Mike Ashley to face shareholder anger at Sports Direct meeting September 10, 2019 Retail tycoon Mike Ashley is preparing to face frustrated Sports Direct shareholders at a meeting tomorrow following a turbulent year for the business. The founder and chief executive of the sportswear retailer has come under fire from shareholder advisory groups in the run up to tomorrow’s annual general meeting. Read more: Mike Ashley makes move [...]
JD Sports revenue growth defies high street gloom as it calls for ‘fairness’ on leases September 10, 2019 JD Sports has posted a sharp rise in revenue and profit for the half year, as it called for “fairness” on its leases amid gloomy conditions on the high street. Read more: Competition watchdog kicks off probe into JD Sports Footasylum acquisition The figures Revenue soared 47 per cent to £2.7bn in the 26 weeks [...]
The Jaguar F-Pace SVR is a fire-breathing SUV brute. But Tim Pitt discovers its softer side September 9, 2019 Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations division hasn’t been backwards about coming forwards. Its opening salvo was the 2016 F-Type SVR, a bona fide British supercar to rival the Porsche 911 GT3. In 2018, SVO then followed up with something even more extreme. The XE SV Project 8 was a hand-built 600hp road racer that vaguely resembled [...]
Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley makes move for Links of London September 9, 2019 Retail magnate Mike Ashley is hoping to ramp up his high street spending spree after putting in an offer for troubled jewellery group Links of London. The Sports Direct owner is tabling a bid to snap up the retail outlet, according to Sky News, which has reported that Ashley is one of two final bidders [...]
Not in the pink anymore: Jack Wills collapse leaves creditors out of pocket September 8, 2019 Jack Wills owed over £100m to creditors including HSBC and several councils when it collapsed into administration last month. The preppy clothing brand was bought by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct for £12.8m in August, faces leaving a slew of companies out of pocket. Read more: Jack Wills stores at risk as Sports Direct kicks off [...]
Hot weather fails to heat up high street retail sales in August September 6, 2019 Bricks and mortar retailers suffered a further blow last month as soaring temperatures failed to heat up high street sales. Like-for-like in store sales dropped 0.1 per cent in August from a base of minus 2.7 per cent in the same month last year as retailers were unable to convert rising footfall into purchases. Read [...]
British Land files legal challenge against Monsoon Accessorize CVA September 5, 2019 British Land has filed a legal challenge against Monsoon Accessorize’s recently agreed rescue plan, which will see the retailer slash rents across more than half its UK stores. The owner of Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre is aiming to block the retailer’s company voluntary arrangement (CVA) following its approval in July, Sky News reported. Read more: [...]
Marks and Spencer set to be ejected from FTSE 100 for first time in 35 years September 3, 2019 Marks & Spencer is set to lose its place in the FTSE 100 list of the UK’s biggest companies tomorrow after 35 years, ending its long-held membership as one of 28 original firms. Read more: Marks and Spencer to shut seven stores for final time in restructuring The troubled retailer will drop down to the [...]
Can’t name the UK technology secretary? That’s because we don’t have one September 3, 2019 Do you know who our secretary of state for technology is? Or can you name the tech minister? No? That’s not surprising, because they don’t exist. While we all might agree that technology is a key ingredient to a successful and vibrant economy and to our advancement as a society, there is still no one [...]
Sports Direct trying to ‘drive Debenhams into administration’ September 2, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct is backing a legal challenge against Debenhams’ restructuring plan to “drive it into administration so that it can pick up its assets on the cheap”, a court was told today. The sports retailer is backing a challenge brought by Combined Property Control Group (CPC), which represents the landlords of six Debenhams [...]