Research from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, reveals that community spirit and support for local businesses is flourishing amidst the challenging circumstances brought about by coronavirus. The findings show that four in 10 (41%) Brits have checked in on vulnerable neighbours to see if they need help […]
The Forum of Private business is showcasing one of its members Boxed Red Marketing, who have created a virtual Knutsford High Street (www.knutsfordhighstreet.co.uk) to support the local community in which both businesses are based. This has been done in partnership with the Town Council and local community. The virtual high street website is an online […]
Covering the five weeks 1 March – 4 April 2020 UK Footfall decreased by 44.7% in March, due to the mandatory lockdown. This was, of course, a record decline for the industry that has seen unprecedented challenges during the month. In the three weeks prior to the lockdown (23rd March), UK Footfall saw an average […]
The UK Statistics Authority and HM Treasury have today announced that they will be extending the time period for the current joint consultation on the future of the Retail Prices Index, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With businesses and individuals focused on mitigating the challenges that this public health and economic emergency has […]
Data from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, reveals that spending on essential items rose by 11.6%. Supermarket purchases drove much of this growth, with the category increasing by 21.3%, while fuel saw a 4.2% decline as the roads became quieter. Spending on non-essentials was down 12.9%, with […]
Covering the five weeks 1 March – 4 April 2020 On a total basis, sales decreased by 4.3% in March, against a decrease of 1.8% in March 2019*. This is the worst decline recorded since our monitor began in January 1995, excluding distortions. It is below the 3-month and 12-month average declines of 1.4% and […]
As the government’s new ‘home isolation rules’ came into force throughout March, the fashion industry was sent into a whirlwind of unprecedented uncertainty. In a month where Spring buying would typically set in, online clothing sales were down -23.1% year-on-year (YoY), according to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, which tracks the online sales […]
A family-run bed shop trading in Hampshire for more than 30 years has safeguarded jobs amid the coronavirus crisis with a five-figure emergency loan from longstanding banking partner Lloyds Bank. Ian Cleary has been running Forty Winks Bed Co. in Farnborough for three decades, having started the business with his father when he was just […]
Shop Prices fell by 0.8% in March compared to a 0.6% decrease in February. This is below the 12- and 6-month average price decreases of 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Non-Food prices fell at a steady pace of 1.9% in March. This is below the 12-and 6-month average price declines of 1.3% and 1.7%, respectively. […]
Responding to the HMT announcement, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The government has made a number of unprecedented moves to help businesses in recent weeks, which are very welcome. However, as we continue to make clear in our regular dialogue with government, hundreds of viable retail businesses that have been […]
