NEWS NEWS


BRIEFS Debenhams sponsor Sue Ryder


awards This year, Debenhams will play host to the Sue Ryder Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards 2012. This will be the 26th annual awards.


Apple store


comes to Harrods Apple are in the process of launching a new Apple store in Harrods. The company recently opened the Hirsch store, its first in the Netherlands.


M&S launch sustainable


learning store As part of its drive to become the worldʼs most sustainable major retailer, Marks & Spencer have opened a sustainable learning store at the South Extension Market in Delhi, India.


Browns of York


new store Browns of York are preparing to move into the Marshallʼs Yard retail complex in Gainsborough. The new store will create 24 jobs for the region.


John Lewis Olympic


investment John Lewis are preparing to invest £8m in improving their Oxford Street store ahead of the 2012 Olympics and the Queenʼs Diamond Jubilee.


QEST at Fortnum


& Mason Fortnum & Mason are doing their bit to support British craftsmanship by holding their fourth exhibition of crafts created by scholars from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.


BOV events


at Harrods This month, as part of the Maltese promotional campaign in London, Bank of Valetta are gearing up to host a series of business networking events at Harrods


French Connection


to launch review French connection have announced that they are planning a review of their UK retail devision after disappointing end of year results. The store believes the dip in performance was due to high input costs and the current economic climate which has seen consumers tightening the purse strings. .


Selfridges to star in ITV drama


ITV are preparing to unveil a new period drama, following the success of the triumph that is Downton Abbey. The new drama will most likely be called Mr Selfridge and will centre around the story of Harry Gordon Selfridge,


founder of Selfridges department store. Kate Lewis, executive producer said: “It's impossible to read about the real Harry Selfridge and not be enthralled.” 'Here's a man who had it all and lost it all in the most spectacular


fashion. His life and the extraordinary legacy he left are dripping with drama.” Golden Globe winner Jeremy Piven, best known for playing Ari Gold in HBO’s Entourage, has been considered for the leading role.


ASOS most visible


JL beauty hall gets a


makeover John Lewis’ Oxford Street beauty hall is to receive a makeover from luxury design company, GP Studio. The designers are planning to create a town square concept in which products will be positioned around a central square. The new hall is scheduled to open its doors in May. GP Studio partner, Gregor Jackson says, ‘Our design not only stays true to the department store’s core values but also gives each of the individual cosmetic brands a distinct voice and mode of expression.”


Tesco create 20,000 new jobs


Tesco has announced that it will create 20,000 new jobs in the UK over the next two years


through a significant investment in customer service, refreshing existing stores and opening new ones. Starting immediately, the retailer will invest significantly in additional staff hours and training to boost the customer experience. In strengthening its customer service team by 20,000 new recruits, Tesco expects to focus on giving opportunities to young people currently unemployed.


Fenn Wright Manson fights for survival


Fenn Right Manson is working with a team of restructuring specialists from Zolfo Cooper in an attempt to safeguard its future. The womenswear retail- er, which has concessions in both John Lewis and House of Fraser, was bought by Darwin Private Equity in October 2012.


The sale of the company led to its last founder, Colin Fenn, leaving the company. Since then the company has gone downhill and four of its direc- tors, Anju Mahbubani, Patrick Hollwey, Sharon Jones and Claire Lawrence have now also left the company.


retailer According to research from Hydra, a provider of software- as-a-service (SaaS) tools for digital marketers, in the quarter leading up to London Fashion Week, ASOS was most visible online retailer to consumer searches for womenswear. It was followed in second place by House of Fraser. Marisota was the most visible advertiser. ASOS also led in the menswear sector, followed by Top Man whilst Premier Man overtook MandMDirect to become the most visible advertiser in December and January.


Waitrose achieves ‘outstanding’ rating


Waitrose Stratford City in London is today being awarded the world’s first Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ‘Outstanding’ rating for a retail building. The shop, which opened last autumn at Westfield Stratford City, has been designed to incorporate a host of environmentally friendly and sustainable features. It is the first Waitrose supermarket to run completely off-grid through an energy centre at the shopping mall, which provides the store


with all of its heating and cooling requirements. This is part of the retailer’s work to ensure 100% of its electricity is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind power, small scale hydro and biomass.


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