UK high street set for comeback after lockdown eased due to ‘pent up demand’, experts say January 25, 2021 The UK high street is set to bounce back after lockdown as the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions is expected to release a wave of pent up demand for in-person shopping experiences, retail experts have said. Data showed that footfall jumped dramatically in the first weeks after the first and second national coronavirus lockdowns, with shoppers [...]
Dr Martens to announce cornerstone investors in £3.5bn London listing January 24, 2021 Iconic footwear brand Dr Martens will launch a £3.5bn London listing tomorrow, with the retailer’s top management set to pocket multimillion-pound payouts. Dr Martens is expected to announce tomorrow that it has secured cornerstone investors when it publishes the prospectus for a share sale ahead of the initial public offering (IPO) next month, The Sunday [...]
Asos emerges as frontrunner to buy Topshop January 24, 2021 Online retail giant Asos is now the frontrunner to buy Topshop, the flagship brand of Sir Philip Green’s collapsed high street empire Arcadia. Asos has reportedly put in an offer of more than £250m to buy Topshop, according to Sky News, days after Next withdrew from the race. If Asos’ bid is successful, the future [...]
Flat-pack jabs: New London vaccine hub assembled at former Ikea store January 24, 2021 A former Ikea store has been transformed into a Covid-19 vaccination centre amid a ramping up of jab facilities in the capital. Up to 25 new vaccination sites will start offering Covid jabs this week as the NHS accelerates the biggest immunisation programme in its history. A former Ikea store at the Westfield shopping centre [...]
Brexit friction should spark new ideas for retail exports January 23, 2021 Many retailers received a welcome boost during the Covid-19 crisis with a rise in online orders from international markets, but with exports to EU member states facing teething problems in the form of higher costs and processing delays, now’s the time for retailers to broaden their reach and tap into new markets further afield. Research [...]
Retail therapy: How has the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we shop? January 22, 2021 The lifestyle changes from Covid-19 were reflected in where people chose to spend their hard-earned cash in 2020, with local shops, fitness platforms and recipe boxes feeling the benefit of a year in the coronavirus pandemic.
MPs urge Boris Johnson to appoint hospitality minister to help pubs and restaurants recover January 22, 2021 MPs have urged Boris Johnson to create a new minister for hospitality, as the sector continues to suffer during the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to the Prime Minister, chair of the Petitions Committee Catherine McKinnell MP asked Johnson to engage with pub and restaurant bosses over concerns there is no long-term plan for the [...]
Topshop set for discount sale price after Next pulls out of race, analysts say January 22, 2021 The bidders circling Sir Philip Green’s collapsed retail empire Arcadia could bag a good deal to buy Topshop, after Next – a frontrunner to rescue the firm’s “crown jewel” – pulled out of the race. Restructuring experts said Next’s exit from the sales process will put the other bidders in a stronger position, making it [...]
The Works suffers sharp sales drop over crucial Christmas period January 22, 2021 Arts and crafts retailer The Works suffered a sharp drop in sales in the run-up to Christmas after strict lockdown restrictions were put in place over the crucial trading period. The high street chain said this morning that total sales in the 11 weeks to 10 January declined 24.8 per cent, compared to the same [...]
Eurozone business activity shrinks sharply in January as lockdowns batter services January 22, 2021 Economic activity in the eurozone has plummeted in January as lockdown measures hit the bloc’s dominant service industry, a survey showed today. IHS Markit’s guide to economic health fell further below the 50 mark to 47.5 in January, a further dip from December’s 49.1. Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, believes a double-dip [...]