High Street
The latest news, updates and analysis on the the British High Street and UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
-
Jun- 2020 -22 June
Mothercare seeks new lenders amid franchising plans
Mothercare has confirmed it remains “on track” to become a “profitable” international franchise operation, with plans to operate in around 40 international territories. In its latest update, the retailer confirmed that discussions are ongoing with existing franchise partners in efforts to “establish a more sustainable and less capital-intensive business” going…
Read More » -
19 June
92% of shopworkers oppose longer Sunday working hours, says Usdaw
Some 92% of retail staff in England have opposed large shops opening for more than six hours on a Sunday, as the government considers deregulating Sunday trading. According to a survey by shopworkers trade union Usdaw, 66% of the 11,000 retail staff said they feel they are pressured to work…
Read More » -
18 June
Long Tall Sally to cease trading after 45 years
Womens fashion retailer Long Tall Sally is to cease trading after nearly 45 years. In a statement released on its site, the fashion retailer said the changing economics of retail, along with “fierce competition” have hit the company hard, along with the “profound impact” of Covid-19 pandemic further weakening its…
Read More » -
18 June
Supreme Court rules against Mastercard and Visa in interchange fees battle
Visa and Mastercard could be set to pay billions in compensation to some of the UK’s top retailers following a court ruling which found that the two payment companies had breached competition laws. The Supreme Court today (17 June) unanimously upheld the conclusion of the Court of Appeal that the…
Read More » -
17 June
Debenhams opens 38 more stores following ‘successful’ Monday reopening
Department store chain Debenhams has announced it will reopen a further 38 stores in England, following the “successful reopening” of 50 of its stores earlier this week. Debenhams revealed that four stores have also reopened in Northern Ireland, whilst the business awaits confirmation from Wales and Scotland as to when…
Read More » -
15 June
Travis Perkins to cut 2,500 jobs amid Covid-19 pandemic
Wickes owner Travis Perkins has revealed plans to cut almost 2,500 jobs amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It comes amid a consultation process regarding the closure of around 165 branches across its overall estate, representing approximately 8% of the group’s network. The company said branch closures will be concentrated in…
Read More » -
15 June
Usdaw urges public to ‘respect shopworkers’ as shops are allowed to reopen
Shopworkers union Usdaw has urged customers to respect staff and employers to ensure safety in stores, as shops are allowed to reopen from today (15 June). The news comes as Usdaw released statistics revealing one in six shop workers have suffered abuse on every shift, during the coronavirus pandemic. The…
Read More » -
12 June
The Works aims to reopen 465 stores next week
The Works has announced it is aiming to reopen 465 stores across England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland next week. The stationery retailer temporarily closed its stores in March due to government guidelines surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The company said it is following government safety guidelines and each…
Read More » -
10 June
Signet to close 80 UK stores permanently
Signet Jewelers has announced that it will not reopen 80 of its UK stores, in an effort to emerge “stronger and more efficient” following the Covid-19 crisis. As part of its decision to accelerate its ‘Path to Brilliance’ programme Signet, which has 3,200 stores worldwide, has revealed initially 150 of…
Read More » -
9 June
Game to reopen stores across England and Northern Ireland
Game has announced plans to reopen all stores across England and Northern Ireland from Monday 15 June, in line with the latest Government guidance. The video game retailer said all stores in Wales and Scotland are ready to re-open, but will remain closed until current guidelines are lifted. Game is…
Read More »
