A round-up of latest local news-in-brief
Warwickshire faces Debenhams double blow
The department store chain has announces that seven UK stores out of 142 will not re-open, including their stores in Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon. https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/04/debenhams-reaches-deal-to-keep-most-stores-open-but-7-will-shut/
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is placing the majority of its staff on temporary leave under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to cut costs and protect jobs against the impact of the global pandemic. https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/shakespeare-birthplace-trust-to-furlough-staff-in-response-to-covid-19/
Flying in to Luddington...
One of the UK's biggest fresh food producers, G's Fresh, based in Cambridgeshire, confirmed it chartered two out of six flights carrying Eastern European farm workers from Romania. The company’s Sandfield Farms division is based in Luddington, near Stratford-upon-Avon. Government department Defra said it was encouraging people across the UK "to help bring the harvest in". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52293061
Medic Bleep
Stratford-upon-Avon Medic Bleep, set up by a medic, claims it replacement for pagers could save the NHS valuable time and money. https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/better-communication-for-nurses-and-doctors-thanks-to-new-health-tech-app/
Strong results for Codemasters
Entertainment games studio Codemasters announced strong results to March 2020. The company anticipates reporting FY20 revenues of approximately £76 million, with adjusted EBITDA comfortably ahead of expectations at around £18.1 million. https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/warwickshire-global-gaming-company-reports-strong-trading-results/
WCG Launches Centre for Digital Skills
WCG (Warwickshire College Group) has recently launched the Centre for Digital and Cyber Skills, a new specialist skills centre designed to provide businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire with funded digital training for their employees. https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/new-wcg-initiative-provides-fully-funded-digital-training-for-businesses-in-coventry-and-warwickshire/
Ex Creative and Digital Minister Joins WMG
The University of Warwick recently announced the appointment of former Minister Margot James as the new Executive Chair of WMG. She takes up the role in April. Ms James served as Minister of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with responsibility for Digital, Telecoms and the Creative Industries. https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/margot_james_announced
£2.5m new HQ in Leamington
Countrywide Tax and Trust Corporation Ltd is moving into the new £2.5 million headquarters at Gables House in Kenilworth Road, Leamington Spa from its home of the last 15 years in a deal brokered by Warwickshire commercial property experts ehB Reeves. https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/grand-new-hq-for-warwickshire-legal-advice-company/
Retail expert joins LEP board
Jess Jeetley was awarded an MBE for Services to Entrepreneurship after launching her internet fashion website for petite women, Jeetly.com and for her work mentoring startups, and wil bring experience of online retail to the board. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2040047-retail-expert-joins-lep-board?
Auto sales down
New car registrations across the European Union slumped by 55.1% year-on-year in March, according to data compiled by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EMEA). The EMEA, which represents 16 European car firms, says that 567,308 cars were sold across the 27 EU countries last month, compared to 1,264,569 in March 2019. Meanwhile, a number of auto companies have adapted to produce PPE equipment or components for ventilators, including Aston Martin Lagonda, Jaguar Land Rover, Ricardo and Envisage locally. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/coronavirus-car-industry
Jaguar Land Rover furlough some staff
JLR has announced it is furloughing half its UK workforce, or 20,000 staff. The manufacturer also said that its leadership team and board would be deferring salary payments for three months, starting in May. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2040044-sales-collapse-at-jlr-during-year-of-unprecedented-disruption?
Oasis and Warehouse fall into administration
High Street fashion chains Oasis and Warehouse have fallen into administration, leading to more than 200 immediate job losses and a further 1,800 staff to be be furloughed and receive 80% of pay. The brands will continue to be sold online "short-term" while the administrators continue to try to sell the brand. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52300055
Arcadia Group may permanently shut some stores
Arcadia Group, which owns brands including Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge, could permanently close some of its shops as the coronavirus pandemic takes a toll on high street retailers. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/18/arcadia-group-may-permanently-shut-down-stores-amid-covid-19-crisis