Drapers
George MacDonald

George MacDonald is currently acting editor of Retail Week.

Follow George on twitter: @GeorgeMacD

M&S launches earlier summer Sale

28 June 2011
Retail bellwether Marks & Spencer launched its seasonal Sale today, a fortnight earlier than last year.
John Lewis weekly sales rise almost 8%

24 June 2011
Department store chain John Lewis enjoyed its best trading of the half-year so far last week, when sales rose 8.6% to £57m.
SuperGroup says business 'on track' and confirms Regent Street opening

20 June 2011
Sales at young fashion business SuperGroup have improved in the last three weeks and are running at about the same level as in its fourth quarter, when they rose 39%.
John Lewis fashion sales leap as prices cut

17 June 2011
Department store chain John Lewis generated strong fashion sales last week as it price-matched rivals’ promotions.
City speculates on Abercrombie bid for SuperGroup

17 June 2011
US retailer Abercrombie & Fitch may be interested in acquiring young fashion business SuperGroup, City speculators believe.
Reuben brothers take £2m stake in Blue Inc

13 June 2011
Billionaire investors the Reuben brothers have taken a holding in young fashion retailer Blue Inc, it is understood.
Asos profits rocket by 41%

2 June 2011
Etail giant Asos has posted a rise in full-year profits, boosted by its growing international business.
House of Fraser closes £250m bond issue

1 June 2011
Department store group house of Fraser closed a £250m bond issue yesterday.
Consumer confidence soars in May

27 May 2011
Consumer confidence rose at the highest rate in almost two decades during May as the royal wedding and sunny weather heralded a return of the feelgood factor.
M&S deputy chairman Michels to stand down

5 May 2011
Marks & Spencer deputy chairman Sir David Michels, who led the search for a successor to Sir Stuart Rose as chief executive, is to stand down in February 2012.
Debenhams boss Rob Templeman to stand down

14 April 2011
Debenhams chief executive Rob Templeman is to retire later this year and hand the reins to his deputy, Michael Sharp.
Marks & Spencer unveils bricks and clicks launch in France

1 April 2011
Marks & Spencer is to return to France a decade after shutting its operations in the country.
Laura Ashley celebrates record profits

31 March 2011
Fashion-to-furnishings group Laura Ashley has posted record profits and said it is confident about prospects despite the punishing trading environment.
Blue Inc acquisition of Officers Club stores will bring sales to £80m

29 March 2011
Young fashion chain Blue Inc is expected to snap up 47 stores from Officers Club today after the latter is put into administration imminently.
Speculation swirls around Rose's holding in Marks & Spencer

29 March 2011
Former Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose is at the centre of speculation that he has sold a big tranche of shares in the retailer.
New Look's valuation halved by private equity owner

14 February 2011
The valuation of fast fashion group New Look has been halved by its private equity backers.
Findel unveils £80.5m fundraising

11 February 2011
Findel, the home shopping group behing sports etailer kitbag.com, will undergo a £80.5m fundraising as it restructures its balance sheet and bids to improve performance.
John Lewis reports 'pleasing' start to new financial year

11 February 2011
Fashion sales John Lewis were flat last week as the department store’s new financial year began.
Peacocks prompts IPO speculation after beginning hunt for chairman

11 February, 2011
Value fashion group Peacocks intends to appoint a chairman for the first time in five years, prompting speculation that an IPO may be on the cards.
SuperGroup third quarter sales rocket

9 February 2011
Sales at young fashion group SuperGroup, owner of the Superdry brand and Cult chain, continued to climb steeply in its third quarter .
Marks & Spencer to open Champs-Elysees store this summer

31 January 2011
Marks & Spencer is to open a store in Paris on the Champs-Elysees as early as this summer, it is understood.
Pace of retail growth slowing, CBI reports

27 January 2011
Retail sales volumes rose in the early part of January but store chiefs expect the growth to slow.
Marks & Spencer restructures womenswear team

26 January 2011
Marks & Spencer has unveiled a raft of management changes at its clothing business as part of chief executive Marc Bolland’s new strategy.
Changes expected at Marks & Spencer's clothing arm

25 January 2011
Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland is preparing for the next phase of the retailer’s reorganisation, when his focus is likely to be on the clothing division.
John Lewis weekly fashion sales up 5.5%

21 January 2011
Sales at John Lewis department stores slowed to 4.1% last week to come in at £55.8m.
Mulberry Christmas like-for-likes surge 70%

21 January 2011
Luxury brand and retailer Mulberry will beat profit expectations after a storming Christmas.
Marks & Spencer launches Plan A fashion range

19 January 2011
Marks & Spencer has launced a Plan A-inspired fashion capsule collection for its Indigo range.
Marks & Spencer joins location-based marketing scheme

17 January 2011
Marks & Spencer has joined telecoms firm O2’s ‘You are here’ location-based marketing service, enabling the retailer to target consumers with special offers.
Andy Bond named chairman of Republic

10 January 2011
Former Asda chairman and chief executive Andy bond has been named chairman of private equity-backed young fashion retailer Republic.
JD Sports' profits to beat expectations after strong Christmas

7 January 2011
Sportswear giant JD Sports Fashion will make higher full-year profits than expected after Christmas trading beat expectations.
Bill Gates rides to JJB Sports' rescue as Clare stands down

24 December 2010
JJB Sports has this morning disclosed details of a £31.5m cash call, boardroom changes and a further sales slump.
Snow fears unjustified, broker Arden argues

22 December 2010
Concerns about the impact of snow on retailers’ Christmas performance look overdone, Arden analyst Nick Bubb believes.
World Cup boosts Sports Direct profits

16 December 2010
Sportswear retailer Sports Direct had its biggest ever trading day on England’s first match of the football World Cup, helping it to notch up a 40% rise in underlying pre-tax profits.
Clothing and footwear prices rise at record rates

14 December 2010
Clothing and footwear prices rose 2% in November, the most in an October to November period since records began, contributing to a record rise in overall inflation during the month.
Marks & Spencer extends Christmas opening hours at 200 shops

10 December 2010
Marks & Spencer will extend its opening hours to 10pm at 200 of its stores during Christmas week.
John Lewis's Mayfield to chair UK Commission for Employment and Skills

19 November 2010
John Lewis Partnership chairman Charlie Mayfield has been named chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills with immediate effect.
Marks & Spencer celebrates achievement of 70 Plan A targets

19 November 2010
Marks & Spencer has now achieved 70 of its 180 Plan A sustainability targets and expects to complete another 20 by April 2011.
Suits You chain to be shut down, administrator concludes

17 November 2010
The Suits You chain is to be closed after its administrator Zolfo Copper said it was not “financially viable” to coninue trading.
Rose sells shares as Bolland outlines vision

10 November 2010
Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose sold 100,000 of his shares in the retailer yesterday – the day his successor Marc Bolland set out his vision for the business.
Asos outlines global ambitions as profits leap

8 November 2010
Fashion etailer Asos has reported a surge in first-half profits and plans a range of initiatives to ensure continued growth.
Matalan launches first TV ad campaign in four years

5 November 2010
Value fashion retailer Matalan is launching its first TV advertising campaign for four years this weekend.
Go Outdoors emerges as bidder for Blacks

28 October 2010
Privately-owned specialist retailer Go Outdoors has emerged as a bidder for Blacks, Retail Week has learned.
John Lewis fashion sales up 7.7%

22 October 2010
Fashion sales rose 7.7% at John Lewis last week as the department store chain said it was “well placed” to take advantage of the colder weather.
No charges to be brought against JJB Sports and Sports Direct, SFO concludes

19 October 2010
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will confirm imminently that its investigation into Sports Direct and JJB Sports is over and no charges will be brought against the companies, the retailers revealed in regulatory announcements this morning.
John Lewis weekly fashion sales rise 16%

1 October 2010
Sales at department store chain John Lewis rose 15.1% last week to £58.7m.
Peacocks calls off sale

1 October 2010
Value chain Peacocks will not be sold after all because there was insufficient interest from potential buyers.
Matalan chief executive Alistair McGeorge to stand down

29 September 2010
Matalan chief executive Alistair McGeorge is to stand down and other boardroom changes are expected at the value retail giant.
Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy attacks investor short-termism

27 September 2010
Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy has criticised short-term investor attitudes and such shareholders’ superficial understanding of companies in which they hold stakes.
Next strikes online partnership with US retailer Sears

23 September 2010
Retailer Next is to sell clothing online in the US in partnership with retail giant Sears.
Do more to back enterprise, BRC chairman Mayhew tells Government

23 September 2010
British Retail Consortium chairman Luke Mayhew has warned that the Government risks causing “collateral damage” to business unless it encourages enterprise and cuts red tape as well as makes cuts.
Jaeger opens shops-in-shops in Italy with Coin

22 September 2010
Upscale fashion retailer and brand Jaeger has expanded into Italy with the opening of four shop-in-shops in Coin department stores.
Profits leap at JD Sports Fashion

21 September 2010
JD Sports Fashion has posted a 64% rise in profits and expects continued growth.
John Lewis enjoys 'flying start' to autumn

17 September 2010
Sales at John Lewis department stores climbed 16.5% to £58.3m last week as the back-to-school selling season got autumn off to a “flying start”.
Profits to climb at Debenhams

14 September 2010
Department store chain Debenhams expects profits to rise strongly this year after a shift in product mix boosted margins.
Rose hints at TV career and defends his record at Marks & Spencer

6 September 2010
Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose has hinted at his interest in fronting a Troubleshooter-style business TV show after he stands down from the retailer.
Multichannel powers 12% rise in weekly sales at John Lewis

3 September 2010
Department store chain John Lewis posted a sales rise of 12.2% to £57.8m last week, driven by a strong online and fashion performance.
Asda’s George poaches top Marks & Spencer executive

2 September 2010
Asda-owned fashion business George has poached top Marks & Spencer executive Nick Jones to be its merchandising, supply and sourcing director.
Mountain Warehouse deal values store group at £50m

2 September 2010
Private equity firm LDC has bought into fast-growing outdoor gear specialist Mountain Warehouse in a deal valuing the retailer at £50m.
Clothing sales hold up despite consumer focus on essentials

26 August 2010
Clothing is among the few consumer spending categories to have delivered real terms sales growth in the last year and people remain focused on saving, a Mintel study has shown.
Primark to open 75,000 sq ft Edinburgh flagship

26 August 2010
Value fashion giant Primark is to open on Edinburgh’s Princes Street after winning planning approval for a 75,000 sq ft store.
Marks & Spencer to press ahead with Midlands store closures

25 August 2010
Marks & Spencer is to proceed with the closure of four stores in Lincolnshire and Warwickshire, which locals had campaigned to keep open.
Robert Swannell tipped to become chairman of Marks & Spencer

20 August 2010
HMV chairman Robert Swannell is being tipped to take the same role at Marks & Spencer.
Three New Look directors step down as IPO prospects remain distant

18 August 2010
Three of New Look’s non-executive directors have stood down it has emerged, indicating that an IPO of the value fashion group is unlikely in the near future.
John Lewis weekly fashion sales jump 20%

13 August 2010
Year on year fashion sales were up 20% at department store chain John Lewis last week, as total sales rose 15.5% to £52.5m.
John Lewis to advise on 'big society' projects

12 August 2010
John Lewis, the department store which is owned by its employees, is to advise public sector organisations on how to improve by involving staff.
Marks & Spencer appoints chief finance officer

3 August 2010
Marks & Spencer has named Alan Stewart its new chief finance officer.
2020 vision for London’s West End shopping district unveiled

26 July 2010
New West End Company, the agency charged with the improvement of London’s premier shopping district, has unveiled ambitious plans to help almost double sales in the area to £10bn by 2020.
Aurora Fashions posts operating profit of £23m in inaugural year

26 July 2010
Aurora Fashions, the group which operates chains Oasis, Coast, Karen Millen and Warehouse, posted operating profits of £22.6m in the 11 months since it was reborn from the wreckage of the Icelandic financial meltdown.
JJB in showdown with GMB union

22 July 2010
JJB Sports chiefs are expected to meet GMB union bosses today in a showdown over recognition at the retailer’s Wigan distribution depot.
Sports Direct profits soar but World Cup impact mixed

22 July 2010
Sports Direct delivered its best ever day of trading on the day England played the USA in this year’s World Cup and has posted a surge in full-year profits.
Mothercare suffers UK sales fall and buys Blooming Marvellous brand

15 July 2010
Maternity specialist Mothercare has posted a fall in UK sales and has bought the trademark and brand of privately owned rival Blooming Marvellous.
Record June price falls, ONS reports

13 July 2010
Record June falls in the prices of clothing and footwear pushed down the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) annual rate of inflation to 3.2% last month from 3.4% in May.
Retailers prepare for AGM pay rebellions

12 July 2010
Leading retailers are preparing for a showdown with shareholders this week as director pay becomes the focus of investor anger.
Sales and margins rise at JJB

8 July 2010
JJB Sports has reported a like-for-like sales rise and improved gross margin in recent weeks.
Primark sales climb 17%

8 July 2010
Value chain Primark has reported 17% sales growth and “strong” operating margins during an “excellent” year to date.
Sir Philip Green aims to open more retail academies

6 July 2010
Arcadia owner Sir Philip Green is considering opening more shopkeeping schools after the success of London’s Fashion Retail Academy.
Asda aims to absorb VAT rise

24 June 2010
Asda, the grocer, has said it would shelter shoppers from the worst of the VAT rise in the new year.
Retail sales fall in June lower than expected, CBI reports

23 June 2010
Retail sales fell in June, although to a lesser extent than had been expected, the CBI Distributive Trades Survey showed.
Consumer price inflation falls to 3.4% in May

15 June 2010
Consumer prices index (CPI) inflation fell to 3.4% in May from 3.7% in April year-on-year, the Office for National Statistics reported.
First England World Cup match hits shopper numbers

14 June 2010
England’s first World Cup game hit shopper numbers on Saturday, when footfall fell by 4.7%.
George Osborne to unveil Budget on June 22

17 May 2010
New Chancellor George Osborne will unveil his first Budget on Tuesday June 22.
Baugur boss Johannesson resigns from House of Fraser board

14 May 2010
Former Baugur boss Jón Ásgeir Jóhannesson has resigned from the board of department store group house of Fraser after a $2bn (£1.3bn) fraud lawsuit was filed against him in the US.
Good weather boosts summer fashion sales at John Lewis

23 April 2010
Sales at department store group John Lewis rose 18.9% to £51.3m last week as customers bought into summer lines.
CPI inflation rises to 3.4% in March

20 April 2010
Consumer price inflation rose year-on-year to 3.4% in March compared to 3% in February, the Office for National Statistics reported.
London like-for-like sales climb 9.9% in March

19 April 2010
Retail like-for-like sales in London climbed 9.9% in March, more than double the rate of the rest of the UK.
BRC delivers verdict on Conservative and Labour manifestos

13 April 2010
The British Retail Consortium has passed its verdict on Conservative and Labour manifesto proposals affecting the multiples industry.
Asda offers top team early payday to avoid higher tax rate

12 April 2010
Some of Asda’s top brass have been paid part of their salary early in order to avoid the new 50% tax rate.
Matalan completes £525m refinancing

1 April 2010
Value retailer Matalan has refinanced by raising £525m of debt.
Mothercare sales hit by bad weather in fourth quarter

1 April 2010
Maternity specialist Mothercare suffered a slowdown in like-for-like sales in its core UK market during the fourth quarter but annual turnover exceeded £1bn for the first time.
Consumer confidence falls back in March

31 March 2010
Consumer confidence fell in March after improving during January and February.
Sainsbury’s to end ‘sexist’ labelling of children’s costumes

26 March 2010
Supermarket group Sainsbury’s is to change the labelling on children’s dressing-up costumes after complaints about sexism.
Price inflation falls to 3% in February

23 March 2010
The rate of consumer price inflation fell in February, ONS data showed.
French Connection to sell Nicole Farhi and scale back US retail

15 March 2010
French Connection is selling its loss-making designer label Nicole Farhi and closing most of its eponymous US shops following a strategic review.
Fashion delivers strong week for John Lewis

12 March 2010
John Lewis reported that sales rose 15.9% year-on-year to £53.2m in its eponymous department stores last week.
IPO to value SuperGroup at £395m

8 March 2010
SuperGroup is expected to say this week that its IPO share price will be 500p, valuing the young fashion business at £395m.
Businesses must reconsider values post-recession, says John Lewis chairman

3 March 2010
John Lewis Partnership chairman Charlie Mayfield has said that privately-run companies can learn from co-operative groups and said that how business is done post-recession must be reconsidered.
SuperGroup ‘oversubscribed’ as IPO bookbuilding ends

1 March 2010
SuperGroup, the young fashion business, expects to close its IPO bookbuilding within 24 hours and the offer is likely to be oversubscribed, Drapers has learned.
BRC urges Budget public spending cuts

1 March 2010
The Government should cut public spending rather than increase taxes in its next Budget, the British Retail Consortium has urged.
New Look board meets as doubts rise over IPO

12 February 2010
Fashion retailer New Look’s board will decide today whether to proceed with an IPO as fears rise that a flotation may be impossible.
M&S reveals celebrity line up for spring ad campaign

8 February 2010
Marks & Spencer has signed a string of new names to feature in its spring 10 advertising campaign.
New Look to consider IPO at board meeting

25 January 2010
New Look’s board will consider this week whether to go ahead with a Stock Exchange listing.
Mothercare reshapes stores estate as profits rise

18 November 2009
Mothercare, the maternity specialist, revealed strong interim results and has unveiled plans to take advantage of property market conditions to reshape key parts of its store portfolio.
Debenhams buys Danish retailer Magasin du Nord for £12.3m

12 November 2009
Debenhams is to push into mainland Europe following the £12.3m acquisition of Danish department store business Magasin du Nord.
Key credit insurer Atradius increases cover

5 November 2009
Atradius, one of the leading trade credit insurance firms, is to increase cover to UK companies, bringing relief to hard-pressed businesses.
Marks & Spencer to deliver to 73 more countries

6 October 2009
Marks & Spencer has extended its online international delivery service to an additional 73 countries, as it targets an additional 5.5m British expatriates and overseas shoppers.