Northern Ireland
This coverage focuses on retail developments in Northern Ireland, including store openings and closures, local consumer trends, investment initiatives, and regional market performance. Reporting examines how retailers adapt strategy, site selection, and operations to the region’s economic, cultural, and demographic context — providing insights for executives, managers, and professionals overseeing retail activity across Northern Ireland.
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Aug- 2025 -26 AugustHigh Street
Business rates ‘double hit’ to cost English firms £2.5bn
Businesses the length and breadth of England are “staring down the barrel” of a £2.5bn hike in property taxes from April 2026, as inflation and a new government stealth tax will combine to drive up business rates bills, according to analysis by global tax firm Ryan. A nationwide revaluation of…
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18 AugustHigh Street
Waterstones to open 10 new stores a year amid BookTok craze
Waterstones has revealed that it is opening 10 new stores a year as it looks to capitalise on social media trends such as BookTok leading to more young people reading. The retailer which owns the Waterstones, Foyles, Hatchards and Blackwell’s brands told The Guardian that its sales were up 5%…
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8 AugustEconomy
Footfall declines in July for second consecutive year
UK footfall fell by 0.4% year on year in July, according to data from the British Retail Consortium–Sensormatic IQ, marking a second consecutive year of decline for the month. The figure was a slight improvement on June’s 1.8% fall. High street footfall declined by 1.7%, compared with a 3.0% drop…
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Jul- 2025 -22 JulySupermarkets
Spending power falls for 40% of UK households, Asda finds
Some 40% of UK households have seen their spending power growth fall in June, according to the latest Asda Income Tracker. The decrease comes as inflation rose to a near 18-month high of 3.6% in June, driven in part by the rising cost of transport and food. According to the…
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11 JulyEconomy
Economy unexpectedly shrinks 0.1% in May
Monthly real gross domestic product (GDP) unexpectedly fell 0.1% in May 2025, following an unrevised fall of 0.3% in April 2025 and growth of 0.4% in March 2025, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.5% in the three…
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Jun- 2025 -24 JuneOnline & Digital
Amazon to invest £40bn as part of major UK expansion
Amazon has unveiled plans to invest £40bn in the UK over the next three years, which will see it build four new fulfilment centres and new delivery stations whilst creating thousands of jobs. As part of the investment it will also upgrade and expand its existing network of over 100…
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13 JuneHigh Street
Warm weather fails to boost footfall in May
Retail footfall across the UK declined by 1.7% compared with May 2024, spelling a sharp drop from the 7.2% rise recorded in April, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic Solutions. The downturn affected most retail locations, with High Streets down 2.5% year-on-year, and…
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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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9 JuneClothing & Shoes
Matalan to open 10 stores annually amid £25m investment
Matalan has announced that it is set to invest over £25m in its UK store estate following the £25m of additional funding secured from its anchor investors last month. This marks the first phase of a long-term programme to modernise Matalan’s full estate over the next three to five years…
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3 JuneProperty
Northern Ireland’s Abbey Centre sold to new owner for £59m
Abbey Centre in Northern Ireland has been sold by NewRiver to The Herbert Group of Companies in an off market deal for £58.8m. The 320,000 sq ft shopping centre, located six miles north of Belfast City Centre in Newtownabbey, houses over 70 shops and has a “strong” convenience offer, together…
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