6:43 am, July 27, 2023
Co-op shops hit by looting and abuse with almost 1,000 incidents every day
The Co-op says crime, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in its stores have increased by more than a third in the past year.
The company revealed there were more than 175,000 incidents in the first six months of this year – almost 1,000 every day.
One inner-city London store was ‘looted’ three times in a single day. The retailer warned that this level of ‘out-of-control crime’ was unsustainable and could see some communities become a no-go area for local stores.
THG purchase saves London business freesheet City AM
Online retail group THG has sealed a surprise deal to buy London-based business freesheet City AM.
The agreement saves the business daily, which is distributed to commuters to and from the City of London from Monday to Thursday.
In a release posted on its website, City AM said its 40 editorial staff will move to THG, formerly known as The Hut Group, which owns brands including MyProtein and Cult Beauty. The newspaper was put up for sale earlier this month after it was affected badly by the pandemic and a reduction in commuters.
Sinead O’Connor hailed among Ireland’s ‘most gifted’ artists after death at 56
Ireland has lost one of its ‘greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers’ following the death of Sinead O’Connor at the age of 56, the country’s president Michael D Higgins has said.
The Grammy-winning singer was propelled to international stardom in 1990 with her version of the hit ballad Nothing Compares 2 U but was arguably as well known for being outspoken about her social and political views as for her musical talent.
Her cause of death hasn’t been made public but a statement from her family said: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.’
Union warns Irn-Bru supplies could run out as strike dates announced
A union has warned supplies of Irn-Bru could ‘dry up’ as it announced strike dates in a row over pay.
Unite said its trucker and shunter drivers at AG Barr’s production and distribution centre in Cumbernauld will down tools for nine days starting next month.
The union said the drivers are ‘essential’ to the supply of the company’s products, including Irn-Bru, but AG Barr said it had contingency plans in place and the dispute involves about 10 members of staff. The nine 24-hour strikes will start on August 11 with the final one on October 6.
Amazon to pay 15% less for iRobot after vacuum maker takes on debt
Amazon is to pay roughly 15 per cent less to acquire iRobot after the vacuum maker incurred new debt.
The companies said the Seattle-based tech giant will pay $51.75 (£40) per share, revised down from the $61 (£47) per share, or $1.7bn (£1.31bn), that was agreed on last year.
iRobot, based in Massachusetts, took on a $200m (£155m) loan to fund ongoing operations, the companies said. The announcement comes as iRobot struggles to sell more of its home-cleaning devices. Revenue declined by 45 per cent in the first three months of this year.
Farage calls diversity and inclusion culture ‘divisive’ as governance row erupts
Nigel Farage said the NatWest culture around diversity and inclusion is actually ‘very divisive’ as concerns grow that banks may be using ethics to cover for bad behaviour.
A major governance debate erupted after Dame Alison Rose, chief executive of NatWest which owns the private bank, resigned amid a row over the closure of the former Ukip leader’s Coutts account.
The Brexit campaigner claims to have a 40-page document showing that the bank wanted him to leave given ‘his publicly stated views that were at odds with our position as an inclusive organisation’.
Kevin Spacey ‘humbled’ as jury clears him in sex assault trial
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has said he was ‘humbled’ by the jury’s decision to clear him of nine sex offences.
The Hollywood star cut a tearful figure in the dock at Southwark Crown Court on his 64th birthday yesterday as the jury delivered the not guilty verdicts.
Spacey was accused of sexually assaulting four men between 2001 and 2013 – accusations he described as ‘madness’ and a ‘stab in the back’.
Charity wants firework-like regulations for e-bike and e-scooter batteries
The government has been urged to regulate e-bike and e-scooter batteries like fireworks. Once approved, the products would then be supplied with a certificate showing they meet safety standards.
A report by charity Electrical Safety First recommends that the UK introduces mandatory third-party approval for the vehicles’ batteries.
This would force manufacturers to have their batteries approved by an accredited third party, such as a test lab.
Jaguar archiving famous ‘growl’ of V8 sports car as it moves to EVs
Jaguar is archiving the noise of its V8 F-Type sports car as it wants the sound to be enjoyed by future generations.
The British firm is transitioning to become a fully electric car firm from 2025 and is set to axe its F-Type imminently to make way for more eco-friendly vehicles.
One of the F-Type’s key characteristics is its noise. Jaguar says it wants people to be able to enjoy the sound of the engine and exhaust ‘for generations to come’ so is archiving it with the British Library. The recordings were made in a sound chamber at JLR’s engineering centre in Gaydon and will be available from the autumn.
Yesterday’s headlines on Car Dealer you might have missed
- Used Car Awards 2023: Voting is now open to decide on the cream of the industry!
- Exclusive: Motorpoint axes 60 jobs in move that left some ‘feeling like a criminal’
- JLR makes £435m profit in Q1 as firm moves on from crippling losses of recent years
- Crew member killed as fire on ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars burns out of control
- Aston Martin halves pre-tax losses to £142.2m as worldwide sales rise
- Renault and Nissan agree new terms on partnership
- Sytner parent company Penske celebrates record quarter as revenue and profit rise
- Motor Ombudsman teams up with AA Approved Garages as it looks to broaden accreditation scheme
- Government announces independent review of DVLA
Market movements
The FTSE 100 closed 14.91 points down yesterday to end the day on 7,676.89. The Cac 40, meanwhile, was down 100.38 points at 7,315.07, the Dax was down 80.13 points at 16,131.46 but the Dow Jones was up 82.05 points at 35,520.12.
Weather outlook
North-eastern Scotland will see rain lingering through the day today, says BBC Weather. Elsewhere will have a cloudy start, with showers in the north and west but it’ll turn drier later with sunny spells mostly in the south and east.
Friday will see variable cloud and sunny spells for much of the UK, with a chance of light showers for many, especially to the north and west. Thicker cloud will move into the south-west by the evening.
