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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Jun- 2025 -12 JuneEconomy
Retailers welcome £2bn police boost but urge for more action
Retail trade bodies have welcomed the £2bn funding boost for police forces in England and Wales, but cautioned that the investment alone will not be enough to tackle rising levels of high street crime. It comes as Rachel Reeves announced in yesterday’s Spending Review (11 June) that the police’s spending…
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11 JuneEconomy
Women’s Euros to deliver £593m retail boost, report finds
The Women’s Euro 2025 football tournament is expected to deliver a £593.4m boost to UK retail, according to a new report from VoucherCodes.co.uk. The Women’s UEFA Euro 2025 Spending Report forecasts that the event will contribute £851.6m to the UK economy overall. Around 19.7 million fans are expected to watch…
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11 JuneDepartment Stores
M&S restarts online orders after cyber attack
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has announced that it has resumed online orders after halting them due to a cyber attack on its networks. The retailer stated that shoppers are now able to buy a selection of fashion items for home delivery across England, Scotland and Wales. The company stated that…
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May- 2025 -28 MayPeople Moves
M&S appoints ex-Coles exec Thinus Keeves as retail director
M&S has announced it has appointed former Coles executive Thinus Keeves to the newly created role of retail director. Keeves, who will start on 6 June, will report to operations director Sacha Berendji. Berendji will continue to have overall accountability for Retail, Property, Security and Business Continuity. Keeves joins the…
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27 MaySupermarkets
M&S to open 12 new stores in former Homebase sites
Marks and Spencer is set to open 12 brand new food stores on former Homebase sites across England, in a move that will create over 550 new jobs. The openings form part of M&S’s store rotation and renewal programme, which aims to create 420 “bigger, fresher” food stores and transform…
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19 MayComment
Let’s not profit over young people’s mental health
The prognosis for the national – and now the global – economy is looking dire, yet “Awful April” is just the latest blow to young adults who’ve been bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis. Financially, emotionally, and mentally, young people have been squeezed on all sides and the long-term…
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15 MayEconomy
UK economy grows by more than expected 0.7% in Q1
The UK economy performed better than expected in the first quarter of the year, with GDP growing by 0.7% between January and March, following a 0.1% rise the prior quarter. This was ahead of analysts’ expectations, who had forecast a growth of 0.6% for the period. According to the Office…
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9 MayEconomy
UK footfall jumps 7.2% in April
UK footfall increased by 7.2% in April (YoY), up from -5.4% in March, the BRC has revealed. During the four weeks from 6 April to 3 May, footfall increased across all segments – high street by 5.3%, retail parks by 7.5% and shopping centres by 5.6%. Across nations, footfall also…
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8 MayEconomy
BoE cuts interest rates to 4.25%
The Bank of England (BoE) has cut interest rates to 4.25%, down from the previous rate of 4.5%, marking the fourth rate cut since last year’s peak of 5.25%. At its meeting ending on 7 May, the bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 5–4 to reduce…
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Apr- 2025 -28 AprilSupermarkets
Lidl to invest £500m in store expansion
Lidl has announced that it is set to open more than 40 new stores across the country, investing £500m in the process. The supermarket has published its 2025 site requirements brochure, outlining hundreds of potential locations for new stores, including high streets, retail parks, and mixed-use town centre sites. The…
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