Latest news with #TheWorks
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
High street chain with over 500 locations shuts long-standing branch and launches huge closing down sale
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 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.' Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The closure follows several other big-name exits from the area, including Costa Coffee, which shut earlier this year 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.
The Sun
2 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
Edinburgh Live
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Queen's Brian May leaves fans in tears with 'heartfelt' family update
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Queen legend Brian May has shared a touching throwback on Instagram, delighting fans with a heartfelt map his father Harold May created during the band's first European tour in 1974. The rock icon, aged 77 and married to EastEnders and Doctor Who star Anita Dobson, posted: "My Dad's supportive handiwork for our first Queen tour of Europe... 1974! ! ! As honoured in Stockholm last night. Love to all - Bri." The nostalgic post, which commemorates the Queen II tour that saw the band play ten gigs across six countries in just over two weeks, has sparked an outpouring of love from followers. READ MORE - David Tennant's wife reacts to Billie Piper's Doctor Who 'bombshell' READ MORE - Prince William 'grieved' after losing brother Harry in 'secret summit' decision Fans flocked to the comments section to share their admiration, with one fan writing: "Oh what a heartfelt map full of love for you, Sir!". Another added their voice, saying: "Wow! ! What a treasure! ! Can't you just picture him sitting there, drawing, coloring, marking the routes, all the time thinking proudly, 'That's MY boy!'", reports Plymouth Live. A third shared a personal memory: "I saw and crying, I didn't expect than I'm a small girl at 1994 in Russia, my Papa brought me a CD The Works and told 'See, this is a good Music' then a couldn't explain my life without Queen music." An admirer also commented on the detail in the map: "What beautiful attention to detail your father gave to these maps and what a lovely tribute you gave to him last night. Inspiring word." This heartwarming revelation comes hot on the heels of the news that Brian and fellow Queen member Roger Taylor were celebrated with the 2025 Polar Music Prize at a grand ceremony in Sweden on Tuesday (May 27). The musicians were lauded for their impressive careers and impact on music, and accepting the award, Brian May told the audience: "In this special moment, I contemplate how that younger Brian May in 1974 would have felt if he knew that we would be living this kind of dream 50 years in the future." Reflecting on Queen's origins, Roger Taylor said: "When we started our band... we had ambitions, but never dreamed of the journey that was to follow. We were fortunate in the fact that our four wildly different personalities came together to achieve a wonderful chemistry." And, speaking about the uniqueness of the Polar Music Prize, Brian continued: "The Polar Music Prize is exceptional in the fact that, unlike other awards, it recognises the entirety of an artist's career. What an honour to be included in the glittering cavalcade of previous laureates." The evening celebration featured live performances honouring Queen and other recipients, including rock group Ghost who covered Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody with Opeth's Fredrik Akesson on guitar. Adam Lambert, Queen's contemporary frontman, then captivated the crowd with renditions of classic hits Who Wants to Live Forever and Another One Bites the Dust.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Queen legend Brian May leaves fans in tears over emotional family announcement
Queen rockstar Sir Brian May has shared a touching family tribute online with fans flocking to the comments to share messages of support Queen legend Brian May has been flooded with support from fans after sharing a touching throwback snap from 1971 on social media. The rock icon shared a moving picture of a map that was created by his late father, Harold May, to memorialise the band's first tour across Europe. Alongside the illustration, the 77-year-old penned: 'My Dad's supportive handiwork for our first Queen tour of Europe... 1974!!! As honoured in Stockholm last night. Love to all - Bri.' Queen's European tour consisted of ten shows in six countries which they performed over a two and a half week period. Sir Brian shared the snap to Instagram, where he has 3.5M followers and thousands of his loyal fans flocked to the comments to offer kind messages to the singer. One replied: "Oh what a heartfelt map full of love for you, Sir!" A second commented 'Wow!! What a treasure!! Can't you just picture him sitting there, drawing, coloring, marking the routes, all the time thinking proudly, 'That's MY boy!'' A third fan exclaimed: 'I saw and crying, I didn't expect than I'm a small girl at 1994 in Russian my Papa brought me a CD The Works and told 'See, this is a good Music' then a couldn't explain my life without Queen music.' A fourth added: "What beautiful attention to detail your father gave to these maps and what a lovely tribute you gave to him last night. Inspiring word". Brian's touching post comes after he and Queen drummer Roger Taylor were awarded the 2025 Polar Music Prize at a gala ceremony in Sweden this week on Tuesday May 27. The legendary musicians were honoured for their remarkable careers and contribution to music. Stepping up to accept the award, Brian told the crowds: 'In this special moment, I contemplate how that younger Brian May in 1974 would have felt if he knew that we would be living this kind of dream 50 years in the future.' While Roger recalled: 'When we started our band… we had ambitions, but never dreamed of the journey that was to follow. "We were fortunate in the fact that our four wildly different personalities came together to achieve a wonderful chemistry. 'The Polar Music Prize is exceptional in the fact that, unlike other awards, it recognises the entirety of an artist's career. "What an honour to be included in the glittering cavalcade of previous laureates.' The evening featured live musical performances celebrating Queen's legacy and the other award winners and nominees as rock band Ghost performed a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody alongside Opeth guitarist Fredrik Akesson. Queen frontman Adam Lambert, who was appointed as the de facto lead singer of the band in 2011, then took to the stage. He sang Queen hits Who Wants to Live Forever and Another One Bites the Dust, which were originally performed by the late Freddie Mercury.
Scottish Sun
27-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Hugely popular £2.50 children's toy sold at B&Q & The Works urgently recalled over ‘risk of shattering & causing injury'
The children's toy is sold at several major retailers TOY DANGER Hugely popular £2.50 children's toy sold at B&Q & The Works urgently recalled over 'risk of shattering & causing injury' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A POPULAR children's toy has been recalled over health and safety concerns. The toy, which is available at several major retailers, carries a risk of injury. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The Get Set Play Jumbo Balloon Pumper has been recalled over safety concerns Credit: The Office for Product Safety and Standards issued the recall for the Get Set Play Jumbo Balloon Pumper over concerns that the product could shatter. The red and blue plastic water balloon pumpers are available at shops like B&Q and The Works. It contains 300 multi-coloured balloons which can be inflated using the pumper. However, the product design failed to include a mechanism to prevent it becoming over-pressurised. This means there is a risk the product could build up with pressure and shatter, with the sharp plastic presenting a "medium" risk of injury. The recall affects products with the batch code 178095 and 178100. The product is no longer available to buy and has been recalled by The Works. Shoppers are urged to return the product immediately for a full refund, even without a receipt. A recall notice from The Works reads: "As a precautionary measure, The Works is recalling the above product due to a quality issue we have identified." Customers requiring further assistance can contact their customer service team for more information. 2 The product is sold for £2.50 at retailers including The Works Credit: Getty
