Scotland
This coverage explores retail developments and economic conditions across Scotland, featuring reporting on store openings and closures, regional sales trends, employment challenges, and policy decisions affecting the sector. Insights are tailored for retail managers and executives seeking to understand the specific dynamics shaping retail operations in Scottish markets.
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Jan- 2021 -12 JanuaryGovernment
New top-up grants to be given to Scottish retail
Eligible Scottish retail firms that have been impacted by tier four restrictions are set to receive a one-off top-up grant from the Scottish government. A “financial lifeline” of £9,000 will be provided to businesses in the industry with a rateable value of over £50,001, while £6,000 will be given to…
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Dec- 2020 -24 DecemberCoronavirus
Boxing Day sales set to plummet for third year in a row
Retailers must prepare to be “hard hit” during this year’s Boxing Day sales period, with spending expected to be down for the third year in a row, according to a new retail report by VoucherCodes.co.uk. Its latest Shopping for Christmas 2020 report, carried out by the Centre for Retail Research,…
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7 DecemberAdvice
Re-energising retail in 2021: Three challenges and one solution
The story of retail in 2020 is one of extreme contrasts. On the one hand, the Amazons, Asos and supermarket operators of the world have all enjoyed tremendous success; on the other, almost every other segment of the industry has been decimated. More than 11,000 chain outlets shut in the…
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1 DecemberCoronavirus
Footfall surges for second week thanks to Black Friday
Footfall on Black Friday increased by 8.7%, helping to mark the first time since late August that the figures have increased in two consecutive weeks, according to the latest data from Springboard. The data shows that footfall in the UK rose by 4.8% across all retail destinations last week, which…
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Nov- 2020 -20 NovemberSupermarkets
Aldi expands delivery trial to 130 stores
Aldi has announced it is expanding its on-demand delivery trial with Deliveroo to 130 stores across the UK, with the service set to now be available in Scotland and Wales. Last month, the supermarket chain confirmed it had expanded the trial to 42 stores, including sites in Bristol and Liverpool.…
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16 NovemberClothing & Shoes
Arcadia Group enters ‘urgent’ borrowing talks
Arcadia Group, the parent company of Topshop, has reportedly entered “urgent” borrowing talks in a bid to secure funding and “aid its survival prospects”. According to Sky News, the group, owned by Sir Philip Green, has sought several potential lenders in its efforts to borrow around £30m to support the…
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5 NovemberCoronavirus
Chancellor extends furlough scheme to March
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that the furlough scheme will be extended until the end of March, amid increased measures for business support as the UK enters a four-week lockdown. Payments are set to remain at 80% of employee’s wages. It comes as the chancellor said that it was “right…
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Oct- 2020 -28 OctoberClothing & Shoes
Next Q3 sales fall 17%
Fashion retailer Next has reported a 17.9% decline in Q3 amid the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said its markdown sales were 12.3% lower than last year attributing to “lower footfall” in retail stores and “capacity constraints” in the online warehouses. Cash flow forecast increased by £25m,…
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27 OctoberClothing & Shoes
EWM begins shuttering small number of stores
The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group (EWM) has reportedly already marked a small number of stores for closure as it continues to try and secure its future amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Drapers, EWM branded stores in Penrith, Cumbria and Dingwall in Scotland closed permanently over the weekend (24-25 October)…
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27 OctoberEconomy
UK weekly retail footfall drops by 1.2%
Retail footfall in the UK has dropped by 1.2% in the last week from the previous seven days, according to recent figures released by Springboard. This continues a growing trend of decreasing footfall figures, with the prior week clocking in a decline of 3.1% Springboard’s data revealed the majority of…
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