News roundup--Jessops, Next, more

Trevor Moore, the chief executive of camera chain Jessops, is leaving the business. The Leicester Mercury reports that chairman Martyn Everett takes up the post of executive chairman when Moore leaves at the end of this month. There are currently no plans to appoint a new chief executive.

Next has lost its bid to claim £20 million in tax relief on its investment in two warehouses. The Mail’s financial column reports that Next had hoped to offset the sum against its profits using the Industrial Buildings Allowance, which would have reduced its tax bill by £3 million. The Court ruled that Next was not eligible for the relief as it was only storing the clothes in the warehouses. To claim, it would have to use the space to turn raw materials into finished items.

Sales of Raspberry Pi, the credit card-sized computer designed to promote the development of computer skills in education, helped UK sales at Electrocomponents rise 5 percent in the first quarter ended 30th June. Overall sales were flat, however, as the international business declined 2 percent.

“Falling inflation and a pick-up in consumer spending will help the UK return to growth in the second half of the year”, reports the BBC, citing the latest Ernst & Young Item Club quarterly forecast.

Following the announcement last week that Flying Brands had sold Gardening Direct to Jersey Choice, the Jersey Evening Post reports that up to a dozen jobs may be lost.

Sporting goods website ActivInstinct is featured in a Daily Mail piece on the pre-Olympic sales spikes titled “Better late than never”.

Luxury department store Harrods has appointed John Edgar as its new chief financial officer. Edgar joins from Selfridges where he was group finance director.