World Leaks – Page 201 – See The Stars

I transform my living room into Santa’s Grotto in September, I have 100 decorations, my fiance hates it but I don’t care

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on I transform my living room into Santa’s Grotto in September, I have 100 decorations, my fiance hates it but I don’t care

A HOMEOWNER showed off the winter wonderland she created in her living room three months ahead of Christmas.

Tracey Drew says she’s been putting her Christmas ornaments up in September for the last 35 years.

a woman in plaid pajamas stands in front of a christmas tree — Tracey Drew has already transformed her living room into a Santa’s Grotto in preparation for Christmas

a sign that says happy holidays hangs above a table — The homeowner revealed that she has hundreds of festive decorations that she places throughout her house

However, not everyone is a fan of the Christmas-obsessed gran’s early enthusiasm.

Tracey revealed that her fiancé “can’t stand” the decor and has told her to take it down.

And after this month’s weather turned “miserable,” the mum-of-six decided to beat the autumnal blues, putting her decorations up on September 9th.

Photos show Tracey’s living room covered in more than 100 decorations as she transforms the space into Santa’s Grotto.

The 53-year-old says Christmas decorations are one of her favourite things about the festive period.

She added that she also loves watching her grandchildren open their presents on December 25th.

But after decking her house out in autumn for the Christmas celebrations, she claims her grandkids have called her “crazy.”

Meanwhile, Tracey’s fiancé has pledged to take her away next September so she isn’t at home to put them up.

Despite the remarks, Tracey says she will not be removing the decorations and is even adding a new Father Christmas statue to her growing collection.

She revealed that her partner doesn’t know about the latest addition yet.

“I always put my Christmas decorations up early but this year it was even earlier just because the weather has been so miserable,” said the Bristol native.

“I just love when it’s dark in the evening and you’ve got your Christmas lights on, I love this.

“On Sunday, I sent my son up into the loft to get the decorations out and he managed to get them all out. On Monday, I spent the day putting them all up.

“I’ve been putting my Christmas decorations up early for the last 35 years, since my eldest child was a baby.”

However, her partner was less than impressed with her jumpstart on decorating.

Money-Saving Tips from Gemma Bird: Save £2k Before Christmas

IF youre' looking to save cash, you've come to the right place, as here, Gemma Bird has shared her top tips that'll save you £2k before Christmas.

Set a budget: Track your spending and create a realistic budget.
Cut unnecessary costs: Cancel unused subscriptions and avoid impulse buys.
Meal planning: Plan meals to reduce grocery bills and avoid takeaways.
Sell unwanted items: Declutter and sell items online for extra cash.
Cashback and discounts: Use cashback sites and hunt for discount codes.
DIY gifts: Make personalised gifts to save money and add a personal touch.
Pick up a seasonal shift: A really easy way to pick up a bit of extra cash in the winter is to find yourself some seasonal work.

Follow these practical tips from Gemma Bird to boost your savings before the festive season!

“Much to my fiancé’s disgust when he came in from work because he went absolutely mental and told me to take it all down and I told him it was staying up,” Tracey said.

“He can’t stand it. He did say to me on Monday night that next year we’re going to go away in September so I can’t put them up until at least October.

“I love it when I come back into the house. I can’t wait to get back from work and I turn all the lights on.

“I’ve got grandchildren. I sent my oldest grandchild a photo of all the decorations up on Monday and she said: ‘Nanny, you are crazy.’

“When guests come round, they say I’m mental. What they can’t understand is why I want all this clutter in my house. To me, it’s not cluttered and it’s displayed nicely.”

Tracey says it took her around three hours to deck out her living room with a collection of Christmas trees, lights, and festive ornaments.

a statue of santa claus sits in front of a television — Tracey explained that her fiancé is not a fan of her over the top early Christmas decorating

a woman in an elf costume stands next to a statue of santa claus — She revealed that the Christmas decor took her an entire day to put up

The gran-of-eight says she hates Halloween and doesn’t celebrate it but finds Christmas “pretty” and loves coming home from work to see her house lit up with festive lights.

“I’m Christmas obsessed, I used to work in a school kitchen and I used to dress up as Father Christmas every year and the kids loved it,” Tracey said.

“I’ve got over 100 decorations in my house and these are things I’ve collected over the years. I try to add to the collection every year.

“I try to transform the living room into a Santa’s Grotto for the children.

“I’ve even already wrapped some of my Christmas presents as I buy these throughout the year for the grandchildren. They’re hidden away at the moment.

“I think the decorations are one of my favourite things about Christmas.”

a teddy bear is sitting on top of a red post box

Tracey explained that she wanted to put the decorations up before taking a trip at the end of September[/caption]

a wooden delivery box sits next to a wooden dresser

The homeowner said house guests often say she is mental for putting up her decorations so early[/caption]

Diddy ‘as bad as Epstein’ as cop recalls ‘sex rooms filled with bondage gear & hidden cams for mass “Freak Off” orgies’

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on Diddy ‘as bad as Epstein’ as cop recalls ‘sex rooms filled with bondage gear & hidden cams for mass “Freak Off” orgies’

COPS who swept Diddy’s Miami mansion have revealed the jailed music mogul could turn out to be as bad as Jeffrey Epstein.

Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly had rooms “dedicated to sex” in his Florida home with hidden cameras recording the acts, a Department of Homeland Security agent has revealed.

Disgraced music mogul Diddy allegedly had rooms ‘dedicated to sex’ in his Miami mansion[/caption]

Cops who have seen inside Diddy’s mansion compared the rap icon to Jeffrey Epstein who was on trial for sex trafficking before his death

A court sketch of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs[/caption]

Combs, 54, has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, including racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

The charges allege Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”

The police source, who was apart of the mansion raid, also said they found sex toys, bondage gear and lingerie in many of the rooms.

These discoveries around the disgraced rap icon led to the source saying Diddy may be as bad as convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein was accused of running a “vast network” using underage girls for sex on his private island.

Officers working on the sordid Diddy case say the similarities between his and Epstein’s allegations are becoming clearer to see, the New York Post reports.

The police source said: “In my opinion, he’s as bad as Jeffrey Epstein.

“These women are young. Either barely legal, or barely illegal.

“If you were in those sex parties, you were being recorded from every possible angle, including angles you wouldn’t have known about.”

Prosecutors accused Combs of using his business empire, under the name Combs Enterprise, to organise and cover up his alleged crimes.

Among the biggest bombshells revealed in the court indictment was Combs’ “Freak Offs” events.

At these “parties” he allegedly forced victims to have sex with hired sex workers while it was filmed on camera.

Freak Offs often involved drug usage to keep participants “obedient and compliant,” followed by IV fluids to help them recover afterwards, the charges allege.

Combs would then use the “sensitive, embarrassing, and incriminating” footage “as collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims,” prosecutors claim.

In my opinion, he’s as bad as Jeffrey Epstein. These women are young. Either barely legal, or barely illegal
Police sourcespeaking on Diddy

Epstein, a popular US financier who had good connections with royalty, politicians and the rich and wealthy, was also jailed on sex trafficking charges.

He is said to have taken his own life in his prison cell 2019 while he awaited trial.

Combs’ arrest follows a months-long investigation into his alleged behaviors, during which raids were conducted on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.

If Combs is convicted and receives the maximum sentence, he faces life in prison.

The minimum sentence is 15 years.

What happened during Sean Combs' 'freak offs'?

SEAN Combs' infamous drug-fuelled freak offs, first revealed by his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura's lawsuit in November 2023, have become a central narrative of the indictment.

The allegations include:

The music mogul “manipulated women to participate in highly orchestrated performances of sexual activity with male commercial sex workers.”
Freak offs “occurred regularly, sometimes lasted multiple days, and often involved multiple commercial sex workers.”
Combs “distributed a variety of controlled substances to victims, in part to keep the victims obedient and compliant.”
He and the victims “typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use” after the freak offs.
Cops “seized various Freak Off supplies, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant” from his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
Combs “hit, kicked, threw objects at, and dragged victims, at times, by their hair,” during and separate from the freak offs, which “often resulted in injuries that took days or weeks to heal.”
He also used the “sensitive, embarrassing, and incriminating recordings” that he made during freak offs as “collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims.”

Diddy has lost two appeals for bail this week, despite making multiple promises of better behavior in exchange for his freedom.

Combs’ initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon saw a judge order him to be held without bail, citing “very significant concerns” about his reported substance abuse and “anger issues.”

An appeal then led to Diddy’s three sons Quincy Brown, Christian “King” Combs, and Justin Combs co-signing a $50 million bail proposal.

A second judge on Wednesday once again denied the plea and ruled Diddy would remain jailed pending trial.

HORRIFIC JAIL

Combs is now being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York – a jail synonymous with rat infestations, violent outbreaks, and being understaffed.

The jail has a capacity of 1,600 inmates, often with celebrities among them.

Two of the most high profile inmates include fellow musician R Kelly and Epstein’s alleged acquaintance Ghislaine Maxwell.

Maxwell infamously complained about the jail’s lack of drinkable water and bad stench.

Conditions are said to be so vile that the jail is now mostly used to hold inmates awaiting trial – such as Combs.

As part of his plea for Combs’ release on bail, Agnifilo also cited that “the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn are not fit for pre-trial detention,” in a letter to the court.

“Numerous courts in this district have raised concerns with the horrific conditions of detention here,” the lawyer continued, per NBC News.

The evidence against Sean 'Diddy' Combs

THE months-long federal sex trafficking probe against Sean Combs has culminated in a searing indictment that was unsealed on Tuesday.

Combs has been hit with one count of racketeering and one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and one count of transportation to engage in prostitution.

But behind those legal charges lies a mountain of alleged evidence of menace, violence, and horrific abuse of his fame.

Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
He “created a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.”
The rapper assaulted women by “striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them.”
Combs “manipulated women to participate in highly orchestrated performances of sexual activity with male commercial sex workers” that he called “freak offs.”
Freak offs “occurred regularly, sometimes lasted multiple days, and often involved multiple commercial sex workers.”
During freak offs, he “distributed a variety of controlled substances to victims, in part to keep the victims obedient and compliant.”
After freak offs, Combs and the victims “typically received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use.”
In March 2024, during searches of his residences in Miami and Los Angeles, “law enforcement seized various Freak Off supplies, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.”
During and separate from Freak Offs, Combs “hit, kicked, threw objects at, and dragged victims, at times, by their hair…These assaults often resulted in injuries that took days or weeks to heal.”
He also used the “sensitive, embarrassing, and incriminating recordings” that he made during freak offs as “collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims.”
Combs himself “brandished firearms to intimidate and threaten others, including victims of and witnesses to his abuse.”
During searches of his homes, “law enforcement seized firearms and ammunition, including three AR-15s with defaced serial numbers, as well as a drum magazine.”
Associates “assisted him in locating and contacting victims who attempted to flee his abuse.”
When witnesses to the abuse threatened his authority or reputation, he and members and associates of the enterprise “engaged in acts of violence, threats of violence, threats of financial and reputational harm, and verbal abuse. These acts of violence included kidnapping and arson.”

Federal agents raiding one of Combs’ homes[/caption]

The infamous Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn[/caption]

Georgina Rodriguez gives first glimpse of Netflix series in daring outfit as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Wag shows off bold look

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on Georgina Rodriguez gives first glimpse of Netflix series in daring outfit as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Wag shows off bold look

GEORGINA RODRIGUEZ has shown off a bold new look in the first glimpse of her Netflix series.

The stunning model is dating football star Cristiano Ronaldo and features in her own TV programme called “I am Georgina”.

a woman sitting on a bench reading a newspaper that says soy georgina

Georgina Rodriguez has released a first look into her new Netflix series[/caption]

a woman in a gold dress with the name georgina on the bottom

She stunned in a gold dress during the teaser[/caption]

Georgina, 30, starred in the first teaser trailer for the third season of the hit show.

She could be seen wearing two daring outfits, with the first being a figure-hugging dress with a newspaper pattern.

The second dress was a busty gold dress that left little to the imagination.

She also showed off her bold new look as her hair is now dyed blonde.

Georgina first showed off the new hair colour in a TikTok video of herself twerking to promote the series.

Fans flocked to social media full of excitement for the new reality series.

One posted: “My favourite trash TV is back.”

A second wrote: “Can’t wait.”

A third commented: “So excited!”

A fourth said: “The beautiful Georgina.”

a woman in a white strapless dress is standing in front of a camera

Georgina Rodriguez recently attended the Venice Film Festival[/caption]

a woman in a white strapless dress is holding her hair

She stunned in a very busty dress[/caption]

a man and a woman are sitting on a bench in the water

She and Cristiano Ronaldo recently spent time in Saint Tropez[/caption]

Another added: “That dress is amazing.”

The programme follows Georgina around her daily life.

It shows how she juggles her life of being a mother and partner to Ronaldo.

It also gives an insight into her running her own business.

Georgina first met Ronaldo in 2016 when she was working at Gucci as a sales assistant.

The pair share two children together in Alana and Bella.

But they tragically lost a baby boy who passed away during childbirth.

Georgina also cares for Ronaldo’s other three children — Cristiano Jr, Eva and Matteo.

The couple recently packed on the PDA as they took a trip to the south of France.

Ronaldo could be seen squeezing Georgina’s bum while a naked couple also sailed by them.

She then stole the show after attending the Venice Film Festival in Italy.

Inside the glamorous world of Georgina Rodriguez…

a woman stands in front of a stadium that says alabama park — Georgina lives a life to be envied

a man and a woman are posing for a picture and the woman is wearing a green bikini — The stunning partner of Cristiano Ronaldo offers insights into her world using her social channels

a woman in a bikini is sitting on a wooden dock overlooking the ocean .

She has over 50 million followers on Instagram[/caption]

The Mega AgencyShe met Ronaldo whilst working as a shop girl at Dior[/caption]

a man in a suit stands next to a woman in a white jacket

She is now the mother to his five children, two of which Georgina is the maternal mother[/caption]

a woman in a bikini is laying on a pink raft in a pool

Georgina now resides in Saudi Arabia follower her partner’s move to the country[/caption]

a woman in a bikini climbs a ladder into the water

Georgina loves luxury holidays and can often be seen on mega yachts[/caption]

a woman in a bikini is kneeling on a boat .

Boats are a big love of hers[/caption]

a man and woman are sitting on a plane and the man is pointing at something

She travels almost exclusively by private jet[/caption]

The Argentine beauty is a regularly at the Venice film festival where she can be seen turning heads[/caption]

a woman in shorts and black boots holds a red purse

Georgina is loved by fashion magazines for her sense of style[/caption]

a woman wearing a black alo bikini top and shorts

She models for a range of companies[/caption]

a woman in lingerie sits on the floor next to a louis vuitton bag

Rodríguez has modelled for PrettyLittleThing lingerie[/caption]

Full list of shops that have already announced they’ll close on Boxing Day to give staff a break

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on Full list of shops that have already announced they’ll close on Boxing Day to give staff a break

THOUSANDS of workers at major retail stores will take a well-deserved Christmas break this year as more big name brands announce special closures.

High street favourites and supermarkets are among the names to have confirmed they will pull down the shutters on Boxing Day at all shops so staff don’t have to miss out on family time.

a blue sign that says sorry we are closed

Big name shops are among the stores closing on December 26[/caption]

Almost all stores close up on Christmas Day, and traditionally Boxing Day has been a sales extravaganza as shoppers head out to cash in on cut-price goods.

But in recent years more retailers have been closing down on Decemeber 26, delayed customer shopping sprees by another day.

Boxing Day is a Bank Holiday which means hours are already reduced from normal opening hours.

Some stores may also close early on Christmas Eve and other days around the festive period so it’s worth double checking opening hours at this time to avoid a wasted trip out.

Check your local branch opening hours, you can usually do this on store locator tools on respective websites.

Here are the stores that have confirmed closures on Boxing Day…

ALDI

The discounter has said it will close on Boxing Day, as well as being shut on Christmas Day.

Richard Thornton, communications director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is such a special period for many of our colleagues, and by keeping our stores closed on Boxing Day, Aldi gives them more time to spend with their loved ones.

“Customers will have plenty to look forward to in the run-up to Christmas, with exciting Christmas ranges hitting shelves in time for the festive season.”

It’s not the first time Aldi has closed on Boxing Day – the discounter has now shut up shop on December 26 for the past few years.

The Range and Wilko

The Range and Wilko are owned by parent company CDS Stores which has announced it will close all branches at both brands on December 25, as well the 26.

Alex Simpkin, chief executive officer for CDS, said: “This year’s been another great one for the business.

“We’re grateful to all our incredible team for their dedication and hard work and believe everyone deserves a well-earned rest during the festive season.

“So, in appreciation, we’ll be closing our stores on Boxing Day to give our team the opportunity to enjoy a full two-day break with their families.”

It comes after the brands were also closed last year on Boxing Day.

HOME BARGAINS

Home Bargains has told The Sun all 600 of its stores across the UK will remained closed on Boxing Day after Christmas.

At the same time, all branches will close earlier on Christmas Eve, with trading finishing at 5pm instead of the usual 8pm or 9pm.

The chain also confirmed that shops will be completely shut on New Year’s Day.

A spokesperson for Home Bargains said: “We know how hard all our colleagues have worked throughout the year.

“Being a family-run business, we recognise the importance of spending quality time with our loved ones.

“Therefore, we feel it is only right to support our valued store teams by giving them extended time off around Christmas and New Year.”

Home Bargains has closed on Boxing Day for the last four years.

John Lewis and Waitrose

The vast majority of Waitrose supermarkets and all standalone John Lewis stores will be shut on Christmas Day and stay closed the following day.

The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) which runs the two brands exclusively told The Sun it will shut on December 26.

More than 300 Waitrose branches and 33 John Lewis sites will be shut with just a handful of Waitrose shops attached to petrol stations will remain open on Boxing Day.

And only John Lewis shops within the Trafford and Stratford shopping centres will remain open.

The brand also closed on Boxing Day last year.

More stores are now expected to announce closures on Boxing Day over the coming weeks.

Last year DIY giants Wickes, Homebase and Screwfix all shut their branches on December 26, as well as supermarkets M&S and Lidl.

Poundland, which currently runs over 850 shops in the UK also closed on Boxing Day last year.

Keep an eye on favourite retailer on social media as many often publicise their festive opening hours on X and Facebook.

Why do retailers close on Boxing Day?

BOXING Day is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

So why do retailers decide to close? Senior Consumer Reporter Olivia Marshall explains.

Closing on Boxing Day allows staff to have a well-deserved break after the busy Christmas period.

This can help improve staff morale and reduce burnout.

It also provides them with an opportunity to spend time with their families and friends during the festive season.

For some retailers, the cost of opening on Boxing Day, including staffing and operational expenses, may not be justified by the expected sales revenue, especially if customer footfall is low.

With the rise of online shopping, some retailers may focus on online sales and promotions rather than opening physical stores on Boxing Day.

For some businesses, it may also be a a long-standing tradition for them to remain closed on Boxing Day.

From a practical perspective, the day after Christmas can be used for inventory checks, restocking, and preparing for post-Christmas sales.

This can be more effectively done without the distraction of serving customers.

Minimum wage: You risk jail term, FG warns employers paying below N70,000

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on Minimum wage: You risk jail term, FG warns employers paying below N70,000

The Federal Government has warned private-sector employers paying below the new N70,000 minimum wage to desist from the act. Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, gave the warning, on Wednesday, in Lagos, while speaking at the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria. […]

Love Island’s Jessy Potts puts on brave face as she’s seen for the first time since split from Joey Essex on salon trip

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on Love Island’s Jessy Potts puts on brave face as she’s seen for the first time since split from Joey Essex on salon trip

LOVE Island beauty Jessy Potts put on a brave face after she was seen for the first time since splitting with Joey Essex.

The pair saw sparks fly in the ITV2 matchmaking series and, despite missing out on the final, stuck it out through summer amid split rumours.

a woman wearing a blue hoodie and black leggings

Jessy Potts flashed a smile as she was spotted for the first time since her split with Joey Essex[/caption]

a man in a suit and a woman in a black dress pose on a red carpet

ITV2 stars Joey and Jessy broke up this week after seven weeks together[/caption]

a woman wearing a blue sweatshirt that says where 's the fun

Jessy, 25, had spent six hours in a Manchester hair salon[/caption]

a woman in a bikini is standing next to a pool

Fans previously suggested the ‘clues’ to their split[/caption]

Jessy managed to muster a smile as she headed to a Manchester salon to start her fresh life chapter with a new look.

She pulled on a powder blue hoodie and black leggings, finishing off her look with white socks and Adidas trainers.

Her blonde locks were styled in immaculate waves down past her chest after she spent six hours in the salon.

Jessy entered Love Island’s summer series as a bombshell and stole Joey away from his former girlfriend Grace Jackson.

Just last week, Jessy and Joey were seen making their first Red Carpet appearance together.

After The Sun exclusively reported news of their break-up, we told how Joey admitted he hopes the pair can stay pals.

The reality TV legend told us: “Unfortunately, we have decided to call an end to the relationship but I hope we can continue to be friends.

“I truly wish Jessy the very best with whatever she does in the future.”

And Jessy added: “I appreciate the Love Island experience I had with Joey, we tried to make it work but it wasn’t to be.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who supported us and look forward to all of the exciting opportunities ahead.”

Just last week things appeared rosy for the duo.

Speaking to The Sun ahead of the NTAs this month, Jessy said: “It’s completely untrue – in fact it couldn’t be further from the truth.

“We’re off to the National Television Awards together so that’ll be our red carpet debut which is exciting.

“And I see Joey multiple times a week.

Love Island 2024 voting percentages revealed

And the results are in!

Mimii and Josh – 41%

Ciaran and Nicole – 35%

Matilda and Sean – 14%

Ayo and Jess – 10%

“I stay at his house, we go on dates, we don’t really post about it because we just like to spend time with each other. We like to just be in each other’s company.

“People can say what they want to say but we’re very happy with how it’s going and we’re going really strong.”

a woman wearing a blue hoodie and black leggings walks down a sidewalk in front of a payzone store

Jessy looked carefree as she strolled the streets of the northern city[/caption]

a man and woman pose for a black and white photo

They made their Red Carpet debut earlier this month[/caption]

‘Another treasure lost’ say shoppers as independent toy store to close after 40 years

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on ‘Another treasure lost’ say shoppers as independent toy store to close after 40 years

SHOPPERS have been left devastated after a “great” independent toy store announced it would close after more than 40-years on a town’s high street.

The closure of Nappy Pin and Toymaster in Cuoar, Fife, has been blamed on “lack of footfall”.

a little girl is pointing at a toy shelf in a store

Shoppers have been saddened after their town’s traditional toy shop announced it will close[/caption]

The shop, which sells baby equipment, clothing, gifts and clothes, as well as a wide range of children’s toys, has been placed on the market ahead of the closure.

Paul Stewart, who runs the shop with wife Anita, told The Courier: “It is due to a lack of footfall, a lack of trade, and it has come to a point where it is costing us more money every day to keep it open.

“It has been a family-run shop for over 40 years.

“We will miss it, the staff will miss it, but I don’t think the people of Cupar have supported the business enough for it to be sustainable.”

An exact date for the store’s closure has not yet been confirmed but locals have said they will be “sad” to see it go.

One wrote: “Sad to see it go thought it was a great shop… I don’t understand why people want to pay a deliver charge instead of given it to a shop on their doorstop [sic].”

Another added: “So sad….. Loved this shop when my boys were wee . We got the first pram here and many other things.”

A third said: “Memories of picking Christmas presents in here when I was [a] child.”

Another added: “Sad day for me that you are closing.”

The Stewarts also run the Nappy Pin and Toymaster shop in Broughty Freey, which will remain open.

It’s not the first retail closure to hit Cuoar in recent months.

The Press café and bistro shut its doors in July, with the owners describing its last years of business as “hard”.

This year has also seen closures in nearby towns and cities including the Body Shop in Perth, Trend XY trainer shop in Dundee and Shoezone in Glenrothes.

Empty shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of the decline of the traditional town high street.

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.

The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.

The increasing popularity of retail parks where shoppers can get free parking is also taking a toll.

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.

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.

Why are retailers closing stores?

RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.

High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.

The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.

The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.

Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.

It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.

The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.

Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.

“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.

“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”

Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.

The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.

However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.

The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

BBC quiz show with star-studded cast returning to the BBC – and it’s just days away

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on BBC quiz show with star-studded cast returning to the BBC – and it’s just days away

ONE of the BBC’s biggest game shows is set to return to screens for a fourth season this month.

The reboot of The Weakest Link was greenlit for another series in February.

a man wearing glasses and a blue jacket stands on a stage

The Weakest Link is set to start airing again next week[/caption]

a man wearing glasses and a red jacket stands on a stage

The reboot features celebrities rather than civilians[/caption]

a man with glasses and a beard pointing at the camera

It is headed up by Romesh Ranganathan[/caption]

Now Beeb show bosses have revealed that it will start airing on Saturday, September 28.

The fourth season is going to feature a fresh celebrity line up, but the contestants have not been revealed yet.

The beloved quiz show was originally hosted by straight-talking Anne Robinson.

However, it made a comeback in 2021 with comedian Romesh Ranganathan at the helm.

Rather than having civilians tackle the general knowledge rounds in order to win a cash prize, the series now focuses on celebrity contestants.

Stars such as Naga Munchetty, David Haye, Ruby Wax and Ekin-Su have all featured on recent seasons of The Weakest Link.

In the past, each series has comprised eight episodes and four themed specials, so audiences can expect more of the same.

As usual, each episode will welcome a group of eight celebrities who are asked general knowledge questions which they must answer correctly to remain in the game.

When he began hosting the series, Romesh, 45, praised his predecessor Anne Robinson, who hosted The Weakest Link from 2000 to 2012.

He said: “Anne was an amazing host and to step into her shoes is an anxiety-inducing privilege.

“I’m hoping we’ve found a way to make both the fans of the show happy as well as bringing a new audience to it.”

Anne, 79, also celebrated the new series, but admitted it would be a “very different” show to the one she hosted.

I went from living on a council estate and £35k in debt to earning a million in one hour – anyone can achieve what I can

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on I went from living on a council estate and £35k in debt to earning a million in one hour – anyone can achieve what I can

WATCHING the views build up, Lisa Johnson couldn’t believe her eyes as the money continued to trickle into her account.

As her talk hit the one hour mark, Lisa’s husband interrupts with some astounding news.

a woman in a white dress sits on a bed in front of an exit sign

Lisa Johnson has made £20 million as a business stratergist[/caption]

a woman climbs the stairs of a private jet

Her life is a far cry from when she was a struggling single mum[/caption]

a woman is sitting in front of a blue background that says fabulous

Lisa is speaking as part of Fabulous’ new YouTube series Life Stories[/caption]

She’d made £1 million in just 60 minutes of online business consulting to thousands of online clients which would eventually reach £2.5 million in the same week.

But this phenomenal success that Sunday Times-bestselling author and business consultant Lisa, 46, now experiences is a far cry from her humble beginnings.

Speaking as part of Life Stories, Fabulous’ new YouTube series which documents the extraordinary lives of ordinary people, Lisa says: “My childhood was pretty ordinary, I grew up in a Council House in Lincolnshire.

“My parents split up when I was around 11, and then my dad was a single father that brought up me and my siblings and we did struggle.

“I was the person in the second hand uniform, and I was the person that had the free school lunch ticket.

“I started to be bullied really badly.”

Struggling at school, Lisa left school with just a handful of mediocre GCSEs.

“I hardly ever went in,” she admits.

“When you’re being told every single day that you’re stupid, that you’re poor, you’re ugly, you start to believe that it’s true.

“I didn’t really think that I would make anything of myself, I made peace with that.”

At her lowest, Lisa admits that she became suicidal after years of cruel taunts.

“I had to make a decision on whether I even wanted to be here or not,” she says.

“I thought maybe all of these bullies have been right all along, maybe I would never become anything.

“I decided to give myself one chance to see if I could do something hard and give myself a challenge and if I succeeded maybe that was a sign the bullies were wrong.”

While working full time as personal assistant, at the age of 27 Lisa took on a law degree studying over the next four years and achieving a BA Hons degree.

“I decided not to become a lawyer, that it wasn’t something I wanted to do,” she says.

a family sits on the beach with the ocean in the background

She is now able to enjoy quality time with her family thanks to her passive stream of income[/caption]

a woman is sitting on a blue couch looking at her phone

Lisa now works just 30 hours a month[/caption]

“I think I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it if I wanted to.

“Instead I ended up climbing the corporate ladder in investment banking as a risk analyst in Canary Wharf.”

Despite being on a good wage of £60,000 after welcoming twin boys Finnian and Albert 12 years ago, Lisa realised that her marriage was failing, and needed a 9-5 job near her house.

As a result, she secured a junior admin assistant role, meaning she went from earning £60,000 to a £20,000 job.

She went back to work when her little ones were just five months old and as a now single mother, realised that she was spending more on childcare than her personal assistant job was bringing in.

She desperate to find the balance between earning enough to support her family without being chained to her desk.

In the first year, I made every business mistake you could possibly make
Lisa Johnson

In 2013 she decided to start her own wedding planning business.

However, she admitted that she had no idea what she was doing and her debt increased to £35,000.

She explains: “In the first year, I made every business mistake you could possibly make.

“I was £35,000 in debt, I was earning about £1.50 an hour and I still had my full-time job.

Lisa's Lavish Life

LISA previously opened up to Fabulous about her lavish lifestyle.

She revealed: “We get opportunities now that I wouldn’t have had before.

“I’m able to take my friends and my colleagues on a private jet every year.

“I’ve been on holiday everywhere. We took the kids to Las Vegas, the Maldives, we’ve been to Dubai a fair few times, Malta too and we’ve stayed in the most beautiful hotels.

“I travel a lot with work as well – I hold retreats for people and we do that in Los Angeles, Miami and Croatia.”

Not only is Lisa able to travel the world, but she’s also bought herself a posh pad too.

She continued: “I used to spend a lot of money on myself and I love bags, but I realised about two years ago, when you first get money you spend a lot because you never had it before.

“Now I have bought properties so that my money is invested and the money is making me money.

“We just got a multi-million pound house because that’s more of an investment.”

“So I went to the library, and I got every book out about business and self development that I could find.

“I went to free webinars and things like that to learn about business.”

Thanks to her self-taught strategies, Lisa’s wedding business slowly turned around and within five months she was booked for the next year and a half.

It was then that the mum’s lightbulb moment arrived.

“People started asking me how I had done it,” she explains.

“I realised that one of the things I’m good at is taking the information I’ve read and turn it into practical information rather than jargon.

“People who had taken my advice would come back and tell me they’d made triple the amount of money they would normally make.

“That’s when I started what is now known as That Strategy Co, my business strategy company, which evolved and got me to where I am today.”

For Lisa, the goal was never to become a multimillionaire, in fact the mum-of-two’s initial goal was to earn just £2,000 a month.

But her business quickly took off beyond anything she imagined, making £100,000 in her first six months.

“I decided to put half of everything I had earned in that first year into learning as much as I could about passive income streams,” she says.

“I slowly started incorporating those methods into my business.

“Some things didn’t work, some things worked a bit, and I made them better and some things worked really well.

“All passive income is, is doing something once and making money from it over and over again.

“By the end of that first year I’d made £220,000, but I was probably working 80 hour weeks.

“By the end of the second year I was working 30 hours a month and I was earning over a million.”

Lisa realised that she could create a set formula for her business coaching that could be used, and sold, again and again.

She explains: “My customers were all asking the same question, so I realised I could just teach 100 of these people at the same time and make money from all of them.

I have helped people who are homeless, to be able to make money, and now they are millionaires
Lisa Johnson

“I created courses, memberships and workshops and put them on the Internet.

“Some of them I taught live but would have a thousand people come on them, and some would be pre recorded.

“That gave me all this time back, but a lot more money, and in a week I’d made £2.7 million.”

In the past seven years Lisa has made over £20 million as well as having written a Sunday Times bestselling book called Make Money Online.

And while her wealth is a welcome bonus, Lisa says that the biggest perk of her business is being able to help others achieve their dreams and make money.

“I have helped people who are destitute, who are homeless, to be able to make money, and now they are millionaires,” she says.

“It’s not easy, but I believe that anybody can follow a process and make money with the knowledge they have.”

a woman sits on a set of stairs with her legs crossed

She has helped plenty of other people set up successful businesses[/caption]

Awkward moment Hollywood star introduces himself to Rory McIlroy as fans convinced golfer ‘hasn’t got a clue who he is’

2 days ago World Leaks Comments Off on Awkward moment Hollywood star introduces himself to Rory McIlroy as fans convinced golfer ‘hasn’t got a clue who he is’

GOLF fans are convinced that Rory McIlroy had no idea he was taking to a Hollywood superstar on the driving range.

McIlroy was caught in the awkward exchange while out on the driving range preparing for this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

a man in a white sweater is scratching his head

Rory McIlroy seemed to be completely unaware he was talking to a Hollywood superstar at the BMW PGA Championship[/caption]

McIlroy was warming up on the range ahead of Wednesday’s Pro-Am which see the tour pros take to the course alongside celebrity counterparts.

And fans think that a viral video on social media gave an insight into how little pop culture knowledge the golfing star has.

A video that surfaced online shows Spider-Man star Tom Holland head out and get in some practice next to the world number three on the range.

Holland, 28, reached over to McIlroy’s bay with an outstretched hand to introduce himself, saying: “Hello mate, sorry I’m Tom”.

McIlroy appeared to be caught off guard by the interaction and replied “Hello Tom, how you doing?”, seemingly making no reference to Holland’s stardom.

Fans couldn’t believe the video and thought that McIlroy was clueless to the fact he was speaking to an on-screen superhero.

On social media, one wrote: “Rory doesn’t know who Tom Holland is”.

While another added: “Rory obviously doesn’t have a clue who he is!”

a group of people are standing on a golf course with a stuffed dog .

Spider-Man actor Tom Holland introduced himself to McIlroy on the driving range[/caption]

a man is shaking hands with another man on a golf course .

McIlroy rather awkwardly replied, leaving fans thinking he didn’t know who he was[/caption]

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS

Rory McIlroy's career achievements

By Ian Tuckey

Rory McIlroy spent more than 100 weeks at World No1 – and has scooped four Majors and won 40 tournaments in all SO FAR.

Only all-time greats Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have matched his feat of winning one of the big four by the age of 25.

And after winning the 2011 US Open, the Northern Ireland ace added the PGA Championship the following year – adding the Open and PGA crowns in 2014.

Here’s a rundown on the glittering career of the 35-year-old, five-time Ryder Cup winner, who was also a strong critic of the rival Saudi-backed LIV tour:

2007 – topped the world amateur rankings aged 17.

Turned professional in September.

Became the youngest Affiliate Member in the history of The European Tour to earn a tour card.

2009 – reached the world top 50.

2010 – won his first PGA Tour title via the Quail Hollow Championship.

Made a winning Ryder Cup debut.

Became the youngest player to reach $10m earnings on the PGA Tour.

2011 – Famously blew a four-stroke lead on the final day of the Masters in May.

But won his first major the following month – the US Open.

Named Sports Person of the year by RTE – Ireland’s main broadcaster.

2012 – lifted the PGA Championship.

Named PGA Tour player of the year and picked up more Ryder Cup glory.

2013 – signed a huge sponsorship deal with Nike.

2014 – his best year to date, majors wise.

Won the Open at Royal Liverpool.

Then clinched back-to-back PGA crowns, beating Phil Mickelson by one stroke.

Named RTE Sports Person of the year for a second time.

Again helped Europe win the Ryder Cup.

2016 – Ended the season winning the Tour championship, putting him top of the FedEx Cup and landing him the $10m bonus pool.

Suffered Ryder Cup defeat.

2017 – failed to win all year.

But gained top 10 finishes at the Masters, The Open and 3 WGC events.

And with Nike largely withdrawing from the golf market, he landed an £80m endorsement deal with TaylorMade.

2018 – More Ryder Cup joy.

2020 Overtook Brooks Koepka to become World No1

2021 – A Ryder Cup loser.

2022 – runners-up at the Masters and finished third at the Open.

2023 – helped Europe thrash the USA 16.5-11.5 in the Ryder Cup.

2024 – struggled early in the season, finishing just joint-22nd in the Masters.

But then won two tournaments – the Zurich Classic for his 25th PGA title and the Wells Fargo Championship.

A third teased: “Rory completely in the zone not realising that’s Spider-Man”.

And a fourth joked: “Rory didn’t realise who he was without the mask”.

Rory had no problem recognising some of the other players with the Northern Irishman sharing an embrace with recently retired tennis star Andy Murray.

While other familiar faces also took to the course, including Gareth Bale, Ben Stokes, Ben Foster, Robbie Fowler and Stuart Broad.

Holland didn’t go unrecognised altogether though, with fans watching on stopping the star for selfies and autographs.

While world number 12 Tommy Fleetwood definitely knew who the Marvel actor was, bringing his young son along to meet Holland dressed in a Spider-Man costume.

two men hugging in front of a building that says caddie lounge

McIlroy shared an embrace with Andy Murray[/caption]

two men standing on a golf course one wearing an adidas shirt

The four-time major winner played the Pro-Am alongside Gareth Bale[/caption]

two men on a golf course one wearing a shirt that says british airways

Tommy Fleetwood certainly recognised Tom Holland[/caption]

Frankie Fleetwood meets Spider-Man #BMWPGA | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/J2YVZnCXtN
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 18, 2024

Who are golf's most famous Wags?

The world's top golfers enjoy an incredible lifestyle - and their Wags lead thrilling lives of their own.

Here are some of the most high-profile beauties…

This former beauty pageant contestant is now an actress and featured in Sharknado 5.

The daughter of an ice hockey legend who has been branded the ‘world’s sexiest caddie’.

A Master golfer raced home from his most recent triumph to be by his wife’s side as she gave birth to their first child.

An athlete who vaulted her way into a modelling career – and her golfer hubby’s heart.

A keen tennis player and former competitor in the javelin lived with her ex-world No1 husband for two years before getting together.

Playing off a handicap of three, this sports reporter could give her fella a run for his money on the greens.

This low-key beauty got married to a superstar golfer in front of Stevie Wonder, Chris Martin and Niall Horan.

A former gymnast who has been her husband’s rock for 14 years – he even pays tribute to her on his golf balls.