Latest news with #SurreyQuays
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Moment fare dodger finds out he owes TfL more than £3,500 after swerving fares for over a year using a 'card his friend gave him'
This is the moment a fare dodger was told he owes more than £3,500 in unpaid ticket costs after avoiding charges for over a year while using a 'card his friend gave him'. The man had been using the bank card for over a year - despite having no money on it - when he was caught by TfL investigators at Surrey Quays station in London 's docklands. While the card had been accepted by the ticket reader each time, it had later resulted in a payment failure. This meant he was able to force the exit gates to open at a station without having to pay the TfL travel charge, racking up thousands of unpaid fees. The unsuspecting man was snared on his way to work, with investigators able to trace his usual journey and identify him on CCTV. After being taken in for an interview, the man claims he 'found' the card, before changing his mind and saying it was given to him by a friend. But this does little to convince the officers, as they reveal he owes TfL an eye-watering £3,573 from more than 500 journeys taken in over a year. The elaborate sting was captured in the latest episode of Channel 5 documentary 'Fare Dodgers: At War with the Law'. The investigators tell the fare-dodger he had been using the bank card for over a year - despite having no money on it The unsuspecting man was snared on his way to work, with investigators able to trace his usual journey and identify him on CCTV TfL investigator Lisa and her colleague spotted the man just as he was exiting the barriers at Surrey Quays train station. She asks the man to show her the card he used to tap out before asking where he got it. The man replies: 'No it's not mine, I found it.' 'Oh that's a whole different ball game now,' Lisa adds. She then checks the card on her own scanner, which confirms her suspicions that the card is faulty. 'You see there it's failed? So me and you need to have a conversation. So I am going to ask you in for an interview.' The fare dodger then asks: 'Is it going to take a long time? I'm working,' to which Lisa replies: 'It's going to take as long as it takes.' As she begins interviewing the man, Lisa tells him an investigation into the card shows that he had been using it illegally. 'At this point because of this card I do believe you have committed an offence, so at this point I am going to caution.' Lisa continues questioning the man, asking where he got the card. He tells her it was given to him by a friend 'When you have been travelling to Surrey Quays everyday to go to work, do you know that you were not paying TfL for your travel?' The man replies: 'My friend told me you can use this card for travelling.' He goes on to admit that, after being shown evidence of his fare dodging, he has not paid his full fare for that morning's journey. However, this is not the first time he has used the card and the total amount he owes seems to much larger than he initially thought. 'The next bit I am about to show you might be a bit of a shock,' Lisa tells the man. 'All of those journeys do add up to quite a bit.' She reveals the man has racked up £3,573 in unpaid TfL charges, which seems to hit him with a sense of disbelief. 'You have had that card for over a year and they have never been paid,' Lisa adds. Taken about by the amount, the fare dodger apologises for his actions. 'I'm so sorry about this one. My friend gave me this card.' He goes on to sign a document admitting to dodging fares on more than 500 journeys. This means his case will now be passed on to the TfL prosecution team, who will decide the next steps. The man continues to apologise and tells Lisa he will now buy his own TfL card. 'I don't think I can see this guy reoffending again. I think he was quite surprised by the amount it had risen to and I think he has learnt his lesson. Fingers crossed.' The second episode of the new series of Fare Dodgers last week saw a rail fare dodger finally caught by investigators after evading nearly £20,000 in ticket costs in one of Britain's biggest ever cases of its kind. The offender had been paying for only a small part of his full journey from Surrey to London Waterloo, when he bought an e-ticket only from Vauxhall to Waterloo. While this made his ticket much cheaper, the passenger was also using a 16-17 Saver Railcard he is not entitled to for a half-price discount which further reduced the price. A South Western Railway revenue protection team identified him through CCTV and then eventually caught him in the act at Waterloo station to pursue a prosecution, after finding he had been evading an average of £35 each day going back to 2022.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Poundland shutting another three branches with 200 more at risk – see full list of stores closing in days
POUNDLAND is set to close three more stores over the coming weeks with up to 200 stores at risk. The bargain retailer will close a number of branches weeks ahead. 1 This includes three branches across Filton, London and Cowes, which are due to begin closing as soon as this Saturday. The South Gloucestershire store is due to shut on May 31 giving shoppers just shy of a week to say their goodbyes. News of the closure came as a shock to locals who described the move as a "shame". Others said they were "gutted" for the staff that work there. A spokesperson for the brand confirmed the closure to The Sun and also said shoppers are welcome to visit nearby sites in Emersons Green Retail Park store or other locations across Bristol. Meanwhile, a branch in Surrey Quays, in London will close on June 11. Finally, a branch in Cowes in the Isle of Wight will close come July. The branch opened back in 2021, so it brings an end to a near four year stint in the area. It comes after it was reported that up to 200 stores could close as part of Poundland's rescue deal. Bidding for the business started last week. A source told The Sunday Times that Poundland would be priced at "effectively a pound." Gordon Brothers, the ex-owner of Laura Ashley and Homebase owner Hilco are reported to be in a two way race to win the chain. Poundland to be sold for JUST £1 as frontrunner for shock takeover is revealed after wave of store closures A decision on who the preferred bidder is could be announced in the coming days. Polish retail giant Pepco said it expects the sale of Poundland to complete by September. These closures come on top of seven more stores which have been flagged for closure this month. Bosses at Poundland have already called time in a branch in Clapham Junction Station and Copdock Mill Interchange Ipswich. A popular branch in Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Liverpool also closed on May 6. This comes on top of a closure in Brackla Wales which is due to take place on May 24. A few months back, Poundland was forced to close a branch in Belfast after the Connswater Shopping Centre was put into receivership. A branch in Bermondsey, London also closed on May 14. You can see the full list of closures below: Maidenhead – closed October 2024 Sutton Coldfield – closed early October 2024 Macclesfield – closed August 2024 Cowes, Isle of Wight – July 2025 (exact date tbc) Surrey Quays – closing June 11 2025 Filton Abbeywood – closing May 31 2025 Chiswick High Road – closing May 28 2025 Copdock Mill Interchange, Ipswich – closed May 2025 Southwark Park Road – closed May 14 2025 Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Liverpool – closed May 6 2025 Clapham Junction Station, London – closed May 2 2025 Brackla, Wales – closed May 24 2024 St George's Centre, Gravesend – closed last week Connswater Shopping Centre, Belfast – closed end of March WHAT IS GOING ON AT POUNDLAND Last month, its parent company Pepco is said to have hired advisory firm Teneo to oversee the sale of the UK business. It comes after Pepco said it was looking at"all strategic options" to separate Poundland from its brand. The Polish group said it might turn its focus to its more profitable businesses in Europe. Pepco previously warned that upcoming hikes to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and national minimum wage would significantly add to its costs. Late last year, it was revealed that profits at Poundland also tumbled by £641million in the year to September, with bosses again blaming slow sales amid a poor outlook thanks to measures set out by Reeves. A spokesperson also said the huge loss was "due to a non-cash impairment at Poundland that relates to the acquisition of the UK chain in 2016". RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. 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." Professor Bamfield has also 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."
Metro
15-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Metro
Decathlon's RunDays return - 5K events nationwide to boost your running routine
Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more The London Marathon may have been and gone, but it has left some with the running bug to start training for next year's 26.2 mile event, or maintain their fitness post slog. Thankfully, Decathlon has heard those cries for running assistance, and brought back its popular RunDays. As part of Decathlon's RunDays the sports retailer will host 10 events near Decathlon stores across the country to help bring runners of all ages and abilities together. The RunDays will take place from May through to October in a bid to get people moving, make friends, find a new community outside of the workplace, and make running fun for all. After all, there is nothing better than running in a group rather than solo, which can be the deterrent for some. Following a successful 2024 season that saw more than 3,000 participants lace up their trainers, this year's RunDays are set to be even bigger. The running events will stretch 5K, which is designed to suit families, friends, beginners and seasoned pros too. The best part is the RunDays are available for all, even young children, and it is not timed, so you can enjoy a pressure-free run. More Trending For just £5, participants not only get to join the run club, but will receive a goodie bag that includes a commemorative medal, a free KIPRUN race t-shirt, a Tenzing energy drink or water, and a TREK Natural Energy bar. Plus, Decathlon offers attendees a £5 in-store voucher after the run, which technically means you are getting your entry back, and in girl math terms that means joining is free. Decathlon has also partnered with JogOn to reduce unwanted running shoes ending up in landfills. As part of this incentive all you have to do is bring old running shoes, no matter the condition, to the collection points at the RunDays events section. The 10 events will take place in Sheffield, Liverpool, Surrey Quays, Oxford, Leeds, Stockport, Southampton, Giltbrook, Braehead and Reading across the next few months, though the last run will end on October 5. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now, and get your trainers ready. Sheffield, May 25 Liverpool, June 1 Surrey Quays, June 8 Oxford, June 22 Leeds, July 13 Stockport, July 20 Southampton, August 10 Giltbrook, August 24 Braehead, September 28 Reading, October 5 Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Share your views in the comments below MORE: H&M launches new Move running collection ahead of the London marathon MORE: From Nike trainers to Molly-Mae approved products, chilli glasses and more – this is what a shopping expert is buying MORE: Sun's out, SPF's out! Bulldog Skincare launch new UV moisturiser that's perfectly timed for the sunshine
