Business
‘Bumper’ Boxing Day for UK retail destinations, analysts say
Boxing Day was a “bumper day” for all UK retail destinations as data shows shopper footfall was up 4.4% on last year, making it the strongest increase in more than a decade, industry analysts said.
The retail sector may end the year on a “positive note” as December 26 saw shoppers flock to high streets, retail parks and shopping centres.
With stores shut on Christmas Day, Boxing Day traditionally sees people stepping back out of their homes to bargain-hunt in the sales.
While there was a slow start for high streets and shopping centres, there was a “peak” in visits to UK retail destinations from 5pm to 11pm, according to retail analysts MRI Software – which counts footfall in more than 660 retail destinations across the UK 24/7 through cameras.
High streets enjoyed a 3.6% increase in footfall on last Boxing Day while retail parks saw an 8.8% uplift.
Shopping centres saw footfall up 2.1% on December 26 2024.
Jenni Matthews, retail analyst at MRI Software, told the Press Association: “We did see a slow start to the day for high streets and shopping centres.
“Retail parks saw an uplift quite early on and that could be reflecting the sort of stores that were open on those sites – so supermarkets, some were open, some weren’t.
“The fact that much of the uplift came from the evening period suggests that people may have been going out for leisure activities or going out for a bite to eat, or making the most of the events and attractions that are still taking place in some towns and cities across the UK.”
While supermarkets like Sainsbury’s and Tesco were open on Boxing Day, Marks and Spencer, Aldi and Lidl were among others closed.
Ms Matthews said the footfall increase of 4.4% on last year is “the strongest increase seen in over 10 years”.
She said the UK saw a “slow lead-up” to Christmas Eve but saw a “big boost” in footfall on December 24, suggesting some shoppers may had “left it to the last minute”.
The analyst said many people did their Christmas shopping early on in November.
The boost in activity on Boxing Day was said to have been driven by a “peak in visits” to all UK retail destinations from 5pm to 11pm, averaging an increase of 9.6% on last year.
This compares with an average increase of 3.1% on Boxing Day 2024 from 6am to 5pm.
Coastal towns saw a 16.1% increase in footfall, which may be due to events such as markets held on high streets, according to Ms Matthews.
“It’s likely to be event-driven because we know that a lot of stores were still shut yesterday,” Ms Matthews added.
Ms Matthews said that, overall, December 26 “proved to be a bumper day for all UK retail destinations”.
“With a number of stores still shut and not reopening until today, it’s likely that leisure and hospitality establishments may well have benefited from the annual uplift,” she added.
“This is an early indicator that the retail sector may well end the year on a positive note given the challenging times faced at the beginning of the year.”
Business
BrewDog owners say craft beer company could be sold off
Craft beer brand BrewDog could be sold off after the company started the process to find new investors.
The Scottish beer brand recently announced plans to close all of its distilling brands, meaning it would no longer produce any of its spirits, including Duo Rum, Abstrakt Vodka, and Lonewolf Gin, at its distillery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer brands, including the highly-popular Punk IPA, Elvis Juice, and Hazy Jane.
Now, in a statement, a spokesperson for BrewDog said the company had appointed Alix Partners to “support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.”
The statement said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.
“Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business. This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.”
Although no decisions have been made, a sale is under consideration.
In a statment BrewDog added: “BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the No.1 independent brewer in the UK, and with a highly engaged global community. We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made.”
According to reports by Sky News, AlixPartners had begun sounding out prospective buyers in the last few days.
The company, which has 72 bars worldwide and four breweries in Scotland, the US, Australia, and Germany, said its breweries, bars, and venues will continue to operate as normal. It employs 1400 people across the organisation.
BrewDog’s founders James Watt and Martin Dickie are the company’s major shareholders alongside private equity company TSG, which invested £213 million in 2017, making it a 21 per cent shareholder.
In 2024, the beer brand grossed £357 million in sales, and it is a major independent brewer with 4 per cent market share in the UK grocery market.
Business
Craft beer brewer BrewDog could be broken up as sale process begins
Beermaker BrewDog could be broken up after consultants were called in to help look for new investors.
The Scotland-based brewer, which makes craft beer such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, has appointed consultants AlixPartners to oversee a sale process.
Last month, BrewDog announced it was closing its distilling brands, sparking concerns for jobs at its facility in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer products.
No decision has been made in respect of the sale process.
A spokesperson for BrewDog said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.
“Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.
“This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.
“BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the number one independent brewer in the UK and with a highly engaged global community.
“We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made.
“Our breweries, bars, and venues continue to operate as normal. We will not comment on any further speculation.”
Brewdog operates 72 bars around the world as well as four breweries.
Business
‘Better to abolish RERA’: Supreme court says law helping defaulting builders
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns over how real estate regulatory authorities are functioning across the country. Taking a sharp view, the top court said it may be “better to abolish” these bodies, suggesting they have failed to protect homebuyers and instead appear to benefit defaulting builders. The court added that states should reconsider the very need for such authorities if they are not serving their intended purpose.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said states should rethink the original purpose behind introducing RERA. The court observed that instead of protecting homebuyers, the law appears to be helping defaulting builders and not serving its intended role.
Expressing strong concern, CJI Surya Kant said states should reflect on the purpose for which RERA was created. He suggested the institution is failing to serve homebuyers and instead appears to benefit defaulting builders. “All states should now think of the people for whom the institution of RERA was created. Except facilitating builders in default, it is not doing anything else. Better to just abolish this institution,” CJI Kant said, quoted by Bar and Bench.
Last year, the High Court had stayed the state government’s decision to shift the RERA office, pointing out that the move was taken “without even identifying an alternative office location”. The court also noted that transferring 18 outsourced employees to other boards and corporations, as requested, “would render the functioning of Rera defunct”.
The Supreme Court, however, set aside the High Court’s order and allowed the state government to shift the RERA office to Dharamshala. It also permitted the relocation of the appellate tribunal to the same location. “With a view to ensure that persons affected by Rera orders are not inconvenienced, the principal appellate is also moved to Dharamshala,” the apex court said.
What Is RERA And Why It Matters
RERA, introduced in 2016, was aimed at addressing project delays, improving transparency and safeguarding homebuyers’ interests. Earlier, each state and union territory operated its own RERA website. However, in September 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a unified RERA portal that brings together data from across states and UTs on a single platform.
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