Lok ‘n’ Store revenue boosted by storage needs of householders October 20, 2014 Self-storage group Lok’n’Store said the improving economy and rising occupancy across its sites had helped it deliver a strong rise in sales and earnings last year. The Aim-listed group, which has 24 bright orange-coloured stores across the country, said revenue increased by 7.2 per cent to £13.9m in the year to 31 July, with earnings [...]
Dalian Wanda puts One Nine Elms homes on sale October 20, 2014 Another 200 homes will go on sale in London’s Nine Elms regeneration area as China’s biggest property company prepares to launch its £700m residential scheme this week. Dalian Wanda, which is led by the country’s wealthiest man Wang Jianlin, bought the Market Towers site at Vauxhall last year from Irish developer Green Property, marking its [...]
Fenwick boosts board with Alastair Kerr and Christine Cross October 19, 2014 Fenwick, the family-owned department store chain, has bolstered its board by hiring two retail heavyweights, Alastair Kerr and Christine Cross, as non-executive directors. Cross spent the biggest part of her career at Tesco, where she held a string of senior non-food retailing roles between 1989 and 2003 under Lord MacLaurin and Sir Terry Leahy. She [...]
Mulberry eyes Celine designer Johnny Coca as creative director October 19, 2014 Mulberry’s year-long search for a new creative director may soon be at an end after it emerged this weekend that Celine designer Johnny Coca could be in the frame for the post. The luxury group is thought to have asked Coca, Celine’s head of leather goods and accessories, to become its new creative director, according [...]
Fashion rocked as warm weather cools footfall on the high street October 19, 2014 Footfall across UK high streets and shopping centres fell in September as the balmy weather put shoppers off stocking up on autumn/winter clothing, despite a pick-up in activity on the previous month. Visitor numbers dropped by 0.9 per cent in the year to September but improved slightly on the 1.1 per cent decline reported in [...]
Tesco probe finds evidence of inappropriate behaviour by staff October 19, 2014 THE INVESTIGATION into Tesco’s £250m black hole is understood to have found evidence that a small group of staff deliberately misled its auditors as they struggle to meet sales targets. The UK’s largest supermarket chain is due to report its delayed half year results on Thursday, with chief executive Dave Lewis set to update the [...]
Kingston’s Bentall Centre up for grabs with £200m-plus price tag October 16, 2014 Bentall shopping centre in Kingston upon Thames has been put up for sale after one of its owners appointed advisers to sell its 50 per cent stake, with a price-tag of around £200m. It is one of the busiest malls in Greater London, with 700,000 square feet of space and 14m visitors a year from [...]
Diageo sales on the rocks amid weakness in emerging markets October 16, 2014 Diageo suffered a 1.7 per cent fall in first quarter sales, as the slowdown in China, currency weakness, and sanctions against Russia took its toll on the business. The drinks giant behind Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky said yesterday that sales were down 1.5 per cent on an organic basis in the three months [...]
WH Smith CEO Steve Clarke says stationery chain is ready for lift-off October 16, 2014 Steve Clarke has often described himself as a shy person, but with strong full-year results to shout about yesterday, the WH Smith boss came out of his shell. The cheery Irishman, who took over from his long-serving predecessor Kate Swann in July last year, put the retailer’s success – and his good mood – down [...]
Poundland boosts board with new execs October 15, 2014 POUNDLAND has bolstered its board after hiring the chief executive of packaging group DS Smith and the finance director of pub group Mitchells & Butlers as non-executive directors. The bargain retailer, which made its market debut in March, said Miles Roberts and Tim Jones would join the company on 30 October. “Both Miles and Tim [...]
