Stores

Exclusive: Documents show Modella Capital, which bought the chain last year, is so far owed £2.9m in royalty feesThe investment company that owns the former WH Smith high street stores is charging the retailer millions of pounds in licence fees for the right to use its widely derided TG Jones name, the Guardian can reveal.Modella Capital – which bought the chain from WH Smith’s parent company last year – on Wednesday blamed weak consumer spending as it laid out a restructuring plan that could shut 150 of its 450 shops. It also said “the forced name change from WH Smith has also negatively impacted consumer awareness”. Continue reading...

New owner Modella Capital, which rebranded shops to TG Jones, blames weak consumer spending Dozens of former WH Smith stores are likely to close, putting thousands of jobs at risk under a radical restructuring plan by their new owner, which had rebranded the shops to TG Jones,The investment company Modella Capital, which bought WH Smith’s chain of 480 high street stores for £76m last year, blamed “weak consumer spending” as it set out the plan to landlords on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Project to refurbish ‘Angels’ hailed huge success as dean says it will ‘lift spirits and rekindle hope’Sam Kelly admitted there had been some nights of broken sleep as he led a two-year project to restore one of Salisbury Cathedral’s treasures, a stained-glass window by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris.“It would be wrong to say I didn’t lie awake sometimes,” said the head glazier. “You are working on something that is very precious and if it fell on the floor, it would be very bad.” Continue reading...

Order signed by justice Samuel Alito allows people seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or by mail for nowThe US supreme court on Monday restored broad access to the abortion pill mifepristone, blocking a ruling that had threatened to upend one of the main ways abortion is provided across the nation.The order signed by justice Samuel Alito temporarily allows women seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Continue reading...

• A federal appeals court has overturned a lower‑court injunction that had ordered the Trump administration to restore the flow of federal grants to several local governments, reopening billions of dollars in funding that had been withheld. • The decision follows a dispute over how the administration interprets the conditions attached to federal grants, with cities arguing that the withholding amounted to political retaliation. • The ruling could influence how future administrations may or may not condition aid on policy compliance, and it has implications for federalism and local autonomy.

Dozens handed life peerages in apparent concession, enabling their return to red benchesDozens of hereditary peers whose seats have been abolished have had their lawmaking powers restored as Keir Starmer seeks to accelerate changes to the House of Lords.It is understood that 15 Conservative hereditary peers, two Labour and nine crossbenchers have been handed life peerages, enabling their return to the red benches. Continue reading...

Critics say Maryland’s new law banning rapidly change product costs based on consumer data is full of carveoutsMaryland has become the first state in the US to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores.Maryland’s law bans grocers and third-party delivery services from using a person’s personal data to set higher prices. Wes Moore, the governor, signed the measure into law on Tuesday. “At a time when technology can predict what we need, when we need it, when we’ll pay for it and also – when we’ll pay more for it, and at a time when we’re watching how big companies are then using these analytics against us to make record profits, Maryland is not just pushing back. Maryland is pushing forward because we are going to protect our people,” Moore said at the bill signing ceremony. Continue reading...

Sources say staff have been asked to pack up final stock and equipment after waves of closuresJewellery chain Claire’s is closing its final UK stores on Tuesday, cutting about 1,000 jobs months after falling into administration.Sources said staff at Claire’s, which collapsed in January, had been asked to pack up the final stock and equipment with the final outlets to formally close on Tuesday after successive waves of closures in recent weeks. Continue reading...

Take Back Power, which targets the super-rich, says seven members were arrested at a training sessionSeven people from an activist group calling for higher taxes on the super-rich have been arrested by police on suspicion of conspiracy to steal.Police confirmed that six women and one man were detained in Salford, Greater Manchester, on Sunday over what they said was a coordinated plan to steal from high-end stores. Continue reading...

About 422 indie bookshops opened in 2025, up 31%, defying predictions of retail consolidationFor years now, we have heard that Amazon and the big chains are crushing small businesses, but independent bookstores are suddenly making a comeback.About 422 new indie bookshops opened in 2025, according to the American Booksellers Association, a 31% rise from 2024. Countless independent restaurants, coffee shops, fitness centers, movie theaters, clothing stores and other small businesses also continue to thrive even in this era of ever-bigger retailers, fast-casual restaurants and massive e-commerce platforms. Continue reading...

Investigation of Family Dollar and Dollar General prompts lawmakers to double penalties for retailers that repeatedly charge more at checkout than prices listed on shelvesUtah lawmakers have voted to stiffen penalties on retailers who chronically overcharge customers.The new state law, which takes effect on 6 May, was introduced in direct response to a Guardian investigation of pricing practices at two national chains, Dollar General and Family Dollar, according to an official who oversees the state’s price-accuracy inspections. Continue reading...

Almost 2,000 jobs will be created, with retailer vying to overtake Morrisons as Britain’s fifth largest supermarket Lidl is to open 50 new UK stores in the year ahead as it aims to overtake Morrisons as the country’s fifth largest supermarket chain.The German-owned retailer, which now has more than 1,000 British stores, said it planned to invest more than £600m in UK growth, creating almost 2,000 jobs as it expands its warehouse and logistic network to supply its new outlets. Continue reading...

• A federal judge on Friday ruled against the Pentagon's press access overhaul that had withdrawn accreditations from prominent media outlets, ordering the restoration of media access. • The decision represents a significant legal victory for press freedom advocates challenging the Defense Department's restrictions on journalist credentials and Pentagon facility access. • The ruling underscores ongoing tensions between the Trump administration's approach to media access and constitutional protections for a free press.