Seraphine: Princess of Wales’ favourite owed a king’s ransom August 15, 2025 Seraphine, the maternity fashion retailer whose clothes were worn by the Princess of Wales, owed over £33m as it collapsed into administration before being rescued. The business ceased trading and entered administration in July with consultancy firm Interpath appointed to oversee the process. The move led to the majority of its 95-strong staff being made [...]
Breadmakers Hovis and Kingsmill merger agreed August 15, 2025 A deal to merge two of Britain’s biggest bread producers – Hovis and Kingsmill – has been agreed after months of talks. Associated British Foods (ABF), the owner of Kingsmill’s parent company Allied Bakeries, has agreed a deal with investment firm Endless, which owns Hovis to acquire the brand. The financial terms of the deal have not yet [...]
Harrods stocks padel brand for first time as sport booms August 14, 2025 Harrods has stocked a padel brand for the first time as the racket sport continues to expand across the United Kingdom. Pulco, a UK-based apparel brand, will be stocked in the iconic Knightsbridge department store with the collections designed in the capital. “We are incredibly proud to be the first padel apparel brand at Harrods,” [...]
FatFace slims down workforce as brand returns to profit August 14, 2025 FatFace shed almost 300 jobs as it returned to profit in its first full year after being acquired by FTSE 100 giant Next. The retailer was snapped up by the Leicester-based group for £115.2m in October 2023 in a deal which saw it fall to an initially reported pre-tax loss of £3.2m in the 35 weeks [...]
Claire’s on the verge of collapse with over 2,000 jobs at risk August 13, 2025 Claire’s, the high street fashion accessories chain, is on the brink of collapse after revealing its intention to appoint administrators in the UK and Ireland in a move which would put over 2,000 jobs at risk. The business, which has 278 stores in the UK as well as a further 28 in Ireland, filed a [...]
Shoe Zone shares booted as Labour’s budget tax raid weighs August 13, 2025 Footwear retailer Shoe Zone has slashed its profit target in half for the full-year citing an overhang from Rachel Reeves’ 2024 Autumn Budget. The London-listed firm said in a trading update on Wednesday it expects pre-tax profit for the financial year ending September 2025 to be around £2.5m. This marks a stark drop from previous [...]
Islington’s Laki Kane to shut months after relaunch August 12, 2025 The iconic cocktail bar in the heart of Islington is set to close its doors for good just months after its relaunch
The Entertainer: Staff eye tax-free bonuses as founders cede control August 11, 2025 Almost 2,000 employees of the UK’s biggest toy chain, The Entertainer, are set to receive tax-free bonuses after its founders handed them control of his retail empire. Gary Grant has transferred 100 per cent of his ownership in Teal Group Holdings, which he held alongside his wife Catherine, to an employee ownership trust. The move, [...]
River Island saved from brink of administration but stores to close August 8, 2025 High street retailer River Island has been saved from the brink of administration after a High Court judge approved its restructuring plan
Iceland in the red as Rachel Reeves’ tax raid forces prices higher August 8, 2025 Iceland has warned it is being forced to increases prices because of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax raids as the supermarket chain fell into the red. The Flintshire-headquartered said that while it is “doing our utmost” to offset increasing costs arising from last year’s Autumn Budget, it will “inevitably have to pass some of these on [...]