News
The latest news, updates and analysis on the the UK retail industry. Covering every segment of the market, Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Mar- 2019 -26 March
JoJo Maman Bebe founder says retail sector is ‘extremely tough’
The founder of babywear brand, JoJo Maman Bebe, has said consumer confidence is at an all-time low in an “extremely tough” retail sector. JoJo Maman Bebe has seen 20% growth per year and now has the capacity to send out 6,000 parcels a day, recently however, the company says it…
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26 March
Moss Bros suffers £4.2m loss in 2018
Men’s fashion retailer Moss Bros has reported statutory loss before tax of £4.2m for the year ending 26 January 2019. This included store fixed asset impairment charges and dilapidation provisions of £2.6m and reorganisation and employee related charges of £1.2m. EBITDA fell to £6.6m during the year, compared with £13.3m…
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26 March
Sports Direct considers cash offer for Debenhams
Sports Direct has revealed it is mulling over a cash offer for embattled department store Debenhams, despite the retailer rejecting its previous proposals. Sports Direct said Debenhams’ current restructuring and refinancing process was “likely to result in an adverse outcome” for its existing shareholders. The sportswear retailer has made several…
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25 March
Pretty Green set to appoint administrators this week
Fashion brand, Pretty Green is set to draft in administrators this week after it filed a notice of intention to appoint Moorfields Advisory to handle an insolvency protest. The brand, owned by Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, called in advisors from the accountancy firm last month after sources told Drapers the…
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25 March
Paperchase CVA proposal approved by creditors
The creditors of stationery retailer Paperchase have approved its proposed company voluntary arrangement (CVA). The retailer originally announced the CVA proposal on 4 March, and at the time said some 45 sites would “largely remain unchanged”, whilst turnover rents would be proposed at 70 sites, with a “varying guaranteed minimum…
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25 March
Sports Direct slams Debenhams for rejecting £100m offer
Sports Direct has criticised Debenhams for rejecting its offer to acquire its Danish company Magasin Du Nord for £100m. On Friday (22 March), the struggling department store announced it had secured a £200m refinancing lifeline, shortly after Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct made the proposal which gave Debenhams the 12 month…
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22 March
Travis Perkins appoints new COO amid plans to simplify business
Building materials retailer, Travis Perkins, has appointed Frank Elkins as its new chief operating officer for the group’s trade merchant business. The operations which Elkins will oversee include Travis Perkins builders merchants, BSS, Benchmarx, Keyline and CCF, which generate more than £3.6bn in annual revenue combined and have a branch…
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22 March
Retail sales bounce back in February
Retail sales have bounced back slightly February 2019, as the quantity bought increased by 0.4% during the month. In the three months to February 2019, the quantity bought increased by 0.7% when compared with the previous three months, with strong growth in non-store retailing and fuel. Year-on-year growth in the…
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22 March
Crime cost retailers £1.9bn last year
The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) annual Retail Crime Survey has revealed the total cost of crime and crime prevention for retailers was £1.9bn last year. This was up 12% from the previous year (£1.7bn) and was made up of £900m direct cost from retail crime, and £1bn spent in efforts…
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22 March
Debenhams secures £200m lifeline
Embattled department store Debenhams has confirmed it has secured a £200m refinancing lifeline. The funding is expected to “provide liquidity headroom” for its future funding needs and “deliver stability for its customers, staff, suppliers and pension holders”. Earlier this month, the company said it was considering a £150m cash injection…
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