Latest news with #Moorfields
Rhyl Journal
18-07-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Select Fashion set to close its store on Rhyl's High Street
Signs on the front windows of the store, at 40 High Street, read: 'This store is closing down subject to landlord negotiations.' Select Fashion is offering a 'massive clearance' on its remaining stock, with up to 70 per cent off some of its items. In the spring, it was reported that Select Fashion had entered liquidation and was due to close all of its remaining stores, with Michael Solomons and Andrew Pear of Moorfields appointed as joint liquidators. Select, which is owned by Turkish entrepreneur Cafer Mahiroğlu, previously entered into administration in 2019. It is the latest in number of closures in Rhyl's town centre, with Sports Direct set to shut in October, and noodle bar Chopstix having closed earlier in July. Meanwhile, GB Games, Timpson and Blossom & Bloom are among those to have vacated their premises at the town's White Rose Shopping Centre so far this year.
Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Civil war begins with ordinary men – this book is proof
In November of 1641, King Charles I met with London's delegates just beyond the city walls, in the fenland of Moorfields (near where the Bank of England stands today). The royal party was presented with tokens of loyalty: £20,000 in a 'great cup of gold' for Charles, and £5000 in a golden basin for his wife, Henrietta Maria. The combined value of these gifts was about as much as it would have cost to run the government of Ireland for a year. It must have felt that the Royalist cause was finally in the ascendant. But as Jonathan Healey makes clear in his energetic and exceptional history, The Blood in Winter: A Nation Descends, 1642, the pageantry of the royal entry disguised a grim political reality for the beleaguered king. Spanning the period between the first session of the Long Parliament in November of 1640 and the moment on August 22 1642, when the English Civil War formally began, The Blood in Winter takes us beyond the disputes in Westminster. The particularly novel parts of Healey's tale show us how common people were well aware of the vicissitudes of royal fortune, and reflect how ideological splintering in the halls of power was felt throughout England long before the battle-lines were drawn. It was those same common people who showed up in droves to witness Charles's homecoming. He had been in Edinburgh since August of 1641, trying to settle favourable peace terms with the anti-Stuart Scottish Covenanters who had defeated him the previous year. His return to London was hastened by the need to distance himself from a conspiracy to kidnap several Covenanter leaders, foiled in October when one of the plotters lost his nerve and ran to the Covenanter Lord General. Meanwhile an unruly Parliament had been circulating early drafts of their Grand Remonstrance, taking advantage of the king's absence to compile a list of grievances that they would present, to city-wide uproar, on December 1. Worse still, rumours were flying that a gang of over 100 Catholics intended to break into Westminster Palace and slaughter everyone in attendance. While Healey's previous book, The Blazing World (2023), offered a panoramic view of the revolutionary century, the narrower focus of The Blood in Winter gives him, a social historian at heart, an opportunity to expand upon the details of everyday life during this uncertain time. The result is a book that bursts with character, a vivid reconstruction of England on the brink. In London we learn about dodgy areas such as Turnmill Street in Clerkenwell, occupied by prostitutes such as 'Pocky-Faced Dall' and frequented by listless military veterans and officers known as 'reformadoes'. Many of these men had returned from fighting the Covenanters and now spent their days drinking and duelling, waiting for the next call to arms. Beyond the capital, we're told about the appearance of 'mechanical' preachers: common men and women who would smith, sew, or scythe in the morning and preach fiery religious dogma in the afternoon. Across England a great fear of sects was taking hold: taverns thrummed with hearsay about drunken 'Bacchanalians', mystic 'Saturn-worshippers' and nudist 'Adamites'. While the portrait of Charles is familiar (an indecisive man, spurred to ever-greater escalations by his wife's palpable outrage at breaches to royal prerogative), Healey's narrative is original thanks to a well-chosen cast of supporting characters. Most prominent among these is Sir John Bankes, a lawyer born to a relatively humble background in Keswick in Cumberland who, by 1640, had risen to Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Soon after Charles fled London for York he summoned Bankes, who was forced to leave his pregnant wife – telling his Parliamentary colleagues that he intended to 'push for peace'. The story is that of a family man, who leaned towards the Royalist camp but was initially hesitant to commit. As Charles prepared to lay siege to Hull, Bankes wrote to Parliament suggesting that the two parties could still be reconciled. This seems to me to be a better reflection of a prudent arbitrator than the 'breezily optimistic' figure which Healey observes, but it's an excellent example of the view, held by many, that outright conflict could – and should – be avoided at all costs. In the end, Bankes's family would feel the full brunt of the war. He died in Oxford in 1644, a charge of high treason from his erstwhile Parliamentary colleagues hanging over his head. His castle in Corfe, one of the last Royalist strongholds, held out until 1645 thanks to the leadership of Lady Mary Bankes. After its capture, it was 'slighted' (dismantled) so that it couldn't be put to Royalist use again. It's a pleasure to read Healey's stylish and fluid prose, and he's fantastic at conveying the importance of 'split-second moments' where the tide of history might have turned. What if Lucy Hay, Countess of Carlisle, had not passed on a warning to the Parliamentarians that Charles intended to arrest the Five Members? Or if Edward Littleton, Lord Keeper of the all-important Great Seal, had refused to abscond from London and join the king in York? Don't be fooled by the book's lugubrious subtitle. This is a rollicking history, packed with fire and excitement.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Aspiring eye surgeon's career plan changed by Helpforce NHS scheme
A student said he was inspired by a charity's hospital volunteering scheme to change his intended University student Raahat Shah was studying pharmaceutical chemistry but accompanied his granddad to an eye hospital appointment and he became interested with ophthalmology, the study of eye conditions.A pilot Volunteer to Career programme in the NHS helped him secure medical training and he hopes to become an eye surgeon in the scheme is run by charity Helpforce, which hopes it helps to tackle persistent recruitment problems in the health service. Across England, 48 different NHS organisations have taken part in Volunteer to Shah, from London, was studying at Queen Mary, University of London when he went with his granddad to the Moorfields Eye Hospital in the capital."There was just something about the hospital environment and especially ophthalmology that really appealed to me," he said."No one in my family had been a medic and it seemed like a closed world to me – I had no idea how someone from my background could get into it. But I saw an opportunity here and I grabbed it with both hands," Mr Shah said. Through Helpforce's scheme, Mr Shah volunteered at Moorfields once a week for a year, helping patients, doing admin work and watching staff work."It was amazing. I knew there and then that I wanted to be an eye surgeon. Volunteering in a specialist eye hospital gave me a real insight into that field of medicine," he added."It convinced me that a career in medicine was what I wanted. and ultimately a career in ophthalmology."After finishing his first degree, Raahat is now in his second year of accelerated graduate medical training in Southampton and is currently on a surgical placement at Basingstoke and North Hampshire chief executive, Amerjit Chohan, said its scheme has had a "significant" impact."Together with our partners in NHS trusts and other organisations, we've helped people like Raahat to gain valuable experience before applying for paid roles," he added."Through expertly designed and structured pathways, volunteers can find their niche without the immediate pressure of employment, while being upskilled and given confidence to take into job interviews." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Big high street retail chain to close ANOTHER shop after already shutting 35 sites following rescue deal
A POPULAR high street fashion brand is shutting another store just months after collapsing into liquidation — and locals are gutted. Select, which has already closed 35 stores across the UK, is now preparing to pull the shutters down on its Grantham branch for good on May 10. 2 2 Posting the heartbreaking news on Facebook, the store said: 'It is with a heavy heart that we tell all our lovely customers that our store will be closing. "As far as we are aware our last trading day is 10th May. I just want to take a minute to say thank you for all your support over the years.' Shoppers in the Lincolnshire town were quick to share their dismay, with one writing: 'We will soon have no clothing stores left in Grantham.' Another said: 'Are you kidding me.' A third added: 'Nooo! This is awful news!' And a fourth chimed in: 'Oh wow we literally have nothing in this town – such bloody shame x.' The store wasn't included in the initial list of 35 closures in March — but it highlights the growing struggles faced by the troubled fashion chain. The retailer — once a staple of budget-friendly fashion on the high street — entered Creditors' Voluntary Liquidation (CVL) in April, first reported by The Sun, after struggling with mounting financial pressures. Advisers from insolvency firm Moorfields have been appointed to wind up the business, with 40 stores shut immediately and staff left without redundancy pay or wages. An email sent to employees, seen by The Sun, confirmed that weekly wages would not be paid, and that workers would need to apply for support through the government's Redundancy Payment Service (RPS). Why are shops closing stores? Staff at the 48 Select branches still trading were told their pay would be 'delayed', with a promise that wages would be processed the following week. However, many say they've since been met with radio silence. Some were even told to expect a small advance payment to tide them over — but that never came through. It's understood that during the liquidation meeting, Select's bank accounts were frozen, leaving both stores and staff in limbo. The future of the remaining stores remains uncertain, with workers and shoppers alike left wondering what's next for the struggling fashion retailer. Elsewhere, Smiggle, known for its colourful, quirky pens, lunchboxes and school bags, revealed that it is shutting up shop at the Darwin Centre in Shrewsbury later this month. Whilst, B.D Price, a beloved toy and bike store announced its closure after 160 years in business. The 84-year-old owner revealed that the cost of living crisis has led to a reduction in sales and to the costs of running the business skyrocketing. The news comes as both independent and industry giants have been struggling with rising costs and reduced footfall over the past few years. Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets. Just a few months into 2025 and it's already proving to be another tough year for many major brands. Rising living costs - which mean shoppers have less cash to burn - and an increase in online shopping has battered retail in recent years. In some cases, landlords are either unwilling or unable to invest in keeping shops open, further speeding up the closures. Smiggle isn't the only stationary shop shutting its doors, more WHSmiths stores are set to close this month. Whilst, Red Menswear in Chatham in Medway, Kent, shut for the final time on Saturday, March 29, after selling men's clothing since 1999. A couple months ago, Essential Vintage told followers on social that it would be closing down after they had been "priced out" because of bigger players in the market such as Vinted. Jewellery brand Beaverbrooks is also shutting three shops early this month. New Look bosses made the decision to axe nearly 100 branches as they battle challenges linked to Autumn Budget tax changes. Approximately a quarter of the retailer's 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire. It's understood the latest drive to accelerate closures is driven by the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers. The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is hitting retailers hard - and the British Retail Consortium has predicted these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector. 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."
The Independent
01-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Select Fashion ‘collapses, leaving staff without pay'
Retailer Select Fashion has reportedly collapsed after closing 35 stores last month and left staff without redundancy pay or owed wages. It is understood that insolvency firm Moorfields has launched a wind down of the womenswear chain after a creditors' meeting was held last Friday to approve a voluntary liquidation. The group had already shut 35 shops in mid-March having quietly trimmed down its estate since the start of the year. Workers at the shops that shut have been told that they will not be paid outstanding wages for hours worked before the closures and many have been advised to apply for redundancy pay from the Government, according to The Sun. Employees at the remaining 48 shops have also reportedly been warned their wage payments will be delayed. In an email seen by The Sun, Select Fashion is reported to have told employees: 'Please be assured that your wages will be processed and paid out next week. 'We are doing everything we can to resolve this matter as swiftly as possible and appreciate your understanding during this difficult time.' Select Fashion could not be reached for comment and Moorfields was not immediately available to comment. Select had already entered into a company voluntary arrangement last year – whereby a business in distress has the opportunity to pay off debts to creditors over a fixed period of time, while still continuing to trade. The process was also overseen by Moorfields. Select fell into administration in 2019, before being rescued by Genus UK. It is now owned by Turkish businessman Cafer Mahiroglu. The company reported a pre-tax loss of £1.1 million for the year to the end of February 2023, according to its most recently-filed accounts. It previously flagged it was being squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis, wage pressure and higher taxes, on top of a tougher economic climate. Select's troubles follow several collapses and closures on the high street in recent months. Rival fashion chain Quiz shut 23 stores in February after falling into administration, with the retailer also citing the higher cost of living squeezing spending among its customers.
