Tag Archives: lockdown

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

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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.”

Firebox partners with comedy TV channel Dave to launch the Flat Pack Pub

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The quirky gift retailer, Firebox has partnered with the comedy TV channel, Dave to launch of the world’s very first Flat Pack Pub. It follows a study of 2000 adults which found that 53 per cent of us are more excited about a trip to the pub than reuniting with extended family.

The 15-piece home assembly kit has been specially crafted to help thirsty Brits who have found themselves locked out of beer gardens due to the mass block bookings and lack of outside spaces upon the re-opening of pubs across the country this month.

The ‘build your own’ boozer follows widespread reports of pubs up and down the country selling out of bookable tables for months. Dave’s findings revealed that three quarters (75 per cent) of thirsty Brits have been unable to secure an outside booking at their favourite local once the rules relax from April 12.  

 The Flat Pack Pub affectionately nick-named ‘Dave’s Barrel of Laughs’ provides the perfect prescription to help counter lockdown pub limbo. The fully articulated pub can be assembled in minutes and features a solid stained wood bar, realistic backdrop and two bar stools.

All the materials have been weather treated, making Dave’s Flat Pack Pub suitable for interior and exterior use. 

 Comedian Jon Richardson, who famously has his own pub The Dog & Bastard in hit UKTV Original series Meet the Richardsons, stars in the demonstration video which showcases the versatility of the world’s first buildable boozer. 

 Luke Hales, channel director for Dave, said: “Everyone loves a local pub and it doesn’t get more local than this – in the garden, in the lounge, in the bath – we’ve designed a pub that fits in anywhere.

“We know many people feel locked out when it comes to pub bookings so this is the perfect excuse to have a lock in at your very own local’. And just like Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont in Meet the Richardsons – we realised, if you can’t get to the pub, build one at home.” 

 Original Dave research found that a quick witted fifth (21 per cent) of adults made pub bookings whilst Boris Johnson was announcing the lockdown exit plan on live TV. In a desperate dash to secure space, on average there were eight bookings per person at four different pubs, with a third (32 per cent) of people admitting that they would travel over an hour to be able to sink a swift one. 

 One in five (22 per cent) said they were ready to splash the cash and drop over £50 on the bar tab on the first visit back whilst the average Brit is set to spend £31.50. 

Three quarters (74 per cent) agree that we have become handier during lockdown with almost a third (31 per cent) admitting that they have turned to their newly discovered DIY skills to recapture the pub experience on a small scale in their homes by setting up a bar area, buying cocktail making equipment and purchasing drinks trolleys.

The most pint-parched city was Coventry, with 37 per cent of Coventrians admitting they had made a booking during the lockdown announcement.   

 When it comes to age however it’s youngest finger first, as the tech-savvy 18-24 year olds were hottest on the booking forms – with many expecting to enjoy their first legal drink after a year in lockdown. 

 Dave’s Flat Pack Pub was inspired by returning series Meet the Richardsons, which starts tonight at 10pm on Dave. 

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

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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

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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

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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.

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

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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.

Retail warns of “revenue-crushing” impact on sector should click-and-collect ban spread

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The British Retail Consortium and Scottish Retail Consortium have warned that the curb on non-essential click and collect services could prove ‘disastrous for an already beleaguered retail industry,’ with far wider implications for the UK’s retail sector should the ban widen.

The warning has been issued since yesterday’s breaking announcement that Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon was to impose a ban on non-essential click and collect services for shops across Scotland.

It followed plans detailed by John Lewis Partnership to halt its own click and collect services across the UK in a bid to help the government drive down non-essential travel.

Both moves have been met with disappointment by the retail industry who has united in voicing concerns over the impact it would have on the sector, should the ban spread UK-wide. Until now, retailers have relied on their click and collect efforts to weather a relentless storm of lockdowns and social restrictions that have heavily impacted footfall and business as customers turn to online shopping.

Click and collect services of the non-essential retailers have been their life-line and, in many cases, their last remaining link to local communities, themselves driven to spend more with online giants such as Amazon.

Tom Ironside, director of business and regulations at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Click and collect is used by a wide array of companies and allows the public to get many of the goods they need in a safe, convenient and timely manner.

“Retailers have implemented systems to ensure people are kept safe while queueing and collecting goods, and we have seen no evidence to suggest otherwise.

“Preventing people using click and collect services would harm the viability of many retailers, already suffering under lockdown, as well as severley limiting the choice for some consumers.”

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium has called the restrictions now set to come into force from Saturday, January 16th as “revenue crushing”.

“The situation with the pandemic is fast moving and we fully recognise government wants people to stay at home. However, these further revenue-crushing restrictions and the fresh complexity they bring, together with constant chopping and changing to the Covid Strategic Framework, are disconcerting and come at an incredibly difficult time for retail.

“Firms operating click and collect or food to go takeaway have taken every reasonable step to make their operations as safe as possible, complying with every twist and turn to government guidance and often at pitifully short notice.

“They have demonstrated they can operate safely and have invested significantly to make their premises Covid-secure, and it appears no evidence to the contrary has accompanied this announcement.”

 

Games Workshop valued at £3.8bn as hobby demand fuels its latest sales surge

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Games Workshop, the British firm behind the wildly popular Warhammer tabletop miniatures gaming franchise, has reported blockbuster sales and profits driven by the stay at home messaging of the last year and the surge in the hobbyist and gaming markets.

The company’s chief executive, Kevin Rountree has billed its 2020 results as “another cracking performance from a truly amazing global team”, as it rang in sales of £186.8 million and a profit of £91.6 million for the six months to November 29th, 2020.

The results outstripped the estimated figures, equating to around a 25 per cent surge in sales and a leap of 53 per cent in profits year on year. Games Workshop is now valued at £3.8 billion on the stock market – £1 billion more than Marks & Spencer.

The group managed to turn around the initial impact of the Coronavirus pandemic that saw Games Workshop stores closed during the UK’s first lockdown period last year. Most of the group’s 529 shops around the world have been closed, causing some initial concern over how it will reach its active customer base over the course of the year.

A surge in demand for the hobby market, and a particular rise in board gaming and the gaming sector, as well as the lean into online shopping saw Games Workshop’s online sales grow by 87 per cent. To meet customers in the digital space, the group also hosted a series of live-streamed online preview events to showcase new products and its own team of creatives.

Covid-19 has delayed production on some of Games Workshop new releases, such as titles like Death Guard Codex and pieces for the Age of Sigmar franchise, however the firm has promised fans that these will go on sale fortnightly from next week.

Chief executive Rountree has commended the global team for the success of the Games Workshop brand over what has been a challenging year for the retail sector overall, and has said that the company will continue to “focus on what is in our control” as it builds upon the success over the coming months.

“Like every other company we have our internal plans as to our future performance, which show a range of outcomes which are not shared with the stock market; predicting the future is always a risky business,” he said.

“We will focus on what is in our control; delivering on our operational plan rather than worrying about, for example, any short term share price or the weather.

“Our biggest risk is senior management becoming complacent, I will continue to do my best to ensure that does not happen.”

Looking to the months ahead, Rountree gave little away: “Like every other company we have our internal plans as to our future performance, which show a range of outcomes which are not shared with the stock market; predicting the future is always a risky business.”

“We will focus on what is in our control; delivering on our operational plan rather than worrying about, for example, any short term share price volatility or the weather.”

Perhaps referring to the garlands it receives in the retail and games industry for its stellar success around the world, he added: “Our biggest risk is senior management becoming complacent. I will continue to do my best to ensure that does not happen.”

Local shops will be able to trade 24/7 over Christmas and January to recoup lockdown losses

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The government is to allow local shops to trade around the clock in a move to support the retail industry and its bid to recoup some of the losses it has suffered during the pandemic, a cabinet minister has said.

Communities secretary, Robert Jenrick has said he wanted to remove the bureaucracy involved in enabling retailers to trade beyond the hours of 9am to 7pm, and is “issuing an unambiguous request to councils to allow businesses to do so.”

Retailers normally have to go through a lengthy and time-consuming process to apply to local authorities under the Town and Country Planning Act if they wish to extend their trading hours. However, in light of the sweeping closures across the country at the hands of the coronavirus and restrictions, the government is ready to remove the barriers and allow shops to open for up to 24 hours a day in December and January.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: “With these changes local shops can open longer, ensuring more pleasant and safer shopping with less pressure on public transport.

“How long will be a matter of choice for the shopkeepers and at the discretion of the council, but I suggest we offer these hard pressed entrepreneurs and businesses the greatest possible flexibility this festive season.

“As Local Government Secretary I am relaxing planning restrictions and issuing an unambiguous request to councils to allow businesses to welcome us into their glowing stores late into the evening and beyond.”

Recent research from the Local Data Company has revealed that a record number of shops closed during the first half of 2020 due to the coronavirus lockdown. The Retail Gazette reports that a total of 11,000 chain operator outlets shut between January and August this year, while around 5,000 shops opened. The net decline of 6,000 is almost double the drop during the same period last year.

Rise in shoppers planning to stay local this year, as “support for indies has never been so important”

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With the Prime Minister’s confirmation that all non-essential shops will be able to reopen across England when the nation-wide lockdown lifts on December 2nd playing like music to many a retailer’s ears amid the essential Christmas shopping period, independent toy shops are rallying the message that ‘shopping local has never been so important.’

A still self-isolating Boris Johnson made the announcement to the House of Commons via a video link yesterday afternoon, confirming that retailers who have been deemed ‘non-essential’ will be able to open their doors to Christmas shoppers in time to meet the crucial golden quarter sales. The PM stated that as the lockdown lifts, a stricter and more stringent three-tier system will be put into place across the country.

The confirmation has arrived as a note of assurance to an independent toy retail scene who had – widely speaking – felt ‘stitched up’ by the numerous loopholes that others had managed to negotiate in order to remain open under the ‘essential retail’ banner, and subsequently capitalise on the current demand for toys and games. It was a general mood that provoked the British Toy and Hobby Association to pen an open letter to Number 10 imploring Johnson to offer assurances to the trade.

Yesterday’s confirmation has been welcomed by bodies such as the British Retail Consortium and independent retailers across the country, who see the move as a silver lining as they prepare now for the all important Christmas shopping season. However, there’s no illusion that it will be an easy ride, and more than ever, they say, it is important to promote the message of #shoplocal.

Small Stuff, an award-winning, independent eco-conscious children’s lifestyle store and community space was invited on to Times Radio as Johnson made the announcement to talk about what this now means for the country’s independent retail scene.

In a tweet posted last night, the retailer stated: “Positive news that we can reopen on the 2nd Dec. We will be opening safely with plenty of measures in place. The message of #shoplocal has never been so important – support us if you can.”

A new research paper created by Visa in partnership with the Centre for Economic and Business Research, however, suggests that the mountain retailers now face this quarter, may not be quite so treacherous after all. The socio-economic paper nopw suggests that as many as four in five Brits plan to support local businesses as much, or more than, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research – launched alongside Visa’s Where You Shop Matters Christmas campaign (one that champions Britain’s local, independent businesses for a third consecutive year) – suggests that 54 per cent of British consumers plan to do some of their Christmas locally this year, whether that is online or in store. Three in five consumers are concerned that independent businesses will not survive if their local community does not back them through this time.

Visa and CEBR go on to state that for every £10 spent with local businesses, more than a third stays within the local area. When it comes to customer intentions this Christmas, Brits currently spend just over one fifth of their money locally, but will be willing to spend half with local independents this year.

What’s clear is that the impact of the pandemic this year has given rise to the ‘altruistic customer’, a term coined by BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson in reference to the shopper who intends to spend more with local retailers this year in show of support of the community.

At the same time, she stated, it has ‘accelerated the importance of “social purpose” of the retailer.

Speaking on the latest developments and the announcement of shops reopening on December 2nd, Dickinson said: “Shops – from high streets to retail parks – play an integral role in the run-up to Christmas.

“While retailers have stepped up their online delivery over the course of 2020, the bulk of Christmas shopping tends to be done in store. The Government’s decision to keep all of retail open will help to preserve jobs and the economy and help keep Christmas a festive occasion for everyone.”