Wales
This coverage highlights retail developments and economic trends specific to Wales, examining store openings and closures, regional sales performance, employment issues, and policy changes affecting the retail sector. Reporting provides retail managers and executives with insights into the unique challenges and opportunities shaping retail operations across Welsh towns and cities.
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Jan- 2020 -2 JanuaryAdvice
The internet need not be the scourge of every sector – just ask the CEO of Mountain Warehouse
The last decade in business was arguably characterised by one word: disruption. While the internet behemoths had already begun building serious fortunes in the 2000s, most would agree it was after 2010 that things really started motoring. Heralded as the great democratiser of information and services, the effects of a…
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Oct- 2019 -22 OctoberHigh Street
Wilko strikes called off after staff accept ‘improved’ work rota
Strike action by GMB members at Wilko have been called off after staff accepted a new deal offered by the company. Around 1,800 GMB members at two Wilko distribution centres – in Magor, Wales and Worksop, Nottinghamshire – were due to walk out on 21 and 22 October over “forced”…
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1 OctoberHigh Street
FRC to investigate Thomas Cook auditor following collapse
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has announced it will be investigating Thomas Cook’s auditor EY, following its collapse last week which left 21,000 staff out of work and as many as 15,000 British tourists stranded abroad. The investigation will look into the audit by EY of the financial statements of…
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Aug- 2019 -29 AugustHigh Street
Retailers urged to do more to prevent sales of knives to under 18s
Trading Standards is urging retailers to do more to prevent the sale of knives to children, after 15% of its test saw under 18s sold knives last year. Of 2231 tests, carried out in England and Wales between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, retailers failed to prevent the…
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12 AugustAdvice
Calculating holiday pay correctly
We are now in the depths of summer and numerous employees are no doubt enjoying their annual leave entitlement to escape the typical British weather. But whilst their holidays are hopefully trouble-free, calculating holiday pay can be a tricky business. What happens when employers don’t get it right? Background As…
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Jun- 2019 -17 JuneEconomy
20,000 shops gone from high street since 2010
Since 2010 more than 20,000 shops have “disappeared” from high streets and the communities that they once served, according to the real estate advisor, Altus Group. Analysis of official government data by Altus Group revealed that between 2010 and 2019, 20,143 shops in England and Wales – liable for business…
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7 JuneSupermarkets
Lidl partners with charity-toy vending company
CharityPodz, the company behind the UK’s first charity-toy vending machines, has announced a new partnership with supermarket Lidl after raising over £400,000 for UK charities. The machines have been rolled out in over 500 Lidl stores, with donations going directly to the NSPCC. The vending machines are located in major…
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May- 2019 -16 MayAnalysis
The state of the UK high street in 2019
We may only be in the first half of the 2019 but there has already been a continuation of 2018’s disastrous year for the UK high street. In recent weeks we’ve seen Debenhams slide into administration with other household names like fashion retailer Select and off-license group Oddbins both close…
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1 MayEconomy
Company insolvencies reach five-year high
New figures from the Insolvency Service show the first quarter of 2019 had the second highest underlying level of insolvencies in any quarter since Q1 2014. According to the figures, there were 4,187 total underlying company insolvencies in England and Wales in Q1 2019, a rise of 6.3% on the…
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Mar- 2019 -12 MarchGovernment
Digital Services Tax extended to include 2% ‘Amazon tax’
High streets government minister, Jake Berry, has promised to extend the Digital Services Tax to include a “2% tax on online retail” to save Britain’s high streets. Berry confirmed that the tax, announced at last October’s Autumn Budget, would be extended to online retailers saying if the government cannot secure…
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