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

Connect on socials

All 775 Articles

Industry warns Iran war spike to come as food inflation falls

June 17, 2026

The surprise drop in food and drink inflation seen in May is likely to be short-lived, as the impacts of the war in Iran are due to take hold, leading industry figures to warn. The rate of inflation of food and non-alcoholic drinks fell from three per cent in April to 2.2 per cent in [...]
‘Fantasy land’: AO World boss blasts Labour over employment costs

June 17, 2026

The boss of AO World has hit out at the government after it shifted hundreds of jobs to South Africa in a bid to dodge soaring employment costs. John Roberts, chief executive of the electrical retailer, claimed the UK’s political class lives “in an economic fantasy land” and blasted Labour for forcing his company to [...]
Struggling Pizza Hut snapped up by private equity in $2.7bn deal

June 16, 2026

Struggling restaurant chain Pizza Hut is set to be offloaded to private equity by its owner Yum Brands in a $2.7bn deal. Most of the pizza giant’s global operations will be sold to Long Range Capital just months after 250 restaurants were put on the chopping block. Pizza Hut’s locations in mainland China are excluded [...]
Everyman set to quit London stock exchange over investor pressure

June 16, 2026

Luxury cinema chain Everyman is set to drop its London listing over pressure from its shareholders, including an investment firm poised to trigger a takeover bid. Everyman said on Tuesday that it is likely to recommend to its shareholders that it drops its listing on the challenger AIM market, sending its share price plummeting. The [...]
Debenhams owner hails ‘successful transformation’ as loss narrows

June 16, 2026

Debenhams’ owner has hailed a “successful transformation” following its drastic turnaround, though the fast-fashion group still posted a £100m loss. The AIM-listed group, which owns brands including Debenhams, Pretty Little Thing and Karen Millen, saw its pre-tax loss narrow by 69 per cent to £108m in the year to February. The fashion firm, which is [...]
Boots moves closer to London float but billionaire Westons circle

June 16, 2026

With one potential suitor out of the running, high street titan Boots is moving closer to a London float, a move that would mark a return to the FTSE 100 for one of the UK’s biggest retailers and deliver a major boost to UK capital markets. The 177-year-old British pharmacy saw the withdrawal of Sigma [...]
‘Poorly designed’ policies threatening London’s grip on global tourism

June 15, 2026

London’s competitiveness as a leading culture and tourism destination is being undermined by “poorly designed” policies, the West End’s leading business advocate has warned. Dee Corsi, chief executive of the New West End Company (NWEC), has said that London is “competing with one hand tied behind its back” compared to global rivals whose policymakers are [...]
Australian pharma giant Sigma quits Boots takeover talks

June 15, 2026

Australian pharmacy giant Sigma has walked away from talks over a £7.5bn private takeover of Boots, renewing hopes that the high street pharmacy could float in London. The Australian firm said on Monday that a deal with Boots would not meet its investment objectives, leaving just the billionaire Weston family in sales talks with the [...]
House price slump blamed on World Cup and heatwave

June 15, 2026

House prices made a surprise drop in June because Brits are too busy watching the World Cup to move home, Rightmove has said. The average UK house price dropped by 0.6 per cent to £376,191 this month, according to the property portal, marking the biggest June fall in 14 years. Rightmove said this “unusual” slump [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers makes £166m play for shoe firm Accent

June 15, 2026

Frasers Group has launched a £166m takeover bid of Australian shoe company Accent while calling for the removal of its chairman over “poor performance”. The fashion conglomerate has offered to buy all of the shares in Accent it does not already own for 65 Australian cents per share, valuing the offer at A$136m (£166m). This [...]

Britain’s biggest bingo chain explores sale despite tax raid threat

Manchester City owners must get messaging right or risk own fans turning against them

Where to eat Greek food in central London

By: Felix Armstrong

All 775 Articles

Subscribe