John Lewis mulls cutting Oxford Street flagship store space by 40 per cent September 16, 2020 John Lewis is reportedly preparing to slash the size of its flagship Oxford Street department store due to a steep drop in West End footfall during the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer has applied to Westminster council to allow it to reduce its trading space by up to 40 per cent, while the third, fourth and [...]
Waitrose axes 124 jobs amid closure of unprofitable stores September 16, 2020 Waitrose has announced plans to axe four unprofitable stores, putting 124 jobs at risk. The supermarket said it will close shops in Caldicot, Ipswich Corn Exchange and Shrewsbury, while a fourth branch in Wolverhampton will be sold to Tesco. Waitrose said today that trading at the stores had been “challenging” and it had not found [...]
New Byron owner Calveton mulls acqusition of rival chain Gourmet Burger Kitchen September 16, 2020 Gourmet Burger Kitchen’s South African owner is pushing ahead with a process to sell the casual dining chain, with the new owner of Byron reportedly plotting to buy the firm. Deloitte has begun contacting prospective buyers of GBK over the past week, Sky News reported, which would make it the latest restaurant group to be [...]
The Hut Group raises £1.88bn in biggest London stock market listing since 2015 September 16, 2020 The Hut Group began trading on the London Stock Exchange this morning, raising £1.88bn in the largest UK initial public offering (IPO) since 2015. The Manchester-based online retail giant is valued at around £5.4bn following its stock market listing, which the firm said is the UK’s largest ever technology IPO. The Hut Group, which owns [...]
UK inflation falls to five year low due to Eat Out to Help Out September 16, 2020 UK inflation slipped to a five-year low in August as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme dragged down prices in the restaurant sector for the first time on record. The price of goods and services in the UK rose by 0.2 per cent in August compared to a year earlier, the Office for National [...]
Housebuilder Redrow takes £35m hit on pulling out of London market September 16, 2020 Redrow’s profit sank 66 per cent in the last financial year due to the “profound impact” of the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the housebuilder to take a £35m hit on pulling out of the London market. The figures Turnover for the year plunged 37 per cent to £1.34bn as the number of completions plummeted due [...]
New Look landlords approve switch to turnover rents September 15, 2020 New Look’s landlords and creditors have given the struggling retailer the green light to push ahead with restructuring plans. The majority of landlords have approved plans to allow the high street chain to switch to turnover-based rents at 402 of its UK stores, which will align rent payments with future sales performance. The remaining 68 [...]
Cruise ship operator Carnival posts $3bn loss amid coronavirus pandemic September 15, 2020 Cruise ship operator Carnival said it will post a $2.9bn loss in the third quarter due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the travel industry. The loss includes a non-cash impairment charge of £0.9bn, the company said. Carnival, which has already raised billions in debt, also announced today that it was planning to [...]
Next agrees deal to rescue Victoria’s Secret UK business and 500 jobs September 15, 2020 Next has agreed a deal with Victoria’s Secret owner L Brands to rescue its UK business, which is currently in administration, in a move that will save around 500 jobs. The joint venture will operate all Victoria’s Secret stores in the UK and Ireland, subject to approval from its landlords. Its UK online business, which [...]
Eat Out to Help Out wipes £155m off supermarket sales September 15, 2020 The government’s Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme saw £155m knocked off supermarket sales last month as consumers ate fewer meals at home. Brits spent less at supermarkets in the four weeks to 6 September compared to July as the discount scheme encouraged people to venture out to restaurants and cafes. Alcohol supermarket sales [...]
