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.
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Dec- 2018 -6 December
Clas Ohlson to close all UK stores axing 150 jobs
Home retailer, Clas Ohlson has announced it is to close all UK stores as it looks to focus on operations in Sweden and Denmark. The retailer has also closed four pilot stores in Germany after it found that “the operations will be unable to deliver on plan and therefore the…
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5 December
Joules reveals ‘contingency plan’ for a hard Brexit amid strong H1 results
Fashion retailer Joules’ group revenue has increased by 17.6% to £113.1m for the first half 2019 financial year, covering the 26-week period to 25 November 2018. However, the retailer’s executive board anticipates that trading conditions in the UK “will remain challenging over the near term”, with continued “macroeconomic uncertainty, rapidly…
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5 December
Government clarifies details of new business rates relief
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published guidance on the details of how business rates discounts first announced in this year’s Budget will be allocated. During the Budget on 29 October, chancellor Philip Hammond announced that businesses with a rateable value of under £51,000 would receive…
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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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4 December
Footfall slumps following Black Friday weekend
High street footfall slumped by 5.5% in the week following the Black Friday weekend, according to figures from retail analysts Springboard. The group said the decline was “inevitably”, given that the week followed directly on from the “furore of Black Friday and included the online focussed Cyber Monday”. Furthermore, all…
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3 December
240 Crawshaw jobs saved following £1.4m deal
As many as 240 jobs at meat retailer Crawshaw have been saved following a £1.4m deal which will see its last 19 stores sold to butchery chain Tom Cribbin for £1.4m. Last month, Crawshaw announced it has entered administration, putting 600 jobs at risk across its 42 stores. A Crawshaw…
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3 December
McColl’s posts second profit warning amid ‘unprecedented supply chain disruption’
Convenience retailer McColl’s has announced that full-year profits are to come in below expectations as a result of “unprecedented supply chain disruption” following the collapse of supplier Palmer & Harvey. In light of “transitional challenges and continued difficult trading conditions”, McColl’s announced adjusted EBITDA for FY18 is now expected to…
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Nov- 2018 -30 November
Retailers ‘unprepared’ for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, warn analysts
An industry-wide survey has revealed that over a third of retailers indicated they have ‘done little to no preparation’ or feel ‘very underprepared’. According to the research by retail analytics firm Retail Economics, top retailer concerns for a no-deal scenario were supply chain management (64%), availability and cost of labour…
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29 November
The Range bans under-18s from shopping alone in its stores
Homewares retailer The Range has banned under-18s from shopping alone in its stores, “due to the products on sale in store”. A backlash began in Wales after two 17-year-olds were kicked out of the chain’s Rhyl store whilst shopping for Christmas presents. The teenagers’ mother, Karen Jayne, took to the…
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28 November
Primark, Topshop and ASOS defend practices in Parliament
Primark, Arcadia, ASOS were among some of the retailers who had executives and representatives appear before the Environmental Audit Committee to answer questions on sustainability in their businesses. This was part of the Environmental Audit Committee’s ongoing inquiry into the sustainability of the fashion industry. Representatives from Marks and Spencer,…
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