West End: Tourist tax ‘disadvantage’ costs retailers hundreds of millions September 16, 2024 Retail business in London missed out on a projected £220m in the first half of 2024 due to the ongoing effect of the so-called tourist tax, despite continued growth in international visitor numbers. The number of international visitors to London was three per cent above pre-pandemic levels, but spending in the West End fell nearly [...]
Itsu: Return to the office helps boost sales September 13, 2024 The move by companies to encourage their workforce to return to the office helped sales jump at East Asian-inspired eatery chain Itsu during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered company has posted a turnover of £160.7m for 2023, up from the £137.7m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show the brand’s [...]
Price rises and smaller data packages: Regulator voices concerns over Vodafone’s £15bn Three merger September 13, 2024 The planned £15bn merger between Vodafone and Three could lead to price increases for tens of millions of mobile customers, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has warned. The watchdog added that the deal, which was first announced last year, could also see customers get a reduced service such as smaller data packages in their [...]
Revolut founder Storonsky saw ‘up to £230m’ windfall in employee share sale September 12, 2024 Revolut's billionaire founder and chief executive Nik Storonsky reportedly sold up to $300m (£230m) worth of his stake in the fintech during an employee share sale last month.
Plans unveiled for major 54-storey skyscraper in the City of London September 12, 2024 Proposals for a new 240-meter-tall office building in the City of London’s eastern skyscraper cluster have been submitted for planning approval. The 54-storey 99 Bishopsgate scheme, filed earlier this week by developer Brookfield Properties, represents a key development in the Square Mile’s skyscraper boom as the area around Bishopsgate and Gracechurch Street undergoes a transformation [...]
Howard de Walden: Loss more than doubles at London property empire September 11, 2024 The London property empire which includes Marylebone Village and Harley Street saw its pre-tax loss more than doubled during its latest financial year. Howard de Walden Estates Holdings, which also includes some of the capital’s prime shopping areas as well as hundreds of homes, has reported a pre-tax loss of £254.2m for the year to [...]
Asos slashes £500m debt pile as refinancing deals revealed September 11, 2024 Asos has announced the successful refinancing of the majority of its £500m debt due in 2026, with only just over £70m outstanding. The online fast-fashion retailer, which has struggled with post-pandemic shopping trends, had £500m in convertible bonds due 2026. The London-headquartered company has now exchanged £253m into convertible bonds due in 2028 rather than [...]
Dunelm prepares to open first London stores as sales and profit rise September 11, 2024 London-listed homeware retailer Dunelm has seen its sales tick up despite its customers facing “competing demands” for their disposable income. The Leicester-headquartered firm saw its overall revenue climb to £1.7bn in the 12 months to 29 June 2024, up from £1.64bn the previous year—growth of 4.1 per cent. This increase was largely driven by 6.2 [...]
Mike Ashley works his magic at Hornby as sales jump September 11, 2024 The impact of Mike Ashley advising Hornby, the international models and collectibles group, has been revealed. The retail tycoon. whose Frasers Group significantly upped its stake in the Kent-headquartered listed company in February, took up a consultancy role in March. Hornby, in a trading update to the London Stock Exchange, has revealed that its sales [...]
JD Sports puts almost 200 jobs at risk as it moves to close major distribution centre September 10, 2024 Almost 200 jobs have been put at risk of redundancy after JD Sports confirmed plans to close one of its major distribution centres. The Greater Manchester-headquartered group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is to shutter its location at Derby Commercial Park. The move comes after JD Sports penned a 20-year lease on [...]