HMRC proposal to access taxpayers’ bank accounts in secret ‘condemned’

An HMRC proposal that would have allowed secret access to taxpayers’ bank accounts has been condemned as an “unreasonable invasion of taxpayers’ privacy”. David Redfern, director of tax specialists DSR Tax Claims, has denounced the proposal and is urging HMRC to reconsider. He said that although HMRC is “correct to…

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Goldsmiths unveils transformed Middlesbrough showroom

High street jeweller Goldsmiths has revealed its transformed Middlesbrough showroom  following a £300,000 investment. Situated on Middlesbrough’s high street the store has re-opened its doors showcasing a new ‘contemporary look’ and extension of a 33 sq m branded Rolex space. The main showroom of 106 sq m, features a selection…

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How has animal jewellery become so popular?

The amount of TV time devoted to animals, the numbers watching funny cat videos on YouTube, concerns about the preservation of endangered species and the growing tendency to anthropomorphise dogs. The animal kingdom has always been universally represented in jewellery, and is currently enjoying a welcome revival. Collector Square is…

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Are you training your salespeople?

Most jewellers try to find time to train their salespeople, but it can be hard as other things often take priority. I can understand this, because in retail jewellery you are seldom ever caught up with your work. Keep in mind, sales training is the only way you can increase…

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‘Phantom hours’ costing UK businesses £37m a week

A survey of shift workers in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries has found staff to be overstating their working hours by an average of almost half an hour a week. Staff rota scheduling firm Rotaready, which conducted the survey, said these ‘phantom hours’ are costing UK businesses as much…

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Hallmarking figures drop 9.3% in June

Hallmarking fell by an average of 9.3% in June 2018 compared with the same period the previous year, according to the latest figures from the four UK assay offices and compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The average volume of all precious metals apart from platinum fell this month, with…

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Raymond Weil awards ‘International Artist’ to The Script

Swiss watchmaking company Raymond Weil has given the International Artist Award to Irish rock band The Script at the O2 Silver Clef Luncheon. Craig Leach, Raymond Weil’s UK brand director, gave the award to The Script during the 43rd luncheon held on the 6 July at the Grosvenor House Hotel.…

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Daniel Wellington launches first regional store outside London

Independent financial consulting company St David’s Partnership has launched Daniel Wellington’s first standalone UK store outside of London. The new 430 sq ft store in located at St David’s, Cardiff and it offers an assortment of the brand’s classic accessories including classic cuffs and interchangeable watch straps in NATO, mesh…

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Victoria McKay to step down from London Diamond Bourse

Victoria McKay has given notice that she is stepping down as chief operating officer of London Diamond Bourse (LDB), after six years in the position. Bourse president Alan Cohen credited McKay with playing a key role in positioning the LDB as a progressive bourse worldwide transforming the “inwardly focused private…

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Footfall dips for seventh consecutive month

Retail footfall dipped for a seventh consecutive month in June, despite the boost in spending brought on by the World Cup. BRC’s Footfall Springboard and Vacancies Monitor reported that year-on-year footfall for the month dropped by 0.9%  The high street was the only area that delivered footfall growth, albeit marginally,…

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