Latest news with #highstreets
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Full list of 15 Poundland stores shutting THIS WEEK as giant clearance sales launched – is one going near you?
POUNDLAND is closing 15 stores this week in another blow to Britain's high streets. The budget retailer has confirmed the locations of 48 store closures this month, with more planned for September. 1 This Sunday will see 15 locations pulling down the shutters for the final time with massive closing sales well underway and items available from just 50p. The closures come as Polish owner Pepco Group sold Poundland to US investment firm Gordon Brothers for £1 after a downturn in trading. Major restructuring plans have followed which include the closure of a whopping 68 stores by mid-October. It comes after 10 stores already closed on August 10 with a huge stock selloff on gear including toiletries, kids' toys and pet products. Another 12 are set to shut on August 24, with 11 more closing on August 31. The last store in this group will close on September 14 at the Rivergate Shopping Centre in Irvine. After these closures, 16 additional stores are still set to shut, but their locations and closing dates have yet to be confirmed. Darren MacDonald, retail director at Poundland, said: "While our anticipated network of around 650-700 stores remains sizeable, it is of course, sincerely regrettable that we're closing a number of stores to allow us to get us back on track. "We entirely understand how disappointing it will be for customers when a store nearby closes, but we look forward to continuing to welcome them to one of our other locations. "Work is underway to with colleagues through a formal consultation process in stores scheduled to close, exploring any suitable alternative roles." Poundland to be sold for JUST £1 as frontrunner for shock takeover is revealed after wave of store closures Which stores are closing? The following Poundland stores will permanently close on August 17: Bedford Bidston Moss Broxburn Craigavon Dartmouth East Dulwich Falmouth Hull St Andrews Newtonabbey Perth Poole Sunderland Stafford Thornaby Worcester On August 24, additional closures will take place at these locations: Brigg Canterbury Coventry Newcastle Kings Heath Peterborough Peterlee Rainham Salford Sheldon Wells Whitechapel Finally, on August 31, the following stores will also close: Blackburn Cookstown Erdington Kimberley Kimberley Shopping Centre, Nottingham Horsham Hull Holderness Kettering Omagh Shepherds Bush Southport Taunton Poundland operates around 800 stores across the UK but plans to reduce this number to between 650 and 700 over time. This includes the 68 stores closing as part of the restructuring, as well as additional stores shutting when leases expire and are not renewed. What's happened to Poundland? Poundland was sold in June to investment firm Gordon Brothers as part of a deal that included a major restructuring and an £80million cash injection. Later that month, Gordon Brothers outlined its plans, which included closing 68 stores and negotiating rent reductions at several other locations. The investment firm also announced additional plans, such as closing its frozen and digital distribution centre in Darton, South Yorkshire, later this year, removing frozen products from stores, reducing the range of chilled food items, and shutting its national distribution centre in Bilston, West Midlands, by early 2026. Poundland will also stop selling products online and focus on expanding its womenswear and seasonal ranges. These changes, except for the 49 store closures, are still subject to High Court approval later this month. Poundland was put up for auction in March by its previous owner, Pepco, after the brand experienced weak sales. The Polish company reported a 6.5% decline in Poundland's revenue, dropping to £830million for the six months to March compared to the previous year. Pepco cited "highly challenging trading conditions" for the drop, with Poundland facing struggles across all product categories and experiencing 18 net store closures during that period. 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. 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."
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Redcar Council calls for restrictions on nail and beauty salons
A local authority is calling on the government to change planning regulations to "take back control" of high streets.A unanimous motion from Redcar and Cleveland councillors expressed concern about a "growing concentration" of barbers, nail shops and beauty salons as well as councillor David Taylor said 25 of the 47 shops in his Eston ward fell into that category. He said that if control was not taken there was a risk of losing "variety and vibrancy" which made the area worth "visiting and investing in". Reform of national planning guidance in 2020 merged a wide range of commercial uses into category E, removing the need for planning permission for many new said at the time it was a sensible measure during the Covid pandemic to support the survival of council said it would write to the government to ask it to consider removing barber shops, nail bars and beauty salons from category E, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. 'Get a grip' Taylor said his motion was not an attack on local businesses, but about "returning planning decisions to where they belong with local authorities and the community".Council leader, Alec Brown, said his Labour group would support the motion, although it called it "very un-Conservative" since it sought to interfere with the free councillor Paul Salvin said what was being discussed was a country-wide issue and about "taking back some control of our high streets".Guisborough councillor Bill Clark, an independent, said he fully supported the said: "The abuse of this [planning use] category is there for all to see in our towns and villages."Let's get a grip of this, if we don't it is going to get worse."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Call to ‘take back' high streets overrun with barbers, nail shops and salons
Changes to planning regulations are needed to allow local authorities to 'take back control' of high streets, councillors have urged. A motion supported by Redcar and Cleveland councillors expressed concern about a 'growing concentration' of barbers, nail shops and beauty salons in some areas, along with takeaways. Eston ward councillor David Taylor, who successfully proposed the motion, said of 47 retail units in Eston, 25 were of this ilk and included in the category 'Class E' in planning terms. (Image: LDRs) Reform of national planning guidance in 2020 merged a wide range of commercial uses into this category, removing the need for planning permission for many new ventures. Cllr Taylor said at the time it was a sensible measure during the covid-19 pandemic to support the economic survival of businesses wishing to adapt. But the result had been an undermining of the variety and character of many high street environments, which required a balanced mix of places for the public to visit to survive and thrive. Worse still, a number of councillors who lent their backing to the motion referenced fears of criminality and organised gangs infiltrating the high street. Earlier this year the National Crime Agency said businesses such as barber shops, nail bars and vape shops were often fronts for a whole range of criminality, including money laundering, drug trafficking and even modern slavery. It launched a three-week crackdown involving 19 different police forces and regional crime units, raiding premises and making dozens of arrests, as well as seizing illegal goods. Cllr Taylor said his motion was not an attack on local businesses nor to restrict opportunities, but about 'ensuring a better balance and also returning planning decisions to where they belong – with local authorities and the community, not private landlords acting without local input or accountability'. He said: 'Without local control we risk losing the very variety and vibrancy that make our town centres places worth visiting and investing in.' He referenced the new Eston Precinct development now underway which he said was a 'real opportunity to bring in a more vibrant and diverse mix of shops and services' The motion adopted at a meeting will see the council writing to the Government to ask that consideration be given to removing barber shops, nail bars and beauty salons from the Class E use legislation. Local MPs will also be asked to raise the matter with the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Council leader Alec Brown said his Labour group would support the motion, although it called it 'very un-Conservative' since it sought to interfere with the free market. Conservative councillor Paul Salvin said what was being discussed was a country-wide issue and about 'taking back some control of our high streets'. Guisborough councillor Bill Clark, an independent, said he fully supported the motion. He said: 'The abuse of this [planning use] category is there for all to see in our towns and villages. 'Let's get a grip of this, if we don't it is going to get worse.' Cllr Clark also said 'certain types of shops in the town' regularly disregarded rules and regulations in what were conservation areas. Another independent, councillor Wayne Davies, who represents Loftus, said: 'There is far too much criminality involved in some of these types of businesses.' Loftus High Street (Image: LDRs) Cllr Davies also said more enforcement was required from the authorities and the current situation was unfair on many legitimate businesses that had been trading for a long time. Cllr Taylor said: 'Many residents believe that a lot of these properties are owned by the council and it is the council making these decisions.' He also suggested some form of licensing scheme should be in operation for people involved in what he called personal care – for instance hairdressers and salon workers. He said: 'They would be required to have a DBS check and carry a visible licence, similar to those used in the security industry. 'This wouldn't just protect customers, it would also safeguard staff and ensure there's full accountability over who is working where.' The motion was carried unanimously.
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Britain's WORST high streets revealed where a fifth of shops stand empty – is your hometown on the list?
THE UK's worst high streets have been revealed, where up to one in five shops are empty. Britain's high streets have been slowly declining amid the cost of living crisis, as banks, restaurants and huge chains all struggle to keep afloat. 1 A new report from Centre For Cities reveals that Newport, Wales has the highest proportion of empty shops in the UK, with 19% (almost one in five) of all of its shops boarded up. This is over twice as high as Cambridge and London, which have the lowest rates of shop vacancies in the UK, with just 8.5% and 7.4% of shops vacant. Bradford, Yorkshire, has the second highest number of shop vacancies, according to the report, with 18% (or one in six) of stores lying empty. The seaside town of Blackpool has the UK's third worst high street, according to the data, with 17.6% of shops shut. The report revealed that the towns and cities with the most shop vacancies have too many shops relative to the population. For example, in Newport, Wigan and Middlesbrough, there are between 2.5 to 2.9 shops per every 1000 people in the high street's catchment area. This is more than double the amount of shops per person than more successful high streets, such as in Brighton and Liverpool, where shop vacancies are below 10%. The report also highlighted that towns such as Newport and Bradford are close to large cities, with Cardiff and Leeds attracting more shoppers. Newport and Bradford lose nearly five percent of high street spending to their neighbouring cities, while Birkenhead looses 7.5% to nearby Liverpool. Additionally, in cities where there is a huge shopping mall outside of the city centre, such as Meadowhall in Sheffield and the Metrocentre, many shoppers choose to spend their money there instead. Co-op Faces Uncertain Future: 34 Stores at Risk Amid Financial Struggles According to the report, successful high streets have pivoted away from retail to food, rising to the challenge of online shopping. For example, in affluent cities such as York and Edinburgh £1 in every £4 is spent on food. Meanwhile, in Bradford, Stoke and Wigan, this is only £1 in every £10. Centre for Cities also suggested some changes that the Government should implement to turn the high streets around, including allocating £5 billion of its recently announced £113 billion investment to remake city centres with more office space, improved public realm and more shops. It also advised building more home in city centre locations and prioritising making city centres attractive to residents over tourists. Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: 'The high street has long been the bellwether of the local economy. Shuttered-up shops influence people's opinions about how successful their areas are. 'Our research shows the high street isn't failing everywhere. Where it is, the cause is not just cosmetic, it is economic. Policies relating to shopfronts, rents or parking miss the bigger picture. 'City centres that struggle are over-supplied with shops and under-supplied with people. If local residents don't have money to spend or a reason to be in the centre, high streets suffer – no matter what interventions are made. 'It is possible to revive the fortunes of struggling high streets. But it will require local and national governments to start by fixing the economy, and not just focussing on the high street itself.'
Telegraph
12-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Reeves plots £1.7bn tax on businesses
Rachel Reeves is plotting a £1.7 billion tax raid in the autumn which retailers have warned will accelerate the decline of high streets. The Chancellor will use her next Budget to increase business rates for department stores and supermarkets as she looks to plug a £5-billion hole in the public finances left by about-turns on benefits and winter fuel cuts. Businesses with bigger premises will be charged more, in order to reduce the rates paid by smaller stores. Ministers say the effective discount will target online retailers and save independent firms. The Treasury has not decided the new rates, but business sources are concerned that Ms Reeves will set any surcharge on bigger properties at the maximum possible. The plans prompted a backlash from large retailers that were already dealing with the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions announced by the Chancellor last year. They warned that the fresh tax raid would ultimately end up costing the Treasury more, because more properties would be left vacant and paying no rates. Marks and Spencer is spearheading a fight-back among Britain's major brands, who have told ministers the new shopping tax will force them to put up prices. In evidence submitted to Angela Rayner's department, which oversees the local councils that collect business rates, M&S warned that 111 of its branches would be hit with higher bills because of the changes, and could be forced to close. 'Given larger retailers are often anchor tenants on the high street, taxing them to support smaller stores is a false economy – if larger shops close, smaller shops suffer,' it said. 'The proposed reforms could therefore accelerate the decline of the high street by encouraging retailers to close larger high street stores.' It comes after the Office for Budget Responsibility issued a damning verdict on the state of the public finances, warning that Britain was living beyond its means. Sir Keir Starmer vowed in the Commons last week that Labour would not break its manifesto commitment to not raise income tax, VAT or employee national insurance. His remarks have led to fears that Ms Reeves, who has repeatedly refused to rule out another tax-raising budget, is set to launch a fresh raid on industry. Downing Street has quietly given itself powers to significantly hike business rates by forcing legislation through the Commons in the face of opposition. Ministers passed a bill in April which allows them to levy a 'surcharge' of up to 10 pence in the pound on properties with a rental value of £500,000 or more per year. The Treasury said that the proceeds would be used to fund permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure firms based in smaller premises. Fears of job losses However, retailers fear that jobs will be lost as a result of the higher rates forcing stores to close. New analysis for The Telegraph also revealed that job losses caused by the raid would fall the hardest in areas where Labour was under pressure from Reform UK. M&S said the tax raid would affect its stores 'particularly in areas where young people are struggling to find jobs' like the West Midlands and North East. The company also criticised ministers for 'misleading' the public by claiming that the surcharge was primarily aimed at taxing online giants. Ministers have argued that the increase would only apply to 1 per cent of properties, framing it as a wealth tax. Official records show the raid will impact nearly 17,000 business premises, but only around a fifth of those are warehouses used by internet retailers. The tax will instead reach into almost all areas of the economy, putting up bills for firms ranging from breweries and pubs to golf courses and theme parks. Hotels, restaurants, theatres, tourist attractions, zoos, cinemas, caravan parks, flour mills, creameries and cement works will all also be captured. Wimbledon, where the annual tennis championships conclude on Sunday, could face an extra £1.3 million-a-year bill as a result of the changes. John Webber, the head of business rates at property firm Colliers, said ministers had been 'disingenuous' in claiming the reforms would help the high street. 'It beggars belief how the Government's plans will help if they lead to reduced investment and expansion or even employment opportunities in these bigger high street stores,' he said. 'Some may even close down. And this is not just in London. It will be all over the country.' Multiplier system Business rates are based on a 'multiplier' system. This involves taking the estimated annual rental value of a property and multiplying it by a charge set by ministers. Currently the standard multiplier for premises with a rental value of more than £51,000 is 54.6 pence in the pound, while smaller venues pay 49.9 pence. Retail, hospitality and leisure firms are then given 40 per cent off their bills, up to £110,000, under a relief which costs the exchequer £1.7 billion a year. The system will change from next year, with the relief scrapped and replaced with a lower multiplier rate for properties with a rateable value under £500,000. The Chancellor has said the move will be paid for by a surcharge on more valuable premises, shifting the cost from the Treasury onto businesses. It has been estimated that to raise the £1.7 billion needed to leave smaller firms no worse off, Ms Reeves will have to set the surcharge at eight pence in the pound. But there are fears within retail that, given the dire state of the public finances, she may look to use the reforms to introduce a new stealth tax. Ms Reeves could potentially save several billion pounds if she set the surcharge at the maximum level of 10 pence and the discount at less than 20 pence. 'It's a genuine risk because they're really fiscally constrained,' an industry source said. 'There would be scope for them to raise more than they need, which is concerning.' 'Carnage on the high street' Kate Nicholls, the Chair of Hospitality UK, warned ministers they must deliver the 20 pence discount in full or face 'carnage on both on the high street and in retail'. She said: 'If they're looking for more money you cannot come back to the high street and have another bite at the cherry. If they do, they'll tax us out of existence.' Seven major retailers – M&S, Asda, Morrisons, Primark, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Kingfisher, the B&Q owner – have banded together to oppose the raid. They have been joined by Usdaw, the Labour-affiliated union for shop staff, which has warned the reforms risk causing huge job losses among its members. In a joint letter sent to Ms Reeves last month they warned that the plans would 'negatively impact the jobs market' and create a 'cycle of economic downturn'. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, added: 'Labour have broken their manifesto promises to lower business rates on bricks and mortar. 'Combined with Rachel Reeves's toxic jobs tax, Angela Rayner's stealth tax is going to force up prices and lead to more shop closures.' Ms Rayner's constituency in Ashton-under-Lyne, near Manchester, would be hit: an M&S store, a Sainsbury's and an IKEA there would all face big bill rises. Analysis shows that Labour currently holds 24 of the 30 constituencies which have the highest proportion of people working in retail. Most are marginal seats where the party is battling Reform, with a recent poll showing that Labour is currently on course to hold just 10 of them. Changes 'may push up food prices' Retail bosses warned the changes also risk pushing up food prices because supermarkets in particular operate on slender profit margins. Helen Dickinson, chief executive at the British Retail Consortium, warned: 'Food inflation is rising again, putting pressure on the cost of living for millions of households. 'The situation for customers could become a lot worse if thousands of supermarkets and other large shops are landed with the Government's new higher business rates multiplier. 'If we want to support the high street and avoid higher prices for customers, the Government must ensure no shop pays more as a result of the business rates reforms.' It is understood that ministers have privately indicated to the industry that they could yet exempt retail or hospitality businesses from the surcharge. Those businesses are pushing Ms Reeves to carve them out and make up the cash by levying a higher surcharge on warehouses and office blocks. A Treasury spokesman said: 'We are a pro-business Government that is creating a fairer business rates system to protect the high street, support investment, and level the playing field. 'To deliver our manifesto pledge and provide certainty and support to the high street we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties from next year. 'Unlike the current relief for these properties, there will be no cash cap on the new lower tax rates, supporting some of Britain's most loved high street chains to continue to create jobs and grow the economy.'
