England
This coverage focuses on retail developments, trends, and performance across England. Reporting includes store openings and closures, regional economic factors, consumer behaviour, property developments, and strategic initiatives by national and local retailers. Designed for executives and managers, it offers insights into operating successfully within England’s diverse retail landscape.
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Mar- 2024 -5 MarchEconomy
Deal activity in F&B recovered in 2023, Grant Thornton finds
Deal activity in the food and beverage sector rebounded last year compared with 2022, when dealmaking was put on pause due to the emerging cost of living crisis, according to new research from Grant Thornton. According to the firm’s research, there was an uptick in M&A activity across the sector…
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4 MarchFeatures
A history of John Lewis
In the busy British retail landscape John Lewis stands out as a high street stalwart. From its humble beginnings as a drapery shop in Victorian-era Oxford Street to its evolution into a nationwide chain of department stores, the history of John Lewis is a testament to the enduring values of…
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1 MarchFeatures
Top security measures to combat shoplifting
Retailers have recently reported that they are increasingly dealing with a problem of shoplifting in addition to the rising cost of living issues and inflation. Police recorded 342,343 shoplifting offences in England and Wales in 2022/23, up 24% on the previous 12 months. Additionally, according to Co-op’s newly published data,…
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Feb- 2024 -29 FebruaryHigh Street
Majestic named exclusive UK distributor for Blake Lively’s drinks
Majestic has become the exclusive distributor of actress and entrepreneur Blake Lively’s drinks brands – Betty Buzz and Betty Booze – across England, Scotland and Wales. The new partnership will see the retailer add seven products from the Betty Buzz premium sparkling soda and Betty Booze ready-to-drink ranges to its…
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28 FebruaryNews
BP pilots made-to-order food at 10 Wild Bean Cafes
BP will be piloting a “new and improved” ‘fresh food for now’ offer that customers can personalise at 10 of its Wild Bean Cafes across the UK. The news comes as BP looks for new ways to drive convenience growth by giving “on-the-move” customers made-to-order, hot food options and coffee. …
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22 FebruaryProperty
URW secures 12 lease signings for Centrale & Whitgift
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has announced 12 new signings for Centrale and Whitgift including London’s first Loupe store, alongside a number of key renewals including international and British brands Trespass and No.1 Currency Exchange. Loupe, a new venture from Beaverbrooks, the family-owned jewellery business, opened its 5,350 sq ft store as part…
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15 FebruaryNews
Today’s news in brief-15/2/24
The UK has entered a technical recession as its GDP contracted by 0.3% in the final quarter of 2023. This marks the first recession since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The decline in GDP was larger than expected, with key sectors like manufacturing, construction, and wholesale experiencing significant downturns.…
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15 FebruaryHigh Street
Poundland to refurb 150 stores
Poundland has announced that it is set to commence refurbishments on 150 stores set to be completed by August this year. The ‘Project Evo’ transformations will see each of the stores get a top-to-bottom refresh to bring them up to date. The refresh will be the first significant investment in…
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7 FebruaryDIY
First cohort of Wickes bathroom apprentices set to graduate
Wickes has announced that the first cohort of students enrolled in its bathroom installation apprenticeship – the first of its kind in the UK – are set to graduate in under a year’s time. The apprenticeship was launched following the success of the retailer’s kitchen installation apprenticeship. Running over 18…
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6 FebruarySupermarkets
Co-op calls for more effective use of Apprenticeship Levy
Co-op has called for private and public sector organisations to collaborate to ensure the Apprenticeship Levy is used more effectively to support young people. It comes as it was revealed this week that millions of pounds of funds remain unspent and have been returned to the central government, due to…
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