THE boss of Boohoo is stepping down as the online retailer explores a break-up of its fashion brands.

John Lyttle joined from Primark five years ago when Boohoo was valued at £3billion and one of the fastest-growing names in retail.

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He would have bagged a £50million bonus had Boohoo’s valuation doubled, but it has tanked to just £371million.

Over the past five years Boohoo has been rocked by a worker exploitation scandal in Leicester, a sharp slump in growth since Covid restrictions ended, higher costs and rising competition from Chinese rival Shein.

Boohoo is exploring options for all its divisions including PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal, Karen Millen and Debenhams.

The company said it wanted to “maximise shareholder value” which could mean selling off parts of the business.

Analysts at Peel Hunt suggested that Karen Millen is “at least a £300million brand” — almost as much as the entire company.

A break-up is likely to attract interest from the retail tycoon Mike Ashley, who has already built up a 26 per cent stake in Boohoo.

Mr Ashley lost £180million when Debenhams went bust five years ago and his attempt to buy the department store out of bankruptcy was thwarted by Boohoo.

Industry sources said the tycoon would like to settle the score, but reckoned he would be unlikely to be willing to pay what Boohoo was asking.

SHOP SALES UP

RETAIL sales rose by 0.3 per cent last month — beating predictions of a 0.3 per cent fall.

The Office for National Statistics said technology products were the biggest driver — helped by Apple’s new iPhone and students buying laptops for the new term.

Supermarkets were hit by a sales drop as consumers cut luxury food.

BUDGET FEARS

A RECORD number of companies are at risk of collapse if taxes on employers increase in the Budget.

More than 630,000 firms are in significant financial distress, says consultancy Begbies Traynor’s report.

Julie Palmer, partner at the firm, said the knock-on effect of higher taxes could be damaging for many “teetering on the edge of collapse”.

GOOD WEEK: JOHN O’Reilly, boss of Rank Group, which reported a boost in sales as punters flocked back to bingo halls and casinos.

BAD WEEK: LAURENT Freixe, new boss of Nestle, after the food giant had to cut its growth outlook amid slowing sales.

THE top and worst places to buy tech and homeware have been revealed by Which?. 

The consumer group surveyed almost 3,400 people who had bought household appliances and around 3,500 who had bought tech products in the previous six months.

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The 28 retailers were rated based on the quality of their products, customer service, product range, after-sales service, packaging used, delivery and value for money.

And one small retailer pipped big names including John Lewis and Argos to the top spot for the seventh year running.

Richer Sounds was awarded a customer score of 89% and was the only retailer to get the full five stars for value for money.

One customer said: “Their customer service is better than any other company.”

It also scored five stars across several other categories including product quality, customer service during the buying process and delivery.

As a result it has been named a Which? Recommended Provider.

Hot on its heels was John Lewis, which was awarded a score of 85% for its tech.

It was awarded five stars for product quality, customer service and delivery and was also named a Which? Recommended provider.

One shopper said buying at John Lewis is “always a smooth process; often the best value for money.”

John Lewis also beat competitors to be named the best home appliances store and received a score of 88 per cent.

It excelled at product range, quality, delivery and after-sales service and returns.

The department store also got impressive customer scores for both home appliances and tech purchases.

A John Lewis spokesperson said: “It’s absolutely fantastic news that we’ve been recognised as the country’s leading home appliance retailer.

“Customers know our Partners will go above and beyond to give the best advice.

“The return of Never Knowingly Undersold with competitor price matching means they can be confident they’re getting a really competitive deal.”

AO and Euronics both received a customer score of 85% and were also named Which? Recommended providers for home appliances.

One Euronics shopper described the store as “a well-established high street store selling goods at online prices, but with real people ready to answer everything face to face. Why would I go anywhere else?”

Meanwhile, Lakeland earned a score of 82% and joined the Which? Recommended list.

One Lakeland customer told Which?: “Customer service is top quality in store and on the phone – a real person answers within seconds.”

At the other end of the spectrum was The Range, which came in last place for home appliances with a score of 66%.

It was awarded just two stars for customer service and product range.

One The Range customer said it had “poor customer service” as “no-one was available to ask questions”.

Wilko and Homebase were not far behind, with both earning a score of just 67%.

How did supermarkets score?

Sainsbury’s got the lowest score in the tech category, scoring just two stars for after-sales service and returns.

In total it was awarded a score of just 67%.

Meanwhile, fellow supermarkets Asda and Tesco both ended up in the bottom five with scores of 70% and 72% respectively.

Sainsbury’s and Tesco both received low scores compared to others for home appliances, partially because of their limited range and unremarkable customer service.

They were awarded scores of 71% and 70% respectively.

Harry Rose, Which? magazine editor, said: “With Black Friday and Christmas fast approaching, shoppers may be looking to get a new device or appliance – but we’ve found some retailers simply aren’t up to scratch when it comes to quality or customer service.

“Our research shows that shoppers wanting help with big purchases could be best off sticking to retailers that excel with their customer care and technical expertise.”

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

HALLOWEEN-loving households nationwide are stocking up on sweets for trick-or-treaters.

But with the cost of living crisis providing the real scares this year, supermarkets have revealed savvy savings.

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A 750g bag of Quality Street is now half-price at Tesco costing £5, rather than £10.

At 67p per 100g, the deal is for Clubcard users only.

Usually, the octagonal tins don’t make an appearance on supermarket shelves until the winter months but this year they started cropping up as early as July.

Tesco’s Clubcard rewards customers with points as they shop, which can then be turned into vouchers for money off food or with Reward partners.

You earn one point for each £1 spent, and each point is then worth 1p.

So 150 points gets you £1.50, and you would have to spend £150 to get 150 points.

You need a minimum of 150 points to request a voucher.

Any vouchers are worth their face value when used in-store at Tesco.

But you can double their worth by spending them at one of the supermarket chain’s partners.

Any Clubcard points turned into vouchers expire after two years.

Any vouchers transferred into Reward Partner codes expire after six months.

In Sainsburys and Asda a 600g tub of the individually wrapped treats is £6.

This works out to be £1 per 100g.

However, for Nectar card holders, the classic purple tub is just £4.

Similar to the Clubcard, shoppers who use Sainsbury’s Nectar collect points for every pound spent.

The loyalty scheme was launched in 2002 and now has over a million customers.

To find the best deals on your favourite items, search websites like Trolley.co.uk which compares supermarket prices.

In Aldi, 600g Quality Street tubs are £4.49, working out at 75p per 100g.

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BLOCKING draughts in your home can save you £40 a year on your energy bills.

And stopping breezes rattling under doors is one of the most effective steps to take.

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Draught excluders typically cost £20 to £40, but it is easy to make your own using items you already have around the house.

COLD COMFORT: You can cut up old duvets and sew them into pillowcases to make a thick draught excluder.

An alternative no-sew solution is to roll up an old single duvet and secure it with ribbons along its length. The cosy bulk will keep out the cold.

BATH BLOCKER: When Which? compared four popular shop-bought draught blockers with two homemade hacks they found that a DIY solution — blocking the door with a towel — worked best. You can stuff the towel into gaps to keep the cold air out.

It is not the prettiest solution, but it’s the cheapest and most effective.

WOOLY BUMPER: Before you throw old clothes away, have a think about how they could be reinvented.

Legs of trousers or the sleeves of old jumpers can be used as the starting point for draught excluders. Stuff them with newspaper, bubble wrap or plastic carrier bags and odd socks.

If there are no holes in the material, rice or lentils can be an effective filler.

SEW COSY: Making a homemade draught blocker is actually the perfect starter sewing project. No machine is needed and a wobbly line of stitches won’t matter.

There are lots of ideas online. Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/crafts/ make-a-cosy-draught-excluder for simple instructions.

SECOND-LIFE SCARVES: If you have a box of old scarves, use them to stop breezes by stuffing them into gaps. You can also use them to make a draught excluder.

Fold a long scarf in half across its middle, then stitch down both sides to make a sausage shape, before stuffing.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability

Deal of the day

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TREAT a beauty fan with The Self Care Gift Box from Holland & Barrett, priced £20 but worth £41.34, with brands including Faith In Nature, Q+A, Dr. PawPaw, Sea Magik and Miaroma.

SAVE: £21.34

Cheap treat

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THE Thread Wrap oval earrings from Accessorize are gems – and down from £10 to £5.

SAVE: £5

Top swap

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PROTECT winter hands with the shea butter hand cream by L’Occitane, £23 for 150ml at uk.loccitane.com, or try Lidl’s D’Avignon Shea hand cream, £2.49, 100ml.

SAVE: £20.51

Shop & save

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MAKE a tidy saving on the Vileda RinseClean spin mop, down from £49 to £39 at vileda.co.uk using code HELLOCLEAN10.

SAVE: £10

Hot right now

USE a Tesco Clubcard to get 25 per cent off when you buy six or more bottles of wine.

PLAY NOW TO WIN £200

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JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.

Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.

Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.

The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!

AN iconic nightclub has closed its doors after 26 years with fans branding it “another nail in the hospitality coffin”.

MPs are being urged to step up their efforts to help the capital’s struggling scene after Tiger Tiger London broke the news.

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The Piccadilly Circus branch on Haymarket Street became the chain’s flagship after it opened in 1998.

The website now features a video of clubbers letting their hair down at the huge venue along with the words: “Tiger Tiger London is now closed.

“Thank you to all patrons, promoters, DJs, staff members and partners for years of incredible memories.”

Since March 2020, more than 3,000 night-time venues have shut down across London and its outskirts.

The sudden decline is believed to be a combination of the lockdowns during the Covid pandemic and the soaring cost of living.

The venue is set to be turned into an eight-storey hotel with 507 rooms.

According to a planning application to be reviewed by Westminster City Council, the hotel will have a bar and restaurant.

Planning permission for the hotel has been in the running for a while, but a new application by Centro Planning Consultancy suggests it could be close to getting the green light.

The consultancy is seeking permission to add an eighth floor and a rooftop plant screen.

Former clubbers took to social media to share their heartbreak over the closure, with one calling it “the end of an era”.

“Our first club when we went to in London in 2009,” another added.

Jeremy Joseph, the owner of G-A-Y & Heaven nightclubs in Charing Cross wrote: “Tiger Tiger closing is another nail in the hospitality coffin, it was G-A-Y & Heaven Nightclub’s nearest venue with similar capacity. I fear for [the] future.”

Tagging Rachel Reeves, Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan he wrote: “Open your eyes, the budget needs to help small businesses and protect nightclubs. It’s not too late.”

One follower agreed: “Something needs to be done.”

The reason for the club’s closing is unknown.

The club landed in serious trouble in 2023 when boozers were served caustic soda with tequila shots rather than salt.

Owners were fined £120,000 after four women suffered burns to their mouths after licking the cleaning chemical.

According to Westminster City Council, which filed a health and safety prosecution against the club, the barman accidentally mixed up the substances in an unlit storage room.

The women started projectile vomiting and said their mouths were “burning”.

Tiger Tiger owners A3D2 Limited pleaded guilty to four health and safety breaches by “failing to ensure customers were not exposed to the risk of chemical substances.”

B&M’s nifty tool for getting rid of condensation and mould has been slashed from £22 to £15 – making it cheaper than Asda and Argos.

It’s the perfect tool to prepare your windows for the winter and cut any muck that’s accumulated over the past months.

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The Beldray Cordless Window Vacuum Cleaner was previously £22 but the bargain retailer has got prices down by as much as 31%.

Now you can pick up the gadget for £15 to help get rid of condensation in the colder months, which often leads to mould.

The gadget has a motorised suction-squeegee and works by sucking the window dry of moisture.

The window cleaner will leave mirrors and smooth surfaces gleaming within minutes too thanks to its wide rubber lip with an integrated suction nozzle. 

B&M says the product, which is coloured teal and white gold, has a 30 minute run time per charge.

The store added that it is cordless and rechargeable, multipurpose and describes it as lightweight and compact.

The Beldray vacuum also features a 60ml water tank and takes between two and three hours to charge.

The website warns shoppers to “hurry” as there’s low stock but urges customers to visit their nearest store if they want to nab the gadget.

It is subject to availability and B&M say some products are available in selected stores.

Retailers Argos and Asda are flogging the exact same item for £40 and £27 respectively so it’s worth racing to B&M while stocks last.

Just last month, Aldi was selling their mould-tackling tool for the same exact price.

The Electric Window Cleaner Specialbuy was £19.99 when last stocked at the bargain supermarket in February.

The description read: “Cleaning your windows doesn’t need to be a daunting task.

“This Ambiano Window Vacuum Cleaner, is an essential for any home.

“Keep tiles, mirrors and glass all clean with ease using this handy device.

“This window vacuum cleaner is lightweight and tackles everything from condensation marks to small spills.”

The window cleaner also comes with two microfibre cloths and a spray bottle so you’ll have everything you need.

It has up to 45 minutes of run time on its rechargeable battery and uses an LED light to indicate when your cleaner needs charging.

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