Everything to do with Shops

[SteveH]

There has been a big fall in the number of chain stores shutting across Britain, new figures show.

Closures in the first six months of 2022 dropped by a third compared with the first half of last year, accountancy firm PwC said.

Shop openings are still below pre-Covid levels, but closures are now at their lowest level for seven years.

PwC said the shock of the pandemic had "eased" but warned that high inflation will hit the retail sector.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62632353

[SteveH]

Small businesses in Britain are seeing huge sale plunges as customers are forced to tighten their spends in response to the cost of living crisis.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), sales have dropped by a tenth at small firms in July. This is in comparison with the previous month and has represented the heaviest drop since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

As energy bills are predicted to continue to surge way past October, shoppers are being forced to reassess their spending patterns. Meanwhile, small businesses have also warned they could face closure due to energy cost rises, not helped by the loss of business.

Pub owners reported earlier this week that they had seen energy bills rise as much as 400 per cent, with the bosses of six of the UK?s biggest pub firms demanding new financial support from government. On Thursday, the ONS added that the System Average Price (SAP) of gas rose 30 per cent over the week to August 28, marking a new peak for the year.

Around 21 per cent of surveyed businesses with 10 or more employees said they were on a variable rate for electricity and therefore vulnerable to further increases. Meanwhile, 10 per cent of companies reported their fixed prices would expire by the end of the year.

The latest weekly ONS survey of UK economic activity also revealed an increase in the number of firms proposing redundancies. It said the number lifted by four per cent over the week to August 21 compared with the previous week.

This was a 33 per cent rise against the same period last year, but remained significantly below levels from the start of the pandemic.

[SteveH]

Full list of Co-op stores bought by Asda - including three in North Wales
Asda will now transform the sites as part of plans to move into the convenience grocery market

Asda will snap up nearly 130 Co-op stores in the UK - including three in North Wales as the full list is revealed. The supermarket giant is taking on Co-op's 129-strong petrol forecourt business.

The Co-op said the sale of the sites would enable it to expand its network of grocery stores and also help it balance the books. The sites represent 5% of its retail estate,

Asda said the purchase was part of plans to move into smaller, convenience grocery stores. About 2,300 Co-op petrol station staff will be moved to Asda's employment.

The North Wales sites affected are at Coedpeth near Wrexham, Old Colwyn, and at Rhuddlan.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/full-list-co-op-stores-24903849

[SteveH]

The supermarkets with the fastest rising prices have been revealed.

In what is bad news for shoppers, prices at supermarkets including Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda have all risen sharply in the past year according to a food comparison site.

Trolley.co.uk has claimed that Morrisons? prices have jumped the most out of the Big Four grocers as the website states that across 13,000 products, prices at the supermarket have gone up by an average of 4.7% compared to August 2021,

Tesco shoppers have been hit with a 4.6% increase on average while Sainsbury?s has seen prices rise by an average of 3.7%. A shop from Asda and Waitrose have risen by 3.3% and 3.2% respectively.

Away from the big four supermarkets - Iceland saw the largest overall increase at 6.6%, followed by Aldi at 5.7% over 2,413 products. Of the 3,022 products tracked at Iceland, the average cost of an item has gone from ?3.79 last summer to ?4.04 this year ? or 25p.

More  https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/major-supermarket-prices-rocket-as-inflation-soars/

[SteveH]

A couple have placed a Llandudno clothes boutique - dubbed 'mini-Harrods' - on the market. Developer Rob Lloyd took on the David Roberts Shoes of Distinction site in 2020 and created a two floor department store.

Rob?s wife Maria took on the running of the site - setting up Knightsbridge House Boutique. She said she wanted to create a ?mini-Harrods? feel at the store.

They said the business has traded well and they are considering options for bigger premises. The unit will now go up for auction with Allsop at a guide price of offers of ?250,000.

If sold Knightsbridge will continue trading as a tenant for up to 12 months at the site. The auction takes place on September 20.

Rob Lloyd and his wife Maria have snapped up the former Marks and Spencer satellite store on Mostyn Street through their business Knightsbridge House Estates. They have plans to turn the empty unit into modern retail premises

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/couple-put-wifes-llandudno-department-24955634?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Pooches and their people could soon enjoy a Llandudno ?dog caf?? where treats such as "Cap-PAW-ccino? and doggy ice cream will be on offer. The owner of Dudley and George?s, a shop specialising in human homeware and dog products, has applied to Conwy?s planning department for permission to add a caf? to the store.

The shop at 127 Mostyn Street is already an established business in the town and owner Jason Pinnick wants to offer his humans and their pets the chance to unwind after a day's shopping . If the planning application gets the go-ahead, the business will continue to operate as a shop but with a small caf? included.

The business hours will remain the same, being Monday-Friday 8 am - 8 pm, Saturday 8 am- 8 pm, and Sunday/Bank holiday 8 am - 8 pm. The store already sells drinks as a takeaway but it would need a different licence to operate as a caf?.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/dog-caf-bid-llandudno-lifestyle-25000332

[SteveH]

A NEW Carpetright store is due to open in a Llandudno retail park month.

It will appear as a concession as part of the Bensons for Beds store at Unit 3d in Mostyn Champneys Retail Park on Mostyn Broadway.

A Carpetright spokesperson confirmed that a provisional opening date has been set for Saturday, October 22.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/21475048.carpetright-set-return-retail-park-llandudno/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Seven brands that want space in Llandudno right now
A marketing letter by a planning agent has revealed which firms are on the database looking for space

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/seven-brands-want-space-llandudno-25019758?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

A major retailer has confirmed when it will open its store on a Llandudno retail park. North Wales Live revealed last year that The Range wanted to take on the former Outfit store after it closed during the winter lockdown.

It submitted an application for the site back in September. The plans - which have been approved by planners- included an extension to the corner unit with a mezzanine floor and a new garden centre to the side of the site.

Now the company has confirmed it will open on December 9.

A spokesman said: "Across two floors in a newly renovated unit formerly occupied by Outfit at Parc Llandudno, the store will have all the departments and products you would expect alongside an outdoor garden centre. Customers will be able to discover all their favourite great value Range products in their new store. From home styling accessories to DIY essentials and cleaning must-haves to garden tools, there?s so much to discover. The opening of this store will also create a number of new jobs for the area."

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/retailer-confirms-open-new-major-25119263?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

A bit of public relations from Asda, but could still help a lot of people............

Asda offering soup, roll and unlimited hot drink to over-60s for ?1 this winter
as they worry about how to keep themselves warm in the face of rising living costs and a fixed income"

Asda has announced a range of new ?winter warmer? initiatives to support customers and community groups struggling with the cost-of-living crisis - including offering those aged 60 and over soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffees for ?1 in any of its 205 cafes all day and every day throughout November and December.

Mohsin Issa, Asda?s Co-owner, said: ?We know that this winter is set to be incredibly hard for thousands of pensioners as they worry about how to keep themselves warm in the face of rising living costs and a fixed income. We?ve already been able to serve over half a million meals through our Kids Eat for ?1 initiative in our cafes and we?re hoping our new offer of soup and hot drinks for over 60s will prove just as impactful for those who need it most.

cont https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/asda-offering-soup-roll-unlimited-25190530?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Welsh high street shopper numbers up on last year and ahead of UK average
Wales has finally posted some more promising retail stats although figures are still below pre-pandemic levels

Footfall in Welsh town and city centres was up by nearly 8% on last year in September - although remains below pre-pandemic levels. The latest WRC-Sensormatic IQ data has been released and there were some positives in there for Wales.

Footfall is still down on 2019 but the decrease of 8.7% is significantly better than previous months. It is also a better figure than the UK average decline of 9.8%.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-high-street-shopper-numbers-25225623?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

North Wales Co-op store has reopened after five months
Co-op?s Rhos on Sea store was damaged in a blaze back in May this year

The store has received replacement refrigeration, a new ceiling has been installed and, the store has been redecorated.

Rob Gainey, Co-op Area manager, said: ?We are delighted to have been able to re-open this month. The pop-up shop proved to be very popular, however the team are thrilled to welcome customers back into the store, and to get back to serving the Rhos community, and visitors to the seaside resort, with Co-op?s range and choice, conveniently.?               ref DP

[SteveH]

M&CO have confirmed they will be closing their store in Llandudno next year, owing to the end of their lease of the premises.

The store is located on Gloddaeth Street, and has been a staple of the town?s shopping scene for more than 20 years.

The Llandudno branch had already survived a financial restructuring exercise in 2020, when the company entered administration and reduced the number of shops from 265 to 218.

But now the branch will close in January 2023, with the site likely to be hotly-contested by other businesses.

A M&Co spokesperson said: ?Regretfully, M&Co can confirm the closure of our Llandudno store in January 2023 owing to an end of lease in the premises.

?Shoppers can continue to shop M&Co online at www.mandco.com.?

[SteveH]

A NEW Carpetright store opened in a Llandudno retail park last weekend.

The shop, which opened on Saturday (October 22), appears as a concession as part of the Bensons for Beds store at Unit 3d in Mostyn Champneys Retail Park on Mostyn Broadway.

[SteveH]

THE WH Smith building in Llandudno sold for ?580,000 at auction on Monday, 1 November.

The property had gone to auction with Allsop, and matched its guide price of ?575,000 to ?600,000.

The building is leased to WH Smith until 2027, but the company have an option to break this agreement in 2025.

The 8,821 sq ft Mostyn Street site also includes a Post Office, with the nearest stores located in Caernarfon and Rhyl after a site in Bangor closed this year.

The company currently pay ?65,000 a year to operate on the premises.