Latest news with #highstreet
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Fashion fans race to high-street store to buy £27 summer dress that flatters chunky arms and ‘looks expensive'
SHOPPERS have been rushing to pick up this high-street summer dress that's flattering for all body types. The £27 maxi dress is perfect for the hot weather with its airy design and stylish puffed sleeves. New Look Puff Sleeve Midi Dress, £26.99 (was £29.99) BUY HERE New Look has slashed the price by 10% ready for warm weekend, taking it down from £29.99 to £26.99. The Black Puff Sleeve Midi Dress features a ruched bodice and a flared skirt that will give a cinched appearance on all figures, finished with an elasticated waist. Everyone loves a dress with pockets, and the practical feature makes the dress even better for everyday wear. It comes in black, white, pink, red and navy colourways, while the green version has already sold out. Sizing is limited for the dress, as it has become a bestseller on the New Look website in recent days. The versatile design could be styled with just about any look, from trainers for the office to sandals and a rattan handbag for summer holidays. The New Look number could also be dressed up with heels and chunky gold jewellery for special occasions. High-street shoppers have been raving about the midi dress online, and it's received an impressive 4.7-out-of-5 star rating. One reviewer wrote: "This feels so much more expensive than it is - lovely natural fibre blend and pockets too! BUY HERE It's nice to have a properly long dress as I find they often hit at an unflattering point, but this looks very elegant. I genuinely might get another one because I like it so much." Another added: "Beautiful, simple, black square neck maxi dress. Fits well and looks lovely. I dress it up with heeled sandals or wear it casually with trainers, both look really good." New Look's £27 dress isn't the only affordable fashion find catching shoppers' attention. Last month, Sainsbury's released a summer dress that flatters mum tum, and it's still available in select sizes (despite being hugely popular online). The dress comes in butter yellow (the season's hottest colour!), and supermarket shoppers have been gushing over the £28 find. Both the New Look and Sainsbury's dresses would also be great choices for those shopping for an outfit for Wimbledon, as both can be dressed up or down. what to wear to Wimbledon and other summer occasions. The one downside of the gorgeous sunny weather is the possibility of chafing, but fashion fans have been picking up a pair of £36 cooling shorts that smooth out lumps and bumps.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Full list of 43 shops and banks vanishing from British high street forever in July – is your local closing?
MAJOR retailers and banks will close several stores for good this month as the high street continues to face difficulties. The closures come as UK businesses continue to faced increased costs alongside a decline in footfall. Changes in this year's budget, including an increase in employer National Insurance contributions and energy and rent costs have piled on pressure for companies. As a result, some retailers have been forced to make drastic changes to remain competitive. This includes hiking prices, reviewing expansion plans and reducing the number of stores they have. Here is a full list of the shops and banks we know are shutting in July 2025. The Original Factory Shop The discount high street chain closed nine shops in June after previously warning it would have to shut some 'loss-making' locations. This comes after the discount chain began to struggle in recent years. And now the retailer is now set to close its location in Staveley, Cumbria on July 12. The private equity firm Modella bought The Original Factory Shop in February and has since launched a restructuring effort. This was carried out in an effort to renegotiate rents at 88 The Original Factory Shop stores across the country. Modella also recently bought Hobbycraft and WHSmith's high street shops. Co-op Faces Uncertain Future: 34 Stores at Risk Amid Financial Struggles Iceland The supermarket chain will close its store on Rose Street in Inverness on July 12. There will no longer be any Iceland stores in the Scottish city, with the closest located in Aberdeen. This move will come just weeks after Iceland shut down its Margate branch. The retailer has not yet confirmed the reason for the sudden closure but it has been completing a broader reshuffle of its operations in recent months. This is part of an effort to adapt to shifting consumer habits, cost pressures, and the growing demand for convenience and online shopping. 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." Poundland After a series of closures in the past few months, Poundland is set to shut down its location in Deepdale Retail Park in Preston on July 5 and another store in Newquay on July 30. Gordon Brothers, the ex-owner of Laura Ashley, purchased the business from Polish owner Pepco Group for £1 after a downturn in trading. The new owners are asking the court for permission to close 68 stores and negotiate lower rents on others. Up to 82 more stores are potentially at risk of shutting down in the future. However, before the sale was agreed, Poundland had already planned to close 18 stores, with the July shutdowns among the last to be confirmed. New Look The famous fashion retailer is set to close another location at the beginning of July. Hamilton, Scotland will see its New Look store permanently pull the shutters on July 1. The move comes after the shop announced it would be closing nearly 100 stores in the coming months. A New Look spokesperson said: 'Our store in Hamilton is set close on July 1. We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years. "We hope customers continue to shop with us online at where our full product ranges can be found.' Santander Santander is set to close 38 branches next month after announcing locations were struggling due to the increase in online banking. A statement on the Santander website reads: "We last did a major review of our branches in 2021. "Since then, many of our customers are choosing to use Mobile, Online and Telephone Banking more, and branches less." The Santander locations set to close in July are: Armagh July 1 Bognor Regis July 14 Borehamwood July 1 Caernarfon July 7 Camborne July 7 Colne July 14 Colwyn Bay July 24 Crowborough July 23 Cumbernauld July 7 Didsbury July 8 Exmouth July 15 Falmouth July 21 Farnham July 29 Felixstowe July 16 Hackney July 15 Hawick July 24 Herne Bay July 8 Hertford July 29 Holloway July 14 Honiton July 14 Kirkby July 22 Malvern July 2 Market Harborough July 1 New Milton July 28 Pudsey July 28 Rawtenstall July 15 Ross-On-Wye July 30 Ruislip July 7 Saltcoats July 21 Seaford July 14 Shaftesbury July 23 St Austell July 8 St Neots July 30 Stokesley July 31 Strabane July 23 Tenterden July 7 Tottenham July 8 Wishaw July 22
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Superdrug plans to add more stores as demand for weight-loss drugs soars
An increase in demand for weight-loss drugs, including Mounjaro and Wegovy, as well as demand among its generation Alpha customer base for beauty products is driving expansion at Superdrug. The retailer plans to add 25 more stores to its 800-plus strong chain this year as well as extending existing outlets, despite troubles across the high street that have led to the closure of hundreds of stores at its rival Boots and downsizing at chains from Poundland to River Island. Superdrug is bouncing back from difficult times during the pandemic as demand for its weight-loss services soared almost 300% in the first half of this year compared with last year. While many of the drugs are ordered online via its private GP service, the retailer is looking at how it can adapt and expand in-store services to cater to demand so that its team of nurses can offer help with the potential side-effects such as hair loss, for example. More serious issues, including problems with the pancreas, have also been flagged in some cases. 'For us it is good that people are getting healthier and fitter and that is really important,' said Simon Comins, the chief commercial officer at Superdrug, but those taking the drugs may want 'social interaction in store' to help discuss any issues they encounter. Superdrug, once the downmarket and dowdy rival to Boots, is also capitalising on the growth in the beauty market and its appeal to gen Alpha – people born from 2010 onwards – who are looking for in-store experiences as they head to the high street after school and on weekends. The retailer has made a conscious effort to gain youth appeal, catering to the generations influenced by TikTok and Instagram. Its latest gambit is the 'beauty playground' – tables kitted out with testers of the latest hot products, mirrors and ring lights for flattering social media snaps designed to appeal to tweens and teens. 'Generation Alpha is our focus,' says Comins, touring the first of 30 planned beauty playgrounds in the group's Westfield store in Stratford, east London. 'They often come as a 'squad' and they like the opportunity to touch and feel the products.' As much as clicking [to buy] on TikTok is easy and convenient, people want to browse in real life.' Even on a hot June lunchtime, a steady stream of young women are posing in front of the mirrors and testing out the products. The store has been extended by taking over two neighbouring outlets to give more space for experiences including a brow and nail bar, and piercing service. It is part of efforts to draw shoppers into physical stores rather than just buying online. Other services that have been tried include barbers and hairdressers and trained hundreds of pharmacists who can offer free consultations on skin conditions such as acne – the kind of service it may be difficult to access via a GP. Comins says Superdrug has a team that scans social media to pick up on the latest popular brands and has brought many into store including Geek & Gorgeous, Starface acne stickers, BPerfect cosmetics and the colourful Daise body care range appeals to tweenagers. Industry insiders say the demand for beauty and cosmetics brand has even diverted spend from toys and other traditional products bought by not-quite teenagers. Liz Tan, a senior strategist at the trends advisory firm WGSN, says 'Zalpha', the fringe generation that threads between gen Z and Alphas, are leading the beauty craze 'having grown up immersed in social media, with influencers and creators promoting beauty products online. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion 'Beauty brands are also increasing, building and establishing brand awareness, affiliation and emotional connection through digital playgrounds in gaming worlds like Roblox,' she says. These youngsters are also getting into skincare regimes at a much younger age then previous generations as 'health-conscious Millennial parents emphasise routine building as part of their daily lives'. Alex Beckett, senior research director at market research firm Mintel, adds that young consumers are prompting their parents to spend. 'Thanks to their exposure to social media, YouTube and Netflix, gen Alphas are exposed to trends and dopamine-raising crazes intended for older adults, and they're emulating them – essentially becoming hyper-informed consumers at an early age.' For its older customers, Superdrug's push into weight-loss services comes as thousands of patients in England are from this week able to access weight-loss jabs via their family GP. But the NHS rollout is limited to 220,000 people with the 'greatest need' and many more people are prepared to pay for private access, so demand from high street and online chemists is expected to continue. Recent figures from its rival Boots also indicated strong growth in pharmacy sales – up 5.4%, while its online service increased sales almost 15% in the three months to end 31 May, although the group did not break out the contribution from weight-loss drugs. Analysts at GlobalData said the chain was benefiting from demand for treatments for skin conditions such as acne, as part of a wider trend – being encouraged by government policy – towards visiting the pharmacy before trying the GP. Superdrug, which is owned by the Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings, is expanding after Debenhams – once one of the leading beauty retailers in the UK – left the high street and House of Fraser and John Lewis have closed stores.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Major bank axing key service at 12 branches within days – is your local affected?
A MAJOR banking chain is axing a key service at 12 high street branches within days. Santander is getting rid of counters in these branches and switching them to a "counter-free" format. 1 This means customers will no longer be able to deposit or withdraw coins or large amounts of cash at these locations. Instead of speaking to staff at a counter, customers will be directed by floor staff to use ATMs and payment machines, making most transactions digital. Santander has already removed counters from six of its branches this year, but another 12 are set to lose the service in the coming weeks. Branches in Bromsgrove, Northwich, Sittingbourne, and Streatham will stop offering counter services on Monday, June 30. Customers in Bracknell will see counters removed on July 7, while Hartlepool and Nuneaton will follow on July 14. Gravesend and Liverpool's Allerton Road branch will lose counters on August 4. Camberley, Orpington, and Rotherham branches will make the switch to a counter-free format on August 11. Customers needing to deposit or withdraw coins will have to visit another full-service Santander branch or use one of the 11,684 Post Offices. Withdrawals over £500 a day will also need to be made elsewhere. This is because cash withdrawals will now be handled through in-branch ATMs rather than in person at a counter. Inside the hubs restoring high street banking and reversing the tide of mass branch closures Customers can use their debit card to withdraw more cash at the Post Office, with a limit of £10,000, depending on the funds available at the branch. For withdrawals over £5,000, there is a £10 flat fee. Withdrawals over £2,000 incur a charge of 50p per £100, while amounts above £5,000 are charged at 35p per £100. A spokesperson for Santander UK, said: "As customer behaviour changes, we are ensuring that our branches remain fit for the future. "Our new combination of full-service branches, alongside Work Cafés, counter-free branches and reduced hours branches, aims to provide the right balance between digital banking and face-to-face money management and guidance. "As a business, we must move with customers and balance our investment across all the places where we interact with customers, to deliver the very best for them now and in the future." Which branches are already counter-free? Abingdon - 23 Bury Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3QT Accrington - 29-31 Union Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1PL Stirling - 49-51 Port Street, Stirling, Stirlingshire, FK8 2EW Eastleigh - 58 Market Street, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 5RU Edgware - 115 Station Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7JG Neath - 20 Green Street, Neath, West Glamorgan, SA11 1EA What else is happening at Santander? Santander is cutting the opening hours of dozens of its branches from June 30. This move comes as part of a broader restructuring, which also includes the closure of 95 branches and the conversion of 18 to "counter-free" service desks. Currently, most branches are open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm, with many also open on Saturday mornings from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Under the new plan, these branches will only open three days a week. Twenty-one branches will operate on a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule, while 14 others will open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm. One branch will see its hours reduced even further, opening only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The bank, which serves over 14million UK customers, announced in March that it plans to close 95 branches across the UK. Following the shake-up, just 349 branches will remain on the high street. What you can do if your local bank is set to close There are still a number of ways people can access basic banking services without having to venture to another town with a branch. You can use one of the Post Office's 11,684 branches to perform basic banking tasks — but not to open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages. You can find your nearest Post Office branch by visiting Meanwhile, many banks offer a mobile banking service - where they bring a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at a physical branch. Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services. It's worth contacting your bank to see what mobile services they have available, and when they might next be in your area. New super ATMs are being rolled out across the UK where branch closures have left residents unable to access essential banking services. These ATMs will allow customers to withdraw funds, access their balance, change PIN numbers and deposit cash. Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank are already signed up to allow deposits, at the super ATMs. Banking hubs are also being opened across the UK with 250 set to be available by the end of 2025. These sites typically feature a counter service operated by the Post Office as standard, enabling customers to conduct routine banking transactions conveniently. Each hub also has a private area where customers can consult with staff representing their banks for more complex matters. What services do banking hubs offer? BANKING hubs offer a range of services to bridge the gap left by the closure of local branches. Operated by the Post Office, these hubs allow customers to perform routine transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, and balance enquiries. Each hub also features private booths where customers can discuss more complex banking matters with staff from their respective banks. Staff from different banks are available on a rotational basis, ensuring that customers have access to a wide range of banking services throughout the week. Additionally, customers can receive advice and support on various financial products and services, including loans, mortgages, and savings accounts.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Disappointment as M&S store at risk of closure
Shoppers in Wolverhampton have said they fear for the future of the high street after news the local M&S store could close. The firm said on Thursday that it was just a proposal, but admitted the store had been underperforming for a while. One resident said it came as a "huge disappointment", adding that she feared that if confirmed by M&S it could affect the city centre as a whole. "It's pivotal - if they go, no one's going to come here," she said. "I worry because it looks dismal now - well it's getting there. There used to be a lot of well known brands here, and it's just not going to be a town any more. "You'll find more people will stay indoors, and do their shopping online. If Marks and Spencer go, game over." Others in the town were more understanding about the potential closure, saying they already used the Merry Hill store, rather than the one in Wolverhampton. Shopper Jordan said: "I use Merry Hill more often than not, it's more convenient. You can run in, run out no hassle." Her friend Abby added: "It affects the local area, there is no parking, that's the issue. "You get loads of random shops now - you can see it's all becoming the same stuff." Another shopper said the news from M&S was "very disappointing". "There's hardly anything left in Wolverhampton, it used to be a great town," they said. "This place has died a death now, it's so sad." The regional manager for Marks & Spencer, Calum Telford, thanked customers for their support and said the brand's priority was "continuing conversations with colleagues", adding that the firm was working with City of Wolverhampton Council to find a site for a new store. Councillor Chris Burden, council cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills, said he was "disappointed" by the news but fully understood M&S's "difficult decision". Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Wolverhampton Marks & Spencer at risk of closure M&S store evacuated after carbon dioxide leak M&S restarts online orders after cyber attack MS
