Evening Standard: "The great High Street massacre "

"Blockbuster's collapse into administration after almost 25 years on the High Street is the latest blow to Britain's embattled retailers.

"... As well as structural issues such as competition from internet retailers and supermarkets, the failure of chains such as HMV and Comet also highlights the pressure on shoppers from higher energy bills and fuel costs.

"... And as banks have become more cautious over debt-for-equity deals since the financial crisis, many firms saddled with debts from past private equity takeovers have been left to fail, despite underlying good trading."


PLUS:

"Barratt to double profits"

"Britain’s biggest housebuilder was in bullish form today,
as it unveiled plans for an extra 1000 homes in London,
and said it would more than double annual profits.

"Barratt is benefitting from the £2 billion it has spent
on much cheaper land since the crash."
[Unlike Hammerson at Brent Cross.]

"Construction faces decade of 'pain'
as 60,000 jobs go in 2012"

"An annual skills report painted a "stark" picture in 2012,
with a 20% downturn in public sector housing contracts,
a 5% fall in the private housing sector and
a 15% cut in road and other infrastructure construction."