Latest news with #AcocksGreen
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
High street chain with over 500 locations shuts long-standing branch and launches huge closing down sale
A POPULAR high street chain with more than 500 locations is shutting one of its branches — and everything inside must go. The Works in Acocks Green, Birmingham, which has been a familiar face on Warwick Road for over 20 years, is holding a huge closing down sale, with posters in the window reading: 'Sorry, we are closing! Everything must go.' 2 The stationery and books chain sits between Peacocks and New Image opticians but now appears to be preparing to vacate the unit. The closure follows several other big-name exits from the area, including Costa Coffee, which shut earlier this year. A spokesperson for The Works said: 'We are currently in negotiations with our landlord regarding our store in Acocks Green and would like to reassure customers that we're doing all we can to retain a presence in the town.' Locals have taken to social media to share their disappointment, calling the once-thriving centre 'finished'. One anonymous resident wrote: 'Can remember years ago you could spend hours mooching around all the shops they had... now all we have is barbers and nail bars. Such a shame.' Ann Kain added: 'One of the few decent shops left in The Green. What a dump now.' The closing down sale has seen prices slashed, with many items now going for less than half their usual price as the store clears its shelves. It comes as the high street faces mounting pressure across the UK, with more well-known names either cutting down locations or disappearing entirely. The Original Factory Shop is preparing to shut ten shops, including nine set to close this month. Why are shops closing stores? The firm previously warned some locations were no longer sustainable. Poundland is also closing its Surrey Quays branch in London this week, with a further 200 stores reportedly at risk. A final decision on the sale of the chain is expected in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, long-running department store Daniel of Ealing will shut its doors for good on June 8 after 120 years in business. It has launched a massive clearance sale to mark the closure. Iceland will also shut its College Square, Margate branch on June 21, though the supermarket has not confirmed the exact reason. Staff will be offered other roles within the business. Ginger, a family-run clothing store operating since the 1970s, will close for good on June 7 after nearly five decades on the high street. With more shops closing and fewer new businesses moving in, many local centres like Acocks Green are struggling to maintain footfall and retain a mix of useful shops. Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. 2
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Black and Asian people went overboard for Britain, says WW2 veteran
'Most black people went overboard and tried hard to make sure that they did their best for Britain,' says Prince Albert Jacob, a 99-year-old veteran from Trinidad who joined the RAF in 1943. Sat in a hotel lobby in London after a busy week of VE Day celebrations, Jacob describes feeling disappointed at findings from a recent survey that showed British people remained largely unaware of the black and Asian contribution to the second world war. 'That was my experience. Most of us tried our best to do our best for the country. I don't want to upset anyone, but I think it shows ignorance. How can you not know? Especially today with what's going on in this world,' he says. Jacob, who grew up in Port of Spain, Trinidad, left life as he knew at 17 to join the Royal Air Force, travelling to the US and Britain to repair planes. He still remembers the day the allies formally accepted Germany's surrender in 1945. 'I was stationed in Carlisle at the time. It was a shock. I wouldn't say you couldn't believe it, but it was a shock. It was a fantastic experience in the sense the first thing that comes to mind is going home. I'm going where it's warm again.' After the war, Jacobs went on to represent the GB team in running, before establishing a 30-year career as postmaster of Acocks Green post office. For 80 years, however, missing from his jackets were the war medals he was told he would receive after the war. At the time Jacob was unaware that you had to apply for the medals to receive them. That all changed two years ago, when he got talking to a neighbour. 'We had [Jacob and his wife] been living in Knowle for nearly 50 years and one day, one of my neighbours mentioned to me about the Royal Air Force. I told her that I used to be in the air force during the war and she couldn't believe it. I gave her my details and she got in touch with the military about my medals.' His face beams as he remembers the day the war medal, defence medal and a veteran's badge finally arrived in the post. 'I never want to take them off. Is it the right thing or the wrong thing? I don't know. I'm just thankful that people realise the contribution and appreciate what we did,' says Jacob. On receiving the medals, the veteran was quickly thrown into the media spotlight. The organisation, Why Are West Indians (WAWI), which works to promote 500 years of Caribbean contribution to British heritage, got in contact with Jacob to share his story. Reflecting on his experience in the war, Jacob remembers various instances where he experienced racism. Yet that did not take away away from what he describes as a thrilling period of his life. 'Parts of it were definitely exciting. Part of it was new experience. We got to attend lots of dances. We definitely knew more about the English than the English knew about us.' The best day of his life, however, came two months before his 100th birthday. To round off a week of VE celebrations Jacob found himself sat one row behind the king at Horse Guards Parade on Thursday. 'I had the opportunity of the king shaking my hand and wishing me well,' he said. 'It's a dream, I'm in heaven. It's something I will never forget – the most exciting day of my life, I would say.' Celebrating VE Day will always remain important for Jacob. 'Its a chance to appreciate those [who fought in the war] that are still alive. For those who have left us, we can't thank them but we can remember them for what they have done.'
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Moment Birmingham armed police swoop on knifeman holding combat knife on city street
This is the moment armed police captured a knifeman who had been openly brandishing a combat blade in Birmingham city centre. A CCTV operator had tracked Peter McClean who was seen brandishing the blade and hiding it up his sleeve on the street. He was detailed while waiting at a bus stop after police were called to the Bath Row area in a shock 8.30am swoop on Monday, March 3. READ MORE: Arcadian triple stabbing probe as police issue CCTV images of men officers want to trace READ MORE: Acocks Green tributes to 'Roger taken too soon' after police car 999 tragedy The 43-year-old, from Birmingham, was charged and later admitted with possession of a bladed article. He was jailed for six months after the hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, March 12. In a statement, police said: "A man's been jailed after we responded quickly to reports of someone with a knife in Birmingham city centre. "We were called to the Bath Row area on Monday 3 March, after key city centre partners reported a man carrying a weapon at around 8.30am. "City centre officers, supported by armed colleagues and police dogs rushed to the Bath Row area, seized the knife, and arrested Peter McClean. "The 43-year-old, from Birmingham, was charged with possession of a bladed article and pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates. "On Wednesday 12 March, he was given a six month prison sentence." Speaking after the case, Inspector Dan Thomas, from Birmingham Police, added: 'Outstanding joint work between our officers and city centre partners has seen a dangerous weapon taken off the streets and a man jailed for carrying it. 'Our teams are working tirelessly to keep the public safe, and we will always act on intelligence provided to us.' If you are concerned about suspicious activity, or any issues around anti-social behaviour and drug use, contact us via Live Chat or 101. In an emergency, always call 999, or go to Crimestoppers to anonymously report crime."
