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- 2021 -3 MarchCoronavirus
Budget 2021: Chancellor unveils new £65bn support package
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined a new £65bn support package in his March budget, confirming the decision to extend the furlough scheme until the end of September as well as new loan schemes of up to £10m for businesses. In what is Sunak’s second budget since he joined office in…
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3 MarchGovernment
NI Executive reveals phased lockdown exit plan
Ministers for Northern Ireland’s devolved government have announced phased plans to take the country out of its current lockdown restrictions. Yesterday (2 March), the Executive agreed on a final version of the ‘Pathway to Recovery’ strategy, which will focus on reopening key areas of the economy, such as retail and…
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3 MarchGovernment
Sunak to extend furlough scheme until September
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to extend the furlough scheme until September as part of his March Budget which will be announced today (3 March). According to The Times, Sunak will state that the country is in a “moment of crisis” as he extends furlough for another five months, taking…
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Feb- 2021 -19 FebruaryCoronavirus
NI extends lockdown until 1 April but click and collect widened
The Stormont Executive has announced it will extend the current lockdown restrictions in Northern Ireland until 1 April. However, first minister Arlene Foster did reveal that more non-essential retail businesses will be able to resume click and collect services from 8 March. The scope of those allowed to operate click…
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18 FebruaryHigh Street
850 retail jobs lost a day so far in 2021
New research has found that 850 retail jobs have been lost every working day so far in 2021, with experts warning that this could be just the “tip of the iceberg”. Analysis from The Centre for Retail Research has revealed that administrations by large multiple retailers, those with 10 or…
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17 FebruaryCoronavirus
Scottish retailers see business rates relief extended for 12 months
Scottish retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation businesses will pay no rates throughout the next year, under new plans outlined by finance secretary Kate Forbes. The extension is part of £1.1bn consequential funding arising from UK government coronavirus spending. Forbes, who had already announced plans for a three-month extension in her…
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15 FebruaryClothing & Shoes
Burberry to repay £6m in business rates relief
Burberry has voluntarily agreed to repay around £6m in business support to the Treasury, following the business rates holiday designed to help businesses navigate through the impact of the pandemic. According to the Sunday Times, the retailer has also repaid a £300m loan from the Bank of England, in a…
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12 FebruaryEconomy
UK suffers record 9.9% GDP slump
GDP declined by 9.9% in 2020, a figure which is more than double of what was recorded in 2009 after the UK’s financial crisis. According to the ONS, the fall was largely due to restrictions which were in place for most of the year, forcing the economy to operate at…
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12 FebruaryOnline & Digital
Amazon investors call for end to anti-union interference
A group of more than 70 Amazon investors are calling on the company to end interference against efforts by its workers to unionise in America, according to the Financial Times. More than 5,800 Amazon employees in Alabama are set to vote in a mail-in ballot; the first time attempt by…
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8 FebruaryHigh Street
Retail sales fall 10% in January
Total like-for-like retail sales declined by 10% in January as both the national lockdown and impact of Covid-19 affected shops across England, according to BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker. It found that lifestyle total like-for-like sales fell to 16.7% in January. This month’s result reportedly marked “the worst” since June…
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