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Hundreds of barbershops targeted by police in crime crackdown

2025-10-15 19:28:56 By

Hundreds of barbershops have been targeted by police in a three-week crackdown on money laundering and modern slavery, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. The NCA-co-ordinated operation saw police and other law enforcement officers visit 265 cash-intensive premises across England and Wales, including nail salons and vape shops, with 10 shops shut down and further closures expected.

Operation Machinize targeted the venues in an effort to tackle “high street crime” and prevent criminal gangs from using cash-intensive businesses to conceal the proceeds of crime, according to the NCA. The law enforcement agency said the crackdown resulted in 35 arrests, and 97 individuals suspected to be victims of modern slavery were placed under police protection.

“We know cash-intensive businesses are used as fronts for money laundering, facilitating some of the highest harm and highest impact offending in the UK,” said Rachael Herbert, deputy director of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA. “We have seen links to drug trafficking and distribution, organised immigration crime, modern slavery and human trafficking, firearms, and the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes.

“Operation Machinize targeted barbershops and other high street businesses being used as cover for a whole range of criminality, all across the country.”

During the course of the operation, which involved 19 different police forces and regional organised crime units, officers secured freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1 million. They also seized more than £40,000 in cash, some 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, and more than 8,000 illegal vapes, the NCA said.

Officers also found two cannabis farms containing a total of 150 plants. The NCA estimates that £12 billion of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year.

The agency said in a statement: “Cash-intensive businesses such as barbershops, vape shops, nail bars, American-themed sweet shops and car washes are often used by criminals to conceal the origins of illicit cash. Crime gangs use them to enter cash into the financial system, mixing legitimate funds with criminal profits to hinder subsequent law enforcement investigations.

“They are known to buy such businesses using the proceeds of crime, which provides them with a legitimate income and opportunities for money laundering.”

Security minister Dan Jarvis said: “High street crime undermines our security, our borders, and the confidence of our communities, and I am determined to take the decisive action necessary to bring those responsible to justice.

“This successful NCA-led operation highlights the scale and complexity of the criminality our towns and cities face and demonstrates our collective determination to make our streets safer, a key pillar of this Government’s plan for change.

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Very Group returns to profit despite drop in sales

Online retail giant Very Group has reported a pre-tax profit of £6.1m for the six months to 28 December 2024, marking a return to profitability despite a drop in sales. This comes after the Merseyside-based company that includes Littlewoods posted a pre-tax loss of £2m during the same period in 2023. However, the half-year results also reveal a decline in total revenue from £1.22bn to £1.17bn over the period. In its most recent full year, Very Group reported a revenue of £2.12bn and a pre-tax loss of £15.8m. The group, owned by the billionaire Barclay family and chaired by former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi, commented: "As expected, the market in Q2 FY25 continued to prove challenging given ongoing economic pressures." It added: "As we continue to focus on higher margin sales and cost discipline through the remainder of FY25, we expect to see a continued strengthening of the profitability of our business." The revenue of the Very brand fell by 3.2 per cent to £1.02bn while Littlewoods' sales dropped by 15.3 per cent to £109.2m. Very UK's largest category, electrical, saw its sales fall by 4.5 per cent "as a result of annualising against a quarter which included significant gaming product releases", as reported by City AM. The company added: "Toys, gifts and beauty also annualised against a year in which we heavily invested in the category, however performed strongly over our peak period. "As such, the category declined slightly by 0.6 per cent year on year, and within this we achieved growth of 3.1 per cent in toys and 6.3 per cent in beauty. "The home category is of strategic importance as we prioritise higher margin sales, and in Q2 we saw growth of 7.3 per cent compared to the prior year. "This was largely due to an increase in sales of home accessories, textiles and upholstery." Very noted that fashion and sports experienced a six per cent decline “in a heavily discounted and contracting market”. However, it highlighted that excluding the impact of Nike, there was a reported rise of 1.7 per cent in fashion and a substantial 18.4 per cent increase in sport.

Newcastle shopping destination Eldon Square appoints new director

A new boss has been appointed to lead Newcastle city centre’s premier shopping and leisure destination Eldon Square. Helen Cowie has been named as the new centre director for Eldon Square, one of the UK’s most visited city centre shopping malls with more than 26.5m people stepping into its shops every year. Ms Cowie, was born and raised in the region and has lived in the North East all her life, has more than 30 years of experience within retail, joining the centre after holding senior positions at high street retailer Marks and Spencer across a number of regions, including Scotland, North East and North West England. She has visited Eldon Square from a young age and, stepping into the leadership role, says she is excited to be part of its future and passionate about boosting its reputation across the region. She said: “I’m extremely excited to be joining Eldon Square during this transformational period for the centre. Eldon Square is more than just a shopping centre, it’s an integral part of Newcastle City Centre with a mission to elevate itself to becoming the go to retail and leisure destination in the North East. Along with my team, I look forward to continuing to enhance the shopping experience and making a positive impact on the future of this iconic Newcastle destination.” Matthew Beddow, senior director of asset management at Eldon Square, said Ms Cowie’s experience in establishing new business streams will help drive innovation across all aspects of Eldon Square’s continuing development. He added: “We are thrilled to welcome Helen Cowie to the Eldon Square team. Helen’s wealth of experience and passion for delivering an excellent customer experience will be instrumental in shaping the future of the centre. With her strong background in the sector and her deep understanding of the evolving retail, leisure and entertainment landscape, Helen is well positioned to lead Eldon Square through this exciting chapter.” Ms Cowie’s arrival coincides with a major investment programme at Eldon Square, which provides more than 4,000 jobs across more than 140 retailers. New investments this year will include a huge new Next store, which will include a Bath and Body store, River Island’s relocation, and darts bar Flight Club. Elsewhere in the complex Freight Island – a huge entertainment and dining destination inspired by Coney Island in New York – is set to land in the former Debenhams unit later this year.

UK inflation hits 3.0% in January to challenge Bank of England as cost fears continue

Inflation has risen more rapidly than anticipated at the beginning of the year, according to official data, fuelling concerns about persistent price pressures in the economy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that the headline rate of inflation increased to 3.0 per cent in January, up from 2.5 per cent in December and exceeding the 2.8 per cent predicted by City traders. Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the ONS, said: "Inflation increased sharply this month to its highest annual rate since March last year," He attributed the rise to air fares not falling as much as typically seen at this time of year, partially due to the timing of flights over the Christmas and New Year period. This news follows recent figures showing an acceleration in wage growth in the final quarter of last year, pushing regular private sector pay to its highest level since November 2023. Coupled with a surge in inflation, these statistics highlight the ongoing inflationary risks confronting the UK economy, necessitating a "gradual" approach to interest rate cuts by the Bank of England. The Bank's latest forecasts suggest that inflation will peak at 3.7 per cent later this year, driven by escalating energy prices and increasing regulated prices, such as water bills and bus fares. However, Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank, stated that the expected rise in inflation does not reflect "a story about the fundamental state of the economy," as it is largely influenced by external factors. The Bank anticipates ongoing progress in services inflation and wage growth throughout the year, which will facilitate additional interest rate reductions. Market predictions suggest two more rate cuts this year, as reported by City AM. Rachel Reeves said her “number one mission” was getting “more pounds in pockets” after the rate of Consumer Prices Index inflation increased to 3% in January, according to the Office for National Statistics. The Chancellor said: “Getting more money in people’s pockets is my number one mission. Since the election we’ve seen year on year wages after inflation growing at their fastest rate – worth an extra £1,000 a year on average – but I know that millions of families are still struggling to make ends meet. “That’s why we’re going further and faster to deliver economic growth. By taking on the blockers to get Britain building again, investing to rebuild our roads, rail and energy infrastructure and ripping up unnecessary regulation, we will kickstart growth, secure well-paid jobs and get more pounds in pockets.” Just a few days ago, Andrew Bailey told BusinessLive the Bank would continue to take a ‘gradual and careful’ approach to any rate cuts.

Historic cider maker Thatchers posts record sales after Aldi legal battle win

Family-owned cider maker Thatchers has reported record-breaking sales, surpassing the £200m mark for the first time in its 120-year history. The Somerset-based business, established in 1904, recorded sales of £203.9m for the year ending 31 August, 2024, as reported by City AM. This is a significant increase from the previous financial year's turnover of £175.2m. Since 2018, when it posted a turnover of £99.2m, Thatchers has more than doubled its sales. Recent filings with Companies House reveal that the firm's pre-tax profit marginally increased from £15.6m to £15.8m over the year. Despite absorbing input costs and investing in new production facilities, brands, and personnel, the company's operating profit only rose by 3.4 per cent to £15.6m. The business, currently managed by the fourth generation of the Thatchers family and chaired by Martin Thatcher, continues to face rising costs. A statement approved by the board read: "The cost-of-living crisis has continued to impact consumers and an ongoing trend towards premiumisation has seen budget brands decline, while quality, trusted brands like Thatchers are growing in value and volume, with Thatchers outperforming the category every quarter." However, the company acknowledged that its success has not fully shielded it from recent economic challenges. "Like many companies, Thatchers has been affected by inflationary cost pressures such as rising raw material costs, increasing wage bills and additional taxes. "This has led to significantly reduced margins, however, mindful of the cost-of-living crisis, Thatchers has worked hard to limit the impact on customers, and where possible absorbed a significant proportion of those costs. "Additionally, the predicted increase in cider sales due with the 'summer of sort' was offset by poor weather conditions, with both on and off trade markets feeling the impact. "The cider market saw a lot of change this year, with some producers moving products into the lower ABV [alcohol by volume] tier to maximise on the change in duty, and others running aggressive promotional pricing campaigns. "Thatchers took the decision to simply remain focussed on producing great quality cider." During the year, the company grew its market share by 1.7 per cent, taking its total to 17.2 per cent. It also invested £14m in the 12 months in its cider production facilities and the completion of its automated warehouse system, up from £7m. The company has also committed to spend £24m during its current financial year on products such as a new canning line. During the year dividends of £7m were paid out, the same as in 2023 and 2022, while the average number of people employed by Thatchers increased from 253 to 261. The verdict arrives a month after the Court of Appeal ruled that Aldi had violated Thatchers' trademark with its cloudy lemon cider product. Thatchers initiated a legal dispute against the German supermarket chain in 2022, alleging that Aldi had breached its trademark by producing and selling a cloudy lemon cider similar to Thatchers' own product. Aldi's Taurus cloudy lemon cider hit the market in May 2022. Thatchers contended that Aldi's product was strikingly similar to its own lemon cider, pointing out that the colour scheme of yellows and greens and the creamy yellow backdrop could mislead consumers. However, in January 2024, High Court judge Melissa Clarke ruled in favour of Aldi, determining that it had not infringed on Thatchers' trademark. In her judgement, she observed that there was no likelihood of confusion between the brands, it bore a low degree of similarity to the trademark, and Aldi's usage did not unjustly exploit the trademark.

Andy Burnham wants 'proper levy' on tourist hotel stays in Greater Manchester

Andy Burnham is advocating for the implementation of a 'tourist levy' to be paid by visitors staying in Greater Manchester from outside the region. The metro mayor has expressed his desire to replace the current voluntary 'city visitor charge', which is an optional £1-per-night fee, with a mandatory tax. The current scheme funds the local Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), supporting tourism promotion and additional cleaning services near hotels. Burnham called for "a proper levy" and clarified that it would not affect residents of Greater Manchester already staying within the city-region's hotels when questioned on BBC Radio Manchester. He said: "We would like it to be a proper levy. I would like a scheme that's mainly about visitors to Greater Manchester,. "People pay their council tax and they do not generally stay in hotels. I know it happens but largely it's about people coming into the city-region. "I am putting the case to the government for a tourist levy. Edinburgh has brought one in. I think Glasgow have voted to bring one in. Wales are looking at it as well." The mayor made the point that British tourists are subjected to a tourist tax when holidaying in certain European countries and therefore believes it appropriate that visitors to the UK should be levied similarly. He added: "In an era where we are struggling to raise funds from the public here it feels right to me [when there's] the levy British tourists pay in France, Germany, and Italy... why should people from there not pay one? " The city visitor charge brought in roughly £2.8m in its first year, and according to the ABID, no grievances have been flagged by guests at hotels participating in the program. Last year, Kumar Mishra, in his capacity as general manager of The Edwardian hotel, said the fee was instrumental in attracting major conferences and events. It funded counter-terrorism and security training for those providing accommodation and contributed financially to the enhancement of street cleaning services in the city centre.

Luxury stocks bounce back as high street brands Asos and Primark struggle

Luxury stocks are once again outpacing high street brands as investors anticipate a luxury resurgence. Brands that faced difficulties last year, such as Burberry and Kering, are making a comeback, while firms heavily reliant on physical stores like Primark are finding it tough, as reported by City AM. The top ten luxury retailers by market cap have seen their stock price increase by an average of 19 per cent so far this year. In contrast, high street stocks have only risen by 11 per cent, with the share prices of JD Sports, Asos and Primark-owner ABF declining in the past two months. The average performance of high street stocks has been buoyed by German retailer Zalando, which has seen a 23 per cent rise in its share price this year. The e-commerce giant's share price has rocketed by 101 per cent over the past year, significantly outperforming its competitors. "Over the past year, lower-cost high-street brands fared better in general as value-conscious consumers prioritised affordability amidst sticky inflation," said Lale Akoner, global market analyst at eToro. "Yet some of the most recognisable names to British shoppers within our basket – Asos, JD and Primark – were not part of this growth. Instead, they were burdened by persistent inventory and profitability issues, highlighting the pressures facing fast fashion in a competitive, discount-driven environment." Seven out of the ten largest listed high street firms have seen their share prices fall over the past five years. Despite a significant downturn in the post-pandemic period due to weak demand from China and overstretched European consumers, luxury is making a comeback. Burberry is poised to rejoin the FTSE 100 after being dropped from the index last September, and even Kering, which has been struggling, has seen its share price increase by 19 per cent since the start of the year. The luxury sector received a boost following impressive results from Richemont in January, which lifted luxury stocks globally. RBC analysts Piral Dadhania and Richard Chamberlain predicted late last year that the luxury market would see an upturn in 2025, with promising opportunities in North America and a stabilisation of the Chinese market. "Whilst luxury has generally been a tough sector [in the second half of 2023 and in 2024]... the setup is improving," the analysts stated. However, Akoner cautioned that "it will take some time for [troubled stocks] to claw back their share price, especially as the Chinese economy is still facing challenges." Hermes continues to outperform, with its stock price increasing by 296 per cent over the past five years and 21 per cent since the start of the year.

UK retail sales beat expectations in January amid discounting

British shoppers made a comeback in January, as bargain hunting drove the first monthly increase in retail sales volumes since August of the previous year. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales volumes rose by 1.7% in January, following a 0.6% decline in December, surpassing analysts' expectations of a modest 0.3% growth, as reported by City AM. This surge was largely attributed to a 5.6% increase in food sales, which experts believe was fueled by spending on discounted items. However, sales volumes at non-food stores, including department, clothing, and household shops, dropped by 1.3% over the month, with retailers and household goods stores citing reduced consumer confidence as the primary cause. Alice Cowley, Retail Strategy Managing Director at Accenture, noted that the results were "not the splash retailers will have wished for," as consumers continued to be frugal with their spending post-Christmas. Cowley added, "This past three-month period has fallen short of expectations for many, as shoppers increasingly prioritised essentials only in non-food categories and turned to own label food products, weakening margins." Analysts have cautioned that relying heavily on discount spending will further erode already-thin profit margins, a situation that will be exacerbated by significant tax increases set to hit the retail sector in April. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned that the sector will face an additional £7 billion in costs due to the combined effects of a higher minimum wage, packaging tax, and changes to employer's national insurance contributions. Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium, has expressed concern over the unpredictable nature of the retail sector in the coming months: "With consumer expectations for the economy falling almost 40pts since July 2024 and an unsteady job market, the next few months are hard to predict." He also highlighted the financial strain on the industry, stating, "This boost to sales barely touches the sides of the £7bn in new costs from the Budget and packaging levy facing the industry this year." Earlier in February, a group of influential retailers warned that hundreds of thousands of jobs could be jeopardised in the retail sector due to unsustainable cost increases this year. Peel Hunt has projected that retail firms within their coverage will experience an average pretax profit drop of 7.5 per cent due to the Budget's tax hike, with some companies being more severely impacted than others. Matt Dalton, Consumer Sector Leader at Forvis Mazars, urged caution when interpreting recent figures: "A closer look at the numbers suggests that there may not be as much to celebrate as one may think."

Fashion firm Barbour launches second clothing collection with TV star Alexa Chung

Tyneside fashion firm Barbour has teamed up with TV presenter and model Alexa Chung to launch a new clothing collection. The South Shields firm, which can trace its history back to 1894, may have started out making waxed jackets for fishermen but its quilted coats and jackets are now worn by everyone from farmers and footballers to rock stars and royalty. And in more recent years Barbour has worked with famous names including ceramics designer Emma Bridgewater, House of Hackney, William Morris and film director Sir Ridley Scott, as it looks to widen the appeal of its clothing beyond its traditional base in rural communities. Now the firm – which has seen its star rise with young people after its jackets were worn by pop star Dua Lipa, Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen,and Rufus Wainwright – has teamed up with TV star Alexa Chung for a second time, launching a new capsule collection and a campaign starring the presenter herself. Ms Chung, collaborated closely with the in-house design tea but was creative director and designer for the clothing collection, which draws inspiration from nostalgic camping days as well as Ms Chung’s festival styling. The collection includes outerwear, clothing and wellington boots, with showerproof jackets with tartan liners, bomber jackets with cord collars and knitwear made by Harleys of Scotland. It also includes rubber footwear, including a slip-on clog and a wedged wellington boot. She said: “I’m in love with the second collection I have designed for Barbour. I think the codes and language we have built together are now well established in that we create playful takes on Barbour’s heritage. My particular favourites in the collection are the bright yellow jacket and fire engine red raincoat. I really focused on colour and fun and I think that idea carried through to our camping trip themed shoot, with the legendary Tim Walker. This collection brings me so much joy and I hope you like it as much as I do.”

'VAT costs are killing industry' - Exeter salon boss warns chancellor ahead of Spring Statement

An Exeter hairdresser is among UK salon owners urging the chancellor to throw the sector an "economic lifeline" as a new report highlights how an unbalanced tax system is "decimating" the industry. Nathan Plumridge, owner of Darts Farm-based Energy Hair, has warned VAT costs are "killing the industry". His business, which employs 25 staff, is also about to see its wage bill rise by £50,000 following Rachel Reeves' national insurance (NI) hike for employers. "It’s not a pretty picture for the industry," he told Business Live. "It’s really alarming. When you look at the amount of salons shutting down and then reopening up as a self-employed salon. It’s having an impact on education and standards." Mr Plumridge says the main issues for salon owners are increased NI contributions and rates of pay. He says the costs will make a "massive dent" in the number of apprentices business like his can afford to take on. "Business are not going to be employing as many people because of the cost and it stifles growth. A lot of salons are still reeling from the impact of Covid and the problems are being compounded by these other financial challenges." The entrepreneur says salons are "cautious" about hiking prices, but rising costs may mean there is no option but to do it. "If nothing is announced [in the Spring Statement], it will lead to more closures within the sector. It’s a micro industry and run generally by owner operators who are on the floor… people are still feeling the impact of Covid and any additional pressure is coming out of the bottom line. So what do you do?" According to analysis commissioned by independent consultancy CBI Economics, unless changes are made within the industry there will be no new apprenticeships by 2027 and a 93% fall in employment by 2030. The British Hair Consortium, which represents 50,000 UK hairdressing professionals, is calling for Rachel Reeves to halve the VAT salons pay on labour costs to 10% to help them overcome recruitment challenges. “Our industry has been ignored for years and we’re calling on the government to correct decades of mismanagement,” said Toby Dicker, co-founder of the British Hair Consortium. “Most owners haven’t had a pay rise in many years and simply can’t consider expanding their business, let alone take on an apprentice. “A one-size-fits-all tax system doesn’t work and has created an unlevel playing field. Increasing numbers of owners are either closing their salons or changing their employment practices and are renting chairs to contractors just to survive. This report shows how cutting VAT to 10% won’t cost the Government a penny. It would save salons across the country and ensure the future of our industry which sits at the heart of the high street.”

Drayton Manor's profits slide for fourth year as theme park hit by wet weather

Drayton Manor has reported a drop in profit for the fourth consecutive year since being saved from administration, with inclement weather continuing to dampen sales. The Staffordshire-based theme park recorded a pre-tax profit of £1.2m for the year ending 30 September 2024, a decrease from the previous year's £2m, as reported by City AM. This follows pre-tax profits of £3.5m and £5.6m in the two years post-rescue. Prior to its collapse into administration in 2020, Drayton Manor had been operated by three generations of the Bryan family since its opening in 1950. The theme park was subsequently acquired by Looping Group, which operates several UK attractions including West Midland Safari Park and Pleasurewood Hills, as well as other European sites. In the three years leading up to its administration, Drayton Manor accumulated a pre-tax loss exceeding £7m. According to recently filed accounts at Companies House, the park's turnover also fell from £29.3m to £28.1m during its latest financial year, having stood at £30.7m in the year ending 30 September 2022. With Merlin Entertainments planning to open a Minecraft-themed park in the UK, and Universal detailing plans for a new UK theme park expected to provide a £50bn boost to the economy, Drayton Manor is set to face increased competition in the coming years. The board of Drayton Manor released a statement acknowledging the difficulties faced by the business: "Challenges such as very high energy prices from the prior year lessened but our customers were still feeling the effect of the high cost of living." "The weather continued to be another challenge to the business with summer 2024 being the coolest since 2015 and any heatwaves were short lived. The summer was largely overcast, wet and cool." Despite a dip in profits, Drayton Manor distributed dividends totalling £1.2 million to its owner. The theme park's turnover decreased slightly from £23 million to £22.3 million over the year, while revenue from its hotel and events also saw a downturn from £6.2 million to £5.8 million.