Manchester
This coverage highlights retail activity, trends, and developments in Manchester, a key UK retail hub. Reporting includes store openings and closures, property developments, local economic impacts, retail performance data, and insights into regional strategies by national and independent brands. Tailored for executives and managers, it supports strategic planning for those engaged in retail operations and expansion in the North West.
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Dec- 2025 -8 DecemberPeople Moves
New Look appoints Mark Matthews as new retail director
New Look has announced the appointment of Mark Matthews as retail director, succeeding Elaine Cartwright, who has spent over a decade at the company. In his role, Matthews will be responsible for New Look’s store estate and for implementing the company’s omnichannel strategy across stores to drive sales and enhance…
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5 DecemberHigh Street
Footfall slips in Nov as Black Friday fails to lift shopper numbers
Total UK footfall fell 0.8% year-on-year in November, compared with a 0.7% decline in October, as Black Friday failed to produce the much needed boost for retailers, according to the latest data from the BRC. High street footfall decreased 1.2% after a 0.6% rise in October, while retail parks saw…
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3 DecemberFeatures
Inside Quiz’s measured return to store expansion
Quiz Clothing is entering a new phase. After two difficult years marked by falling demand due to fading relevance with its core shopper, and a short spell in administration, the Glasgow-based fashion retailer is preparing to expand again. The business, which operates 40 UK stores and works with franchise and…
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1 DecemberSupermarkets
Asda sales fall 2.8% in Q3 amid ‘severe’ tech disruption
Asda has seen like-for-like sales fall by 2.8% in the third quarter, as trading was hit by “severe” disruption to its systems following a major technology cutover amid Project Future. Project Future is a multiyear programme which aims to separate around 2,500 legacy systems and move operations onto new platforms.…
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Nov- 2025 -27 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Topshop and THG Studios plan ‘world first’ AI-driven catwalk show
Topshop and creative marketing agency THG Studios are planning an AI-driven, shoppable catwalk show in Manchester next year. The event, scheduled for 26 February 2026 at THG Studios’ facility in the city, will be certified by the World Record Certification Agency and is set to be the “world’s first” AI-driven immersive,…
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18 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Quiz LFL sales rise 6% after launch of partywear range
Quiz has reported a 6% rise in like-for-like sales after introducing what it described as its largest partywear collection. The 250-piece womenswear range, launched at the end of October, has given the Scottish-based retailer what it said was a “strong start” to the Christmas trading period. The range includes 200…
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11 NovemberShopping Centres
ProCook opens largest UK store at Manchester Arndale
Kitchenware retailer ProCook has signed a 10-year lease for a 5,052 sq ft unit at Manchester Arndale, becoming the shopping centre’s first dedicated kitchenware brand. The new store is anticipated to be ProCook’s largest in the UK and its first in central Manchester. The company, which operates as a direct-to-consumer…
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3 NovemberClothing & Shoes
ME+EM reports 24% sales rise driven by US expansion
British womenswear brand ME+EM has reported a 24% rise in annual revenues to £147.9m, driven by strong international demand and expansion in the United States. The company said sales in the US grew 61% to £47.3m in the year to January 2025, following the launch of four new stores including…
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Oct- 2025 -31 OctoberPeople Moves
Matalan appoints Ruth Golightly as head of buying for childrenswear
Matalan has appointed the former George at Asda buying and design head Ruth Golightly as head of buying for childrenswear. Golightly joins from Manchester-based Blues Group, where she spent three years as senior director for design, sales and licensing. Before that, she held a series of senior buying roles at…
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24 OctoberClothing & Shoes
AllSaints profits soar ‘record’ 55% to £28m in FY25
AllSaints has reported another year of record profitability for the year to 1 February, as profits before tax jumped 55% to £28m, while profit after tax almost doubled to £18.9m. This comes despite total revenues for the year falling 4% to £441.3m, reflecting what the group described as a “deliberate…
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