Retailers

Retail parks outperform high street and shopping centres

Retail parks showed a growth in footfall in July, with high streets and shopping centres suffering a decrease, figures from retail footfall analysts Springboard show. Footfall on the high streets fell by 2.1% which shopping centres showed a 1.3% decline. Retail parks saw a 1.7% increase. July was the fourth…

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Elham and Issa partners with Wolf and Badger

Elham and Issa Jewellery has announced its partnership with British luxury retailer, Wolf and Badger. The hero pieces from the four collections – Awe, Amwaj, Evolution, Mystique – will be stocked in the Mayfair store on Dover Street, with the full collection online at the Wolf and Badger website. Established…

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CMJ announces renewed focus on supporting independent retailers

The Company of Master Jewellers (CMJ) says it is looking to refocus the business towards the needs of the membership in a new business strategy unveiled at the buying group’s AGM, according to a statement released today. In a speech to the membership at the AGM in Birmingham on August…

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High street ‘dinosaurs’ left behind by digital age

High street retailers who don’t keep up in the digital age will be left behind, according to new data from Worldpay. According to the payments processor, small and independent stores are seeing year on year growth of up to 8% by allowing customers to browse and purchase online as well…

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Smartphones boost increase in retail searches

The number of international customers searching for UK retailers has increased due to the popularity of smartphones, according to the British Retail Consortium’s Google Online Retail Monitor. The search volumes on mobile phones increased by 26% in the second quarter of the year compared to last year. For all devices…

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Man in court over Mappin and Webb robbery at Gleneagles Hotel

A 41-year-old man has appeared in court in connection with an armed robbery at the Mappin & Webb store in Gleneagles Hotel. Richard Fleming, from London, faced seven charges during an appearance at Perth Sheriff Court. He is accused of assault and robbery, assault, two charges of theft by housebreaking,…

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EDITOR’S COMMENT: What now for the CMJ?

Much ink has been spilled by the trade press over the sudden and barely explicated departure of Willie Hamilton, the polarising chief executive of the Company of Master Jewellers. Apart from those at the top, it would seem nobody knew he was about to vacate his post, and those in…

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CMJ’s CEO Willie Hamilton steps down

Willie Hamilton, CEO of Company of Master Jewellers (CMJ), has announced his departure from the role after 10 years. The CMJ is a buying group for independent retailers of watches and jewellery in the UK and Ireland and currently has over 150 members. Michael Aldridge, chairman of CMJ, said: “Willie…

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Henryka prepares to unveil major brand overhaul

Silver and gemstone jewellery specialist Henryka is preparing to unveil a major rebrand. As part of this, it will be offering independent retailers a more focused sales support package that includes contemporary point-of-sale, marketing material and a tailored sales support programme. Henryka’s new marketing material reflects the brand’s new focus,…

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Summer sunshine boosts retail sales

Retail sales growth picked up in the year to July, exceeding expectations for minimal growth, according to the latest monthly CBI Distributive Trades Survey. The survey of 111 firms, of which 57 were retailers, showed that the volume of sales grew at a healthy pace – driven by grocery and…

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