Bath goldsmith upgrades premises

Goldsmith and jewellery designer, Tina Engell, has announced the opening of a new combined workshop and retail space in the centre of Bath. The move to a larger premises will see her join a “number of creative independent businesses who are based in the buzzing artisan quarter”. Following the move,…

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Usdaw calls for the public to support NI shopworkers

Retail trade union Usdaw is reminding shoppers that the wearing of face coverings is mandatory from today (10 August) in shops and shopping centres in Northern Ireland. Usdaw asks shoppers to follow the law and help protect shopworkers and other customers by wearing a face covering, while following existing social…

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In the spotlight with Veronica Favoroso, CEO of GemCloud

More businesses rely on the internet to go to market, generate sales and provide customer service. This means professional inventory management is increasingly being considered as a necessity and GemCloud, as the sector leader, has taken tremendous steps to bring the coloured gemstone industry online. The tech company has recently…

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BAJ reveals winners of NHS competition

The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) has announced the winners of its Pins of Praise design competition, which was launched in support of NHS staff and volunteers as the pandemic unfolded.  The competition was open to both BAJ students and the general public, and challenged participants to use CAD skills…

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Covid-19 and the jewellery business – How store owners should be preparing for re-openings

Although COVID-19 continues to affect the world, its clutches are gradually loosening. Cities from all over the world have ceased on lockdowns, prompting business owners to develop plans and strategies for re-opening. A collaborative effort is necessary, especially since reopenings are happening sooner than anticipated—with cures and vaccines still in…

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Edge of Ember to exclusively use lab-grown diamonds 

Edge of Ember has announced it is “exclusively” using lab-grown diamonds in its collections going forward. It comes as the group said that working with diamonds that came with the “negative environmental impact of mining and harrowing stories of labour just didn’t quite cut it”.  The brand is now taking…

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Poor July sales rock high street recovery

Poor in-store sales through the month of July have “dampened hopes of a recovery” across UK high streets, according to the latest High Street Sales Tracker from BDO. In-store like-for-like sales decreased by 39.4% last month, down from a marginal base of 0.1% that was reported the year before.  According…

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Usdaw warns business rates increase could risk more jobs

Retail trade union Usdaw has expressed “major concerns” over reports that the government is considering increasing business rates for premises with a rateable value over £51,000. The news comes as reports suggest Rishi Sunak is considering increasing business rates in an effort to boost the UK economy. Instead, Usdaw is…

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Price of gold hits ‘record’ high

The price of gold has topped $2,000 (£1,527) an ounce for the first time in history, as investors look to move cash into gold amid increased concerns over the global economy and geo-political tensions.  The price of gold first hit a “record” high last week, when its price was bumped…

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July footfall bolstered by hospitality reopening

Footfall in retail destinations across the UK was down by 39.4% in July, according to the latest figures from Springboard. Nonetheless, this marked an improvement of nearly a fifth from June, with the month ending with the best result recorded since February. Footfall was reportedly boosted by the reopening of…

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