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Major high street retailer with 240 branches to shut city centre store as shoppers say ‘yet another one closes’
SHOPPERS have been left devastated as a major high street retailer gears up to close one of its branches.
GAME is shutting its store in The Broadway Shopping Centre, Bradford, and has launched a closing down sale.
It is not clear the exact date the branch will close.
A spokesperson for The Broadway told The Telegraph and Argus: “We can confirm that Game will be closing and we will be announcing new fashion and beauty retailers in the coming weeks.”
Shoppers have been left fuming after finding out the store, which sells everything from consoles to video games and PC accessories, will close down permanently.
“Yet another one closes,” one said on Facebook.
Another commented: “Bradford is going to be a ghost town.”
Another added: “RIP Bradford.”
The latest GAME closure comes after the retailer, operated by the Frasers Group, shut a number of other branches across the UK.
Almost a dozen GAME branches have closed in England and Wales since last October.
A branch in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, shuttered in November, a store in Witney, Oxfordshire, in January and one in Plymouth, Devon the following month.
A number of other retailers have shut up shop in Bradford in recent months too.
Outdoor clothing chain Trespass launched a closing down sale at its branch in The Broadway Shopping Centre last month.
Meanwhile, posh food and clothing retailer M&S shut a branch in the same shopping centre in May.
Flannels, also run by Frasers Group, closed its branch in Bradford in December despite opening just three months before.
Game was bought out by billionaire businessman Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group in 2019 as part of a £52million deal.
But by January 2020 it had announced plans to close 40 of its more than 300 stores across the UK.
As of today, there are roughly 240 Game stores nationwide.
It comes as sales of physical video games have fallen majorly since Game’s peak in the early 2000s.
Digital sales accounted for almost nine out of every 10 video games sold in the UK in 2022, according to trade body the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA), reported the BBC.
RETAIL CLOSURES ACROSS THE UK
A number of retailers are struggling across the UK after the cost of living crisis hit shoppers’ pockets.
High inflation in 2022 and 2023 and wage bills for retailers also forced many to close stores for good.
Wilko fell into administration last year as its 400 stores and thousands of staff were left in limbo.
Ted Baker, Cath Kidston and Paperchase have all filed for administration in recent years too.
This week, major fashion chain Next warned of possible store closures after losing a landmark legal case over equal pay.
Some retailers have managed to buck the trend and expand their number of stores across the UK.
Aldi, B&M and Lidl have all announced plans to open more stores in recent months as shoppers look for bargain buys to make their budgets stretch.
Why are retailers closing shops?
EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.
The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.
In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.
Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.
The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.
Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
Boss Stuart Machin recently said that when it relocated a tired store in Chesterfield to a new big store in a retail park half a mile away, its sales in the area rose by 103 per cent.
In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Wilko, Debenhams Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Paperchase to name a few.
What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.
They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.
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80s movie star has barely aged a day 37 years after playing villain in cult classic – and turning down iconic TV gig
80s movie star Sela Ward has barely aged a day 37 years after playing villain Kim Lacey in cult classic Hello Again.
The 68-year-old actress took on the role of the baddie in the romantic com film in 1987.
Sela was 31-years-old when she took on the role of the back in the late 80s.
The blockbuster, directed and produced by Frank Perry, also starred the likes of Shelley Long, Judith Ivey, and Austin Pendleton.
Hello Again follows the story of Shelley Long’s character Lucy Chadman – a woman who chokes on some food and ends up dying.
A physic (Judith Ivey) brings her back to life, but is heartbroken when her husband Jason (Corbin Bernsen) has found love again with her best friend Kim (Sela).
Now, 37 years on on the iconic role, Sela looked absolutely incredible.
After her stint on the film, Sela landed roles in other movies including Steele Justice, Double Jeopardy and The Fugitive.
Not only that, around the same time she appeared in various TV shows including Rainbow Drive, Bridesmaids and L.A Law.
However, it was her role Teddy Reed in NBC show Sisters that catapulted her into fame.
The actress appeared in 127 episodes over six seasons between 1991 and 1996.
After that, Sela went on land roles in some very well-known shows.
She played Lily Manning in Once Again between 1999 and 2002.
Sela took on the role of Jo Danville in CS: NY for three years in 2010.
She also famously turned down Teri Hatcher’s role as Susan in Desperate Housewives.
Most recently, she played a special agent in FBI back in 2019.
She was also president Elizabeth Lanford in the American sci-fi film Independence Day: Resurgence in 2016.
The star hasn’t appeared on our screens as a character over the last few years.
Throughout her successful career Sela has been been awarded a number of gongs including a Golden Globe, Prime Time Emmy Award and CinemaCon Award.
She’s still a huge hit with fans and boasts 113k followers on Instagram.
Her last post was in 2023, posing for a snap with Morgan Freeman.
Sela has been married to Howard Elliott Sherman since 1992.
The pair share two kids.
Drivers warned of charges over £190 with proposed pay-per-mile road tax – and it could be worse for certain car types
DRIVERS have been warned that they could potentially face charges of over £190 under a proposed pay-per-mile road tax system.
The new road pricing scheme has been suggested by an influential campaign group and is rumoured to be under consideration by The Treasury.
Recent reports have speculated that the measures could be introduced in the upcoming Autumn Statement on October 2, though nothing has been confirmed.
The Government has been urged to implement the policy in a report from the Campaign for Better Transport, an advocacy group dedicated to reducing reliance on cars in favour of green and public transport.
The RAC has also cautiously supported the idea, as long as it is “simple and fair” and doesn’t result in “additional taxation”.
However, Andrew Jervis, CEO of ClickMechanic, has warned that a pay-per-mile system could lead to some drivers paying up to £190 more per year than the current tax brackets.
He told The Express: “It’s a good thing that officials are exploring new options to make sure the taxation system is as fair as possible in a world where vehicle emissions are a bigger factor than ever.
What is pay-per-mile and what does it mean for me?
By Jacob Jaffa
Pay-per-mile is a proposed system of road tax based on annual mileage rather than emissions ratings.
At the moment, vehicles that produce the most pollutants are taxed the highest as the Government seeks to incentivise transitioning to cleaner transport.
However, as EV adoption steadily increases, The Treasury is predicting a significant shortfall in tax receipts.
EVs are exempt from road tax until 2025 and even then will only be placed in the lowest £20 bracket (with those worth over £40,000 also paying a luxury vehicle supplement).
One study by the RAC estimates that the Exchequer could miss out on up to £9.4 billion in tax by 2031 as a result.
With ministers scrambling to fill a £22 billion “black hole” in the books, some industry figures have proposed pay-per-mile as a potential alternative.
How does pay-per-mile work?
As the name suggests, a pay-per-mile system means that drivers pay tax based on how much they use the roads.
Your mileage is already recorded by the DVLA annually at your MOT, while there has also been suggestions that road usage could be monitored by ANPR cameras.
Under a pay-per-mile model there will be a set price of a few pence for each mile travelled.
Supporters claim that this is a fairer way to spread the burden of costs for things like road maintenance, with those who use the roads most contributing more.
But critics suggest it removes the incentive to adopt greener vehicles and have also raised concerns about personal freedom and the incentives against car use.
Does anywhere else use pay-per-mile?
While not widely used around the world, there are a number of countries who have implemented some form of pay-per-mile system.
They include New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Russia and the Czech Republic.
This is usually operated on the basis of tax rebates for falling under a pre-set mileage allowance, which is slightly different from the version being proposed here.
What does pay-per-mile mean for me?
That largely depends on the price that is set if pay-per-mile is approved.
One report proposing the change suggested a rate of 2p per mile, which would mean an average annual bill of around £130.
This would mean that drivers in all but the three lowest bands currently would pay less than they do at the moment but would mean an increase for owners of low-emission vehicles.
However, the higher the price is set, the more likely it is that people will pay more than under the current system.
Likewise, those who drive regularly for work or travel would likely pay a fair chunk more, while those who barely use their car would be asked to contribute very little even if it was a diesel-guzzling SUV.
“However, we need to be careful to strike the balance between achieving our climate targets while not disproportionately hitting the pockets of those who aren’t able to or can’t afford to change their driving habits.”
As it stands, the potential tax rates are very uncertain, with supporters of the policy generally advising somewhere between 2p and 6p per mile.
Some have even suggested it could go as high as 15p.
Data firm Nimble Fins estimates that the average annual mileage for Brits drivers is 6,600, which could mean bills of anywhere between £130 and £990 a year.
Currently, road tax is charged at a flat rate regardless of mileage and ranges from £20 to £735.
Under the proposed new system, though, it is estimated that the majority of drivers would pay around the same or less unless they are particularly high-mileage travellers.
Ian Read, head of editorial at Carwow, commented: “Unsurprisingly, those who drive the most miles will pay the most.
“If you are a high mileage driver you could pay more under pay-per-mile than you do under the current VED system, low mileage drivers could pay less.”
And it could also be bad news for owners of more expensive cars as the Expensive Car Supplement would likely remain on motors worth over £40,000.
This charge adds an extra £410 per year onto the base rate for five years from the second year of registration.
So if you have a pricier and want to use it a lot, you could find yourself shelling out quite a bit of cash.
The Sun's 14-year campaign to freeze fuel duty
The Sun has backed drivers as part of the Keep It Down campaign with rates of fuel duty not rising since the start of 2011.
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt earlier this year thanked Sun readers for helping him to make the case to freeze fuel duty in his last Budget.
The freeze meant drivers would not have to face a potential £100 rise in motoring costs as a result of a 12p per litre duty hike.
Our decade-long campaign fights on behalf of readers to freeze duty on petrol and diesel to help deal with rising living costs.
Mr Hunt said: “I know how much Sun readers are feeling the pinch right now.
“Whether you drive a van, a hatchback or a people carrier I know how much you need to be on the road.
“Keeping it down means hard-working people will have an extra £100 this year without having to cut down using their vehicle.”
Sylvia Barrett, the Campaign for Better Transport’s policy director, said: “The new chancellor faces a looming black hole.
“She can avoid it, in a way which is fair and which garners broad public support.
“But she should start now, as this issue will only get more pressing.
“It should be cheaper to drive a zero-emission vehicle than a more polluting vehicle, but it’s only fair that these drivers should pay a share, and a pay-as-you-drive model can achieve this.”
‘I can’t imagine him not in my life’ – How Ronnie O’Sullivan and Laila Rouass rekindled flame after split two years ago
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN and fiancee Laila Rouass have split up, two years after rekindling their relationship.
Following 147 months together, the snooker star and actress have gone their separate ways.
O’Sullivan, 48, has scored a record 15 maximum-147 breaks during his incredible career.
Having played a packed schedule of tournaments overseas in 2024, he and Laila have hardly seen each other.
A friend said of their situation: “They have been going in different directions.”
The pair initially started dating in 2012, before getting engaged the following year.
In 2022 they briefly split, only to rekindle their relationship.
On how they patched things up, a friend said: “Ronnie and Laila really threw themselves back into their relationship after the split a couple of years ago.
“He kept posting pics of them online at home together and saying romantic things on special occasions, but that’s all come to a halt.
“They’ve tried so hard but they just can’t make it work.”
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Last year Laila, 53, lifted the lid on how they got back on track two years ago.
She said: “We found our way back, we just worked it out.
“Back when I announced it, we hadn’t been together for almost eight months at that time.
“Talking is so underrated. If you can sit down and say how you feel and what you want when you get older that is much easier to say too.”
There is some hope from those around the pair that they could once again find a way to make things work and get back together.
The pal added: “Ronnie has spent months and months on the road this year doing snooker tours for big money in China and Saudi Arabia while Laila has been concentrating on her acting career.
“There is a lot of love between them but they have been going in different directions and conceded it is over.
“Ronnie and Laila make a lovely couple so the people who know them best are hoping this is a blip like back in 2022.”
O’Sullivan , who has three kids from previous relationships, was this week beaten in round one of the English Open by China’s He Guoqiang.
Following his shock defeat, he said: “I’m not even bothered.”
'Smoking too much weed and bulk-buying too much Smirnoff' - Inside Ronnie O'Sullivan's yo-yo health battle
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN’S snooker career almost went up in smoke after buying “too much weed and Smirnoff.”
Ronnie has long linked his performances on the baize with the ups and down in his diet and exercise regime.
The Rocket he has suffered a lifetime of yo-yoing weight, addiction and mental health struggles, and an often unhealthy relationship with food and fitness.
O’Sullivan ballooned to 16st on vodka and takeaways as a troubled teen, while “puffing like a maniac”.
Then, after turning his life around, he even saw his form decline after doing to TOO MUCH exercise.
Now right back to his best, the seven-time world champion has opened up on his struggles.
I went to see how easy it is to get Aldi’s Specialbuys – I nabbed 3 autumn gonks, but the Le Creuset dupe was nowhere
DEDICATED Aldi fans love their Specialbuys – but you have to move quickly to get the best stuff.
This week, Middle Aisles up and down the country were stocked with some seriously viral Autumn buys.
For a limited time only, you’ll be able to decorate your home with adorable pumpkin doorstops, acorn candles and gorgeous gonks.
Not only this, but your pad will smell fresh with the wide range of diffusers and tea lights.
But how easy did Fabulous’ Senior Digital Writer, Abigail Wilson, find it to grab the new-in buys? She nipped down to her local store and shared her thoughts…
“I’m a huge fan of seasonal decorating, so I went straight to Aldi on Thursday to get the pick of the bunch.
“I was very impressed by what I found, although there were some disappointments.
“I had my eye on the £15 Le Creuset dupe pumpkin dishes and the pumpkin cushions, but unfortunately they were nowhere to be seen.
“But I did manage to find a pumpkin doorstop.
“I’m not normally a fan of gonks, but I have to say, with their light-up noses, I soon came round to the Autumn versions.
“They definitely added a cute and cosy vibe to my small living room – so I nabbed three
“I stocked up on candles, reed diffusers and wax melts too – my home is now smelling like a Pumpkin Spice Latte.”
Autumnal Gonk – £7.99
You either love them or you hate them, but one thing is for sure, the Autumnal gonk is back!
This fun accessory is exactly what your home needs this Autumn.
There’s three rustic style characters to choose from, and they’re sure to introduce a soft touch and warm atmosphere to your home this season.
Ceramic Pumpkin Candle – £3.99
The Purewick ceramic candles are the perfect mantlepiece decoration this season.
Not only will they fill your home with delightful Autumnal scents, but they’re super cute too.
At just £3.99, we think they’re a real bargain.
Ceramic Acorn Candle – £3.99
If it’s candles that you’re after, Aldi has plenty more to go around.
Treat your senses to these stunning candles that smell fresh and look great.
They’re the perfect Autumn decoration and there’s three scents to choose from – Black Tea & Fig, Oak Wood Leaves or Autumn Woods.
Pumpkin Doorstop – £5.99
This stylish and seasonal Kirkton House decoration is fun and functional.
It’s exactly what your home needs and will keep doors open whilst adding an Autumnal touch to your interior decoration.
There’s two colours to choose from – Rust or Cream – and they’re sure to leave you feeling cosy and warm.
Autumn Icon Reed Diffuser – £3.99
Aldi is embracing sweater weather this September with the launch of this delightful diffuser that will instantly treat your senses.
The luxurious diffuser will fill your home with a sensational scent that everyone will love.
And with scents lasting up to seven weeks, this bargain buy is sure to impress.
Autumn Wax Melts – £2.49
If you’re more of a wax melt kind of girl, these tealights are sure to bring a smile to your face.
Simply select your favourite scent, cosy up on the sofa, and your home will be ready for the new season.
Whether it’s Pumpkin Spice, Marshmallow or Autumn Leaves that you choose, you won’t want to miss these eight packs of wax melts.
Autumn Casserole Dish – £14.99
You’ll be lucky if you can nab it, as the pump-king of all casserole dishes is expected to sell out fast.
Perfect for delicious homemade meals, you can whip up some family classics that are great for chilly Autumn evenings.
The stylish stoneware dishes are made with a scratch-proof glaze and even better, are dishwasher and microwave safe.
Pumpkin Cushion – £4.99
If it’s style your home needs, look no further than these seasonal decorations that are sure to look great on any sofa or bed this season.
Matching with the doorsteps, your home is bound to impress with these pumpkin spice vibes cushions.
Take a break and get cosy on chilly nights with these stylish, seasonal decorations that are so soft and luxe.
Boucle Throw – £12.99
If the thought of Autumn makes you want to cuddle up and relax at home, you won’t want to miss the new boucle throws.
Not only are they super soft and so comfortable, but they’re sure to leave you feeling cosy and warm too.
There’s three colours to choose from – Beige, Cream, or Grey – so whatever your interior decor desires, they’re sure to look fabulous in any home.
What’s coming up in the next Aldi Specialbuys event?
- Footstool – £19.99
- Autumn hurricane candle – £19.99
- Set of 3 pumpkins – £14.99
- Large pumpkin dish – £14.99
- Skeleton clock – £14.99
- Extra long entrance runner – £14.99
- Premium runner – £12.99
- Boucle throw – £12.99
- LED Dome lantern – £7.99
- Faux fur rug – £7.99
- Autumnal gonk – £7.99
- 4 pack shoe boxes – £6.99
- Scraper mat – £5.99
- Pumpkin doorstop – £5.99
- Draught excluder – £5.99
- Glade plug in twin refill – £4.99
- Pumpkin cushion – £4.99
- Autumn trio candle – £3.99
- Hotel Collection matte candle and reed diffuser – £3.99
- Autumn icon candle + reed diffuser – £3.99
- Ceramic pumpkin/acorn candle – £3.99
- Shaped wax pumpkin candle – £3.49
- Autumn jar candle – £3.49
- Autumn coir mat – £3.49
- Ceramic pumpkin decor – £2.99
- Autumn scented tea lights – £2.49
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XRP News: SEC vs. Ripple Appeal Deadline Closes In, XRP Faces Market Volatility
In the ever-evolving landscape of cryptocurrency, Ripple’s XRP finds itself at a critical juncture as the deadline for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to appeal the landmark ruling in the SEC vs. Ripple case draws near. This development has sent ripples through the crypto market, with the XRP price experiencing increased volatility as investors […]
The post XRP News: SEC vs. Ripple Appeal Deadline Closes In, XRP Faces Market Volatility appeared first on San Diego Local News.
Separatist rebels say Indonesian army attacks threaten the safety of kidnapped New Zealand pilot
Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Separatist rebels in Indonesia’s restive Papua region have warned that military attacks in recent days to rescue a New Zealand pilot who was taken hostage over a year ago could instead threaten his safety. The rebels say the government has deployed more troops and launched airstrikes with helicopters since Monday on
The post Separatist rebels say Indonesian army attacks threaten the safety of kidnapped New Zealand pilot appeared first on KYMA.