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Israel INVADES Lebanon after weeks of devastating airstrikes as it seeks to destroy Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah

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Israel INVADES Lebanon after weeks of devastating airstrikes as it seeks to destroy Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah

ISRAEL has invaded Lebanon after weeks of brutal airstrikes as it seeks to cripple terror group Hezbollah.

Troops and tanks last night stormed across the border hours after Israel revealed special forces had already attacked defence tunnels inside the country.

Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on Beirut

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Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on BeirutCredit: GETTY
Israeli tanks massed near the border ahead of the invasion

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Israeli tanks massed near the border ahead of the invasionCredit: AP
Israel bombed Beirut before beginning its invasion of Lebanon in the south

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Israel bombed Beirut before beginning its invasion of Lebanon in the southCredit: AFP
Israeli artillery fired across the border in the opening salvo of the invasion

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Israeli artillery fired across the border in the opening salvo of the invasionCredit: AP
Israeli artillery shells hit areas near villages in southern Lebanon on Monday

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Israeli artillery shells hit areas near villages in southern Lebanon on MondayCredit: EPA
Israeli fighter jets have pounded locations used by Hezbollah in previous weeks

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Israeli fighter jets have pounded locations used by Hezbollah in previous weeksCredit: Reuters

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In a statement just before midnight Monday UK time, the IDF said its boots on the ground were backed by artillery and the air force.

It dubbed the brave gambit against Iran’s proxy army, which has rained missiles on Israeli homes for nearly a year, Operation Northern Arrows.

The force described the invasion as “limited” and “localised” ground raids against Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon that pose a threat to Israel.

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The IDF revealed planning has been going on for months and was only launched after approval by political leaders.

They said: “The IDF began a few hours ago a targeted and demarcated ground operation in southern Lebanon against terrorist targets and infrastructures of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah.”

Israel’s army will face up to 50,000 Hezbollah fighters using a network of tunnels stacked with guns and ammunition and 100,000 rockets to defend against their technologically advanced foe.

Many of the paramilitary group’s soldiers are battle-hardened after fighting in the Syrian Civil War – but much of their leadership has recently been wiped out.

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Israel hammered Damascus, in Syria, with rounds of airstrikes targeting a military airport, local media claimed, soon after the announcement.

The UK has charted a commercial flight to help British nationals and their families flee the country – that will take off on Wednesday.

Lebanese troops have already pulled back five kilometres inside their own country, Reuters reports.

Israeli special forces ‘storm Hezbollah tunnels INSIDE Lebanon’ as Netanyahu warns ‘there’s nowhere out of our reach’

The move appeared to indicate that Lebanon was stepping aside to allow the showdown between the arch-enemies to begin.

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Just hours before, Israel imposed a no-go military zone on the border and prohibited civilians from entering it.

Soon after, parts of southern Lebanon were said to have been shelled by tank and artillery fire.

Israel massed tanks, soldiers, and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon in preparation for the strike.

The IDF has prepared for the invasion for months, the statement said

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The IDF has prepared for the invasion for months, the statement saidCredit: Getty

The incursion comes 11 months after the October 7 terror attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel.

Western allies have scrambled to broker a temporary ceasefire between terror group Hezbollah and Israel over the last few days – branding the escalation of violence “intolerable”.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected it and vowed to double-down on Hezbollah with “full force”.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) pledged they will fight the Iran-backed paramilitary group “until victory”.

Israeli defence minister Minister Yoav Gallant told troops deployed to the country’s northern border: “We will use all the forces from the air, sea and land”.

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Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem today insisted the terror group is ready for any Israeli ground offensive.

He vowed Hezbollah will continue with its mission against Israel despite the loss of its leader and other top brass.

Qassem said: “We will not budge an inch from our position in supporting Gaza and Palestine and defending Lebanon and its people.

Netanyahu threatened Iran and its proxies today in a speech

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Netanyahu threatened Iran and its proxies today in a speechCredit: X/ @netanyahu
He said there was nowhere in the Middle East Israel's enemies could hide

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He said there was nowhere in the Middle East Israel’s enemies could hide

“We know that the battle is long and the options are open to us, and we are ready for the enemy to enter by land, as the resistance forces are ready for the ground encounter.”

Qassem spoke after two weeks of intensive airstrikes had wiped out Hezbollah’s leadership in a string of assassinations, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday night.

Israel has also today continued its ruthless drive to decapitate terror groups with more assassinations after the deaths of Hamas’ boss in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s chief.

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The invasion marks a culmination of intensifying fighting over the past few weeks as Israel shifted to a “new phase” in its war.

It added a new war goal earlier this month vowing to return all evacuated citizens in the north of the country back to their homes.

Hezbollah rockets fired across the border since October 7 have killed nearly 30 civilians and 20 soldiers and forced another 80,000 Israelis to leave their homes.

Tanks and armoured personnel carriers on the Lebanon border before the invasion

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Tanks and armoured personnel carriers on the Lebanon border before the invasionCredit: Dan Charity
Smoke rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs after strikes

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Smoke rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs after strikesCredit: Reuters

In Lebanon, an Israeli air campaign over the past weeks in preparation for the attack has caused one million people to be displaced and hundreds killed by the airstrikes.

One ex-Mossad spy previously told The Sun Israel would create a “no-go” buffer “death zone” in the south of Lebanon where nobody would live.

Israel called up reserves last week, adding another 10,000 soldiers to the troops already there.

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Tanks and military trucks have also been seen transported towards the border over the past few days.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi previously told troops what the purpose of their invasion was.

He said: “You will go in, destroy the enemy there, and decisively destroy their infrastructure.

Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem today said the terror group is 'ready' for war

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Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem today said the terror group is ‘ready’ for warCredit: AFP
Israel has dubbed the invasion Operation Northern Arrows

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Israel has dubbed the invasion Operation Northern ArrowsCredit: Getty

“These are the things that will allow us to safely return the residents of the north afterward.”

UK and US officials have urged their citizens to escape the country as soon as possible.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said just days ago: “But it is important that we be really, really clear: now is the time to leave.”

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Hundreds of Brit troops have been deployed to Cyprus in case they need to evacuate 10,000 Brits from Lebanon in an operation dubbed Meteoric.

Iran is said to have particularly helped to bolster Hezbollah’s arsenal by supplying light weapons, anti-tank missiles and long-range unguided missiles.

Hezbollah’s decade of destructive preperation

By Foreign News Reporter Juliana Cruz Lima

Following the 2006 Lebanon War, in which Israel and Hezbollah fought to a bloody standstill, the terror group began preparing for the next conflict.

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They constructed a vast underground network across southern Lebanon.

The lessons of that war, in which Hezbollah’s small, mobile units were able to surprise and sometimes overpower Israeli forces, have been embedded in its military doctrine ever since.

The tunnels are now a key part of this strategy, allowing Hezbollah to replicate the tactics of insurgencies around the world: strike fast, disappear, and use the enemy’s size and strength against them.

Some of these tunnels have been found stretching into Israeli territory, designed to facilitate surprise raids deep inside northern Israel.

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In 2018, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield, a months-long mission to detect and destroy Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnels.

The discovery of these tunnels — some reinforced with concrete and running dozens of meters underground — revealed just how advanced Hezbollah’s capabilities had become.

Last month, Hezbollah revealed its hidden terror tunnel network from which missiles can be launched in a chilling threat to Israel.

A blood-curdling video released by the Lebanese terrorists revealed a giant underground roads with enough room for lorries to transport their deadly weapons.

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Posters of leaders and soldiers adorn the tall stone walls as heavily armed men speed through the “missile city” in motorbikes.

Trucks loaded with enormous missiles make their way through the dark roads in a frightening glimpse of the terrorists’ arsenal.

Drone footage then shows the seemingly endless terror maze, which also appears to be home to military tech and computers.

Inside the terror tunnels, Hezbollah fighters can move unseen, store weapons, and launch ambushes, creating a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the IDF.

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They can also move into a much larger network of bunkers, missile silos, and command centres, deeply embedded in civilian areas.

These tunnels – which can stretch for miles – link critical positions, allowing Hezbollah fighters to emerge, strike, and then vanish back underground before Israel can respond.

Reports also suggest that Hezbollah has been expanding its tunnel network in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.

Israel’s killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah Friday

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Israel’s killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah FridayCredit: Getty
Israel has hammered Lebanon with airstrikes for weeks

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Israel has hammered Lebanon with airstrikes for weeksCredit: Rex
Israel now has boots on the ground

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Israel now has boots on the groundCredit: Getty
Israeli shelling hit an area in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel

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Israeli shelling hit an area in southern Lebanon as seen from northern IsraelCredit: AP

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Ground invasion of Lebanon could be the start of Israel’s forever war

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The big question is what Netanyahu’s strategy is now that he has a momentum he has lacked for so long

October 1, 2024 10:13 am(Updated 10:14 am)

Israel’s “limited” ground incursion in southern Lebanon, combined with continued air strikes on targets in Beirut, signify that Israel has now embarked on what may come to be called the third Lebanon war after those in 1982 and 2006.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the Lebanon ceasefire which US President Joe Biden has repeatedly said he wanted. Instead, the developments overnight raise the question of whether, with the goal he set himself in Gaza of “total victory” still unfulfilled, he has simply embarked on a policy of forever war.

In stark contrast to the bungled intelligence on Hamas’s intentions and lack of military preparedness that preceded the 7 October attack, Israel had already so far scored stunning success, at least in purely intelligence and military terms. First it penetrated and dismantled Hezbollah’s communication network with the exploding pagers. Then it assassinated most of its top leadership, notably including Hassan Nasrallah himself.  

This is a severe blow not only to Hezbollah but Iran, which depended on the Lebanese Shi-ite militia as its military vanguard in the Arab world. It’s safe to assume, especially in light of Israel’s massive aerial attack on Hezbollah’s positions and rocket launch pads, that the Israel Defence Forces are better prepared for a possible ground war in south Lebanon than they were in Gaza. And the prospect of more civilian deaths and displacements in Lebanon will not worry Netanyahu any more than the more than 41,000 deaths in Gaza have.

That said, if last night’s incursions are expanded, a full ground war in southern Lebanon will not be a walk in the park. The “violent clashes” – to use the IDF’s term for what happened on and near the border – suggest Hezbollah’s seasoned fighters are still capable of hitting back. Like Hamas in Gaza they have an extensive tunnel network. And no one yet knows after Israel’s aerial attacks how many of its long range rockets – many of which Hezbollah boasted could reach all of Israel – are still usable, with a danger of Israeli civilian casualties.

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The big question however is what Netanyahu’s strategy is now that he has a momentum he has lacked for so long. Is it limited to what he has defined as a war goal: to make northern Israel safe enough for the return of the 60,000 residents who were forced to flee after Hezbollah began its rocket attacks in support of Hamas in October? If so, it will not be lost on the families of the 101 hostages still held in Gaza that they are counting for less than the seriously inconvenienced, but not actually endangered, displaced citizens of northern Israel.

Or is he, at the other extreme, seeking to goad Iran into a much bigger conflagration which would almost inevitably drag the United States into a regional war it surely cannot want in the run-up to the November US election?

The US’s own wishes are also not entirely clear. Having called repeatedly for a ceasefire – indeed, one they thought they had secured until Netanyahu reportedly changed his mind on the flight to New York for the UN General Assembly – they were either willing or able to welcome Nasrallah’s assassination, which they say they were not told about before the last minute. Is there anything in the theory that some of Biden’s ceasefire calls are for the benefit for the considerable anti-war elements in the Democrat electorate and that he is more than satisfied to see Iran’s most powerful proxy cut down to size?

But if it is now seriously worried, as it should be, that this could all spiral, it may find that pressure on Iran to contain its reaction may be a better route than applying similar pressure on Israel, which Netanyahu seems to relish ignoring. The military successes so far in Lebanon have largely united Israel in a way that Netanyahu hasn’t tasted since coming into office in December 2022. He is riding much higher than at any time since 7 October. By not going too far he can still no doubt bank his success.

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But simply using endless and unlimited fire power which would devastate Lebanon and risk the long threatened regional war could easily come back to haunt him. Wasn’t it the British Prime Minister Robert Walpole who said before the 1739 war on Spain: “They may ring their bells now, before long they will be wringing their hands”?

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Robert Jenrick likely to be the next Tory leader

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This article is an on-site version of our Inside Politics newsletter. Subscribers can sign up here to get the newsletter delivered every weekday. If you’re not a subscriber, you can still receive the newsletter free for 30 days

Good morning from Birmingham. This is a very odd conference in many ways, in that the Tory party is in a state of flux, yet, barring some kind of unexpected shock, the race to become the next Conservative leader is very predictable.

Inside Politics is edited by Georgina Quach. Read the previous edition of the newsletter here. Please send gossip, thoughts and feedback to insidepolitics@ft.com

Badenough for you

The big picture at Conservative party conference is that unless something changes, the next party leader will be Robert Jenrick. Tory MPs will vote next week to narrow down the field to a final pair, who will then be put before the members in an online ballot, with the result announced on November 2.

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As ever with the Tory party leadership, there are really two routes to the membership — the establishment lane and the rightwing lane. Jenrick, who resigned as immigration minister from Rishi Sunak’s cabinet, has done a remarkably effective job of locking up that rightwing lane. And the polls suggest he will defeat almost anyone who might come up the establishment lane.

Kemi Badenoch, meanwhile, would beat anyone she might face in the vote by Conservative party members, but she has no guarantee of reaching that stage. The former business secretary sparked confusion over her suggestion that maternity pay was “excessive”, which she later rowed back on but appeared to double down on her position yesterday, signalling that the UK’s minimum wage and maternity pay rules are among regulations “overburdening businesses”. She is struggling to get enough support among MPs and the gaffes of recent days have, if anything, aggravated her difficulties among her parliamentary colleagues.

Meanwhile, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat, the candidates who are seen as pitching for votes from the left of the party, are not going to beat Jenrick unless something changes to shift opinion among party members. Jenrick’s claim in his campaign video that UK special forces are “killing rather than capturing terrorists” was criticised by his rivals — with one military official telling the FT it was an “outrageous accusation” — but it’s the kind of message that Conservative activists want to hear.

Nothing Badenoch has done has won over wavering MPs, and thus far nothing Tugendhat nor Cleverly have done has changed the minds of party members. It may be that one of the 20-minute speeches tomorrow can change the dynamic of the contest — but it is more likely, I think, that the Tory party is just in a holding pattern until Jenrick takes over.

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Now try this

This week, I mostly listened to Katy Perry’s 143 while writing my column.

Top stories today

  • Case steps down | Simon Case, Britain’s top civil servant, quit yesterday after four years in the job and a job ad was swiftly posted for the £200,000-a-year role. George Parker takes us through potential successors.

  • Ofcom: ‘we have got some pretty strong powers’ | Britain’s media regulator will take “strong action” against tech companies that break new rules on content moderation, even if it has limited powers to stop the spread of lies online, the agency’s head has told the FT.

  • Donor revealed | Robert Jenrick is facing further questions about donations totalling £75,000 to his Conservative leadership campaign from a company that was loaned money via a tax haven, after businessman Phillip Ullmann revealed himself to be the ultimate source of the funding, reports The Guardian’s Rowena Mason.

  • Scores on the doors | In a head-to-head the Conservative membership would choose Kemi Badenoch by 52 per cent to Robert Jenrick’s 48 per cent, according to a YouGov/Sky News poll of 802 Tory members conducted over nine days to Sunday night. The gap was 18 points just six weeks ago, showing a surge in support for Jenrick.

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Full list of shops and brands making a comeback including 90s high street icons – is your favourite returning?

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Full list of shops and brands making a comeback including 90s high street icons - is your favourite returning?

DELIGHTED shoppers will see iconic brands return to the high street including 90s favourites Toys R Us, Topshop and Cath Kidston.

It’s been a tough few years for the high street with many brands shuttering sites or disappearing altogether.

Shoppers have been delighted by the return of several much-loved brands to the high street

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Shoppers have been delighted by the return of several much-loved brands to the high streetCredit: PA

But, a number of big-name retailers have announced they will be returning to the high street, in a move that’s sure to delight shoppers.

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Many of the brands including Toys R Us, Cath Kidston and M&Co are returning under new ownership having previously fallen into administration.

It has been a tough time for retailers since Covid and many have struggled.

The rising cost of living, expensive rents and lower footfall have all played a part in the demise of some of our much-loved high street names.

However, here is a full list of the much-loved brands making their return:

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Cath Kidston will make its return to high streets next month

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Cath Kidston will make its return to high streets next monthCredit: Alamy

Cath Kidston

Fashion and homeware chain Cath Kidston will open its first new store next month as it returns to UK high streets.

Renowned for its charming floral designs and quirky vintage-style homeware, Cath Kidston had been a beloved fixture on the British high street since 1993.

However, the retailer crashed into administration last year and the last of its bricks-and-mortar stores closed in June 2023.

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Next acquired the Cath Kidston brand, meaning people could continue to buy online and at the retailer’s stores.

Now it is due to open a new store on October 18 at Westfield White City, London.

Cath Kidston has teased the return on Instagram with images of the hoardings branded with its familiar florals.

In the post, it said: “Why yes. Yes, you guessed right.”

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Fashion brand Topshop could make its return to the UK high street

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Fashion brand Topshop could make its return to the UK high streetCredit: Alamy

Topshop

Topshop could be making a dramatic comeback to the British high street in a welcome boost for fashion-lovers who mourned its loss.

Earlier this month ASOS announced plans to sell a 75% stake in the brand to Bestseller, a Danish retail group that owns Jack & Jones.

Bestseller, which is also ASOS’s largest investor, has around 2,800 retail stores in more than 30 countries.

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Asos had bought Topshop out of administration for £265million in 2021.

As part of the £118million joint venture deal with Bestseller, ASOS will be relaunching Topshop.com as a standalone website.

However, in news that will thrill millennial shoppers, ASOS’s boss also suggested a return to bricks and mortar shops .

Ramos Calamonte said: “It is very early to say that there will be physical stores, but there is no question that they [Bestseller] have a big present presence on the high street.

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“We think that they have a lot of potential.”

Industry rumours have suggested they have already started scoping out potential sites for Topshop’s revival, including London’s famous Carnaby Street.

Toys R Us has made a successful return to UK high streets

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Toys R Us has made a successful return to UK high streetsCredit: Alamy

Toys R Us

Toys R Us’ return to the UK high street has been been warmly welcomed by delighted fans.

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Following a rapid roll out of concessions in the last year the iconic 90s toys retailer has announced it will launch in 23 more shops before Christmas.

The new stores are not standalone sites, but are “shop-in-shops” located inside WHSmith stores across the country.

Toys R Us was founded in 1957 by American businessman Charles P Lazarus.

It grew to 100 stores across the UK, but collapsed in 2018 and closed all branches.

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Plans for a relaunch were announced in in October 2021 and the first store to open in a WHSmith branch was in York (Monks Cross retail park) on June 10 last year.

Managing director of WHSmith High Street Sean Toal said: “Nearly 40 years ago, Toys R Us first came to the UK, and we take great pride in being the steward of this much-loved brand in the UK.

“We’ve had queues around the block for many openings in the last year which tells you just how much people are loving seeing Toys R Us back again.”

M&Co is making its return a year after falling into administration

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M&Co is making its return a year after falling into administrationCredit: Alamy

M&Co

Fashion retailer M&Co closed all of its stores after collapsing into administration in 2022, but has now announced it will return to the high street.

The new store in Newton Mearns, Scotland, will be opening where a previous store was located before the brand fell into administration.

The store opening follows the troubled brand’s acquisition by AK Retail Holdings in May 2023.

The new store will be opening where a previous store was located before going into administration.

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Sandra McPherson, head of retail for M&Co stores, said: “We are thrilled to welcome back our loyal customers in-store.

“This expansion symbolises our commitment to bringing stores back to the high street and connecting with customers.”

M&Co fell into administration in December 2022.

Fellow retailer Yours Clothing bought the M&Co brand and intellectual property the following year.

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RWMDTA Sign outside a Wilkinson Wilco store in Chippenham Wiltshire England UK

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RWMDTA Sign outside a Wilkinson Wilco store in Chippenham Wiltshire England UKCredit: Alamy

Wilko

Wilko is back on the high street having closed 400 stores in 2023 after going into administration.

Brits were heartbroken when beloved Wilko announced it would be closing all of its shops back in October last year.

However, a glimmer of hope was given when the brand name was scooped up by The Range, in a £5million deal – meaning that the name would live on.

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Customers were overjoyed after learning the store was being relaunched online, and even more so when in a surprising turn of events, physical branches started to open up again.

Locations have since popped up Plymouth, Exeter, Luton, St Albans and Rotherham and its roll out is spreading across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The stores offer customers all the essentials across home and garden, as well as the usual value Wilko own-brand products, alongside popular named brands.

Chris Dawson, owner of Wilko, is said to be targeting 300 stores over the next five years, and said that all the new shops so far are making a profit.

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Paperchase has made its return as a concession in Tesco stores

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Paperchase has made its return as a concession in Tesco storesCredit: Alamy

Paperchase

In October 2023, Paperchase also made a return after closing all of its 134 shops and concessions earlier in the year.

Fans of the brand were devastated when the retailer disappeared from the high street in April 2023.

It had collapsed three months earlier and failed to find a buyer for the business.

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Doors were shut on a total of 106 standalone shops, and 28 concessions within Next and Selfridges stores.

However, supermarket giant Tesco later stepped in and bought the rights to the brand and then went on to launch it in some of its stores.

A total of 261 Tesco stores now stock Paperchase products – see the full list here.

There is a chance Ted Baker could also make a return

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There is a chance Ted Baker could also make a returnCredit: Alamy

Ted Baker

Ted Baker is to operate as an online shop following its collapse.

Ted Baker fell into administration in March when a deal collapsed between its American owners, Authentic Brands, and a Dutch operating partner which was meant to run the store operations.

Its final UK high street shops shut their doors in August and its original website stopped accepting orders.

But later that month US-based Authentic Brand Group, said it had secured a deal with a new business partner United Legwear & Apparel Co.

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They will now run the brand’s online platform in the UK and Europe.

We wait to see if it will follow others in returning to the high street.

What is happening to the British high street?

The news comes amid a challenging time for the whole of the UK’s retail sector. 

High inflation coupled with a squeeze on consumers’ finances has meant people have less money to spend in the shops. 

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Also the rising popularity in online shopping has meant people are favouring digital ordering over visiting a physical store. 

Unseasonably wet weather has also deterred shoppers from hitting the high street. 

This ongoing issue has seen brands such as Paperchase, and The Body Shop.

Why are retailers closing stores?

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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

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Rotana to launch 43 new properties across the MENAT region by 2026

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Rotana to launch 43 new properties across the MENAT region by 2026

Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Türkiye (MENAT), will be developing 43 new properties in 26 cities in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Türkiye by 2026

Continue reading Rotana to launch 43 new properties across the MENAT region by 2026 at Business Traveller.

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New UK law on tipping in pubs, hairdressing salons and cafes comes into force today

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New UK law on tipping in pubs, hairdressing salons and cafes comes into force today


Leaders in the hospitality sector have warned that this measure could impose an "additional cost" on already struggling businesses.

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Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers — art and psychiatry in postwar Britain

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Nobody in Helen Hansford’s family understands why she’d accept a job at Westbury Park, not least as an art therapist. But Dr Gil Rudden, one of the mental-health facility’s senior psychiatrists, understands completely. The two are initially attracted by a mutually progressive attitude towards mental health and to the patients in their respective care. It’s 1964, and homosexuality, for example, is still considered an illness to be treated. As Gil points out, “most so-called mental disorders are just behaviour that society doesn’t approve of.”

Within weeks their fledgling relationship has become all-consuming. Although, married as Gil is with two children, “he could hardly be more unavailable.” Their connection deepens when they’re called out to a dilapidated home where an elderly woman, Louisa, lives in squalor with her adult nephew William. The latter either cannot or will not speak, and he doesn’t appear to have left their Croydon house in two decades. Louisa and William Tapper are Westbury Park’s newest patients, and to Helen’s delight, it emerges that William possesses a rare artistic talent.

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Shy Creatures establishes a laser-like focus on extraordinary lives set against the suburban postwar setting, just as she did in her novel Small Pleasures. That 2020 novel was a “personal resurrection story” for Chambers, some of whose previous books were out of print when it was published to wide acclaim. Now, her latest and 10th novel is published to real demand.

Chambers’ dialogue is particularly strong, as is the precise study of human interactions in all their subtlety and shades. Her world-building speaks to extensive research but displays a light touch, imbuing the atmosphere of the story and its inhabitants with the smoke of Woodbines, the soot of coal scuttles and bomb shelters not long out of commission. The Tappers’ house reveals “a long, dark hallway with bulging wallpaper the colour of raw liver”, while public attitudes are laid bare in all their double standards: Helen hears with a “jolt” the “venom” directed at Christine Keeler, the “vitriol her parents reserved for women who took up with married men”. Woven throughout is the risk of the facility’s closure, as the mid-20th-century drift towards de-institutionalisation begins with patients soon to be “turf[ed] back out” in a “revolving-door effect”.

Book cover of ‘Shy Creatures’

We follow Helen as she attempts to unravel the mystery of the silent patient. Interspersed among her chapters are those of William himself. “It’s difficult to get an accurate picture of their life together,” Gil observes of the man and his aunt. “Was he a prisoner or a recluse? Was she?” This picture develops gradually via snapshots of formative experiences, moments of fear and ostracisation, past friendships, school days. The central mystery hinges on William’s past and the origin of his impressive creative skill. His drawings are born from quiet contemplation and observation — in much the same way as he, at Westbury Park, is now observed. Structurally, however, while the first two-thirds linger compellingly on vignette-like scenes, taking their time, the final chapters feel rushed and too busy with revelation.

William’s past, as it unfolds, enables Helen to react against the corset-like confines of a society that turns inward all too often and shuts its doors, one where the threat of “busybodies” and “interference” are a constant fear, and “nervous collapse” the ultimate shame. Through subplots involving her niece, Lorraine, and a lonely downstairs neighbour — “of whom she knew so little, and the other inhabitants of the flats, strangers all” — she observes the “curious bond” needed to create true community and, ultimately, a sense of the bonds she herself must break or make to find her own.

Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers Weidenfeld & Nicolson £20, 390 pages

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