Department Stores
The latest news, updates and analysis on the department stores segment of the the UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Jan- 2019 -10 January
M&S sales drop amid ‘difficult’ market
Marks and Spencer has reported a 2.7% drop in its total sales for the 13 weeks to 29 December 2018. Its clothing and home sales saw a 4.8% decline and its food performed slightly better, but still saw a drop with a 1.2% decrease. The retailer said reducing customer confidence…
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2 January
John Lewis ends final week of 2018 with 4.5% sales uplift
Department store chain John Lewis has reported a 4.5% year-on-year uplift in total sales for the week ending 29 December. The group said this was due to “very strong sales” on Christmas Eve and a “confident start” to clearance sales both online and in shops, with electrical and home technology…
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Dec- 2018 -19 December
John Lewis bucks retail woes with festive sales increase
John Lewis has bucked retail troubles reporting a total sales increase of 1.8% for the week to 15 December. The retailer blamed the rise on price-matching discounts and increased business from Christmas shoppers. The rise has defied trends elsewhere in the retail sector, where companies such as Asos have issued…
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13 December
Mike Ashley asks Debenhams to ‘reconsider’ £40m offer in ‘frustrated’ email
Mike Ashley has asked Debenhams to “reconsider” his £40m investment offer which he described as “a very public statement of support at a critical time for Debenhams’ business” in an email in which he described himself as “frustrated”. In the letter Ashley expresses his frustration that Sports Direct’s “assistance” has…
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4 December
‘Tax the internet for the good of the high street’, Mike Ashley tells MPs
Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley has said online businesses should be taxed 20% in as soon as six months to save the majority of high street retailers and avoid closures. Ashley appeared in front of MPs at the House of Commons yesterday (3 December) after demanding to meet them in…
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3 December
House of Fraser Manchester store saved from closure
The House of Fraser Kendal’s store in Manchester has been rescued from closure, saving roughly 570 jobs. New terms have been reached with the store’s landlord, allowing trading to continue, with the Manchester city council playing an “instrumental” role in discussions. The council leader, Sir Richard Leese, said: “Today’s announcement…
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Nov- 2018 -21 November
M&S ‘fancy little knickers’ display branded ‘sexist’ and ‘vomit inducing’
A Nottingham Marks & Spencer window display which said women’s “fancy little knickers” were a “must have” and was placed next to a display which suggested men’s “must have outfits to impress”, has been branded “sexist” and “vomit inducing” by campaigners. The window display was later altered by campaigners to…
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20 November
Twitter recruits man named John Lewis for #NotARetailStore advert
Twitter has launched a Christmas advert featuring a man named John Lewis who is often mistaken for the retailer. Lewis receives over 50,000 tweets per year from customers hoping to reach John Lewis and Partners customer service team which uses the Twitter handle @jlandpcustserv as opposed to Lewis who uses…
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14 November
House of Fraser to shutter Intu located stores
House of Fraser has announced “with regret” that House of Fraser is to close a further four stores located in Intu Shopping centres at Lakeside, Metrocentre, Norwich, and Nottingham. House of Fraser said the decision follows “various meetings” with the landlord, Intu Properties, but despite their “best efforts” the companies…
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13 November
House of Fraser could see ‘significant’ number of further store closures
House of Fraser is set for a “significant” number of further store closures after landlords reportedly refused to agree to owner Mike Ashley’s new leasing terms. According to the Sunday Times, the Sports Direct boss met with agents at retail estate agency CBRE last week to discuss the stores to…
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