retail
Next and Gap have announced a partnership, set to launch in 2022. Gap closed its physical stores in the UK and Ireland this year, but the joint venture will mean that Gap shop-in-shops will open in some Next stores. Gap’s e-commerce business will also join Next’s Total Platform, with click-and-collect options available in-store. Gap chief executive Mark Breitbard said: “Gap is partnering with Next, one of the UK’s leading online clothing retailers, to amplify our omnichannel business and meet our customers in UK and Ireland where they are shopping now.”
Asda is set to continue rolling out its refill scheme to more UK stores after a successful trial. A new launch in Glasgow’s Toryglen store follows the first refill station that opened in Leeds last October. A range of goods from Asda’s own brand and partners such as Unilever and Kellogg’s are available for customers to fill their own containers with, such as cereals, tea, pasta and shampoo. The next refill stations are planned for Milton Keynes and York and will open before the end of the year. Asda’s director of commercial sustainability Susan Thomas said: “With COP26 coming to Glasgow, there has certainly been an increase in interest in environmental issues across the country, so to see refill land in the host city and with such engaged customers is a really important moment for us.”
Aldi has revealed plans to open its first checkout-free store, following in the footsteps of Amazon and other UK grocery retailers. Aldi is yet to reveal the exact location of the store but said that it will be in London. The new technology will allow customers to scan their smartphones on entry and pick up the items they wish to purchase, without the need to pay at a till. They will be charged automatically and sent an email receipt after their visit. Aldi is currently trialling the concept on staff and will test it on customers in the near future.
Leisure
Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced that people will have to show an NHS Covid Pass to enter nightclubs and large events from October. The rule differs from Scotland’s vaccine passports in that a recent negative lateral flow test will allow admission if patrons are not fully vaccinated. The Night Time Industries Association’s Cymru Commission said in a statement: “First and foremost we would like to reinforce our commitment to keeping staff and the public safe within the night time economy in Wales… We still feel that these measures will have a negative impact on businesses, and will create considerable market distortion.”
Al fresco dining is set to continue in parts of St. John’s Wood and Covent Garden as the scheme comes to an end in Soho. Westminster City Council initially launched the scheme in Soho last summer, which supported the area’s hospitality businesses as they reopened following the first lockdown. In August, they announced the return of traffic to Soho at the end of September, meaning that restaurants with existing licenses can still use pavements, but not roads. These plans are still set to go ahead, but Westminster City Council may consider longer-term schemes in Soho in the near future. Cllr Matthew Green, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Business, Licensing and Planning, said: “This summer, we created more than 16,000 additional covers across the city- the highest number in London- helping to save countless businesses and jobs in Covent Garden and across Westminster. There are some consultations which are still ongoing, and we will continue to work with local communities and businesses as we explore permanent schemes.”
Property
83% of major retailers said they were likely or certain to close stores if no reforms are made to the business rates system, according to research by the British Retail Consortium. The research comes as the Treasury prepares to publish a review, in which retailers are calling for business rates to be reduced and a change to the way properties are valued. The BRC survey also found that the impact of the rates was a key factor in two-thirds of store closures over the past year. They also said that one in four stores pay more in business rates than in rent. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “It is essential that action is taken, or else it will be our local communities and high streets which suffer the consequences.”
Trafford Retail Park in Manchester has been acquired by UK Commercial Property REIT for £33m. The 143,000sq ft retail park, sold by Peel L&P, comprises 14 units, all currently occupied, with retailers such as Dunelm, B&M, TK Maxx and Nando’s among the list of current tenants. Fund manager Kerri Hunter said: “While some parts of the retail sector have struggled in recent years, Trafford Retail Park is primarily let to discount focused and convenience led retailers, which have proven resilient and continue to perform well.”
Openings and closures
Indian Chinese-inspired concept Fatt Pundit opens its second restaurant in Covent Garden today; The team behind London’s Kricket restaurants have opened basement bar Soma next to their Soho site; Brooklyn-inspired sandwich shop Earls Sandwich Co has opened in Stockbridge, Edinburgh; The Gladwin brothers are to open their fifth London restaurant, The Fat Badger, in Richmond; Pan-African restaurant Tatale is to open early next year in Southwark’s Africa Centre; Korean-Japanese takeaway Kokoro, Gail’s Bakery and bubble tea brand Yi Fang are set to open at Berkshire’s The Lexicon shopping destination; PizzaExpress has converted its London Aldwych restaurant into a vegan pop-up; Famous LA pizza restaurant Pizzeria Mozza has opened a restaurant in London’s Treehouse Hotel on Langham Place.
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