Pandemic
This coverage examines the impact of pandemics on the UK retail industry, focusing on operational disruption, financial challenges, consumer behaviour shifts, and recovery strategies. Reporting highlights store closures, safety measures, supply chain pressures, leadership decisions, and lessons learned to enhance resilience. Tailored for executives and managers, it provides insights to navigate crisis situations and strengthen preparedness.
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Dec- 2020 -24 DecemberHigh Street
Ann Summers CVA approved by creditors
Ann Summers has announced that its CVA has been approved by 90% of its creditors, which will see 25 of its stores move to a turnover-based rent system. In a statement, the lingerie store outlined the plans of the agreement with additional funding of up to £10m now being made…
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24 DecemberClothing & Shoes
Clarks shareholders approve £100m LionRock Capital rescue deal
Clarks has announced that its shareholders have approved a financial rescue deal from a Hong Kong-based private equity company. LionRock Capital will invest £100m in the shoe retailer as part of a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA). As a result of this new partnership, none of Clarks’ 320 stores will have…
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23 DecemberAdvice
Four positive signals of a happy new year for retailers in 2021
The resilience of retail has been a remarkable success story of 2020 in the face of continuing huge challenges. The pandemic has forced new ways of trading, from the obvious ways of ensuring COVID-safe spaces to rethinking how to target consumers spending the majority of their lives at home. For…
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22 DecemberAnalysis
Planning for the Future White Paper
The Government published the Planning for the Future White Paper in August, hailing it as a once in a generation opportunity to fix a planning system that has long been regarded as not fit for purpose. Although the White Paper recognises that the planning system faces a number of challenges…
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21 DecemberCoronavirus
Tier 4 will bring ‘severe’ consequences to retail sector, warns BRC
Retail will face “severe” consequences in light of heightened restrictions across much of the UK, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned. It comes after prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that Tier 4 restrictions would be introduced in London and the South East, effective from yesterday (20 December). Under Tier…
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18 DecemberCoronavirus
Retail sales down 3.8% in November
Retail sales in November were down 3.8% compared to the previous month, according to the latest figures published by the ONS. The office reported that the decline in sales was a result of many stores’ decisions to cease trading following government guidance during the coronavirus pandemic. Figures show that in…
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17 DecemberCoronavirus
Furlough scheme extended until April 2021
The furlough scheme has been extended until the end of April 2021 with the government continuing to contribute 80% towards wages to employee’s pay, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed today (17 December). The government will also extend current government-guaranteed Covid-19 business loan schemes until the end of March. This includes…
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17 DecemberCoronavirus
Non-essential retail to close in Wales
The First Minister of Wales has confirmed that the country will move to alert level four amid rising Covid-19 cases, with all non-essential retail ordered to close at the end of trading on Christmas Eve. Close contact services and all leisure and fitness centres will also close on 24 December,…
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16 DecemberClothing & Shoes
Ocado has largest pay gap between CEO and staff, report finds
Online grocer Ocado reportedly has the highest pay gap between workers on the shop floor and those in senior level positions, according to a new report by the High Pay Centre. The report found that Ocado’s CEO Tim Stenier was paid £58.7m last year, while his employees made an average…
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16 DecemberElectrical
Dixons Carphone sales soar in half-year results
Dixons Carphone has announced that like-for-like electrical sales soared by 17% in the half-year ended 31 October 2020, despite the fact that stores in the UK, Ireland and Greece were shut for “substantial” periods throughout the year. In the same period, statutory profit before tax rose to £45m, up from…
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