Up to 70 of the UK’s shopping centres face closure and redevelopment due to shifting consumer habits

Around 70 shopping centres across the UK are facing the threat of closure owing to the longer lasting impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the lean into online shopping over the past year.

Reports suggest that over-expansion of retail space must also be factored in when assessing the current health of the UK’s shopping centre sector, with the future of some ten per cent of the UK’s 700 shopping centres now in the balance. It is believed that a number of the centre built in the 1970s and ’80s will be at least partly redeveloped into homes, offices, or for other uses.

According to a Local Data Company (LDC) analysis of centres in England, Scotland, and Wales, at least 30 shopping centres in the UK are now at a minimum half empty, including five that are now more than 80 per cent vacant. A further 34 have between 40 per cent and 50 per cent of their shops vacant, with at least 10 shops in them.

Shopping centres across the UK have been dealt a blow by the coronavirus pandemic that has not only seen forced lockdowns shut major retail destinations like themselves, but has also driven consumers to online shopping, as well as a new preference for staying local in the midst of social restrictions.

“There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated many of the challenges we were seeing across the physical retail environment, with shopping centres having been particularly exposed to categories in decline, such as fashion and casual dining,” LDC commercial director Lucy Stainton said.

It’s according to the head of retail research at Knight Frank, Stephen Springham, that 10 per cent of the UK’s shopping centres are no longer viable. Springham also believes that a further 20 to 30 per cent will need a ‘significant overhaul’, with shops retained, but large portions of each given up for homes, offices, and other uses.

A number of the UK’s shopping centres already set for development include the likes of Nottingham’s Broadmarsh, where demolition starts this month, Stockton’s Castlegate, the Riverside Centre in Shrewsbury, the Chilterns Centre in High Wycombe, and Nicholsons in Maidenhead.

Comedy channel Dave partners with CALM to launch social cue cards to fight post-lockdown apprehension

The comedy TV channel, Dave has teamed up with the mental health charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) to create a series of conversational cue cards to help people who are feeling apprehensive of social situations as lockdown comes to an end.

The cards were created following original Dave research which found that four in five (81 per cent) of British adults are exhibiting some nerves over restrictions lifting. Many of us are exhibiting symptoms of ‘post lockdown anxiety’ as we become increasingly apprehensive about re-entering real life social situations, suggests the findings.

The Dave study pinpointed work, parties and long overdue visits to the in-laws as key stress points.

The conversational cue cards which are available on a first come first serve basis via CALM’s ambassadors are supported with a suite of light-hearted video tutorials, giving top tips for how to successfully navigate social interactions without trepidation.

The videos, which feature Darren Harriott; Stevie Martin; Ania Magliano; Ahir Shah; and Seann Walsh deal with everything from work meetings in person; to remembering how to dance in public; to tips on how to quietly leave a social situation without being noticed.

The short films form part of Dave and CALM’s reintegration guide for people that are worried about having to interact with other humans after a year of screen time. The guide also includes a unique set of conversational cue cards, which give tips on conversation starters in real life, and are deigned to help break the ice as we emerge from lockdown.

Steve North, UKTV’s genre general manager, said: “Coming out of lockdown is stressful for the best of us. We’ve been talking into a screen for the better part of a year and many are worried about having to interact in real life. Gone are the days of being able to mute someone on Zoom or blame bad internet when you want to sneak out of an event.

“Dave is all about bringing people together to have a laugh – and we’re thrilled to be working with CALM to help encourage people to start having real life conversations again following an extraordinary year of lockdown.”

 Simon Gunning, CEO, CALM added: “There’s no denying lockdown has had an huge impact on our physical and mental wellbeing. In the 365 days following the first lockdown the CALM helpline has answered over 147,000 calls and chats. That is a call for help every 62 seconds, with chats and messages exchanged around topics such as isolation, anxiety, relationship concerns, health worries, financial stress and suicidal thoughts.

 “After being stuck indoors for so long, having the ability to see your mates at the pub, visit our families and get out of the house is great. But understandably for many it might be uncomfortable getting back into the swing of things. We’re all on different timeframes, so It’s important not to expect too much. Humour is a great way to make people feel at ease and we’re delighted to be partnering with Dave to raise awareness, encourage people to talk more, and accept its OK not to be OK.”

Spielwarenmesse Summer Edition cancelled over prolonged pandemic problems

Organisers of the Nuremberg toy fair, Spielwarenmesse have confirmed the cancellation of the show’s first Summer Edition, a postponed edition of this year’s show that was scheduled to take place this July.

The fair had been moved from its traditional January slot in order to beat the restrictions in place at the hands of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Spielwarenmesse eG had pulled out all the stops to provide the industry with a suitable networking platform this year.

However, following the unrelenting uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic both on a national and international level, the organisers have decided to pull the plug on the event to to focus on Spielwarenmesse’s 2022 show.

The resolution was passed at the supervisory board meeting on March 25th.

Ernst Kick, CEO Spielwarenmesse eG, stated: “Initially, we received excellent feedback about the Summer Edition from both exhibitors and visitors. In recent weeks, however, the disappointingly slow improvement in the pandemic has been fuelling uncertainty across the industry.

“Our top priority remains the health and safety of all our participants.”

The lack of political perspective with regard to trade fairs has had a considerable impact on the ability of exhibition organisers to make firm plans and for international manufacturers and buyers to schedule and book their travel and accommodation.

‘Despite the measures already set in motion, it would be impossible to stage the Spielwarenmesse Summer Edition successfully without having the all-important run-up to the fair clearly mapped out,’ read a statement from the organisation.

The group has stated that from now on, all energy will be channeled into the regular Spielwarenmesse which is scheduled to run from February 2nd to 6th next year and will take place in conjunction with Spielwarenmesse Digital, a platform that – for the first time in the show’s history – will link the experience of the live show in Nuremberg with the virtual world.

“We’re receiving such a positive response from across the board. The market players cannot wait to get together again in February. And we’re very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Nuremberg for the 72nd Spielwarenmesse,” concluded Kick.

Mary Portas and Charlotte Tilbury appeal for Shop Out to Help Out scheme to support indie retailers next month

The High Street hero, Mary Portas has issued a plea to the government to support family-run stores with a Shop Out to Help Out scheme upon the lifting of restrictions on non essential retailers this April 12th.

Portas has joined major high street names in fashion and beauty, Henry Holland and Charlotte Tilbury, to throw a collective weight behind an initiative developed to boost business for local, independent retailers when businesses reopen again next month.

The concept borrows from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme that was launched last August, through which customers were encouraged to use cafes and restaurants with subsidised meals. The campaign for small shops now wants a similar programme, suggesting that the state cover 50 per cent of the cost of goods bought at indie, non essential retailers.

The campaign suggests that the scheme is capped at £10.

Like Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, it would run for a month in the summer, with discounts running form Monday to Wednesday, however, it would be limited to independent firms with fewer than ten staff, selling in physical stores.

First reported by the Daily Mail, government ministers are said to be ‘receptive’ to the proposal that suggests that the government would reimburse retailers with customers able to get one discount per transaction.

Portas said: “Covid-19 has chipped away at the brilliant diversity of our high streets. We need to act now to harness the support, need and love that people have for our high streets.

“These businesses, in the pandemic, have held our communities together. A scheme like this will bring a vital lease of life back to places that mean so much to us.”

Tilbury, the founder of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, said: “Independent retailers need our support to continue sharing their unique magic.”

Holland, founder of the House of Holland fashion brand, added: “Independent retailers bring our high streets to life with boundless creativity, unique points of view and a bottomless pit of ideas that you simply cannot get anywhere else.”

The idea is part of a wider campaign to support small firms – from shops to salons – dubbed Save The Street. It is orchestrated by pop-up shop specialist Appear Here.

Mary Portas and Charlotte Tilbury appeal for Shop Out to Help Out scheme to support indie retailers next month

The High Street hero, Mary Portas has issued a plea to the government to support family-run stores with a Shop Out to Help Out scheme upon the lifting of restrictions on non essential retailers this April 12th.

Portas has joined major high street names in fashion and beauty, Henry Holland and Charlotte Tilbury, to throw a collective weight behind an initiative developed to boost business for local, independent retailers when businesses reopen again next month.

The concept borrows from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme that was launched last August, through which customers were encouraged to use cafes and restaurants with subsidised meals. The campaign for small shops now wants a similar programme, suggesting that the state cover 50 per cent of the cost of goods bought at indie, non essential retailers.

The campaign suggests that the scheme is capped at £10.

Like Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, it would run for a month in the summer, with discounts running form Monday to Wednesday, however, it would be limited to independent firms with fewer than ten staff, selling in physical stores.

First reported by the Daily Mail, government ministers are said to be ‘receptive’ to the proposal that suggests that the government would reimburse retailers with customers able to get one discount per transaction.

Portas said: “Covid-19 has chipped away at the brilliant diversity of our high streets. We need to act now to harness the support, need and love that people have for our high streets.

“These businesses, in the pandemic, have held our communities together. A scheme like this will bring a vital lease of life back to places that mean so much to us.”

Tilbury, the founder of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, said: “Independent retailers need our support to continue sharing their unique magic.”

Holland, founder of the House of Holland fashion brand, added: “Independent retailers bring our high streets to life with boundless creativity, unique points of view and a bottomless pit of ideas that you simply cannot get anywhere else.”

The idea is part of a wider campaign to support small firms – from shops to salons – dubbed Save The Street. It is orchestrated by pop-up shop specialist Appear Here.

John Lewis confirms eight stores will not reopen after lockdown lifts in April

The department store chain, John Lewis has confirmed plans to not reopen eight of its 42 UK stores when the current lockdown lifts on April 12th this year. The move will put more than 1,400 jobs at risk.

The retailer’s stores in Aberdeen, Sheffield, Peterborough, and York will remain closed, as well as four of its smaller ‘At Home’ stores in Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Basingstoke, and Chester. The planned closures will threaten the future of a total of 1,465 roles with the firm.

The latest development echoes of similar actions taken by the department store chain when its kept eight other stores permanently closed after the first lockdown last year. As of April 12th this year, John Lewis’ estate of department stores will stand at 34.

John Lewis has pointed towards the ‘significant shift towards online shopping in recent years’ as the reasoning behind the latest closures, adding that the decision followed “substantial research to identify and cater for new customer shopping habits in different parts of the country.” According to the team, the eight stores were already “financially challenged prior to the pandemic.”

In a statement, the company said that it believes the online shopping trend “will not materially reverse” and that the performance of these eight stores “can be substantially improved.”

Previously, the group has voiced its expectations that at least three fifths of revenues will be generated online, even when shops are trading normally again.

“Having fewer bigger stores allows us to invest significantly to improve our remaining ones,” said the company. It will also test new, smaller, local shops along with stores within its Waitrose supermarkets.

Book of Beasties embarks on mission to provide 500 London schools with children’s mental health support

The Book of Beasties, a London-based start-up and team behind the mental wellness card game of the same name, has committed to providing up to 500 schools with free mental health support to better help children through the current coronavirus crisis.

The move follows research conducted by the children’s mental wellness game developer that found that 86 per cent of teachers and parents felt the Government wasn’t doing enough to support them in addressing mental health with their children.

The survey uncovered that 78 per cent agreed that children’s mental health had been neglected in the Government’s resopnse to the pandemic and the lockdown restrictions it had implemented through school closures.

In response to these findings, Book of Beasties is aiming to reach over 141,000 children by donating games and training worth over £30,000 to some of the city’s most underfunded areas. 

This new incentive, which has been dubbed the 500 Smiles Crusade is part of the Playful Minds campaign, which is calling on the Government to increase funding for playful mental health provision for schools and parents, and launched to coincide with children’s return to school last week. 

The social distancing measures and tier 4 restrictions have put children under immense amounts of pressure, which is taking its toll on their mental wellbeing. A Young Minds study found that 83 per cent of young people had said the pandemic made their mental health worse. 

Playful Minds has raised concerns that the length of time that the restrictions have been in place will likely result in ‘a mental health crisis that could last for years to come.’

Book of Beasties has said it is focused on improving the wellbeing of children through the use of playful and creative learning to raise emotional literacy, teach empathy and encourage open conversation about mental health. 

The survey also found that more than 95 per cent of respondents agreed that children’s mental health would greatly benefit from the increased use of playful learning methods. 

Following the successful launch of a new platform to provide teachers and parents with easier access to digital mindfulness and mental wellness learning materials, Book of Beasties partnered with Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity to help support the hospital’s play team. 

Phil Tottman, CEO and co-founder of Book of Beasties, said: “While our crusade is a drop in the ocean, we hope it will highlight the dire need for better mental health support in schools and put pressure on those who can make a difference to do so. 

“We are a small company, but our primary focus is to improve the wellbeing of children nationwide, especially following such an adverse year. If that means giving away our resources for free so people can benefit from them then so be it. We couldn’t be more honoured to be helping in such a way.” 

Toymaster cancels Harrogate May Show 2021 and looks towards its 2022 return

Toymaster has confirmed that its annual Harrogate May show will not take place this year, but instead return for 2022 when it will take up its usual residence at the Majestic Hotel from May 17th to 19th.

The buying group has said that following the recent Government announcement setting out the roadmap out of lockdown, it was  clear that the Toymaster Show would not be able to take place on the original dates in May this year.

As a result, a survey was sent out to all Members and Suppliers regarding a potential alternative date at the end of August, asking if they would attend with any feedback.

The results of this survey showed that while there were still Members and Suppliers who would like the show to go ahead and be able to meet up, many were unable to commit at the date change at this stage, citing reasons related to safety, potential travel restrictions, the proposed dates plus the added “complication of the uncertainty regarding future Covid waves.”

Subsequently, the Toymaster Board has decided that the May Show will not take place in 2021,  and the next show will be at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate May 17-19th 2022.

“While it is a huge disappointment to have to cancel the show, we believe it is the right decision for all  involved,” said the group in a statement issued earlier today.

“The Toymaster May Show is renowned within the industry, and we feel the show will be a much better success when we know all our Members and Suppliers are able to attend safely once again.

“We look forward to welcoming Toymaster Members, Independent Retailers and Suppliers back to a  spectacular show in Harrogate in May 2022, and invitations for next year’s show will be sent out at  the beginning of January as normal. Let’s look forward to making the 2022 show the best we possibly can.”

Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown lays out non-essential retail’s spring time reopening

Boris Johnson’s roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions across England have offered the light at the end of a long tunnel for non-essential retailers, and the suggestion that doors will be reopening from no sooner than April 12th this year.

The plans were detailed amid a roadmap out of lockdown delivered by the Prime Minister to MPs this afternoon. Johnson is expected to give a televised broadcast to the public at 7pm this evening.

It follows what has been many weeks of a third national lockdown with the earmarked date signifying the end of what will have been at least 14 weeks of closed doors amid the non-essential retail landscape, longer than the closures of the country’s first lockdown in March last year.

Taking priority, however, as talk turns to the country’s easing out of lockdown restrictions, is the return of all pupils to classrooms, followed by relaxed rules around socialising and the eventual reopening of non-essential shops and businesses.

During the course of the third national lockdown, food shops, supermarkets, off-licences, pharmacies, and garden centres have all been categorised as essential retailers.

Market stalls selling essential goods, petrol stations, medial providers, vets, launderettes, banks, post offices and building societies have also been permitted to remain open throughout the lockdown.

Non-essential shops include everything from clothing, books, department stores and technology stores, and of course, toy shops.

Mr Johnson said that from 12 April, under step two of lockdown easing, non-essential retail will reopen. This is along with hairdressers and nail salons.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has said that retail has a low impact on the transmission of the virus.

Prior to the last lockdown, Sage recommended that “opening non-essential retail safely would require a significant effort to ensure that environments are appropriate to minimise transmission (for example social distancing and hygiene measures, ventilation)”.

This means that rules relating to social distancing, the wearing of face masks and a limit on the number of people allowed inside a shop are likely to continue when shops do eventually reopen.

Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “We welcome the additional clarity provided by the Prime Minister. While we are encouraged by a plan for non-essential stores to reopen, the heavy impact of the pandemic means some may never be able to.

“The cost of lost sales to non-food stores during lockdown is now over £22bn and counting. Every day that a shop remains closed increases the chances that it will never open again – costing jobs and damaging local communities.

“Non-essential shops are ready to reopen and have been investing hundreds of millions on making themselves Covid-secure. Government should remain flexible and allow non-essential retail to reopen as soon as the data suggests it is safe to do so. Until it is permitted, retailers will need continued support from Government.

“We welcome the PM’s call ‘not to pull the rug out’ from under businesses. To this end, the Government must act on three vital issues – rents, rates and grants.

“To avoid further job losses and permanent job closures, the Chancellor must announce a targeted business rates relief from April and extend the moratorium on debt enforcement, as well as removing state aid caps on Covid business grants. This would relieve struggling businesses of bills they cannot currently pay and allow them to trade their way to recovery.”

Hasbro partners with Uber Eats to launch free Hasbro Toy Store to families this half term

Hasbro has partnered with the home delivery app, Uber Eats, to launch a free toy store in time for the half term holidays, as UK parents continue to hunt for new ways to keep their kids entertained during lockdown.

The new collaborative effort arrives as 70 per cent of UK parents admit to feeling overwhelmed as they juggle work and home-schooling, while 56 per cent say they are concerned at the thought of spending a half term holiday with fewer activities to entertain their young ones.

The country’s current lockdown restrictions mean that where families would usually be spending time at the cinema, zoos, or on playdates, parents are now being forced to look for entertainment closer to home. Over half of parents claims their kids are now bored at home, and 50 per cent say they’ve run out of things to do.

In a bid to help busy parents, the virtual Hasbro Toy Store is now offering seven of the toy company’s best-loved toys and games for just the cost of delivery. The initiative will launch on the Uber Eats app from this Wednesday.

The toys and games available through the app – including Cluedo, The Game of Life, Play-Doh, and Yahtzee, were chosen because they encourage family time and imaginative play and offer something for children of all ages. Once ordered, they will be delivered – contact-free – to your door in around 30 minutes.

With the average parent spending £99.55 per week on activities to entertain their children, Uber Eats and Hasbro teamed up to give away the toys to ensure all parents could benefit. It launches as 71 per cent of parents state that they aim to spend extra quality time with their kids this half-term.

The toy store will be open in London and Manchester from Wednesday 17th to Saturday 20th February.

Toussaint Wattinne, general manager of Uber Eats, UK and Ireland said: “Being a parent is tougher than ever at the moment, so we wanted to do our bit to help bring families together and keep the children entertained while opportunities for days out are more limited. Uber Eats delivers items beyond food to help make people’s day-to-day lives that little bit easier.”

Anne Leonhardi,  Marketing Director North Europe at Hasbro, added: “Play is hugely important for children’s development, striking that vital balance between learning and fun. The half-term holidays are no different, so we want to make sure that children and parents get the break they desperately deserve during these difficult times.

“The games and activities in the Hasbro Toy Store are a great way of making sure families have a fun February half-term, whether they’re testing their wits with a game of Cluedo or getting creative with Play-Doh.”

Since the first lockdown in March 2020, Hasbro brands continue to resonate as people spend more time at home and parents look for fun activities to keep the kids entertained.