Business Rates
This coverage examines business rates policy and its implications for the UK retail sector. Reporting focuses on government decisions, reforms, rate relief measures, and their impact on store operations, profitability, and investment decisions. Tailored for retail executives and managers, it provides analysis to help navigate costs, advocate for change, and plan effectively in response to fiscal pressures.
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Jan- 2025 -28 JanuaryEconomy
January sales see shop price deflation hit 0 .7%
January sales helped shop price deflation reach 0.7% in January, above deflation of 1.0% in the previous month, as retailers attempted to attract post-Christmas shoppers, according to the latest figures from the BRC-NilesenIQ Shop Price Index. Shop price annual growth is at its lowest rate since August 2021 as non-food…
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20 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-20/1/25
Quiz is reportedly considering closing up to a third of its 60 stores as part of a restructuring effort to stabilise its business amid mounting financial pressures. The company is set to delist from the AIM market and return to private ownership following a shareholder vote earlier this month. Restructuring…
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20 JanuaryNews
Bira calls for gov action following ‘disappointing’ December sales
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) is calling for urgent government intervention following “disappointing” December retail figures, which show sales volumes fell by 0.3% following a modest 0.1% rise in November 2024. The figures, released by the BRC on Friday (17 January), revealed that while non-food stores such as clothing…
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17 JanuaryEconomy
Retail sales unexpectedly fall amid ‘poor’ supermarket sales
Retail sales fell 0.3% in December according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. It follows a 0.1% increase in November, revised down from a previous estimate of a 0.2% rise. Analysts had been expecting sales to rise by 0.4% in the run up to Christmas as…
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16 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-16/1/25
The UK economy experienced modest growth in November 2024, with GDP rising by 0.1% following two months of decline. This upturn was driven by a 0.1% increase in services output, primarily bolstered by a 2% rise in accommodation and food services. Consumer-facing services grew by 0.5%, while wholesale and retail…
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16 JanuaryHigh Street
High Streets UK launches to tackle key high street issues
Business representatives from the nation’s flagship high streets have come together to launch High Streets UK, a new partnership which aims to tackle the “most pressing” issues facing the nation’s flagship high streets. Founding members of High Streets UK include leading Business Improvement Districts from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Liverpool,…
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15 JanuaryAnalysis
Is New Look right to close up shops?
The tax increases unveiled in the October 2024 budget have further complicated the outlook for retailers in the new year. One such high street retailer, New Look, which has managed to narrow its pre-tax loss to £21.7m in the year to March 2024, now faces the difficult task of balancing…
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15 JanuaryEconomy
NI increase will force retailers to raise prices, BRC warns
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that the National Insurance Increase, set to come into place this April, will force retailers to put up prices after it found that two thirds of CFOs said they will do so in response to the change. The BRC said its survey of…
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9 JanuaryEconomy
BRC warns of 2025 headwinds despite lower Xmas inflation
Consumers benefited from lower inflation for the week to 7 December 2024, according to the latest BRC-Nielsen IQ Shop Price Index, yet the British Retail Consortium anticipates fresh headwinds for the new year. The later timing of Black Friday in 2024 meant that the first week of December included the…
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8 JanuaryFeatures
Revitalising London’s high streets: a BID’s vision for retail
The significance of bricks-and-mortar experiences remains paramount. Steve Medway, CEO of Knightsbridge Partnership and King’s Road Partnership, two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), is reshaping some of London’s most iconic areas. With decades of experience in retail and BID management, Medway shares valuable insights into the challenges, strategies, and future of…
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