Whitbread’s Costa Coffee has been given a boost by the poor British weather which has been enticing customers into outlets, helping the chain increase first-quarter sales. The company, which also owns the Premier Inn chain of hotels, said that sales... Read More
Mary Portas’ scheme has been widely criticized in the past few months for failing to draw crowds back onto the nation’s high streets. Instead of using the money awarded to towns taking part in the scheme for improvements and consumer initiatives, critics... Read More
Majestic Wine is defying the high street slump, as strong trading in more expensive wines helped offset a slow start to the year. The off-licence group has said sales to “commercial” customers were up 13.6 per cent in the year to April 1. Chief... Read More
In recent years, the internet has received the brunt of the blame for distracting consumers from local retailers. With a wealth of choice and variety at the fingertips of every shopper who owns a smartphone or computer, online marketing certainly has its... Read More
With property on the high street becoming increasingly popular with bookmakers and pawn shops rather than the traditional retailers, those attempting to increase town centre footfall have found themselves faced with something of a dilemma. While it is... Read More
The recent sunshine and increase in temperature across the UK has been welcomed by retailers, especially following last summer’s washout conditions. Yet unfortunately, May’s footfall figures have proven to be something of a disappointment after a... Read More
A bookmaker has won its case against a London council that threw out its application for an operator’s licence for a high street premises. Newham councillors rejected the bid from Paddy Power in February in, what was widely viewed as, a test case... Read More
Bill Grimsey, the former Chief Executive of Wickes, has put together a small team of experts to help combat the decline of the high street. Mary Portas was drafted in by the Government for this role, but he feels an alternative review of the high street is... Read More
During the recession, luxury brands such as Burberry struggled to draw in the crowds as consumers cut back on all but essentials in a bid to save money. However, surprisingly, the one area of the luxury market which remained resilient throughout was Health... Read More
Iconic British toymaker Hornby has posted annual losses, 150 years after the birth of its founder Frank Hornby. The firm, which also owns Corgi and Airfix, posted a pre-tax loss of £3.4 million in the year to March, blaming problems in its supply chain and a... Read More
