Alan Monahan writes: A month ago I mentioned in my column that the British Retail Consortium was calling for a two-year freeze on business rates. Helen Dickinson, its chief executive, has now reopened discussion about the outmoded tax system and the woes of our industry. She doesn’t believe that a successful transformation can be achieved
Retail Reflections: Why small retailers matter Read More »
June’s good weather resulted in a marginal year-on-year improvement in footfall across the nation’s high streets, delivering the second month of consecutive growth since November 2017. However, retail parks and shopping centres have had ‘an altogether more difficult time’. The overall trend of fewer visits to bricks and mortar stores remains, said British Retail Consortium
Retail news round-up: Footfall and sales; Boost for NEC; John Lewis ‘pilot stores’ Read More »
Alan Monahan writes: And so to Harrogate. Next week I will be happily heading to the Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival in the spa town as I have done for the past 23 years. Driving to North Yorkshire, my spirits will be lifted as I re-enter the time warp that is Harrogate in the knowledge
Retail sales grew at their fastest pace since September 2017 in the year to June, according to the CBI’s latest Distributive Trades Survey. It also revealed that sales volumes were well above average for the time of year. Additionally, the survey reported a jump in growth in the volume of orders placed on suppliers. The
Retail news round-up: Sales; business and consumer confidence; surplus shops Read More »
Total like-for-like in-store sales were down by -10.1% in March from a flat base last year, according to BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker. BDO said that the second worst month on record was primarily due to the severe winter weather. Footfall dropped by -3.3% over the four-day Easter weekend from Easter last year, but Springboard
Alan Monahan writes: Like me, I’m sure that many of you have been niggled by the constant media references – BBC Breakfast is a repeat offender – to failing retail outlets being on the high street, when they are clearly not. So I punched the air in approval when I read a letter in the
Retail Reflections: Tough times, but a glimmer of hope on the horizon Read More »
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