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Bira welcomes London Mayor’s support for further business rates holiday
Bira has welcomed the London Mayor’s support for an extension to the business rates holiday. Bira has been campaigning for the Government to extend its business rates holiday past April 2021, as retailers continue to recover from the impact of Covid-19. Now, London Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) has spoken in favour of the move, calling on the Government to extend the rates holiday into the 2021/22 financial year.
In a joint submission to the Government’s business rates
review, Khan has teamed up with local councils in the Capital to call for the extension.
Khan said: “Businesses
across London continue to struggle from the impact of Covid-19. If the business rates holiday comes to an end I worry many employers will have no choice but to make more people unemployed.” Andrew Goodacre, Bira’s
CEO, said: “We are pleased the London Mayor has added his support for a further business rates holiday. It is something we have been campaigning for
since the start of the pandemic. “Now, more than ever independent retailers need government support. We’d also like them to consider a voucher scheme, similar to the Eat Out to Help Out initiative, particularly in the run up to Christmas.”
Consumer spending grows in August
Consumer spending grew by 0.2% year on year in August, the first rise since February this year, according to Barclays UK Consumer Spend Report. The report looks into giving you a unique and up to date picture of the nation’s spending habits based on the actual transactions, bringing it to life so you can take action
and shape your strategy. Other highlights of the report, included: • The 0.2% year-on-year growth in overall consumer spending reflects a much more positive picture for retail.
• Non-essential spending saw its smallest fall since the lockdown began, with a 1.6% drop year-on-year compared to
a 4.7% fall in July. • Essential spending rose by 5.1% year-on-year, largely driven by stronger growth in grocery purchasing. • Online spending increased by 10.6% year-on-year and continues to claim a higher share of spend in most categories than before lockdown.
Housewares market key to John Lewis’ strategy
In the first six months of this year, John Lewis Partnership made a loss of £55m, about the same as this time last year, a creditable performance in the circumstances and ahead of expectations in our April trading update, according to the organisation. Sales were a touch higher than last year – up 1%. However, shoppers spent more on less profitable lines such as laptops and loo rolls. We benefited from Government support through the furlough scheme, which we exited at the end of July, and business rates, which helped to offset £50m of additional pandemic-related
costs like safety equipment. In John Lewis, online sales
growth was strong at 73%, helping to offset the impact of shop closures, with overall sales down10% on last year. Sales momentum is
starting to build in reopened stores, with sales down around 30% on last year, ahead of expectations. Stores in retail parks are down by around 15% and are doing better than city centres, especially London which is
down around 40%. Home working has had a big impact on what people are buying - more TVs and tablets, fewer trousers and trainers. Online now accounts for
more than 60% of sales, from 40% before the pandemic. As a result of this
pronounced shift to digital, the company has had to reassess how much shops contribute to whether our customers buy online with us or not.
The Inspired Home Show 2021 moved to August
The International Housewares Association has announced that its annual home and housewares gathering, The Inspired Home Show, will be held in-person 7-10 August 2021 at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. “As the pandemic continued into the summer, we had multiple conversations with our Board of Directors, exhibiting members and retail buyers, all of whom were experiencing apprehension about the ability to safely convene the industry as soon as March of 2021,” said Derek Miller, IHA president. “While the Show continues to be a critical part of their businesses, the health and safety of our industry is our first priority and moving the event to later in the year allows more time.” “On behalf of the IHA Board of Directors, all of whom are exhibitors at The Inspired Home Show, I’m extremely pleased that we were able to find alternate dates for The Inspired Home Show 2021,” said Howard “Chip” Steidle Jr., CEO of John Ritzenthaler Company and 2020 IHA chair. “Given the current trajectory of the pandemic and the ongoing nature of treatment and vaccine development, I can confidently say that this is the best option for our industry right now.”
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housewareslive.net •
HousewaresLive.net •
twitter.com/Housewaresnews September 2020
Lesser and Pavey release new Desire range
The flickering flame and scents of the ‘Desire’ ranges from Lesser and Pavey continues to grow in colours and fragrances. New decorative candles with festive scents come in ribbed glass jars with lids, each one a bold colourway. They feature matching tassel trimmed with gold or silver edging and knob. The matching diffusers come with quality scents and bamboo canes. These are presented with a gold foil effect
featured in the packaging and are available in three sizes.
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