Latest news with #Poundstretcher
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Bonnie Blue ‘KICKED OUT of City Ground after flouting ban as adult star gets into Chelsea away end vs Nottingham Forest'
Born in May 1999, Bonnie - whose real name is Tia Billinger - grew up in a small Derbyshire village, and attended the Friesland School in the village of Sandiacre. She has two half-siblings - a sister and a brother - who have always remained out of the public eye. She never knew her biological father, and considers stepfather Nicholas Elliott her dad. Bonnie also became something of a dance star in her local area, and competed in the British Street Dance Championships alongside her sister back in 2015. She also had a part-time job at Poundstretcher as a teenager. After school, she began working in recruitment. In October 2022, Bonnie married Oliver Davidson, who she had started dating when she was just 15. Once they were married, they moved to Australia, where Bonnie continued working in recruitment. However, it was in Australia that she decided to pursue a different line of work, and tried her luck as a 'cam girl' - crediting Oliver for giving her the confidence to enter the adult entertainment world. She quickly made a name for herself in the industry, and was soon making £5,000 a week. But while her work life was going from strength to strength, her relationship was crumbling, and she and Oliver split after almost a decade together. She moved over to OnlyFans following her cam girl success, and once again found fame on there. She quickly became a favourite on the site, especially thanks to her "niche" of sleeping with young male students - such as when she bedded 158 students during Nottingham Trent University's freshers week in September 2024. Bonnie is now estimated to be worth £3 million, and makes around £600,000 a month on OnlyFans. Her family are also supportive of her work, with mum Sarah Billinger even claiming she's her daughter's PA, and helps clean up after Bonnie's events - as well as handing out condoms to young clients. In January 2025, Bonnie claimed to have broken the world record for the most amount of sex in 12 hours, after apparently sleeping with 1,057 men from 1pm to 1am at a secret London event.
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Bonnie Blue ‘KICKED OUT of City Ground after flouting ban as adult star gets into Chelsea away end vs Nottingham Forest'
CONTROVERSIAL porn star Bonnie Blue appeared to be kicked out of Nottingham Forest's stadium. The adult film actor was issued a ban at the City Ground in April after offering to "entertain" fans before a game. 7 7 7 So Bonnie - real name Tia - wore a black wig and cap to disguise herself after entering Chelsea's away end against Forest. She said: "I am playing hide and seek with Nottingham Forest's security. The first security officer that finds me, gets to boink me." Bonnie was eventually found and escorted out - with footage circulating online capturing the moment. She then made a lewd gesture behind one of the security guards. Bonnie shot to recognition earlier this year after she claimed to break the world record for sex after allegedly sleeping with 1,057 men in 24 hours. She ditched her 9 to 5 to become a cam girl and later an adult film star. than another desperate publicity stunt. Who is Bonnie Blue? Born in May 1999, Bonnie - whose real name is Tia Billinger - grew up in a small Derbyshire village, and attended the Friesland School in the village of Sandiacre. She has two half-siblings - a sister and a brother - who have always remained out of the public eye. She never knew her biological father, and considers stepfather Nicholas Elliott her dad. Bonnie also became something of a dance star in her local area, and competed in the British Street Dance Championships alongside her sister back in 2015. She also had a part-time job at Poundstretcher as a teenager. After school, she began working in recruitment. In October 2022, Bonnie married Oliver Davidson, who she had started dating when she was just 15. Once they were married, they moved to Australia, where Bonnie continued working in recruitment. However, it was in Australia that she decided to pursue a different line of work, and tried her luck as a 'cam girl' - crediting Oliver for giving her the confidence to enter the adult entertainment world. She quickly made a name for herself in the industry, and was soon making £5,000 a week. But while her work life was going from strength to strength, her relationship was crumbling, and she and Oliver split after almost a decade together. She moved over to OnlyFans following her cam girl success, and once again found fame on there. She quickly became a favourite on the site, especially thanks to her "niche" of sleeping with young male students - such as when she bedded 158 students during Nottingham Trent University's freshers week in September 2024. Bonnie is now estimated to be worth £3 million, and makes around £600,000 a month on OnlyFans. Her family are also supportive of her work, with mum Sarah Billinger even claiming she's her daughter's PA, and helps clean up after Bonnie's events - as well as handing out condoms to young clients. In January 2025, Bonnie claimed to have broken the world record for the most amount of sex in 12 hours, after apparently sleeping with 1,057 men from 1pm to 1am at a secret London event. Bonnie opened up on how she was banned from Forest's ground on the Only Stans podcast. She said: "I recently went to a Nottingham Forest game. Well, I attempted to. Bonnie Blue arrested "I put on my socials, 'hey boys, I'm going to be at the game, I'd like to film with you afterwards'. "I turn up at the football game and the gate security was like, 'you are permanently banned from the ground'. "I thought when they asked me to go to the side, 'maybe they're upgrading my tickets, maybe they want to escort me to my seat, this is quite nice, it's a good service'. "They asked to see my tickets, I showed them and they took them off me, saying, 'we're escorting you off the premises'. "Apparently they don't discriminate against sex workers but I was banned because I was a sex worker. "I was going to encourage them (the players), give them a good time. I also think if I'm entertaining the supporters it's less people drinking so I'm actually doing something good for their health." 7 7 7
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Big discount retailer to shut shopping centre branch in blow to shoppers
A BUDGET retailer with over 300 branches has announced it will close in a bustling shopping centre. The loss is a huge blow to residents who rely on the discount products - and it's not the first essential shop to go. 1 Closing down sale signs flagged the exit of Poundstretcher in busy High Chelmer Shopping Centre, Chelmsford, Essex. Shocked locals swarmed Facebook after hearing the news, with one person writing: "Such a shame, always has a great range of products." Another commented "Noooo!", while a third fumed "there will be no shops left soon." It is currently unknown when the store is set to close - though we expect this will happen when stocks run out. The reason for the store's closure is also unknown. The Sun has reached out to Poundstretcher for comment. It is just the latest site to close in the Essex centre. HMV closed down in 2024 and was replaced by Superdrug, while Greggs replaced GAME in 2022. It is home to a host of popular brands such as JD Sports, Boots, and Primark. However like most high streets, it is constantly at risk of closures - as well as an avalanche of job losses. Millions hit by benefit cuts as Rachel Reeves warns 'if you can work, you should work!' in bid to fix 'broken system' Why are retailers closing stores? RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis. High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going. However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 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. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024. End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker. It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date. This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023. It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns. The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations. Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes. Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." HIGH STREET WOES Multiple formerly-stable highstreet icons have fallen prey to financial hardships over recent months. Shoezone closed several of its 297 branches in December, citing 'unviable trading costs.' And WHSmith has collapsed - since snapped up by Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital. The deal will see the WHSmith name vanish from the high street forever. The chain sold off almost 500 branches last month, with up to 20 set to shutter in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, high street fashion chain New Look has begun to close stores as it scales back its UK footprint. Nearly 100 stores are understood to be shutting - equivalent to around a quarter of its 364 shops. Stores in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, St Austell, Cornwall and Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf have launched closing down sales. Reports suggest that the company has been forced to accelerate the pace of store closures due to tax changes in the Autumn Budget. This comes down to the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers. The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is a huge blow to the high street - and the British Retail Consortium reckons these changes will rack up a £2.3billion bill for the sector.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Huge bargain retailer with 450 branches to close store in major city shopping centre visited by millions of people
AN enormous budget retailer has devastated devoted punters who have shopped there for decades after closing a store in a major city centre. Harsh posters announced the departure of Poundstretcher from Chelmsford's High Shopping Centre, having dolled up deals for 44 years in the Essex town. 3 3 3 Founded in 1971, the mall is certainly not going out of style, boasting three million visitors yearly, making Poundstretcher's closure all the more baffling. Large posters are slapped across the front of the iconic red branding, advertising the site's availability after Poundstretcher in Chelmsford shutters its doors, having opened in 1981. Heartbroken customers voiced their outrage on social media. Top fan Christine Ann Harrison wrote: 'Such a shame, always has a great range of products." Nancy, who has been a devoted shopper for thirty years, said: 'I am absolutely gutted, the staff were so lovely and it's my favourite part of my day. "I grew up going there with my Dad, which makes it all the more devastating. "So many memories, so much has changed. When will it stop? However, Anne pointed out that if the store was successful, it is unlikely that it would be closing down. She said: 'If they hadn't increased their prices so much, they'd be fine. 'If it were a BUSY centre, the shop would not be closing.' The shopping centre has had a rotating cast of outlets in recent years, with many older brands being replaced by the new high street staples. HMV closed in 2024, replaced by Superdrug, while GAME shut in 20222 with Greggs moving in. The massive mall, which has been flogging its wares since 1971, boasts a number of iconic brands, from saucy Ann Summers to trainer king JD Sports, Next and Primark. If punters are feeling peckish,it'ss home to Banan Tree, Cote Brasserie, Greggs and Turtle Bay if you fancy a tipple. The closure follows a rollercoaster period for the Bargain superstore chain. In 2023, it suffered heavy losses of £9.8m, closed twenty stores, and sacked 680 staff. But it claimed that its finances were looking up after being sold to Fortress and announcing a planned expansion.
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Shoppers run to Poundstretcher for ‘gorgeous' £4.99 bird feeder that gives your garden an extra floral touch
POUNDSTRETCHER is selling a pretty garden buy for attracting birds - and it's half the price of a near-identical product in The Range. With sizzling 21C sunshine on the way and scorching temperatures to last for weeks, many of us are likely planning on spending as much time as we can in the garden. 1 Gardening fans are loving the poppy bird feeder from Poundstretcher Credit: Facebook And there's nothing better than relaxing in your garden with a cuppa, whilst listening to the peaceful chirps of friendly birds. So you're keen to attract feathered friends in to your garden, then you've come to the right place. The cast iron poppy bird feeder is priced at just £4.99 and comes on a staked fitting to sit anywhere in your flowerbeds or lawn. The bird feeder is suitable for all types of bird feed or water. Its sturdy cast iron design means it will be able to withstand all weathers in your garden. And it can add an extra floral touch to your outdoor space, with a pop of colour too. The Poundstretcher team say: "Your feathery friends will definitely dine in style with these cast iron poppy wild bird feeders." In comparison, The Range is selling a Cast Iron Wild Bird Poppy Flower Dish Bird Feeder for £10.99, making the Poundstretcher buy £6 cheaper. Sharing the handy find on the BARGAIN LOVERS - Poundland, Home Bargains, B&M, Primark, The Range & More Facebook page, which boasts 808,000 members, one delighted gardening fan said: "Cast iron poppy bird feeders back in stock, perfect timing for VE day celebrations. Only £4.99." And other social media users are loving the pretty buy as one gushed: "They are gorgeous." Alan Titchmarsh's 'easiest' tip will fix bald patches on your lawn in two minutes flat this spring & no it's not seeding A second echoed: "They are lovely." Meanwhile, a third suggested more floral picks as she added: "They have got sunflowers and tulips in B&M as well… 5 pounds! I just got them today! Gorgeous!!" And if do visit B&M, they've got the perfect budget solar lights to make your garden sparkle. The Solar Powered Butterfly Ground Lights, which come in a pack of four multi-colour LEDs, is priced at just £4, down from £6. Simply place the lights on your garden or patio and watch as, at dusk, they transform your outdoor space into a magical haven. A product description reads: "Bring some magic to your garden with these Solar Powered Butterfly Ground Lights. "With a stunning multi-colour solar glow, these garden lights are the perfect decorative light to brighten up your outdoor space." Asda also has solar powered butterfly lights on offer, but these are priced at £9, more than double the price of the B&M version. The Asda lights come in a pack of 10, and can last up to eight hours when fully charged.
