MPs probe fast fashion industry after Boohoo’s Leicester factory scandal October 6, 2020 The fast fashion industry will be scrutinised by a committee of MPs in the wake of Boohoo’s Leicester clothing factory scandal, after the government dismissed most of the recommendations of an initial inquiry in 2018. The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has today launched a follow-up inquiry into sustainability and working conditions within the fashion industry [...]
Young Londoners buck trend to leave the capital due to coronavirus pandemic October 6, 2020 Young people are keen to continue living in London despite the trend, sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, to seek bigger and cheaper housing outside of the capital, according to the latest research. Research published this morning showed that 73 per cent of Londoners aged 25 to 44 were planning to remain in the capital, compared [...]
Chanel snaps up Bond Street boutique for £310m October 5, 2020 French luxury fashion brand Chanel has reportedly bought its boutique store on Bond Street for £310m in a vote of confidence for the central London commercial property market. Reports that the designer firm will pay around £70m above the £240m asking price for the property cements Bond Street’s status as a “safe haven”, despite plummeting [...]
Hovis receives takeover offer from Italian firm Newlat Food October 5, 2020 Italian firm Newlat Food has made an offer to buy the maker of Hovis bread from its current owners Premier Foods and US investment firm Gores Group. Newlat, which is the owner of Buitoni pasta, said this morning that the 134-year-old brand has a “great tradition and recognisability in the United Kingdom”. The acquisition would [...]
Major Boohoo shareholders fail to denounce CEO over Leicester factory conditions October 5, 2020 Boohoo’s major shareholders today failed to denounce the fast fashion firm’s bosses following a report into poor working practices at Leicester clothing factories. Leicester West MP Liz Kendall called on investment firms Jupiter, Baillie Gifford and Invesco to remove chief executive John Lyttle and executive chairman Mahmud Kamani following an independent review into working conditions. [...]
Wet weather and 10pm curfew dampens high street footfall recovery October 5, 2020 Retail footfall dropped for the second week in a row as the pub and restaurant curfew and wet weather brought further gloom for the embattled UK high street. Footfall across all retail destinations declined 3.5 per cent last week compared the previous week, dragged down by a 7.1 per cent slump in high street shopper [...]
Crowdfunding platforms Seedrs and Crowdcube announce plans to merge October 5, 2020 Crowdfunding platforms Seedrs and Crowdcube have announced plans to merge, creating one of the world’s biggest private equity marketplaces. In a statement this morning the companies said the deal would create a “more robust” firm, allowing it to help fund more businesses. Crowdcube will acquire all of the outstanding share capital of Seedrs, with existing [...]
Businesses plan long-term return to office despite home working boom October 5, 2020 Most businesses will resume using their offices after the coronavirus crisis, despite a shift towards home working, according to a survey of company directors. The research found that 74 per cent of directors said they would keep increased home working arrangements, and half said they would reduce their long-term use of the office following the [...]
DTZ Investors backs London rental market with £70m co-living project October 5, 2020 London real estate firm DTZ Investors will provide £70m for a new “collective living” development, in a show of confidence in the capital’s rental market despite the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The Earlsfield development will be the second property delivered through the fund set up last year by DTZ Investors and co-living firm The [...]
Sazka mounts challenge against Camelot to take UK National Lottery licence October 4, 2020 European firm Sazka has mounted a challenge to take the licence to run the UK’s National Lottery from current operator Camelot for the first time since the prize draw’s launch in 1994. Sazka has entered the Gambling Commission’s competition to select an operator to run the National Lottery when Camelot’s licence expires in 2023. The [...]