be telling you how to shop?

April 14, 2026

Hyped as a “seamless” user experience and an opportunity for retailers to access “hundreds of millions” of consumers via ChatGPT, OpenAI walked back from its Instant Checkout shopping function at the end of March, just months before unveiling it. The tool would have allowed users to complete purchases entirely within ChatGPT, but the Silicon Valley [...]
Middle East expats rush back to London, luxury property rents spike

April 10, 2026

An influx of people who have recently moved to the Middle East are now seeking short-term refuge in London, pushing up rents in the capital’s luxury property market – according to a leading estate agency. British, European and North American nationals have rushed to snap up short-term rentals in high-value London properties since the Iran [...]
Dolce & Gabbana co-founder quits and mulls selling stake

April 10, 2026

The founder of the leading Italian fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana, has quit the label and is considering flogging his stake altogether. Stefano Gabbana resigned as chairman in December, according to Italian corporate filings. The fashion mogul founded Dolce & Gabbana in 1985 with his then-partner Domenico Dolce, and the pair had remained in charge of its [...]

Starmer scrambles to limit fuel shortage hit

Uefa warns Kang and London City Lionesses over multi-club rules

Huge change to Tesco meal deal as Corona and Heineken added

By: Felix Armstrong

All 333 Articles

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