Leicester news and archive

Garment workers found to be sleeping in Leicester factory, says report

Leicestershire may be at the heart of the UK’s textile and manufacturing sector, but it continues to raise alarm regarding workers’ welfare. A probe by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authorty (GLAA) found garment workers were sleeping on mattresses inside a factory producing counterfeit clothing in Leicester. The authority checked 172 factory...

BusinessFeatured

Network of Leicester garment factories involved in money laundering

A network of garment factories in Leicester, some of which have supplied retailers Boohoo and Select Fashion, have been involved in a money laundering and VAT fraud scandal, according to an investigation by BBC Radio 4. The activity was brought to light by a civil court case between the bosses of two clothing wholesalers. Leicester-based company...

BusinessFeatured

Boohoo under fire, over 1.1 billion pounds wiped off company value

Boohoo has come under intense scrutiny in the past week, despite sales soaring during the pandemic. At the end of June the company announced a controversial payout scheme which would see its management team net 150 million pounds. Earlier this week allegations of modern slavery surfaced, pertaining to one of its Leicester suppliers, which...

RetailFeatured

Fenwick shifts online as store in Leicester shuts down

London - The first UK high street closure of 2017 has taken place as Fenwick is set to close its department store in Leicester over the next coming months. But shoppers needs to fear not a total loss of Fenwick, as the retail announced the launch of its debut online store Thursday morning. The Leicester store's closure comes after 55 years of...

Fashion Featured

Garment workers in Leicester paid less than 3 pounds per hour

Usually images of China, India or Bangladesh come to mind when one thinks of garment workers working long hours in dangerous conditions for little compensation in return. However, a recent study from the University of Leicester has found that thousands of garment workers in the city, which is also known as the UK’s largest garment sourcing hub,...