News about Mary Portas

Residents of Chalcot Crescent in the picturesque Primrose Hill are up in arms over a new 'Paddington Bear' Airbnb which is being launched on the street - a temporary experience which they say will increase the growing crowds outside their homes. The area's brightly-coloured pastel properties have provided the backdrop to both the Bridget Jones franchise as well as Paddington, meaning visits from tourists and influencers looking for TikTok and Instagram content are a regular occurrence. The Paddington house is being offered as part of a competition in which three families will be invited to spend a special night to celebrate the upcoming release of the new Paddington in Peru film. Airbnb have said it is a 'temporary feature' and that the 'space will be restored in a matter of weeks'. The company stressed that in the marketing campaign for the competition, the location of the Airbnb was not disclosed and they have received a great deal of positive feedback from residents. But some residents say the commotion will disrupt the quiet lives of elderly people on the street of Grade II listed buildings, where houses sell for as much as £4million.

The German political heavyweight came under fire in 2016 after making remarks about Chinese businessmen to other industry leaders. He later apologised for using the phrase 'Schlitzaugen', which means 'slit eyes'. He was also scrutinised for referring to the group as 'nine men, one party, and no democracy'. He had also made a joke that policymakers would soon introduce a law for 'mandatory gay marriage' in Germany. And in 2016 he said he would 'shoot myself' if he was married to Frauke Petry, the female leader of the Right-wing Alternative for Germany party.

Scrutiny over Shein has been growing as it nears a £50billion market debut on the London Stock Exchange. It made a £1.5billion profit last year but its ultra-cheap prices - including £5 dresses - have raised eyebrows. After previous criticism for mistreating workers, Shein has insisted checks on factories have increased and that it takes action against dodgy suppliers. In a new sustainability report, it said there were two instances of child labour last year. Both cases were 'resolved swiftly', with the firm saying it took action to terminate the children's contracts, pay outstanding wages and organise medical check-ups.

Portas (pictured with chancellor Rachel Reeves), who is known as 'Mary Queen of Shops' after her TV show, joined the launch of a 'Say No to Shein' campaign.

Mary Portas has slammed some Met Gala looks as 'uninspiring and out of touch' as she took aim at celebrities who ignored the real meaning of the theme.  The retail consultant and broadcaster, 63, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share some looks from the star-studded event held in NYC on Monday night. In the caption she criticised those who misunderstood The Garden of Time theme and just opted for 'florals' - when actually her interpretation was that the theme should have inspired 'sustainable looks'. 

As she was awarded with her OBE today, Mary Portas portrayed an elegant figure. For today's wedding in Windsor Castle, the TV presenter, 63, opted for a sleek white suit and waistcoat. The mother-of-three's chic jacket had a black stripe running down either leg, which corresponded to the buttons on her blazer and waistcoat. The shopping queen (left and right) - who rose to fame in 2007 for her hit show Mary Queen of Shops, accessorized her look with layered gold chains adorned with pearls. Mary, who used to be best known for her signature ginger bob, has embraced her natural grey hair and styled it in a chic bob for the occasion. Inset: Princess Anne obes Mary Portas with an OBE.

The once-packed fashion floors and buzzy restaurants of Knightsbridge department store Harvey Nichols are now unused. Lynne Franks, the company's former PR, has devised a ten-point blueprint to get it back to where it belongs.

The Love Actually chief, 66, wrote a letter to Sally Bolton, the bank's chief executive, objecting to the bank on climate change grounds ahead of the game's beginning on Monday. Curtis wore a dark suit with a light blue tie, and he could be seen chatting with former Pointless co-presenter Richard Osman in the box at the tournament in SW19 this afternoon. Dame Emma Thompson, musician Brian Eno, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Dragons' Deny actor Deborah Meaden, and retail consultant and broadcaster Mary Portas were among the letter's signatories.

Andy Street (pictured) challenged boss Dame Sharon White's tactics, fearing the choice that shoppers have in menswear. In an interview with Bloomberg, the partnership, whose first store opened in 1864, is fighting to convince critics that it is on the mend.

Representatives on the employee-owned partnership's board voted against Sharon White (pictured) in a scathing rebuke. However, she was given a stay of execution as the council, which is made up of approximately 60 members elected by other employees, has voted to keep her in office.

After Tom Power was banned by the judges after he was given the responsibility for renovating a halr salon in Bristol, viewers of BBC's Interior Designs Masters were left horrified last night. Many said he was 'robbed' of his position in the final episode (pictured top left and right, the salon before the makeover, and bottom left and right after). One of them said, 'Tom really took that generously." I'd be completely livid. He should be in the final.' (Inset)

As the struggling chain went from one crisis to another, the staff pension fund at John Lewis has lost almost £3 billion. The news of the debacle came after failed attempts by befuddled boss Dame Sharon White to resurrect the loss-making relationship sparked a backlash. White's operation, which includes 34 John Lewis department stores and 332 Waitrose supermarkets, is expected to raise as much as £2 billion.

Dame Sharon White (pictured) is facing backlash over the last two weeks, fearing that outside investment may bring an end to John Lewis' beloved employee ownership scheme. White is now seeking to invest in the struggling company to return it to a profitable footing.

According to a respected retail consultant, John Lewis has 'let go' of its soul under its new chairman. In a letter sent by Mary Portas (pictured right) 55, and the company's new chief executive Nish Kankiwala who appeared on LinkedIn yesterday, she said she was'speaking on behalf of the British people.' However, Dame Sharon soon recovered, saying it was 'the greatest privilege' of her life to serve as chairman of John Lewis and that she would guarantee its survival. It comes as a result of news that John Lewis was planning to stifle its decades-old staff ownership scheme by selling a stake to an outsider.

According to reports this week, John Lewis Partnership (JLP) was considering shedding its legendary 100% employee-owned status if it needed additional funds. And chairman Dame Sharon White (pictured) argued that the company, which owns Waitrose supermarkets as well as the department stores, has been 'always open' to working with outsiders. However, she refused to disclose how any new investment would be made.

HELEN CARROLL: Although there are no statistics showing how many women are drawn to other females in later life, anecdote, it's a growing phenomenon. Take those in the public eye, where late-blooming lesbians include Mary Portas, writer Susie Orbach, Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, TV host Anna Richardson, and actress Rebel Wilson, who came out as gay last year at the age of 42.

EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Queen of Shops Mary Portas is more of a princess of garbage in her local neighborhood. The TV host, 62, posted this snapshot of herself in her pyjamas as she picked up litter outside her house in Primrose Hill. The bin men sing and whistle over and declare that they do a vital job.' However, they do tend to leave a lot of bits and pieces behind. And here's how I came in. "I go outside in my pyjamas each week to clear up what's left outside my house, often my neighbors' as well.' 'You'll know who it is if you're ever in North London and see a woman litter-picking in her pyjamas around 7.30 a.m. on Wednesdays,' she adds.'