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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Burnham risks £4bn bill in Thames Water special administration

July 19, 2026

Andy Burnham’s plans to push Thames Water into special administration could leave the taxpayer to foot a £4bn bill. The incoming Prime Minister is facing a crunch decision over how to deal with the struggling utility and is expected to use a special administration regime (SAR) to keep it running until a buyer is found. [...]
James Watt eyes entire Brewdog UK business in comeback swoop

July 17, 2026

James Watt’s shock comeback bid for Brewdog would see him take control of the craft beer firm’s entire UK and Australian operations, City AM has learned. The Scottish entrepreneur, who co-founded Brewdog, has proposed to buy back the company’s entire operations excluding its US arm. Watt’s bid marked a new twist in the dramatic Brewdog [...]
Frasers slams ‘nonsense rumours’ over Harvey Nichols bid

July 16, 2026

The boss of Frasers has hit back at “nonsense rumours” that retail brands are reluctant to work with the group, which is known for making aggressive plays to take control of rival companies. The group, which owns Sports Direct and Flannels, gatecrashed the auction to buy luxury department store Harvey Nichols last week, despite some [...]
Crest Nicholson shares slump as lender talks drag on

July 16, 2026

Crest Nicholson shares dropped after the housebuilder posted a £35m loss and told investors it is still locked in talks with its lenders. The London-listed firm had delayed the publication of its results in the hopes of seeking emergency permission from its creditors to loosen the terms of its debt, but said on Thursday that [...]
Ocado boss Steiner ‘energised about future’ despite succession battle

July 16, 2026

Ocado boss Tim Steiner has insisted he is “as excited and energised” about the firm’s future following a battle over his succession which will see him depart in around 18 months. The co-founder and chief executive of the FTSE 250 firm is expected to step back from his current role as soon as December 2027 [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers feels lift from takeover spree

July 16, 2026

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has seen its profit jump as it pushes ahead with a turnaround plan and launches a spree of takeover bids for foreign retailers. The fashion group, which owns Sports Direct and Flannels, said its recent takeover bids and moves to build stakes in rivals are bolstering its balance sheet amid a [...]
Retailers urge Burnham to slash tax and back youth employment

July 16, 2026

Retailers have called on Andy Burnham to slash their taxes and help them to employ young people in a raft of demands for the Prime Minister-to-be. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), a trade body representing the UK’s biggest retailers, has urged Burnham to “buy into retail” as part of his pledge to back local communities [...]
James Watt offers to buy back Brewdog

July 15, 2026

Brewdog founder James Watt has launched a bid to regain control of the craft beer firm he founded, just months after it was bought by a US rival. The Scottish entrepreneur said on Wednesday that he has submitted a formal offer to buy Brewdog from Tilray Brands, the US cannabis and craft beer firm which [...]
UK’s biggest pub firm probed over treatment of tenants

July 15, 2026

The UK’s biggest pub landlord is being probed by the industry watchdog over concerns that it is mistreating its tenants. Stonegate, whose 4,500 UK sites include the Cannick Taps on Cannon Street and the Cheshire Cheese on Tower Hill, is facing an investigation from the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA). The watchdog said it had “reasonable [...]
Barratt Redrow urges Burnham to slash tax to boost housebuilders

July 15, 2026

Barratt Redrow has called on Prime Minister-to-be Andy Burnham to cut taxes to encourage housebuilding and remove “barriers to home ownership”. The FTSE 100 housebuilder urged the government to address “the increasing regulatory and tax burdens that are constraining viability” to “unlock higher levels of housing delivery, including affordable housing”. Burnham has pledged to back [...]

Retailers demand energy bill cuts as costs rise by £440m

Saudi Arabia still open to sport investing, insists PIF, despite drastic cutbacks

The Kaare Klint building refashioned as Copenhagen’s coolest new hotel

By: Felix Armstrong

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