Show’s off: Cineworld dismisses talk of deal with Odeon-owner AMC January 3, 2023 Beleaguered cinema chain Cineworld rubbished suggestions it was in talks to sell off some of its assets to Odeon-owner AMC today, after the US firm claimed it had been in talks to snap up some of Cineworld’s US and European theatres last month. London-listed Cineworld, the world’s second largest cinema chain, filed for bankruptcy in [...]
Sky high? Wizz Air enjoys Christmas bump as passenger levels increase January 3, 2023 London-listed budget airline Wizz Air will be avoiding the January blues this year after a pre-Christmas traveller bump boosted 2022’s passenger numbers. The airline flew 4.18m passengers in December, up more than 50 per cent on this time last year when some parts of its European network were affected by Omicron travel destinations. The December [...]
Grocers set for £550m tax reduction over next three years January 3, 2023 UK supermarkets and grocers will benefit from an almost £550 million tax cut over the next three years, according to new analysis. It comes after more than half a million retail properties in England and Wales were revalued as part of a shake-up to the business rates system of property taxes. Analysis of official government [...]
Retail footfall dropped by more than a quarter in week after Christmas January 2, 2023 Footfall across the UK’s retail destinations dropped by more than a quarter in the week after Christmas compared with the week before, figures show. Retail expert Springboard said footfall last week was 27.7 per cent lower than the week before, and 19.7 per cent down on the same week in 2019. It was just 7.2 [...]
Third of global economy will be in recession this year, IMF boss warns January 2, 2023 A third of the world economy will be in recession this year, according to a bleak warning from the boss of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Although some countries will dodge recession, “it would feel like recession for hundreds of millions of people,” in those places also, Kristalina Georgieva said. The IMF managing director said [...]
Retail woes: 47 shops closed EVERY DAY in 2022 amid warning ‘big hitters’ could fall January 2, 2023 The UK’s retail sector had a bruising year in 2022 as more shops closed their doors than at any other point for at least five years. Around 47 sites shut up shop for the last time every day last year, according to new analysis. The Centre for Retail Research found that 17,145 shops on high [...]
Next: Fashion chain starts January sales early ahead of update January 1, 2023 Fashion chain Next is set to shine a light on the health of the retail sector in the aftermath of the “crucial” Christmas shopping period. Investors will be closely watching the clothing and homeware giant’s trading update on Thursday for detail on its sales figures over the festive season. In August, chief executive Lord Wolfson [...]
New Zealand and Australia kick off 2023 December 31, 2022 New Zealand and Australia have stepped into the new year with fireworks, sparklers and street parties. The Pacific countries are thirteen and eleven hours ahead of GMT and have switched calendars well ahead of residents in Britain. Over a million people gathered to watch the first big firework show to bring in 2023 at Sydney’s [...]
UK consumers can expect a tsunami of offers and discounts in 2023, predicts retail heavyweight December 30, 2022 Consumers in the UK and across many other markets can expect a tsunami of offers, discounts and other price cuts in 2023 as retail’s focus is rapidly shifting to improving demand, according to an industry insider. As many retailers over-ordered in recent years, while there was a supply shortage, companies are now keen to get [...]
Dame Vivienne Westwood dies aged 82 December 29, 2022 Dame Vivienne Westwood died peacefully surrounded by her family in Clapham, South London, today, her representatives said in a statement. The 81-year-old’s husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler said: “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart. “We have been working until the end and she has given me plenty of things to get on [...]