Grimsey Review 1 – what were the recommendations?
As I sit down to write the data and evidence chapter with considerably more material than in 2013 I am drawn to what we wrote in 2013 and ask myself; What has changed? A lot has ch
What does today’s news tells us about the form and function of place?
Today, 11th April 2018, is an interesting day in terms of data around companies and places in the UK. The most anticipated news was around Tesco’s latest results. In addition
Why Grimsey Review 2?
In the wake of recent news about distressed retailers (30,000 according to Begbies Traynor), CVAs, administrations and closures (Warren Evans, Thomas Cook, Carluccio’s, Jamie Oli
Real Estate Investment Managers – What Business Are You Actually In?
This may seem a curious question but one of the popular misconceptions for real estate investment managers is that they are actually in the real estate business. Sure, we all work
Armageddon week in weather and retail. Are they linked?
This week (26 Feb to 2 March) has been the most significant for a long time with regards the fortunes of UK retailers and food and beverage operators. We have seen the administrati
BBC commentary – The background to M&S store closures and the reasons
Our first outing on the airwaves talking to Winifred Robinson about Marks and Spencer store closures on BBC Radio 4 You and Yours programme – 31 Jan. Why are they having to d
Why dramatic changes in data and technology need radical changes from business leaders
This week I was privileged to to an after dinner speech to a group of senior property professionals. This is what I told them! “Good evening and thank you for your kind intro
What do the Christmas retailer results tells us about the British High Street?
The majority of the Christmas sales results of the public companies have now been published. So what do they tell us about the state of retail and the British High Street? High Str
Is New Look’s credit downgrade reflective of the retailer or the industry?
This week saw Moodys downgrade New Look and House of Fraser’s credit ratings. With this in mind and the fact that there is a new management team at New Look delivering a new stra
How are Scotland’s towns and cities performing as retail and leisure destinations?
On November 28th, was the Local Data Company’s (LDC) fifth Scottish Retail and Leisure Trends Summitheld in partnership with the University of Stirling. The report revealed