West Midlands

Retail footfall rises 1.5% amid warm weather and Oasis revival

Retail footfall rose by 1.5% week-on-week across all retail locations, primarily driven by a 2.9% increase in retail parks, followed by a 1.3% rise in high streets and a 0.9% uplift in shopping centres, according to the latest MRI Software’s data. Warmer weather, seasonal demand and the early momentum of…

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Poundland confirms plans to shutter 150 stores 

Poundland has confirmed that up to 150 stores and two distribution centres are set to close under a new restructuring plan, subject to court approval. Following Poundland’s acquisition by Gordon Brothers last week, an initial 68 stores will close, and along with rent reduction plans, its estate will eventually fall…

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Aldi to open 10 new stores this summer

Aldi is set to open 10 new stores over the next 14 weeks, while a further 30 stores will undergo a refresh. The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket, which now has more than 1,050 stores, will open new locations in Oldbury in the West Midlands, Fulham Broadway in London and Brighouse in…

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Outdoor & Cycle Concepts rebrands to Cotswold Outdoor Group

Outdoor and Cycle Concepts, the British company behind high-street brands Cotswold Outdoor, Runners Need and Snow + Rock, has been renamed to Cotswold Outdoor Group. Founded in the Cotswolds over 50 years ago in 1974, the company has updated its name to better reflect its business portfolio in 2025. The…

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UK retail footfall rebounds with high streets leading the way

Retail footfall rose by 1.8% overall for the week ended 7 March 2025 compared with the week before, driven by a 4.2% rebound in high street activity and by 0.1% in retail parks. However, shopping centres saw a 1.6% decline in footfall, reflecting cautious consumer behaviour ahead of Mother’s Day…

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Aldi to open four new stores across the UK

Aldi is set to open the doors to four new stores today (5 December) as it continues its rapid expansion drive across the UK. The stores will be located at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol, Hetton-le-Hole in Tyne and Wear, Ashton-in-Makerfield in Greater Manchester, and Macduff in Banffshire, creating more than…

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Footasylum opens upsized store at Merry Hill

Streetwear retailer Footasylum has launched its upsized store at Merry Hill shopping centre, tripling its footprint.  Combining its existing unit with the adjacent space, Footasylum has expanded its presence at Merry Hill from 3,000 to 10,000 sq ft. The upsized store introduces innovative features, including a mobile payment system that…

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Sephora opens new store in Birmingham

Sephora UK has opened a new beauty retail destination in the West Midlands’ shopping heartland, Birmingham’s Bullring and Grand Central.  The latest beauty store from the retailer is the sixth store to open in the UK as well as the first in the region. The new store in Birmingham is…

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Today’s news in brief-6/11/24

Marks & Spencer (M&S) reported a strong half-year performance, with profits rising 17.2% to £407.8m for the period ending 28 September 2024. Revenue increased by 5.7% to £6.48bn, attributed to the company’s “Reshape M&S for Growth” strategy. Food sales grew 8.1%, while Clothing and Home sales rose by 4.7%. Despite…

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Aldi to open 11 new UK stores ahead of Christmas

Aldi is set to open 11 new stores across the UK between now and Christmas. New stores in Sedgley in the West Midlands and Castle Douglas in Scotland are set to open this week, while Horsham in West Sussex and Muswell Hill in London are also gearing up to welcome…

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