News roundup--Iceland buys former Peacocks stores, more

Frozen food specialist Iceland Foods has bought seven former Peacocks stores from the fashion retailer’s administrator KPMG. KPMG has revealed that there has been “substantial interest” in the 153 former Peacocks stores that were not taken by Edinburgh Woolen Mill during its buyout of the value fashion retailer last month.

Supermarket Morrisons has appointed Tim Bettley, formerly managing director of Peacocks, as its first category director clothing as the firm looks to expand its non-food offering. His initial brief will be to expand on the current 21 in-store Peacocks Kids concessions throughout 2012. In related news, the Independent reveals that Morrisons is set to add to its three M Local convenience stores with the addition of a further 20-50 stores by 2014.

Supermarket chain Waitrose has announced that in the past five weeks its sales have risen by 6.9 percent to £105.38 million, according to the stock market wire.

Furniture retailer Chapmans Furniture has announced it is closing down after being in business for 165 years, resulting in 49 job losses. The Journal Live reports that the firm’s stores in Newcastle and in Carlisle will run a closing down sale in April before the stores shut down in September. The firms website has already ceased trading.