Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Barratts, John Lewis and footfall figures

Barratts thrown lifeline as Pavers makes £5m rescue offer

Shoe retailer Pavers has made an eleventh hour rescue offer for footwear chain Barratts, which fell into administration in November, The Telegraph reported. It is understood that Pavers is offering more than the £5m and has put in a final offer for the business. Pavers is keen to strike a deal soon, in order to retain staff and as much stock as possible. It is thought that if Barratts’ stores shut, Pavers is less likely to secure a deal.

UK’s John Lewis reports 1.4% growth in weekly sales to £149.9m

John Lewis recorded a 1.4% year-on-year surge in weekly sales to £149.9m, driven by strong demand for cooking equipment. In the seven days to December 14, the group’s home department achieved a record week, buoyed by the sales of roasting tins and carving trays in the run up to the festive season. The furniture department also reported a 21% rise on last year. Online sales increased 13.2% on the same period in 2012.

High street footfall in UK falls 3.4% from September to November

High streets in the UK have suffered their biggest decline in shopper numbers for over a year, indicating a slow start to the festive retail season. The BRC’s statistics, supplied by Springboard, revealed a 3.4% annual fall in footfall for high streets from September to November. Footfall dropped for out-of-town shops and for shopping centres. Footfall for November alone was down 2.9% on a year ago across all shop types. All regions recorded a decrease in footfall, and the steepest drop was in the West Midlands.

Kiehl’s to double UK stores with 24 openings in next five years

L’Oréal-owned premium skincare brand Kiehl’s is planning a further 24 store openings within five years, thereby doubling its UK presence. The upmarket 26-store retailer will expand in the UK as part of plans to triple the business globally in the next three years. James Rickards, general manager of Kiehl’s, told The Telegraph that it is hoping to have 50 open by 2018. Recent openings include stores in Belfast and Brent Cross, north London, and it plans to open in locations including Glasgow and London.