A major supermarket giant has announced it will close most of its stores over Easter.

Tesco will shutter its major stores in England, Northern Ireland and Wales on Easter Sunday, March 31.

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This is because shops in England and Wales larger than 280 square meters must close on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, according to government rules.

Sunday trading laws stipulate that shops that choose to remain open may only do so for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm.

Tesco stores in Scotland are open on Sundays from 8am to 8pm.

The supermarket chain has also announced that many of its major stores will also have shorter opening hours on Easter Monday, at 8pm.

Most Tesco Express stores will remain open on Sunday, with all stores returning to normal opening hours on Monday.

On Good Friday many of the shops are open as normal, but those that are normally open late close earlier at 10pm.

These are not guaranteed opening hours and vary depending on the store.

Shoppers are therefore advised to check the opening times of their local store on the Tesco store locator.

You can find the locator by typing ‘Tesco store locator’ into Google.

Then enter your city or zip code and the nearest store will be displayed.

It is also the best place to check petrol station opening times as these may differ from the main store opening hours.

Tesco has over 800 stores nationwide, consisting of regular supermarkets, Extra stores and Express stores.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Meanwhile, several other supermarkets have already confirmed what their opening hours will be during the Easter holidays.

Aldi said its stores in England and Wales will be closed on Easter Sunday.

However, they are open on Good Friday and Easter Saturday from 8am to 10pm.

The shops are also open on Easter Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.stores.aldi.co.uk/store-finder.

Asda has also adjusted its opening hours over the Easter weekend, but depending on location, your local store opening hours may differ.

On Good Friday and Easter Saturday the shops are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

All shops are closed on Easter Sunday, but open on Easter Monday from 6am to 10pm.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.storelocator.asda.com.

Lidl supermarkets are open on Good Friday, but completely closed on Easter Sunday.

On Easter Friday, Saturday and Monday the shops are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.lidl.co.uk/c/store-finder/s10023098.

Morrisons has special opening hours during the Easter weekend.

The shops are open from 7am to 10pm on Good Friday and open normally on Easter Saturday.

However, all shops are closed on Easter Sunday.

On Easter Monday the shops are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening hours of your local store at www.my.morrisons.com/storefinder/.

Sainsbury’s has special opening hours during the Easter weekend.

The shops are open on Good Friday from 8am to 10pm and on Easter Saturday from 8am to 9pm.

However, all shops are closed on Easter Sunday.

On Easter Monday the shops are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

You can check the opening times of your local store at www.stores.sainsburys.co.uk.

By Jowena Riley

Published: 03:36 EDT, March 22, 2024 | Updated: 04:16 EDT, March 22, 2024

The wettest February on record did not dampen Britons’ appetite for new spring outfits as retail sales boosted the UK economy.

Analysts predicted a 0.3 percent fall in high street spending in February, but official figures show this remained the same.

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It gives experts confidence that Britain has been lifted out of recession. Official GDP figures show that the economy has been driven by retail sales so far this year.

Rob Wood of Pantheon Macroeconomics predicted that retail sales would continue to grow strongly in the first three months of the year, “helping the economy emerge from last year’s recession.”

It comes at a time when data from GfK shows that consumer confidence has turned positive for the first time in more than two years. Household disposable incomes are finally rising as wages rise in tandem with food price inflation energy accounts fall.

Deloitte’s Oliver Vernon-Harcourt said: “Better days are ahead as the short-lived and shallow recession is behind us and inflation is at its lowest level in two years.

“The high street can be hopeful that lower prices will support higher spending and footfall.”

The office Good performance by clothing stores and department stores has offset declining food and fuel sales, according to National Statistics.

Heather Bovill of the ONS said clothing growth was “recovering after recent declines as people invested in new season collections”.

Much of the spending was done online, with a 2.1 percent increase in internet spending in February.

Voda investigated

Vodafone and Three’s £15bn merger threatens to drive up prices for users, competition and competition Markets Authority watchdog has warned.

The regulator is preparing a six-month investigation into the deal, which involves 27 million customers. The companies say it will help them compete with BT and Virgin Media O2.

Aston in Raid

Aston Martin has poached the boss of rival Bentley as its fourth CEO in four years.

An hour after Bentley announced it Adrian Hallmark’s departure “by mutual consent”, Aston Martin welcomed him as its new leader.

Bentley had increased its profits tenfold under Mr. Hallmark.

Good week

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Next boss Lord Simon Wolfson after announcing huge profits and the best prospects for the retailer in seven years.

Bad week

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DFS boss Tim Stacey warned of lower profits as people were reluctant to buy banks.

CONCERNED Gareth Southgate fears financial fair play rules could damage his European Championship hopes as stars face burnout from extra money-consuming friendlies.

Tottenham and Newcastle have an end-of-year tour to Australia ahead of the tournament, with James Maddison, Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon.

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After Saturday’s friendly against Brazil, England will play Belgium on Tuesday.

But boss Southgate is facing his worst injury crisis and Harry Kane looks set to miss both.

With fears that more Premier League teams will also head abroad in May, there are concerns that other stars will suffer injuries or fatigue.

Asked about Tottenham’s controversial match against Newcastle in Melbourne on May 22, Southgate said: “It’s going to happen more and more.

“Why? Financial Fair Play means that clubs must generate money.

We are in a bizarre world where there is more money in the game than ever before and yet everyone is trying to make more money.

“The normal way to do that is to play more games, so is that good news for us in terms of preparation? No.”

Kane, Jordan Henderson and Cole Palmer are absent on Saturday, while the battered Bukayo Saka returned to Arsenal.

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And Southgate added: “We have around 40 players and a third are not available for this match, which is the most ever.”

Kyle Walker will captain the Three Lions in Kane’s absence.

And Ollie Watkins or Ivan Toney will have a chance to take the lead.

Kane has missed just one international in the last two and a half years – the 1-0 win over Australia in October.

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ENGLAND cricket supremo Rob Key says it would be “stupid” not to consider appointing Andrew Flintoff as head coach.

Key was instrumental in offering the 2005 Ashes hero a path back to the top flight after the ex-captain suffered serious facial injuries in a car accident during the filming of Top Gear.

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‘Freddie’ Flintoff accepted his friend’s invitation to anonymously attend last year’s Ashes matches and has been coaching England’s white ball ever since.

He will lead Northern Superchargers in The Hundred this summer and has been brought in to assist Matthew Mott in the T20 World Cup in June.

And director of cricket Key backed Flintoff for a coaching job if one becomes available.

Key said: “He knows what it’s like to wrestle.

“As a leader, your interactions allow you to influence people in a positive or negative way.

“Fred is aware of that and he understands how to use that gift with people.

“Flintoff is a leader like Ben Stokes. He doesn’t need to learn leadership skills.

“He would without a doubt be an excellent coach. He will be a worthy candidate in the future.

“Despite everything he has done, cricket is always what he comes back to.

‘It’s almost like he has no choice. After his family, that’s what he thinks about most.”

• CAPTAIN Heather Knight hit her second half-century on the vault to lead England to a 15-run win against New Zealand.

The tourists have now taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.

THERE is no concrete evidence that Earth is a tourist destination for aliens – despite increasing public acceptance of this possibility.

That said, there are several areas in Britain and the US that have become hotbeds for UFO or UAP reports.

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Today, UFOs are commonly described as unidentified anomalous phenomena or UAPs.

It is a modern term that refers to anything seen in the sky that cannot be attributed to natural phenomena or unclassified technology.

The West has a historic relationship with UAP – Area 51 in Nevada, Roswell in New Mexico and here in Utah we have Skinwalker Ranch in the Uinta Basin.

Richard Medina of the University of Utah

Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester is home to 27 UAP reports since 2021 and is one of the top hotspots for alien sightings in Britain, followed by London and Liverpool.

Between 2021 and 2023, almost 1,000 UAP sightings had been reported in Britain.

Last year it was revealed by UFO Identified that there had been a total of 54 documented sightings in Greater Manchester, followed by 52 in London and 20 in Liverpool.

In 2015, a Ryanair flight was delayed in landing due to unexplained UFO sightings over the River Mersey.

A sighting of a reported UAP over Formby, Liverpool, described it as “two lights moving up and down at an angle, too far apart to be an aircraft or a drone.”

Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Wiltshire has a long and documented history of crop circle formations and UAP sightings, dating back to the 1950s.

Farmers have discovered crop circles on their land and locals claim to have seen ‘iridescent orbs’ shooting through the sky.

There are also claims that these UAPs kill flocks of birds and cause cars to break down.

Bonnybridge, United Kingdom

A quaint Scottish town called Bonnybridge is one of the most visited places in the world for UFO sightings.

Since the first reported glimpse in 1992, this sleepy village has averaged 300 UFO sightings per year.

The sheer number of reports has fueled speculation that the village is a portal to another dimension.

Although many villagers are ashamed of the association.

Local councilor Billy Buchanan has called on several prime ministers to investigate these strange apparitions.

Buchanan even rejected an apology from the Ministry of Defence’s chief UFO commentator, Nick Pope, who dismissed the reports last year.

Washington, USA

Washington, home to the White House, and neighboring Oregon, were both revealed in a recent report as two popular areas for UFO sightings.

Researchers from the University of Utah found that most hotspots are areas that are more open, rural and less brightly lit.

“The West has a historic relationship with UAP – Area 51 in Nevada, Roswell in New Mexico and here in Utah we have Skinwalker Ranch in the Uinta Basin and military activities at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground,” say geographer Richard Medina, of the University of Utah.

“Plus, there is a robust outdoor community that recreates year-round on public lands. People are outside and looking at the sky.”

It’s no surprise that the Pacific Northwest is home to many of the country’s UFO sightings, thanks to our pitch-black skies and curious minds.

In 2022, Washington was named as the top state for alien sightings according to data from the National UFO Reporting Centerrecording more reports per capita than any other state.

That’s roughly 88 sightings per 100,000 residents – more than double the number reported from most states.

In Oregon, there were 69.7 UFO sightings per 100,000 residents in the Portland metro area alone between 2000 and 2023 – that’s almost 1,750 strange occurrences in the past two decades.

Nevada, USA

The mythology behind Area 51 in Nevada not only attracts tourists, but also reports of unidentified aircraft.

According to the National UFO Reporting Center, Nevada’s Lincoln County had the most reported UFO sightings among U.S. counties between 2000 and 2023, with 82.9 per 100,000 residents.

The National UFO Reporting Center is a non-governmental organization where people can submit reports about unusual phenomena in the US.

According to Centre’s Chief Technology Officer Christian Stepien, only a fraction of people who see something unusual in the sky actually file a report.

“I would estimate that people who see things that they think are UFOs or that are real UFOs — we think maybe five percent report that, maybe not even that,” he told Axios.

Most sightings are believed to be military activities, with Area 51 considered a top secret US Air Force facility.

Arizona, USA

Maricopa County, Arizona had about 56 UFO sightings per 100,000 residents between 2000 and 2023, according to data from the National UFO Reporting Center.

Other parts of the state – such as La Paz and Gila counties – are also reporting mysterious objects in the sky at an even higher rate.

That national average is roughly 34 observations per 100,000 residents.

New sightings were recorded in the southeastern US and the country’s central plains, while credible links were discovered between clusters of sightings and commercial and military air traffic.

“There are many factors that can contribute to the reporting of anomalous objects,” say geographer Simon Brewer of the University of Utah.

“By examining the spatial distribution of reports and how they relate to the local environment, we hope to provide a geographic context that can help resolve or understand reports from both the public and in military environments.”

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ENGLAND captain Harry Kane will miss Saturday’s friendly against Brazil – and Tuesday’s match with Belgium.

Kane will be at Wembley and is expected to fly back to Germany and continue his treatment after the friendly against the South Americans.

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He suffered an ankle injury after colliding with a post during Bayern Munich’s 5-2 win over Darmstadt last Saturday.

The 30-year-old has been training away from the team since reporting for international duty this week and will not be in danger in either of the friendlies.

Kyle Walker is likely to captain the Three Lions in Kane’s absence.

And Ollie Watkins or Ivan Toney will get the chance to take the lead against Brazil.

Kane has missed just one international in the last two and a half years – the 1-0 win over Australia in October.

But he will not play for England again until the Euro 2024 warm-up matches with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland in June.

England have already lost Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who has returned to his club due to a minor muscle problem.

Gareth Southgate is expected to field a strong side against the Brazilians, including Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Phil Foden.

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On team news, Southgate said: “No Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson or Cole Palmer tomorrow.

‘I would say that Cole and Hendo have a better chance in Belgium than Harry. He would be extremely doubtful.”

Kane, 30, has had an excellent season despite Bayern’s domestic problems.

The eternal Bundesliga champion is ten points behind Bayer Leverkusen after 26 games.

However, the England captain has scored 31 times without missing a single game in the Bundesliga, and has scored a further six goals in eight Champions League games.

GARETH SOUTHGATE has broken his silence on speculation linking him with Manchester United.

The England boss, 53, has been mooted as a potential successor to Erik ten Hag should the Red Devils boss get the chance this summer.

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When asked about a possible move to Old Trafford, Southgate insisted his focus is solely on Euro 2024.

He said: ‘I’m definitely not going to talk to anyone else.

“I’ve never done that, I’ve been working for eight years and would never enjoy talking to anyone else while I have a job, so I don’t know if that answers your question.

“My focus is on the European Championships. If we had signed a contract here before, everyone would say: ‘Why are you signing a contract before the European Championship where you have to prove yourself?

“From my point of view there are two things. First of all, I’m the manager of England and I really only have one job: to try to deliver a European Championship.

“Obviously I have two important games this week.

“And the second thing is that Manchester United has a manager.

“I always find it completely disrespectful when there is speculation about a possible manager.

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“I am chairman of the LMA, so I don’t have time for that kind of thing.”

According to Air sportsMan Utd have not yet made a decision on Ten Hag’s future.

They add that the Red Devils continue to make plans for next season with the Dutchman at the helm.

Manchester City defender John Stones was asked whether he would prefer Southgate to stay in England rather than move to rivals Manchester United.

Stones said: “Personally I want him here, but it would be disrespectful to talk to a manager about a team if, in my view, it comes out of nowhere.”

FASHION giant Ted Baker has gone bankrupt, putting dozens of stores and hundreds of jobs at risk.

The retailer, which currently has 86 stores in the UK and employs 975 people, submitted a letter of intent a few days ago.

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No Ordinary Designer Label (NODL), owned by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and trading as Ted Baker, has appointed Teneo Financial Advisory Limited to provisionally manage the brand.

ABG is said to be “in advanced discussions” with potential buyers for the company.

The news comes days after NODL said it planned to appoint administrators, citing the “damage” caused during a partnership and the “significant backlogs” built up during a partnership with Dutch company AARC Group.

No Ordinary Designer Label decided to end its partnership with AARC in January, saying the partner had not kept its promises to inject money into the company.

Benji Dymant, joint administrator at Teneo, said: “The appointment of joint administrators comes seven weeks after the termination of NODL’s operating partnership with AARC on January 29, 2024.

“That decision was made after AARC failed to meet its financial obligations and inject the promised financing into the company.

“The company traded well below expectations in the fourth quarter of 2023 and accrued significant levels of delinquencies.

“This has resulted in the company requiring the protection of a moratorium to continue trading and the director has taken the difficult decision to place the company into administration.”

Mr Dymant added that despite going into administration, Ted Baker will continue to trade as normal “and customer orders will continue to be fulfilled”.

“Ted Baker is an iconic British brand with strong partners around the world,” he said.

Authentic has said it is in advanced discussions with several potential operating partners to acquire Ted Baker’s UK and European operations and return the company to full health.

“We recognize that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for everyone involved and we would like to take this opportunity to thank Ted Baker team members and partners for their efforts and continued support.”

“Authentic has said it is in advanced discussions with several potential operating partners to acquire Ted Baker’s UK and European operations and return the business to full health.”

NODL will continue to trade through both its UK website and stores, while Authentic continues discussions with interested parties.

NOTICE OF INTENT

Earlier this week, on Tuesday, No Ordinary Designer Label filed for administration with a letter of intent.

John McNamara, chief strategy and transition officer of Authentic Brands Group, said: “We wish there could have been a better outcome for Ted Baker employees and stakeholders.

“It is hopefully some comfort to customers that NODL continues to trade online and in stores.

“We remain focused on finding a new partner to uphold and grow the Ted Baker brand in the UK and Europe, where it began.”

ABG said it is exploring various cost-cutting measures to support the company’s “rising” costs in February.

This followed ABG, which also owns Reebok and Juicy Couture, rescuing the high street brand as part of a £211 million deal in 2022.

YEARS OF TURMOIL

Ted Baker fell on hard times in 2019 after founder Ray Kelvin stepped down from his position amid harassment allegations.

Several profit warnings followed and a statement warning that the profits of the listed companies will be lower than expected.

In 2020, the retailer said it would cut 160 jobs, making 2019 a “challenging year”.

Ted Baker is not the only retailer having a hard time on the high street.

Last month, The Body Shop was declared bankrupt, putting hundreds of stores at risk of closure.

On February 29 it announced it would close 75 stores, including in Basildon, Bexleyheath and Carlisle.

Administrators FRP said the retailer would focus more of its attention on online sales and wholesale.

Wilko and Paperchase also both filed for administration last year, which was a blow to the high street.

Hundreds of stores closed and thousands of employees lost their jobs.

CRISIS ON THE HIGH STREET

Retailers have been feeling the pressure since the pandemic, as shoppers cut back on spending due to the rising cost of living.

High energy costs and the move to online shopping after the pandemic are also taking their toll, with many high street stores struggling to continue.

The high street has seen a slew of closures in the past year, with more to come.

The number of jobs lost in UK retail fell last year, but 120,000 people still lost their jobs, figures show.

Figures from the Center for Retail Research show that 10,494 stores will have closed for the last time in 2023 and 119,405 jobs will have been lost in the sector.

It was fewer stores than had been lost in recent years, and a decrease from the 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.

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

While some big names on the high street were lost, including Wilko, many major companies had already gone bankrupt before 2022, the center said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.

“The cost of living crisis, inflation and rise in interest rates have prompted many consumers to tighten their belts, causing retail spending to fall,” said Prof Bamfield.

“Retailers themselves have faced rising energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and declining demand, making rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”

Besides Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it went bust, the biggest failures of 2023 include UK Flooring Direct, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.

The Center for Retail Research said most stores were closed as companies tried to reorganize and cut costs rather than face bankruptcy.

However, experts have warned that more bankruptcies are likely this year as consumers tighten their belts and borrowing costs for businesses soar.

According to official figures, about 14% of bankruptcies last year occurred in retail businesses.

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CHELSEA fans are furious after seeing the Blues 2024/25 away kit ‘leaked’, with some calling it an ‘England shirt with design changes’.

Nike has already been criticized for their controversial England shirt design, but now they have Chelsea fans behind them too.

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Over the years the west London outfit has showcased a variety of jumpers, but some have been more popular than others.

There have been some pretty scandalous shirts on display at Stamford Bridge, including the 1994/95 away shirt as famously worn by Ruud Gullit.

Now a leaked image of the 2024/25 away kit has fans furious.

Footy headlines unveiled the new fit at X, featuring a white shirt with royal blue on the collar and sleeves, along with a red stripe.

The classic Chelsea logo is in blue and red, with a blue Nike check mark outlined in red.

And a few eagle-eyed fans questioned the difference between the Chelsea kit and the England home kit.

One supporter said: “Is there a difference between this and the England home kit?”

A second then added: “England shirt with 5 minutes of design changes.”

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While another fan even described the comic as “horrible”.

It appears the club is moving away from the dark color scheme as their current away shirt is “pitch blue and high shades”.

Last season’s away shirt was white and then yellow in 2021/22; light blue in 2020/21, and white, with collar, in 2019/20.

Fans will now eagerly await the unveiling of the club’s third strips, goalkeeper shirts, training equipment and matchwear to see what surprises Chelsea have in store for the coming season.

Meanwhile, the England football team recently made headlines with a new kit that divided fans with their rebranding of the St. George’s flag.

Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak slammed the new kit, while Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer joined calls for Nike to scrap it entirely.