The bigger they come: The amazing story of Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest home in England July 24, 2019 You’ve heard of Chatsworth, and Castle Howard, that Brideshead dream. You’ve heard of Blenheim Palace, the Duke of Marlborough’s monumental home. But what about Wentworth Woodhouse, the biggest house in England? Wentworth Woodhouse, the former seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam, could have been a house lost to history. Five miles from Rotherham, it sits in [...]
B&M boosts revenue as expansion plan continues July 24, 2019 Bargain retailer B&M boosted revenue in the first quarter of the financial year, the company said, as it announced that its store opening schedule remains on track. Group revenue growth in the quarter was 21.4 per cent driven by B&M UK revenue growth of 13.8 per cent, the company said in a trading update this [...]
Aston Martin share price crashes 21 per cent as it slashes sales target July 24, 2019 Aston Martin’s share price crashed 21 per cent this morning as it warned that macroeconomic challenges have “worsened” for the luxury car manufacturer. Shares slipped to 820p from an open of 841p as Aston Martin slashed its sales expectations in the face of market “softness” for the rest of 2019. Read more: Aston Martin’s biggest [...]
Metro Bank’s Vernon Hill to step down despite saying he’d die in job July 23, 2019 Metro Bank is set to part ways with its controversial chairman and co-founder Vernon Hill just two weeks after he said he would “probably die” in the role. Read more: Metro Bank drafts in two senior directors The high-street lender will announce it is launching a search for a new chairman when it posts its [...]
Joules defies retail anguish with growth across the board July 23, 2019 Clothes store Joules this morning announced a double-figures spike in profit despite tough high street conditions. The full-year results will be the last for outgoing CEO Colin Porter, who said the firm was “well-positioned for continued success”. Read more: Joules lures in top Asda director as new chief executive The figures Pre-tax profit rose 14.9 [...]
Has ASOS just issued its third and final profits warning? July 23, 2019 By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. With ongoing operational issues aplenty, investor confidence hinges on a belief in stock market adages. Warehouse troubles drove ASOS (LSE:ASC) to a third profits warning in less than a year as the fast-fashion giant slipped even further behind the market value of upstart rival Boohoo Group (LSE:BOO). Shares dived as much as 22 per cent [...]
Off road: Motorpoint share price falls as it warns on profits July 23, 2019 Car dealership Motorpoint’s shares fell 6.5 per cent this morning as it warned half-year profits will fall below the £12m it earned last year. The FTSE-listed retailer blamed “unusually high supply levels” for hurting margins, which means the firm’s half-year profit will drop below last year’s £11.9m. Read more: Car dealership Lookers issues profit warning [...]
Ocado bags sales jump amid decline in supermarket sector July 23, 2019 Ocado has posted a double-digit rise in sales over the last quarter as it defied an overall decline in the supermarket sector. The online retailer boosted its sales by 11.9 per cent in the 12 weeks to 14 July, stealing a larger chunk of the competitive grocery market. Read more: Sainsbury’s sales slip in ‘tough’ [...]
UK retail industry battles ‘toughest ever’ trading conditions July 22, 2019 The health of the UK retail industry is on the brink of falling to record lows as shops battle some of the “toughest trading conditions they’ve ever experienced”. The Retail Health Index, which takes into account consumer demand, gross margins and costs, fell from 77 to 76 in the second quarter, financial services firm KPMG [...]
UK households remain cautious on economic outlook, discretionary income and debt levels July 22, 2019 UK households remain concerned about their economic outlook, disposable incomes and debt levels, survey data out today shows. Deloitte’s consumer confidence index for the UK in the second three months to 30 June remained at a minus eight per cent – unchanged from the first quarter – but down four percentage points from the same [...]