Retail news

• Commercial property landlords banned from demanding rent arrears

  23-04-2020 20:30
  
  Temporary ban intended to protect UK retailers and other firms from ‘aggressive rent collection’ during coronavirus crisisCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCommercial property landlords in the UK have been temporarily banned from taking legal action against tenants who have not paid their rent, to protect retailers and other businesses from “aggressive rent collection” during the coronavirus crisis.Landlords are prohibited by the government
  
  Read more

• Can US Congress save small businesses? Ask FT reporters

  23-04-2020 19:34
  Laura Noonan and Lauren Fedor will be answering questions here throughout the day on the state of SBA rescue funds
  
  Read more

• Can Congress save US small businesses? FT reporters answer your questions

  23-04-2020 19:34
  Laura Noonan and Lauren Fedor respond to your queries on the state of SBA rescue funds
  
  Read more

• Gap stops paying landlords as retailers reel from virus lockdown

  23-04-2020 18:29
  Clothing chain details deteriorating cash position while Target warns on profit margins
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Coronavirus: what would a year of physical distancing mean for the UK?

  23-04-2020 18:24
  
  Some restrictions likely to be gradually eased but older people may be stuck at homeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe public have been warned to brace themselves for another year of physical distancing measures, with the chief medical officer for England, Prof Chris Whitty, saying it is time to be realistic about what lies ahead.But what would a new normal of physical distancing look like? Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Hammerson’s £400m retail park sale thrown in doubt

  23-04-2020 18:04 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Orion is seeking to pull out of a deal which involved it buying Hammerson’s £400m retail park portfolio
  // Orion said it “did not intend to complete” the £400m dealHammerson’s prospective buyer of its £400 million retail park portfolio is looking to pull out of the deal.
  The shopping centre giant said the Orion European real estate fund had said it “did not intend to complete” the £400 million deal they had agreed on February 21 for
  
  Read more

• Gear4music sales smash £120m amid Covid-19

  23-04-2020 17:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Gear4music posts rise in total sales to £120.3m
  // UK sales reached £61.6m
  // The retailer expects full-year EBITDA to be up from £2.3m in the previous yearGear4music has reported a nine per cent rise in total sales to £120.3 million in the year to March 31.
  The musical instruments retailer said its UK sales rose by five per cent to £61.8 million during the period while international sales climbed by 15 per cent to £58.5 million
  Meanwhile, it expects its fu
  
  Read more

• What would a year of physical distancing mean for the UK?

  23-04-2020 16:24
  
  Some restrictions likely to be gradually eased but older people may be stuck at homeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe public has been warned to brace themselves for another year of physical distancing measures, with the chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, saying it was time to be realistic about what lies ahead.But what would a new normal of physical distancing look like? Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Coronavirus will cause 'lasting changes' to shopping habits, says Unilever boss

  23-04-2020 16:05
  
  Alan Jope predicts continued growth in online shopping and higher sales of cleaning productsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe coronavirus pandemic will trigger “lasting changes” in shopping behaviour, according to one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of grocery brands.Unilever’s chief executive, Alan Jope, said the health crisis would accelerate the growth of online food shopping. He also predicted a permanent increase in demand for
  
  Read more

• Sainsbury’s rolls out new safety screens between checkouts

  23-04-2020 15:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Sainsbury’s installs new safety screens between checkouts to speed up shopping time
  // New screens will keep customers and colleagues safe at the checkout and reduce queues
  // Sainsbury’s is first retailer to reopen such a large number of manned checkoutsSainsbury’s has started to roll out new safety screens between manned checkouts in 150 of its busiest supermarkets to speed up shopping time and reduce queues.
  The Big 4 retailer said the new social distancing measure makes
  
  Read more

• Cath Kidston u-turns to pay wages owed to staff made redundant

  23-04-2020 15:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Cath Kidston agrees to pay 3 weeks of wages owed to staff made redundant
  // Affected staff were initially told – less than a week before payday – they would not be paid at all
  // 908 staff were made redundant on Tuesday when Cath Kidston fell into administrationCath Kidston has agreed to pay three weeks of wages owed to staff made redundant after initially telling them less than a week before payday that they would not be paid at all.
  When 908 staff members were made redundant aft
  
  Read more

• Morrisons gives farmers 5% shopping discount for feeding nation through crisis

  23-04-2020 13:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Morrisons announces new measure to support farmers during the coronavirus pandemic
  // This includes a 5% discount on shopping in Morrisons stores to thank them for feeding the nation
  // Morrisons also opening steak and seafood bars to support struggling farmers and fishermenMorrisons has announced new measures to say thank you to British farmers for their efforts in helping to feed the nation since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the country.
  The Big 4 grocer is offering a five per cent disc
  
  Read more

• Shop workers endure sharp rise in abuse & threats in wake of coronavirus

  23-04-2020 13:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // A survey from Usdaw shows that incidents have doubled since March 14, up from once a fortnight last year
  // Since March 14, 62.2% have been verbally abused, 29% threatened and 4% reported a physical assault
  // An estimated 3500 assaults per day took place since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the UKShop workers have been verbally abused, threatened or assaulted every week during the coronavirus crisis, according to “shocking” new research.
  A survey by the Usdaw union suggested th
  
  Read more

• Ocado accused of hiking nearly 1000 prices and cutting 11,000 promotions during crisis

  23-04-2020 12:02 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Ocado has been accused of raising the prices of nearly 1000 products during the COVID-19 crisis as it continues to face a backlash from customers on social media.
  According to a report from the Daily Mail, leaked documents seen by the publication show that the prices of 918 items had risen between March 4 and April 8.
  While the prices of 450 items had been cut, 11,087 promotions had also been removed during that time, around four times more than the next highest Tesco.
  The leaked data also
  
  Read more

• Coronavirus: Studio secures £200m to preserve liquidity

  23-04-2020 11:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Studio withdraws revolving credit facility (RCF) of £85 million
  // It has secured £200 million to ensure it has sufficient liquidity
  // The RCF has resulted in net debt of £53 millionStudio has withdrawn a revolving credit facility (RCF) of £85 million and a securitisation facility of £200 million to ensure it has sufficient liquidity for its near-term requirements amid the Covid-19 crisis.
  The RCF was fully drawn on March 27, resulting in net debt of £
  
  Read more

• Browns pledges to honour all product orders amid Covid-19

  23-04-2020 11:17 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Browns won’t cancel any product orders to help minimise Covid-19’s impact on emerging labels
  // The retailer has also launched its ‘Family Affair’ initiative to support young designers in lockdownBrowns has pledged to honour all the orders placed with the designer labels it sells as the Covid-19 outbreak forces many retailers to cancel their orders.
  “Our business is nurtured by our staff and our values,” Browns chief executive Holli Rogers said to FashionNe
  
  Read more

• Ebay and NHS create dedicated portal for frontline healthcare workers to order free vital PPE

  23-04-2020 10:54 via chargedretail.co.uk
  
  Ebay is working with the NHS to create a new dedicated portal allowing frontline healthcare workers to order personal protective equipment (PPE) for free.
  Working in partnership with the NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care and the army, Ebay has created the portal in a matter of days which it says is now in the final stages of testing.
  Its new portal, announced during yesterday’s Government Coronavirus briefing, will provide any primary care and social care providers on the healt
  
  Read more

• Retailers need several weeks’ notice to reopen, BRC warns

  23-04-2020 10:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // BRC warns government that retailers need weeks’ notice to plan the reopening of stores
  // Retailers will need to secure PPE for staff so planning is needed beforehandThe BRC has reportedly warned the government that retailers will need several weeks’ notice to plan the reopening of shops to secure personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff in the face of coronavirus.
  The trade organisation wrote to business secretary Alok Sharma to highlight the logistical considerations the re
  
  Read more

• UK seeks to borrow £225bn to fund huge surge in public spending

  23-04-2020 10:35
  
  Borrowing for just four months nears annual peak figure for 2009-10 financial crisis as coronavirus ravages economyThe government plans to borrow £225bn from bond market investors in just four months to fund the huge increase in public spending during the coronavirus pandemic.In an early indicator of the soaring financial costs of the crisis, the Treasury said its debt management office – which sells bonds to finance the government’s spending requirements – would offer in
  
  Read more

• LK Bennett extends administration for another year

  23-04-2020 10:07 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // LK Bennett extends administration process for another year due to “property matters”
  // It also extended it for other remaining work that needs to addressed
  // The administration will now last until March 7, 2021LK Bennett’s administration process has been extended for another year as joint administrators seek to complete remaining work and address “property matters”.
  According to the fashion retailer’s latest administration report, the joint administrators
  
  Read more

• DFS secures funds of £70m to preserve liquidity

  23-04-2020 09:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // DFS secures £70m banking facility alongside its existing £250m revolving credit facility
  // The retailer completed a placing of about 42.6m new shares, representing 19.9% of issued share capitalDFS has completed a placing of about 42.6 million new shares, representing 19.9 per cent of its issued share capital.
  It comes as the furniture retailer secured an additional £70 million banking facility and raised a further £64 million through a share placing.
  The new 12-month
  
  Read more

• Primark endorses UN call for garment worker support

  23-04-2020 09:33 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Primark backs UN’s call for fashion industry stakeholders to support garment workers affected by coronavirus
  // The UN’s International Labour Organisation called for “urgent collaboration” across the fashion industry
  // Aims to ensure business continuity, payment of wages & income support, and to protect “health & livelihoods of millions of garment workers”Primark has endorsed the UN’s call for fashion industry stakeholders to support garment
  
  Read more

• Laura Ashley rescued from administration

  23-04-2020 09:10 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Laura Ashley rescued from administration by Gordon Brothers
  // Gordon Brothers acquired Laura Ashley’s global brand, its archives & related intellectual property from administration
  // Gordon Brothers intends to build ecommerce, develop wholesale & franchise relationshipsLaura Ashley has been rescued from administration by global advisory, restructuring and investment firm Gordon Brothers.
  Gordon Brothers acquired Laura Ashley’s global brand, its archives and related intel
  
  Read more

• Pandemics and the question of resilience

  23-04-2020 07:00
  Arguments for greater business resilience post-coronavirus are fair, but we should recognise that its a bargain that might not be worth striking.
  
  Read more

• How will US small businesses survive coronavirus? Ask FT reporters

  23-04-2020 06:00
  Laura Noonan and Lauren Fedor will be answering questions here throughout the day on the state of SBA rescue funds
  
  Read more

• Can US small businesses survive outbreak? Ask FT reporters

  23-04-2020 06:00
  Laura Noonan and Lauren Fedor will be answering questions here throughout the day on the state of SBA rescue funds
  
  Read more

• Can US small businesses survive coronavirus? Ask FT reporters

  23-04-2020 06:00
  Laura Noonan and Lauren Fedor will be answering questions here throughout the day on the state of SBA rescue funds
  
  Read more

• England’s oldest factory plots survival tactics post-shutdown

  23-04-2020 05:00
  John Smedley, maker of knitwear worn by monarchs and pop stars, says more help is needed 
  
  Read more

• Cath Kidston agrees to hand over pay owed to UK staff in U-turn

  23-04-2020 01:03
  
  Decision comes after an outcry from workers when all 60 UK stores were permanently closedCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCath Kidston has agreed to hand over three weeks of back pay owed to staff after outcry over the treatment of more than 900 workers left struggling for cash by being made redundant less than a week before pay day.Just over 900 people who were made redundant on Tuesday, with immediate effect, were told they would not be paid more than three wee
  
  Read more

• Ted Baker names new chairman

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Fashion retailer Ted Baker has appointed John Barton as its new chairman. Due to join the company’s board in July, Barton has been chairman of EasyJet... View Article
  
  Read more

• Laura Ashley sold to Gordon Brothers

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Laura Ashley brand has been sold by administrators to Gordon Brothers for an undisclosed sum. The retailer’s archives and intellectual property were also included in... View Article
  
  Read more

• Laura Ashley brand sold to Gordon Brothers

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Laura Ashley brand has been sold by administrators to Gordon Brothers for an undisclosed sum. The retailer’s archives and intellectual property were also included in... View Article
  
  Read more

• Ingenico Enterprise Retail and Limonetik present the Payments Overview Infographics

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  With the year 2020 approaching and the start of a new decade full of promises, Ingenico Enterprise Retail and Limonetik, two experts of payments in Europe... View Article
  
  Read more

• Gear4music posts strong full year sales uplift

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Gear4music saw its total sales increase by 9% to £120.3 million in the year to 31 March. The online musical instruments retailer increased its UK sales... View Article
  
  Read more

• COVID-19: How a pandemic led to an eLearning demand

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Logile Guest Blog: Xeny Lopez Matos – Instructional Designer and Training Specialist.  eLearning, or electronic learning, is defined as the use of electronic technologies to access educational material... View Article
  
  Read more

• Boots hires 500 extra drivers to deliver essential medicine during covid-19 crisis

  23-04-2020 01:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Boots has recruited an extra 500 drivers to help it deliver prescriptions to vulnerable people across the UK. The new recruits have joined the retailer’s pharmacy... View Article
  
  Read more

Follow @retailuknws on Twitter!