David Anderson Lonsdale

Jan 10, 2025 | dailybusinessgroup.co.uk | Terry Murden |David Anderson Lonsdale

Sainsbury’s is handing its staff an above-inflation 5%, after reporting its “biggest ever Christmas”. The UK’s second-largest grocer said its hourly-paid colleagues by 5% over the next year, meaning staff will continue to receive the real living wage. The decision will provide a key indicator as to how companies intend to respond to the increases in national insurance contributions and minimum pay rates that were announced in the budget.

Nov 25, 2024 | dailybusinessgroup.co.uk | Terry Murden |David Anderson Lonsdale |Scottish Budget

Retailers are calling on MSPs from across the political spectrum to work together to pass a Scottish Budget which is pro-business. The Scottish Retail Consortium wants Holyrood to avoid adding unwarranted costs onto business, and supports economic growth. SRC sent its detailed Scottish Budget recommendations paper to Ministers and MSPs in September. It contained suggestions for cutting the cost of government, delivering competitive taxes and regulation, and combating crime against retailers.

Mar 25, 2024 | brc.org.uk | David Anderson Lonsdale

Shops in Scotland will see their annual business rates bills rise by £31 million from next week. It follows the decision in the Scottish Government’s Budget to increase the business rate for firms occupying 22,120 medium-sized and larger commercial premises by 6.7% in 2024-25. This is the biggest yearly increase in the business rate since 1999 and is almost double the current rate of inflation.

Dec 28, 2023 | pressandjournal.co.uk | David Anderson Lonsdale |Keith Findlay

The past year has been a period of upheaval for Scottish retailers and the customers they serve. It’s been a continuation of the “perma-crisis” of recent years. Scotland’s largest private sector employer hasn’t had its challenges to seek. Consumer spending has been in a funk, impacted by elevated levels of inflation and rising mortgage rates. Meanwhile, retailers have continued to be the focus of myriad government tax and regulatory interventions.

Apr 6, 2023 | dailybusinessgroup.co.uk | Terry Murden |David Anderson Lonsdale

There was an increase in footfall last monthScottish shoppers returned to the country’s stores in March to make it the best performing area of the UK. Footfall rose by an eighth, or 12%, on the same month last year, though March 2022 was a period of restriction because of the Omicron variation. The Scottish figure was better than the UK average of 6.8% (YoY).