Footfall suffers despite June reopening

Footfall in June saw a “significant improvement” against the 73.3% decline reported in May, but was still less than half the level of last year, with an annual decline of 56.6%. According to the latest figures from Springboard, footfall fell by 65.1% in high streets and 62.3% in shopping centres,…

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Why D2C strategies hold the key to retail’s future

As UK retail stores reopen, questions remain about whether ‘normal’ service will be resumed. With many store closures since March, the pandemic has encouraged a deep introspection on how consumer expectations, purchasing patterns and priorities are speeding up a shift to online-first, direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail strategies.  In April, the UK’s…

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Online retail sales continue to boom despite reopenings

Even as the high street came out of hibernation last month, June’s online retail sales spiked to a 12-year high of +33.9% YoY, according to IMRG Capgemini’s Online Retail Index. It revealed that last month’s acceleration in online sales was underpinned by the “continued success” of almost every category. Electrical…

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Footfall decline eases amid ‘sluggish’ recovery

Footfall across the UK rose by 19% in June against the month prior, but was still down by 62.6% year-on-year, according to the latest figures from the BRC.  In the first two weeks of the month, footfall decline averaged 77.1%, but this improved to 53.3% in the remaining three weeks…

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Organisers of JGW reshuffle dates to November

Organisers of Jewellery and Gem World Hong Kong (JGW) have announced they are rescheduling the show for 9-3 November 2020 at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE). Previously known as the September Hong Kong Jewellery and Gem Fair, JGW was originally set for September at two venues, 13-17 September at the AWE, where precious…

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Ten classic jewellery staples you should own

Putting on some jewellery is the best way to spice up an outfit and express your tastes. Maybe you’re going for understated elegance with a nice black dress and your favourite heels—but adding a little pop to your ensemble with some chandelier earrings can accentuate that further. Maybe you can’t…

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Usdaw ‘disappointed’ PM fails to back shop worker protection law

Retail trade union Usdaw has criticised the prime minister for failing to back a new law to protect shop workers from violence. The trade union has called for a firm commitment from the government to take all available actions to tackle the issue. The news comes as Usdaw revealed one…

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Arrest over suspected furlough fraud

A West Midlands man has been arrested as part of an HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigation into a suspected £495,000 Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) fraud. HMRC officers executed a search warrant yesterday (8 July 2020) in the Solihull area and arrested the 57-year-old. This is the first arrest…

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GNCCF moves online

The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF) has announced it will move to a digital platform this summer, with the launch of GNCCFonline, set to take place between 25 July and 31 July 2020. The online selling showcase will feature 160 designer-makers who had originally been selected to take part…

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Christie’s fine jewels sale achieves £4m

A Christie’s fine jewels suction has achieved £4.2m, in a sale that “confirmed the strong interest for fine jewels”, the auction house has said.  The top lot of the sale was sapphire, diamond and ruby desk clock by Van Cleef and Arpels that hails from the personal collection of Jacqueline…

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