London
This coverage focuses on retail activity, trends, and developments in London, a central hub of the UK retail industry. Reporting highlights flagship store openings, property developments, regional economic factors, consumer behaviour, and strategic moves by both international and domestic brands. Tailored for retail executives and managers, it offers insights into operating and competing in one of the world’s most dynamic retail markets.
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Apr- 2022 -20 AprilNews
M&S’ Oxford Street demolition blocked by Government
Marks and Spencer’s (M&S) plans for the demolition of its Marble Arch flagship on Oxford Street has been paused by Michael Gove so that ministers can scrutinise the plans. According to the Evening Standard, the communities secretary blocked the plans using an Article 31 holding direction, meaning the local authority…
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12 AprilNews
Westminster City Council creates pop-up boutique for 12 independent businesses
Westminster City Council has created a pop-up boutique for 12 emerging independent businesses, giving them the opportunity to be part of the West End’s retail offer. It revealed this is in collaboration with Heart of London Business Alliance, GPE, and Appear Here. According to the council, It is taking over…
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11 AprilHigh Street
Scotch & Soda to open London flagship store amid global expansion
Scotch and Soda has announced it will open a flagship store in London, amid a global expansion which will see the brand open a total of 20 new brick-and-mortar stores globally over the next six months. Scotch and Soda will launch its third brick-and-mortar address in London this summer. The…
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7 AprilNews
Ikea and H&M join forces for new creative programme
Ikea and H&M have joined forces to launch a new design venture for creatives that is set to pilot in London next month. Atelier100 is described as a “unique incubator programme” that aims to provide mentorship and inspiration to creators to help them create “commercially viable products”, and will launch…
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5 AprilEconomy
Retail footfall drops 22.9% across UK
Footfall fell by 22.9% compared to 2019 in the non-food sector across the UK, although footfall is up 9.9% compared to the previous month due to “unseasonably warm weather”. According to Ipsos Retail Performance, the retail sector performed the strongest at -14.9% compared to pre-Covid levels, while footfall on the…
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4 AprilDepartment Stores
Demolition plans for M&S flagship site to be reconsidered
Sadiq Khan is reportedly reconsidering previous plans to demolish Marks and Spencer’s flagship store on Oxford Street following ongoing backlash over the decision. According to Architects Journal, City Hall officials will now review proposals to demolish the site after they initially decided “not to intervene” in the application. Simon Sturgis,…
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1 AprilSupermarkets
Sainsbury’s axes 300 jobs as part of cost-cutting drive
Sainsbury’s is set to axe 300 jobs across its store support centres with plans to outsource the roles. First reported by Retail Week, the grocer will outsource the roles to Accenture, impacting employees working in food commercial, finance operations and people services and HR in Sainsbury’s central offices in Manchester,…
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1 AprilSupermarkets
Tesco to sell £2 lateral flow tests in stores across UK
Tesco has announced it will be selling CTDA-approved lateral flow tests in its stores nationwide from 1 April. Diagnostic healthcare company Everything Genetic has announced a deal which will see lateral flow devices stocked across thousands of Tesco’s stores and online from April 1, as the government moves to end…
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Mar- 2022 -31 MarchHigh Street
High street footfall continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels
Footfall levels remain 23% below pre-pandemic levels in February 2022 as rising costs are reportedly set to “batter” retailers from 1 April, according to RSM. The latest data from Datscha, analysed by RSM, shows the overall decline in footfall is the worst in London with numbers on Oxford Street down…
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30 MarchDIY
IKEA to close Tottenham store, putting 450 roles at risk
Ikea has announced the proposed closure of its Tottenham store in Edmonton, North London, placing the jobs of 450 co-workers at risk. The announcement forms part of the business’ £1bn transformation plan to further invest in London over the next three years to “better meet the needs” of its customers.…
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