Morrisons upped hourly pay at its UK stores second time in 2026 last month. In May, the grocery giant announced that a proposed pay deal for store and manufacturing workers been given the greenlight by USDAW union, which negotiates pay for large sections of Morrisons’ workforce.

It paved the way for implementing pay rises for all eligible hourly-paid staff across three phases. It started with hourly rates for all Customer Assistants rising to £12.81 (backdated to March 30), with all other established hourly rates for eligible roles seeing a 10p uplift. From Monday, July 20, 2026, customer assistants at Morrisons stores saw their pay going up from £12.81 to £13.00, while all other established hourly rates for the other roles rose by 19p.

The final increase will come into effect from Monday, October 26, 2026, when the hourly rate will rise from £13.00 to £13.11, with pay for the other roles seeing an 11p increase.

In the May announcement, Morrisons said in addition to the pay rises, all eligible hourly paid colleagues would receive a one-off fixed payment of between £25 and £175 based on their contractual hours.

Jodie Keating, group people director of Morrisons, said at the time: “We’re pleased that we can now implement the pay proposal and increase pay for our colleagues to reward them for the contribution they make to our business.

“I would like to thank all our colleagues for everything they continue to do for Morrisons.” It came as rival supermarket chains also upped workers’ pay this year to retain and attract staff, as cost-of-living pressures continue to hit British households.

Morrisons is just one of several retailers who introduced pay increases this year, as retailers look to attract and retain staff.

For example, Sainsbury’s previously brought in an above-inflation pay increase of 5% for hourly paid workers in March, with hourly pay pushed up to £13.23 per hour nationally, whilst in London it rose to £14.54 per hour.

In London, entry-level store workers had their pay increased to £14.80 per hour, while the hourly rate for experienced staff can rise up to £15.35.

The following month, Store Assistants working at Aldi’s UK branches also saw their pay rise (to £13.50 per hour nationally, with those working inside in the M25 getting £14.88).

These pay rates rise to £14.47 and £15.20, respectively, based on length of service.

A popular homeware brand will close a London branch within days as part of 23 UK closures. Topps Tiles has slashed product prices at its Cheam store ahead of its last day on August 7, as it seeks to save money across the estate with a wider closure programme.

Locals reported “everything must go” signs appeared in the windows of the popular branch, which was described as “great” with “helpful” staff. This closure is part of a wider list of 23 set to shut this year. In April, the brand confirmed it would shut 15 more stores this year, on top of eight previously confirmed, representing 7% of its estate.

He said: “In light of subdued consumer sentiment and geopolitical uncertainty, as well as the cumulative impact of cost inflation, the management team is implementing a targeted programme of self-help measures weighted towards the second half.”

The group, based in Enderby, Leicestershire, said sales fell 0.1% to £142.7million in the six months to March 28, with revenues impacted by a “lengthy” competition process and disposal programme following its purchase of competitor CTD Tiles in 2024.

It had bought competitor CTD out of administration in 2024, but a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) probe forced Topps Tiles to sell off several branches due to competition concerns. The company also bought rival Fired Earth out of administration in December 2025 for £3million.

The Halifax brand is changing to Lloyds, with the vast majority of Halifax branches either rebranding to Lloyds or closing, as customers will be served by an existing Lloyds branch in that community. Customers will be contacted directly by Halifax if there are any changes to their branch. Halifax is one of Britain’s best-known banking brands and was founded in West Yorkshire in 1853. The Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance says the closures are “creating real barriers to everyday financial independence” for thousands of pensioners, noting that many still rely on face-to-face banking.

1. Barrow-in-Furness: 10/09/2026
2. Basingstoke: 30/09/2026
3. Bury St Edmunds: 30/09/2026
4. Cannock: 09/09/2026
5. Canterbury: 28/09/2026
6. Durham: 29/09/2026
7. Ealing Broadway: 29/09/2026
8. Guildford: 24/09/2026
9. High Wycombe: 30/09/2026
10. Horsham: 08/09/2026
11. London – Camden Town: 24/09/2026
12. Milton Keynes: 23/09/2026
13. North Finchley: 28/09/2026
14. Wimbledon: 28/09/2026
15. Woking: 23/09/2026

Halifax announced just weeks ago that it was phasing out the brand after 173 years. Lloyds Banking Group has owned Halifax since 2009 and confirmed the move.

Lloyds Banking Group’s chief executive of consumer relationships, Jas Singh, said at the time: “As Halifax changes to Lloyds, our Halifax customers will keep everything they know and love today – the same fantastic app design, the same friendly faces in our branches – even the same sort code and account number.”

Halifax had shut down 25 branches throughout the month of June. It said in response to closures: “Branch decisions are based on a range of factors, including how customers are choosing to bank and the availability of nearby services. You can find information about branch closures and alternative banking options here.”

Halifax is set to close more branches in October and November.

A major UK kitchen company is closing down 15 of its sites as part of its restructuring programme. Magnet Kitchens operates 159 showrooms across the UK and has confirmed it will axe 15 of them as part of a proposed company voluntary arrangement (CVA). The insolvency process aims to help Magnet negotiate with creditors and reduce property costs that are “no longer sustainable”, while permitting the wider business to continue trading.

The proposals remain subject to creditor approval and are being overseen by Natasha Harbinson, Will Wright and Chris Pole from restructuring firm Interpath, Retail Gazette reports.

Magnet has already closed the first of the 15. Its Watford branch, located at Caxton Way, shut on July 14, with existing orders being transferred to its nearby stores in St Albans and Harrow.

The retailer said impacted staff would be supported with alternative roles offered elsewhere in the business wherever possible.

Magnet chief executive Sophie Rose said: “This is a difficult decision and not one we have taken lightly, particularly where colleagues may be impacted.

“But taking this action now is the right thing to do for the long-term health of Magnet Group. It allows us to deal with property costs that are no longer sustainable and protect the stronger parts of our estate.”

She explained that removing the weighing costs from the business would allow it to focus its investment on other areas offering the greatest opportunities for growth and to improve profits.

Ms Rose continued: “I am confident these proposals will help Magnet Group build a stronger, more resilient business that is better placed to serve customers, support partners and return to sustainable profitability.”

Magnet has reassured customers that they will continue to receive uninterrupted service during the restructuring. Orders from closed showrooms will be handled by the nearest alternative branch.

Morrisons will be upping hourly pay at its UK stores later this month for the second time in 2026. In May, the grocery giant announced that a proposed pay deal for store and manufacturing workers been given the greenlight by USDAW union, which negotiates pay for large sections of Morrisons’ workforce.

It paved the way for implementing pay rises for all eligible hourly-paid staff across three phases. It began with hourly rates for all Customer Assistants increasing to £12.81 (backdated to March 30), with all other established hourly rates for eligible roles seeing a 10p uplift. From Monday, July 20, 2026, customer assistants at Morrisons stores will see their pay going up from £12.81 to £13.00, while all other established hourly rates for the other roles will rise by 19p.

The final increase will come into effect from Monday, October 26, 2026, when the hourly rate will go from £13.00 to £13.11, with pay for the other roles seeing an 11p increase.

In the May announcement, Morrisons said in addition to the pay rises, all eligible hourly paid colleagues would get a one-off fixed payment of between £25 and £175 based on their contractual hours.

Jodie Keating, group people director of Morrisons, said at the time: “We’re pleased that we can now implement the pay proposal and increase pay for our colleagues to reward them for the contribution they make to our business.

“I would like to thank all our colleagues for everything they continue to do for Morrisons.” It came as rival supermarket chains also upped workers’ pay this year to retain and attract staff, as cost-of-living pressures continue to hit British households.

Morrisons is just one of several retailers who introduced pay increases this year, as retailers compete to attract and retain staff.

For example, Sainsbury’s previously introduced in an above-inflation pay increase of 5% for hourly paid workers in March, with hourly pay boosted to £13.23 per hour nationally, whilst in London it rose to £14.54 per hour.

From March 1, Lidl increased hourly pay for store assistants outside London to £13.45, a rate that increases to £14.00 depending on length of service.

In London, entry-level store workers had their pay upped to £14.80 per hour, while the hourly rate for experienced staff can rise up to £15.35.

The following month, Store Assistants working at Aldi’s UK branches also saw their pay increase (to £13.50 per hour nationally, with those working inside in the M25 getting £14.88).

These pay rates rise to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively based on length of service.

A furniture business dating back almost 130 years will shut a beloved UK store. The retailer has confirmed it will shut the site for good in weeks, with a closing down sale in place until then.

Leekes, a family business founded in 1897, will close its store in Bilston, Wolverhampton, on Sunday, August 2. The news comes after the company announced plans to invest in the store in 2022, including new furniture studios from Ercol, Stressless and Alexander & James. The refurbishment also included launching a new studio for garden furniture and installing solar panels at the store.

The store in Bilston opened in 2009 and soon became popular among locals looking to fill out their homes. It stocked a variety of items, ranging from sofas, armchairs and beds to wardrobes and home accessories.

A spokesperson for the company thanked customers for their support over the years. A closing-down sale has already begun and will remain in place until the shop closes for good at the start of August.

A spokesperson for Leekes said: “The closure marks the end of an era for Leekes in the Midlands.

“For more than 15 years, Leekes Bilston has been a cherished destination for homeowners across the region, and the outpouring of affection from customers visiting the sale has been a testament to the fond memories made within its walls.”

The statement continued: “Staff and shoppers alike have been sharing their stories, reflecting on years of inspired home transformations and the warm, expert service that has made Leekes a household name.

“While the Bilston chapter is drawing to a close, Leekes remains as strong as ever. Family owned since 1897, this beloved British retailer has thrived for almost 130 years – and continues to do so.”

Elsewhere in the UK, Leekes operates stores in Llantrisant, Cross Hands and Tonypandy, all in South Wales, as well as Melksham and Cheltenham. Bilston was the company’s only site in the Midlands.

John Lewis has confirmed it plans to spend a whopping £20million on upgrading one store, in what the brand has described as one of the business’s “largest single-store investments”. The department store will invest a whopping £20million in a full redevelopment of its Glasgow Store in a massive boost.

John Lewis has claimed that the new refurbishment will bring new brands, elevated products and experiences, as well as an environment that meets customers’ wants and needs. Every floor of the 28,000-square-metre store in Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow, is set to be upgraded.

Chiefs have already confirmed that changes will be coming to the site’s fashion, beauty, home and technology departments. The store is set to remain open throughout the refurbishment, with the work expected to be completed in the Spring of 2027.

Kathy Murdoch, centre director for Buchanan Galleries, Landsec, said: “We welcome John Lewis’s £20m investment in its store in Glasgow, a powerful vote of confidence in the city.

“It complements our own plans for Buchanan Galleries, where we are investing to enhance the retail and leisure offer, create new experiences, and support Glasgow’s continued growth as a leading UK destination. The centre will be open and trading as normal throughout, and we look forward to seeing the new store take shape.”

Peter Ruis, managing director of John Lewis, explained: “Whether customers shop with us online, in our shops or across both, they expect the same trusted advice, service and experience.

“We’re continuing to invest across our estate so our shops reflect the things customers value most about John Lewis – expert guidance, inspiring products and the confidence to make the right choice. These investments are about more than just a fresh look; they are about creating places where customers love to spend their time.”

“The response from customers to the improvements we’ve already made gives us confidence to continue investing for the long term.”

Marks and Spencer is set to open a new store in the south west of England six months earlier than it originally planned. Shoppers will soon be welcomed to a new superstore at Weymouth Gateway Retail Park in Dorset on July 15.

M&S is known for its quality food, homeware and clothing, with more than 1,000 stores across the UK. The new shop will be home to a food hall and cafe as well as housing clothing, home and beauty items.

It will also feature the chain’s in-store bakery which sells a range of pastries, cakes, cookies, breads and doughnuts.

Charles Pinner, the regional manager at M&S, said: “We are excited to reveal that our brand-new Weymouth Gateway full-line store will open this summer.

“We expect the opening to create 50 new local jobs and are looking for colleagues who are passionate about serving customers and raising the bar in retail to join the team.”

Around 60 staff members who already work for a nearby M&S will be offered a role at the shop.

In 2024, the planning application was approved by Dorset Council, reports The Sun.

M&S are running a multi-million pound relocation project with investments into its supermarket stores. The new store will replace the St Mary Street branch.

M&S first started in 1884, when Michael Marks came to the north of England and managed to secure a stall at Kirkgate Market in Leeds.

He built his success using the slogan “Don’t ask the price, it’s a Penny”. The stall, which sold simple homewares, was soon thriving.

To support his growing business, Michael joined forces with Tom Spencer, a cashier from wholesalers Dewhirst.

From this partnership, the business began to take shape and eventually turned into the M&S we know today.