Modella-owned Hobbycraft survives restructuring Retail Hobbycraft has survived a restructuring led by its new owner, divisive high street private equity firm Modella Capital. The UK’s largest craft retailer has completed its 13-month company voluntary arrangement (CVA) ahead of schedule, reporting a jump in online users. The company’s emergence from its restructuring defies recent gloom around Modella’s swoops on other high [...]
Iran war woes cause jump in London-listed profit warnings Economics The rising energy costs and fragile consumer confidence caused by the Iran war have driven a jump in the number of profit warnings issued by London-listed firms. UK-listed companies issued 59 profit warnings in the first half of this year, up from 55 last year, with more than half of these being blamed on policy [...]
James Watt eyes entire Brewdog UK business in comeback swoop Hospitality James Watt’s shock comeback bid for Brewdog would see him take control of the craft beer firm’s entire UK and Australian operations, City AM has learned. The Scottish entrepreneur, who co-founded Brewdog, has proposed to buy back the company’s entire operations excluding its US arm. Watt’s bid marked a new twist in the dramatic Brewdog [...]
Burberry revival gets a boost from China and US sales July 17, 2026 Burberry has recorded a lift in sales across all its fashion lines for the first time in three years as a resurgence in the US and China helped ease a slowdown in spending brought on by the Iran war. The London-listed fashion label posted a five per cent rise in overall revenue in the three [...]
Dilosk Agrees Sale to Pepper Advantage July 17, 2026 Dilosk DAC, trading as Dilosk and ICS Mortgages (“Dilosk”), a leading Irish residential mortgage origination and servicing platform, today announces that it has entered into an agreement for the sale of the business to Pepper Advantage, which is wholly owned by J.C. Flowers & Co., a global private investment firm specialising in financial services. Following [...]
Frasers slams ‘nonsense rumours’ over Harvey Nichols bid July 16, 2026 The boss of Frasers has hit back at “nonsense rumours” that retail brands are reluctant to work with the group, which is known for making aggressive plays to take control of rival companies. The group, which owns Sports Direct and Flannels, gatecrashed the auction to buy luxury department store Harvey Nichols last week, despite some [...]
Retailers urge Burnham to slash tax and back youth employment July 16, 2026 Retailers have called on Andy Burnham to slash their taxes and help them to employ young people in a raft of demands for the Prime Minister-to-be. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), a trade body representing the UK’s biggest retailers, has urged Burnham to “buy into retail” as part of his pledge to back local communities [...]
BNPL regulation is proof that industry and regulators can work together successfully July 15, 2026 It’s often argued that government regulation can hamper innovation, growth and competition. However, new regulations on Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), which come into force today, demonstrate that government, regulators and industry can successfully collaborate to improve consumer outcomes, while also supporting retail and tech sectors. Since Clearpay launched in the UK in 2019, we’ve [...]
Burnham risks ‘breaking manifesto’ without business rates reform July 14, 2026 Andy Burnham has been warned that he risks breaking Labour’s manifesto if he does not go further in his plans to overhaul the business rates system. The Prime Minister-to-be has been urged by hospitality and retail industry figures to expand his plans to modify a business rates system which they say unfairly disadvantages high street [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers muscles in on Harvey Nichols sale July 14, 2026 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has gatecrashed the sales process for Harvey Nichols, defying the initial objections of the luxury department store’s brand partners. The fashion group, founded by billionaire Ashley, has successfully entered into the auction for the high-end retail group after demanding it be allowed to take part, City AM understands. Harvey Nichols had [...]