By: Helen Cahill

I report on retail and property for City A.M. I have covered the investigation into BHS and London's housing crisis. You can email me on helen.cahill@cityam.com with tips or commentary.

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Fenwick family takes out £5m dividend despite warning on new cost pressures

October 23, 2016

The Fenwick family has taken a £4.8m from their department store chain while warning about the pressure government is placing on the retail sector. According to accounts for the year to the end of January 2016, the company's sales rose by 1.2 per cent in the past year, reaching £431.7m. Pre-tax profits were up by a quarter [...]
Investors try to bag French Connection

October 23, 2016

Several overseas buyers have been making approaches to buy struggling high street fashion store French Connection. Preliminary offers for the company have been made on several occasions, and it is understood that investment advice firm Moelis has been handling the processes, but no formal agreement has been reached. Read more: French Connection faces demand to drop [...]
Debenhams’ boss in the spotlight over pension fund woes

October 23, 2016

The new chief of Debenhams, Sergio Bucher, will be under the microscope for the first time this week when the company announces its full year results. Bucher joined the department store from Amazon, where he was vice president, and is under pressure to solve the question of Debenhams' growing pension scheme deficit. Analysts at Morgan [...]
Consumers feeling cheery ahead of the Christmas shopping season

October 21, 2016

Consumer confidence is looking up ahead of the biggest quarter for retailers – the Christmas season. Consumers are shaking off the Brexit blues and feeling more positive about their earnings before Christmas, according to a report from PwC. PwC said 19 per cent of respondents in its consumer survey said they expect to be better off [...]
John Lewis opens flagship store in Leeds

October 20, 2016

John Lewis has opened a flagship store in Leeds that it says will focus on providing customers with experiences, rather than just goods. The £37m store at the Victoria Gate Development in Leeds has created 550 jobs for the area. Read more: John Lewis warns on job losses due to its commitment to staff pay [...]
MPs vote to strip Sir Philip Green of his knighthood

October 20, 2016

MPs have voted to strip Sir Philip Green of his knighthood. MPs have been debating the collapse of BHS in the House of Commons. The amendment to take Green's knighthood was supported by over 110 MPs. The vote is not binding, and the ultimate decision over his knighthood will be taken by the honours forfeiture committee. Read more: [...]
Gross mortgage lending down seven per cent in September

October 20, 2016

Gross mortgage lending fell seven per cent last month, but hit the highest September figure since 2007. According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), gross mortgage lending was £20.5bn in September, down seven per cent month-on-month. Read more: London boss of Barratt Developments arrested on suspicion of misconduct The figure represented a two per [...]
Tesco executives to go on trial in September next year

October 20, 2016

Three former Tesco executives have appeared in court today on fraud charges and a trial date has been set for September next year. Former finance director for Tesco UK Carl Rogberg, 49, ex-UK managing director Christopher Bush, 50, and ex-commercial director for food John Scouler, 48, have been charged with one count of fraud by abuse [...]
London construction slowing after the Brexit vote

October 20, 2016

Construction in London is undergoing a slowdown following the Brexit vote, according to chartered surveyors. A survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that nine per cent of surveyors have reported that construction had risen rather than fallen in the capital this quarter – but this was the lowest reading from the survey since [...]
BHS administrators submit investigatory report on former BHS directors to Insolvency Service

October 19, 2016

Pressure is mounting on Sir Philip Green ahead of a parliamentary debate on BHS' collapse as City A.M. has learned the BHS administrators have submitted an investigatory report on the retailer's former directors to the Insolvency Service. The report from Duff & Phelps on the conduct of former directors will remain confidential unless the Insolvency Service publishes its investigation. Ministers [...]

Wes Streeting: Progress on NHS delays as private insurance soars

Real Madrid top Deloitte Football Money League as Champions League revamp boosts Premier League’s rivals

This hotel on the Elizabeth Line is 30 minutes from London but feels totally remote

By: Helen Cahill

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