Managing Director of family-owned jeweller Beaverbrooks, Anna Blackburn, said: “In Beaverbrooks’ 103-year history we have never opened on Boxing Day, to give our amazing colleagues more time to spend with their families and thank them for their hard work throughout the year.
“As a business run on strong family values this is something that has always been incredibly important to us, and this year our 70 stores will remain closed on the date once again, to allow our people to enjoy well-earned time with their loved ones after the busy Christmas period.
“We know it is a challenging time for many people and to support our colleagues, as well as giving them more time to spend with family over the festive season, we will continue our tradition of an extra week’s salary in December for all colleagues to show our appreciation for their hard work. This comes in addition to an investment of £500,000 in cost-of-living payments made in October to all colleagues (£500 one off payment per colleague), providing further financial support in line with increasing costs.
“Rising costs have been a key consideration for all our business decisions this year and we have made sure to put our teams across the UK at the heart of them.
“For instance, we have just created a breakfast club for office colleagues to come and get a healthy nutritious breakfast every day on us. we have guaranteed salary increases for all Beaverbrooks colleagues year-on-year, even during the pandemic, and based on our record-breaking 2021/22 financial success, we paid our biggest ever bonuses to store colleagues.
“We also introduced significant increases in profit bonuses for office teams and all store management to reward the hard work of all colleagues across the past few challenging years.
“Closing on Boxing Day is something we know our colleagues value greatly, and we feel passionate about continuing this tradition, and hopefully inspiring other businesses to follow in our footsteps.”
Beaverbrooks is an award-winning family-owned jeweller established in 1919 with 70 stores across the UK, providing exceptional quality diamonds, jewellery and watches. For further information please visit www.beaverbrooks.co.uk
Customers of Dobbies Garden Centres in the Lothians can now shop in store for the finest quality and award-winning products by ‘farm to fork’ company Puddledub.
The Fife-based producer already has a presence in Dobbies’ Dunfermline store not far from its family farm near the village of Auchtertool. Based on the success of the butcher at this store, the family business is now extending its presence to Dobbies in Edinburgh and Livingston, offering pork, beef, lamb, poultry and deli items, produced from its own livestock and sourced from other local suppliers.
Top products include dry cured bacon, delicious hams, luxury pork sausages and home-made steak pies.
The Mitchell family behind Puddledub have been at Clentrie Farm since 1905. The farm is focused on high welfare, sustainable pork production and caring for the environment.
Peter Mitchell, Director at Puddledub, said: “Just like Dobbies, we’re passionate about offering our customers the very best products and have a highly skilled team.
“That’s why we work with trusted partners that share our ethos, commitment to value and high-quality standards. The butchers in Dobbies’ Dunfermline store has proven to be a great success and we’re sure it will be the same in Edinburgh and Livingston.”
David Gibson, Regional Manager at Dobbies Garden Centres, said: “Puddledub is one of Scotland’s finest farms and meat producers, so we’re really pleased to welcome them to another two stores.
“The company has a thriving in-store and online retail presence already, proving how popular its products are. They’ll be an excellent addition to our foodhall in both Edinburgh and Livingston, offering great value products for our customers.”
Puddledub joins Dobbies’ diverse range of existing foodhall partnerships with brands including Waitrose, Hotel Chocolat, Whittards and Cook.
Both Dobbies and Puddledub are focused on reducing their impact on the environment. Puddledub is committed to sustainable farming and providing high-quality local produce to their customers. Each step from the breeding of their home-grown pigs, to the preparation of their products is thoughtfully done.
Dobbies is also actively working with suppliers to reduce single-use plastics and packaging, while offering a range of in-store recycling opportunities and reducing food waste in partnership with Too Good to Go.
Marks and Spencer is to close it’s food store in Ocean Terminal. The store will close before the end of the year, but the company insists ‘the vast majority’ of Leith staff will be offered new jobs other M & S stores.
Scott Munro, M&S’s regional manager for the east of Scotland, said: “Shopping habits are changing and we’re reshaping our store estate across Scotland and the UK to make sure we’re reflecting the needs of our customers.
“As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our decision to close the M&S Ocean Terminal store at Ocean Terminal later this year.
“Our priority is to support our colleagues through these changes and we are confident of being able to offer new roles to the vast majority of those affected.
“We are committed to Edinburgh and this decision means there are more opportunities to invest in our eight other stores across the city.”
“But their decision does not impact on our plans. Instead, it has allowed us to actively pursue a range of opportunities for partnership with alternative food retailers as part of ongoing plans to reconfigure Ocean Terminal and shape the ongoing transformation of the centre and its important waterfront location.”
Responding to news of the closure of the Marks & Spencer store in Ocean Terminal, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I was shocked to find out today that the M&S store in Ocean Terminal is set for closure with the loss of a number of jobs. This could be the death knell for Ocean Terminal.
“Marks & Spencer is one of Ocean Terminal’s remaining flagship outlets for the area.
“With the tram set to arrive before long, I fear that this is a short-term decision that will damage Leith in the long-term.
“I will be writing to Marks & Spencer to seek a meeting to urgently review this decision.”
COS and NEOM to open new stores at St James Quarter
St James Quarter, the 1.7 million sq ft retail-led lifestyle district in Edinburgh, will lease a collective 8,084 sq ft to COS and NEOM.
Chris Pyne, Head of Leasing at St James Quarter,commented: “These new signings bring us a step closer to fully letting the galleria, and with the whole scheme now 95% let we have put ourselves an enviable position one year since opening.
“The centre has dealt remarkably well with the effects of the pandemic, with a continued positive response from our customer base translating to increased footfall levels and occupier demand from standout retail, cosmetic, leisure and F&B brands who can see the long-term appeal of the lifestyle-led retail destination that is St James Quarter.”
COS, a fashion brand dedicated to quality and sustainability, has picked the lifestyle quarter as the location for its new Scotland store, which will feature an interesting new concept for its fit out. This will be its first store in Edinburgh spanning 7,483 sq ft.
Wellbeing specialists and Times Top 100 brand, NEOM Organics, will also be opening the doors to their sanctuary of calm, creating a 601 sq ft haven for customers to discover each of the brands natural wellbeing ranges including their iconic Wellbeing Pods, natural candles, access to complimentary wellbeing advice and personalised consultations. The brand, which was founded by a former journalist in 2005, will be located on level 2.
St James Quarter’s latest announcement follows on from a flurry of F&B signings including itsu and The Botanist.
St James Quarter has gone from strength to strength offering an impressive and growing list of names throughout the retail and leisure sector including Wingstop, Thai Express, Boss, Coach, & Other Stories, Mango, Zara, REISS, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Miele, Next, H&M, JD Sports, John Lewis and many more.
Welcome to The Curiosity Shop – Virgin Hotels’ first curation of Virgin StartUp products
· Virgin Hotels has teamed up with Virgin StartUp to launch The Curiosity Shop at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh.
· The six businesses are all sustainably focussed offering guests products to make their stay even more luxurious with an offering spanning skincare, apparel, gin and even silk pillowcases.
· The Curiosity Shop features six Scottish start-up businesses whose founders have all received funding and mentoring support from Virgin StartUp.
· The area is exclusive to Hotel guests who can explore and purchase products from the businesses.
· All the brands featured are purpose-driven with a focus on sustainability.
Six Scottish start-up businesses have secured a place in The Curiosity Shop, a new space at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, dedicated to showcasing sustainable Scottish businesses.
Created in partnership with Virgin StartUp, Virgin’s not-for-profit incubator for entrepreneurs, The Curiosity Shop features a wide range of beautifully crafted Scottish products, all from businesses whose founders have been supported by Virgin StartUp to start-up and thrive.
The Curiosity Shop is exclusively available to Virgin Hotels’ guests and offers them the opportunity to discover and support new Scottish brands. All the companies featured in The Curiosity Shop have considered sustainability throughout their manufacturing and packaging processes.
From wild-harvested Hebridean seaweed to Scottish spun yarns and hand-crafted gin; The Curiosity Shop is full of Scottish treasures ready to explore.
Andy Fishburn, Managing Director of Virgin StartUp, explains: “Virgin has always been entrepreneurial at its heart, so it’s great to see Virgin Hotels providing this space to showcase Virgin StartUp companies, particularly those that are making sustainably-driven products right on the doorstep here in Scotland.”
Scott McArdle, General Manager at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, comments: “We are proud to have a space of the hotel dedicated to championing small Scottish businesses and we have already received great feedback from hotel guests who are enjoying exploring the shop and discovering new sustainable Scottish products.
“All Virgin Hotels are unique and draw inspiration from their location, so the Curiosity Shop is one of many things we are doing at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh to tell the story of this spectacular country.”
Rutland Square Gin is one of the six businesses featured in the Curiosity Shop. Nishant Sharma, the Founder, says: “We launched Rutland Square Gin last year in November with a vision to make small batch artisan gin that has Scottish spirit with an Indian soul.
“Each batch is distilled in the heart of Edinburgh, with inspiration from the far east.
“The support we have received from Virgin StartUp has been brilliant from the beginning and now, to get this opportunity to share our products with international visitors at a landmark new hotel in the city is incredible.
“We are really excited to see what interest it generates in our products.”
The Curiosity Shop Businesses
1. Doctor Seaweed’s Weed & Wonderful –Founded by a Scottish marine biologist, a wide range of seaweed supplements made using organic Hebridean seaweed that is sustainably wild-harvested from pristine Scottish waters.
2. Genevieve Sweeney –Timeless knitwear, made in Scotland with both traditional artisan and innovative knitting techniques that showcase the natural beauty of Scottish spun yarns.
3. Meander Apparel – Edinburgh-based outdoor clothing brand. Around 90% of the collection is made using natural or recycled, low-impact materials.
4. Rutland Square Gin –Small batch craft gin, handcrafted by most talented and experienced master blender in the heart of Edinburgh. Rutland Square Gin makes the world’s first oolong white tea infused Chai Spiced Scottish Gin made using sustainably sourced oolong white tea from Assam, India.
5. Seilich – A small, family-run company based in the Lothians and created by botanist, Dr Sally Gouldstone. Inspired by a passion for Scottish wildlife, the family sell an award-winning range of natural skincare products, made using ingredients grown in their wildflower meadow.
6. Sensi –launched in 2022 by 25-year-old Jennifer Norrie. Jennifer discovered a love of silk when she tried sleeping on silk pillowslips for the first time and found that her skin was glowier and her hair less frizzy.
TK MAXX REWARDS CUSTOMERS IN ‘SUPER SATURDAYS’ AS PART OF A SUMMER OF SPORTING AND SHOPPING BIG WINS
To celebrate 10 years since London 2012, TK Maxx is rewarding shoppers with their very own ‘medal’ haul, as part of their ongoing Summer of Big Wins campaign
Every Saturday in August, there will be 65 gold medal gift cards hidden in stores around the country, to represent the number of medals won by Team GB
Kicking off in London with Rylan, the celebrations will then move on to Birmingham to mark the city hosting the Commonwealth Games, then Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast
Recent research from TK Maxx shows more than half of Brits (55%) say summer is their favourite time of year, compared to 12% who said winter.
63% said they find outdoor exercise easier to do in the summertime.
Whether you’re looking forward to footie in the garden, runs in the park or sprinting to the shade, discover more about TK Maxx’s Summer of Big Wins.
London, summer 2012 – remember anything big happening? Let us remind you.
Ten years ago, Team GB achieved our best ever medal haul at the London 2012 Olympics – and TK Maxx is celebrating by bringing that brilliant winning feeling to customers across the country and giving them the chance to win their own ‘gold medal’ treasure.
The TK Maxx Summer of Big Wins will hit the #TeamGB hotspots, bringing the treasure hunt to every place –
Birmingham, Saturday 6th August
Cardiff, Saturday 13th August
Edinburgh, Saturday 20th August
Belfast, Saturday 27th August
There will be 65 ‘medals’ hidden inside each store, every Saturday in August – each one representing the number won by Team GB in 2012 and giving the public the chance to win up to £65 off their shopping on the everyday amazing value in-store and online.
Rylan was spotted limbering up to uncover his own treasure early this morning at TK Maxx’s flagship store on London’s Oxford Street, don’t miss your chance to do the same and end up on the winner’s podium – it’s going to be a summer of big wins, both sporting and shopping!
TK Maxx recently released research that shows summer simply puts a spring in our step. 77% of Brits polled said they find it easier to get out of bed in the summertime than the winter, with park runs and footy in the garden on their minds.
More than half of Brits (55%) say summer is their favourite time of year, compared to 12% who said winter – to each their own!
Not only that, but 63% of people find it much easier to do outdoor exercise during the summer months – so there’s no better time to stock up on TK’s range of summer essentials across beauty, homeware, fashion and, of course, activewear.
TK Maxx have also undertaken some Very Important Sports Facts (VISF), all with a TK twist…
Did you know?
Mo Farah’s double Gold glory in the Men’s 5,000m and 10,000m is the equivalent of over 20,000 pairs of men’s socks laid out end to end!
The length it took for Bradley Wiggins’ to power to Gold in the Men’s Individual Time Trial is equivalent to that of 73,333 suitcases!
Greg Rutherford’s winning long jump in 2012 was the same as leaping over 57 pairs of men’s sunglasses lying back-to-back!
Jessica Ennis-Hill’s javelin throw on her way to glory in the women’s Heptathlon event was 47.49m – or over 194 women’s shoes!
Tom Daley’s 10m spectacular platform dive in 2012 is the equivalent of over 14 men’s polo shirts stacked on top of each other!
Helen Glover and Heather Stanning rowed for Gold at Eton Dorney – over a distance of more than 13,500 children’s shoes!
You can get all the nation’s favourite summer essentials at TK Maxx with up to 60% less than the RRP.
Whether you’re counting down the days till things cool down or can’t wait to sizzle those sausages on the BBQ, get equipped at TK Maxx with essentials for all year round. But for now, get your hands on our summer must-haves, in-store or online at TKMaxx.com.
Aldi is giving store colleagues in Edinburgh a pay increase for the second time this year, maintaining its position as the UK’s best-paying supermarket.
From September, all hourly paid colleagues at its Edinburgh stores will receive an increase of 40p an hour on their current hourly rate, taking Aldi’s minimum pay rates for Store Assistants to a sector-leading £10.50 an hour nationally and £11.95 for those inside the M25.
Aldi also remains the only supermarket to offer paid breaks, which for the average store colleague is now worth more than £830 a year.
The new rates far exceed the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended real living wage of £9.90 an hour nationally and £11.05 inside the M25.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Our new rates of pay maintain Aldi’s position as the UK’s highest paying supermarket.
“This announcement recognises the amazing contribution our colleagues make in serving the local communities in Edinburgh. Their outstanding efforts have ensured that our customers continue to have access to fresh affordable food, every single day.”
Aldi is the UK’s fifth-largest supermarket and has more than 970 stores across Britain.
This year was the biggest Prime Day event for Amazon’s selling partners, most of whom are small and medium-sized businesses, whose sales growth in Amazon’s store outpaced Amazon’s retail business
Since Prime Day shopping began on July 12, select Fire TV, Echo, and Ring devices were some of the best-selling items on Amazon in the UK
AMAZON Prime members purchased more than 300 million items worldwide during Prime Day 2022, making this year’s event the biggest Prime Day event in Amazon’s history.
Topping the list in the UK, the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, HD streaming device was the most popular item purchased on Prime Day. And, more shopping means more donations through AmazonSmile. This year, during Prime Day, Amazon doubled donations on all eligible purchases in the UK, making this also one of the biggest days for UK charities on AmazonSmile.
This year was the biggest Prime Day event for Amazon’s selling partners, most of whom are small and medium-sized businesses, whose sales growth in Amazon’s store outpaced Amazon’s retail business. Customers spent over $3 billion on more than 100 million small business items included in the Support Small Businesses to Win Big sweepstakes.
John Boumphrey, Country Manager, Amazon UK said: “UK Prime members participated in Prime Day at record levels, saving on everything from everyday basic to devices seasonal purchases for the summer.
“Prime Day delivered something for everyone – great savings for Prime customers, critical sales for the 65,000 UK small businesses that sell on Amazon, and increasing donations for more than 45,000 UK charities that customers can choose to support through AmazonSmile.
“Thank you to all of the brilliant selling partners who participated in Prime Day this year, and a huge thanks to all of the Amazon employees across the UK who made this event possible for customers.”
“And, by way of reminder for all customers, you can continue to shop using the Small Business badge to find products from small businesses in the UK, and at the same time, continue using AmazonSmile all year long so that while you shop, we donate to your chosen charity.”
Prime Day Continues to Fuel Small Business Success
“As a games business we usually see our busiest sales period in the run up to Christmas but Prime Day has offered a fantastic boost in sales for us at a quieter time of year – just in time for families to play our games on their summer holidays! Sales were up more than 500% compared to a typical equivalent day, which makes a big difference to a small business like ours. At Gamely we’re passionate about getting people playing our games as a way to spend more quality time laughing with their family and friends, and Prime Day 2022 has helped make that a reality!” Hazel Reynolds, Founder of Gamely Games
“Prime Day has been a well needed boost of our sales in a difficult economic climate. We increased our turnover by 30% over the last few days. Funky Soap has worked very hard to keep popular items in stock and we have been preparing for the last few weeks. Of course we also benefit from the Amazon advertising campaigns and the increased traffic to our store. Furthermore the “Small Business” Badge on our listings has helped to improve sales as customers know they can trust and support us as a small company. Overall we are very happy with the Prime Day Event and it has been a success and a rewarding experience.”Anni Kriesche, Founder of Funky Soap Shop LTD
“The whole lead up to Prime day has been incredible for us – to have something to really shout about and get involved in as a small business. We’re grateful to Amazon for doing so much to promote ethical, small businesses, and we’ve learned a lot along the way too. Prime Day itself is going super well – we’re watching all the orders fly in, and we are excited to build on this positivity over the next 12 months.” Ky Wright, Founder of Human Food.
“Thanks to Amazon for shining a spotlight on small businesses. It was great to take part in the recent ‘Small Business, Big Dreams’ panel to explore the impact of social media on growing companies. We’re excited to carry on the momentum with Amazon Prime Day and thrilled to be able to offer such a great deal to our new and existing customers alike: 20% off Supplement and Collagen Serum, 15% off Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner.” Darcy Laceby, Absolute Collagen
Worldwide and U.S. shopping trends around Amazon’s Prime Day event include:
Worldwide Prime Day Trends
Shopping
· Prime members worldwide purchased more than 100,000 items per minute during this year’s Prime Day event.
· Some of the best-selling categories worldwide this Prime Day were Amazon Devices, Consumer Electronics, and Home.
· Prime members worldwide did the most shopping from 9am – 10am PT on Tuesday, 7/12 during the entire Prime Day event.
· Since Prime Day shopping began on July 12, select Fire TV, Echo, and Blink devices were some of the best-selling items on Amazon worldwide.
AmazonSmile is the company’s charity initiative which allows customers to support their chosen UK charity while shopping. Whether shopping online or by turning on AmazonSmile in the Amazon app, eligible purchases made with AmazonSmile generate 0.5% to a customer’s chosen charity. Customers can learn how easy it is to shop with the Amazon app at smile.amazon.co.uk.
Fort Kinnaird has collaborated with Capital City Partnership to launch a recruitment project that will support local people with employment opportunities and achieve new qualifications.
The Focus on Recruitment and Training (FORT) scheme is running for three years and is situated next to the Fort Kinnaird Management Suite. The free service is available for people aged 16 and over and works to identify potential roles for jobseekers with local employers, including retailers at the centre.
The FORT project also includes the delivery of youth focused training courses on Retail and Customer Service, for those aged between 16 and 24.
The scheme’s inaugural course will run from Monday 27th June until Friday 8th July and will feature an SQA accredited Customer Service qualification, support with CV building, job applications and interview tips along with an opportunity to be interviewed by a recruiting Fort Kinnaird retailer.
FORT is funded by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner, British Land, and in kind support from the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“As a hub for many local communities, it’s extremely important to us that we use Fort Kinnaird’s scale to support projects that will make a real difference to the lives of those living closest to us.
“We’re so pleased that the new FORT project will be available for people to access free advice, training and job opportunities and provide them with the difficult first step into employment or the jump between careers.”
Kenny Hall, integrated employer engagement officer at Capital City Partnership, said: “Retail and Hospitality are two industries that have suffered significantly in terms of staffing off the back of the pandemic, and employers at Fort Kinnaird are no different.
“Through the new FORT project, we hope to upskill and retrain people from the local community to fill the recruitment gaps at Fort Kinnaird and the surrounding area.
“To register your interest in our first course, please email: TrainingAcademy@capitalcitypartnership.org or drop in to see us at the Recruitment and Skills Centre situated within Fleming House at Fort Kinnaird”
Up & Running Founder and CEO Gillian Macfarlane was born and bred in Scotland –
She is realising her ambition of opening a store here in the same year that Up & Running celebrates its 30th anniversary –
The UK’s leading independent running shop, Up & Running, is preparing to open its doors for the first time in Scotland on Queensferry Road in Edinburgh.
The latest addition to the city spells good news for runners and fitness enthusiasts alike as the store promises a wide selection of running shoes and kit, as well as offering free gait analysis, advice and guidance.
The shop, which is set to open in June, will also be host to a free weekly Social Run Group, leading weekly 5k runs around the city for all abilities, providing a great opportunity to meet other local runners.
Six new jobs have been created with the opening of the new store and the company is actively recruiting for a Store Manager, Assistant Manager as well as full and part time sales assistant positions. The roles provide an ideal opportunity to combine a passion for running while connecting with other runners, running clubs, groups and fitness enthusiasts.
This comes at an exciting time for Up & Running as the company celebrates its 30th anniversary year. The first Up & Running store opened in the North Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate in 1992 and a further 28 stores nationwide have opened since, as well as building a successful online business.
Discussing the new Edinburgh shop, founder of Up & Running, Gillian Macfarlane said, “Scotland holds a very special place in my heart as its where I was born and grew up. It’s long been an ambition to open a store here so I’m pleased to finally be realising this ambition in what is such a milestone year for Up & Running.”
Gillian continued, “Edinburgh is a beautiful city with a thriving running community and is well known for its longstanding Edinburgh Marathon. For these reasons it felt like a good fit for Up & Running and we can’t wait to meet local runners and play a part in their running journey”
