The Liberty Romford mall is about to undertake the next phase of its transformation with owner/operator Redical appointing developer HUB to oversee the work for the town’s shopping centre.
The Liberty Romford
It’s part of the wider plan by the local Havering Council to create a “vibrant, mixed-use town centre, with a key element being the creation of new places for people to live in the heart of the town”. That, of course, will boost the number of consumers in the immediate catchment area for the mall.
HUB will now engage with the local community and other stakeholders, including retailers at The Liberty, “to develop proposals to enhance the properties and land surrounding The Liberty Romford. The plans could also include “the creation of modernised retail space adjacent to the residential”.
“Adding residential to The Liberty will build upon the already significant multi-million pound enhancements implemented by Redical since it acquired the centre in 2022”, the operator said.
This includes having strengthened the centre’s retail mix, such as the arrival of Rituals and Miniso, and a revitalised brand identity and destination refresh, soon to be revealed through new entranceways and wayfinding signage.
Taking a phased approach, the plans will complement Redical’s improvements to date, “which have seen The Liberty’s strong performance continue to grow, while also driving the regeneration of the surrounding area”.
Stephen Daniels, head of Asset Management and Regeneration at Redical, added: “Building on our work to transform The Liberty Romford, the addition of residential will bring a different dimension to the centre, one with the potential to significantly enhance the contribution it makes to Romford, economically, socially, and practically. HUB shares our vision and commitment to getting this right for Romford, and the team’s experience will be vital in realising The Liberty’s full potential and delivering the Council’s vision.”
U.S. President Donald Trump‘s new tariff plan has the ocean shipping industry on edge as he stokes a trade war destined to stanch transport demand and send companies scrambling to manage the fallout.
Reuters
The Trump administration on Wednesday is set to announce “reciprocal tariffs” targeting nations that have duties on U.S. goods. That move would come after it slapped new import levies on products from Mexico, China and Canada – the top U.S. trading partners – as well as on goods including steel and autos.
Major global container shipping firms like MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd transport towering piles of colorful boxes stuffed with goods for U.S. customers like Walmart, Target and Home Depot.
They are giants in the roughly $14 trillion a year ocean shipping industry that handles about 80% of global trade. They are also reliant on companies that are getting whipsawed by Trump’s escalating, on-and-off tariffs.
“The implementation of stacked tariffs has led to mounting confusion,” said Blake Harden, the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s vice president of international trade. “Companies have not had adequate time, certainty, and guidance they need to incorporate these changes and comply.”
Trump has invoked emergency powers to swiftly add, and occasionally retract and reinstate, tariffs during his second term in office.
“Importers don’t know from one week to the next what their duty cost is going to be,” said Kit Johnson, director of import compliance at John S. James Co., a U.S. customs broker and freight forwarder whose customers include automakers and producers of chemicals, machinery, medical devices and textiles.
Johnson has seen an uptick in customers opting for high-cost air shipping for autos and other goods that normally would travel by sea, in a bid to front-run new tariffs.
U.S. container imports have also surged to record levels in recent months as companies rushed in toys, furniture, bedding, machinery and parts from China, the world’s No. 1 exporter, to avoid Trump’s tariffs.
As that threat expanded, other vessel types and airplanes have been called to help U.S. firms stockpile cars from Europe and the Far East, cheese and wine from Italy, and prescription drugs from Ireland.
The average on-demand spot rate to ship a 40-foot container on the key Far East to U.S. West Coast route was $2,844 on Tuesday, a one-day gain of almost 16%, according to data from freight pricing platform Xeneta. That rate is still lower than a year ago, when the risk of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes was a new phenomenon and trading was not distorted by importers seeking to avoid tariffs.
But companies’ knee-jerk, front-loading strategy is just a temporary fix – especially as retaliatory tariffs stoke trade wars that could suffocate demand.
The tariff tiffs come as ocean shipping faces greater potential peril from a separate Trump plan to impose hefty U.S. port call fees on ships with links to China.
Foes of that proposal say it could decimate domestic agriculture and energy exporters that Trump promised to support. They also warn it could reignite pandemic-level chaos at ports by prompting vessel operators to avoid fees by swamping some ports with cargo while starving others.
Layering that on top of tariffs has paralyzed decision-making around how to source, sell and move goods.
“You cannot make important decisions on your supply chain when the rules of the game keep changing,” said Peter Sand, Xeneta’s chief analyst.
One Greek container shipping executive, who requested anonymity due to fear that public comments could negatively affect business, said customers were not loading cargo for fear that a large levy might be imposed at the end of a lengthy ocean voyage.
“We are in a wait-and-see mode.”
Experts have begun counting the harm from Trump’s tariffs.
Anxiety over the levies already has helped derail a turnaround in the U.S. manufacturing sector that relies on imports and exports and drives significant demand for transportation, according to responses to the Institute for Supply Management survey.
S&P Global Market Intelligence expects the volume of U.S. ocean container freight imports to drop 0.7% in 2025.
“While there is still strong growth in the first quarter, this is expected to reverse in the second quarter of 2025 as tariffs bite,” S&P said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is scrambling to reprogram and test systems needed to calculate and collect new tariffs. The Trump administration in February delayed a plan to begin collecting duties on direct sales of low-value goods from retailers like Temu and Shein after packages piled up at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“The more of these tariffs we have, the harder it’s going to be for everyone to keep up,” customs broker Johnson said.
Dutch designer Duran Lantink has been named the winner of the 2025 International Woolmark Prize.
Duran Lantink wins 2025 Woolmark Prize. – 2025 Woolmark Prize
Lantink will receive AU$300,000 to invest in the growth of his business, along with ongoing mentorship from the industry and Woolmark Prize retail partners.
The Amsterdam and Paris-based designer, whose eponymous label was founded in 2019, is known for crafting sustainable, ever-evolving collections. His innovative approach blends pre-loved garments, deadstock fabrics, and new eco-friendly materials.
Lantink’s winning collection reimagined traditional knitting techniques through 3D reconstructed knitwear, incorporating historical Dutch knitting styles and recycled army sweaters, combined with contemporary woven check patterns.
“I feel very honoured to receive this award and I’m just so happy because we worked so hard with so many collaborators and it’s just really great to get this recognition,” Lantink said.
At the same event, Pieter Mulier was awarded the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, while Südwolle Group received the Supply Chain Award.
The winners were announced in Milan, where an expert panel of judges, chaired by Donatella Versace and including IB Kamara, Law Roach, Alessandro Sartori, Tim Blanks, Sinéad Burke, Honey Dijon, Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Simone Marchetti, Roopal Patel, and Danielle Goldberg, selected the winners.
Versace said, “We are in a moment when we need to feel better. Duran makes us feel that. His collection is a wonderful combination of respect for the fibre and a joyful sense of the future.”
For over 70 years, the International Woolmark Prize has championed the beauty and versatility of Merino wool while fostering sustainable growth through innovation and industry mentorship.
The 2025 edition, artistically directed by IB Kamara, was inspired by the sun, symbolizing energy, renewal, and interconnectedness.
Target is set to launch on April 12 a limited-time collaboration with global lifestyle brand Kate Spade New York.
Target unveils limited-time Kate Spade New York collection. – Target
The collection includes more than 300 pieces spanning women’s, kids’, and baby apparel, handbags, home accessories, and entertaining essentials.
Key pieces include graphic tees, two-piece sets, tops, shorts, skirts and dresses in a range of silhouettes, while accessories span handbags and playful bag charms. The home and entertaining assortment includes a mix of drinkware, dining sets, colorful party décor, and interactive games like checkers and cornhole.
Unexpected finds complete the collection such as a disposable camera, a vintage-inspired record player, a $200 party tent and a $300 designer bicycle. With prices starting at $5, more than half of the collection will be available for $15 or less.
“With versatile pieces that work for every occasion and can’t-miss prices, this partnership brings together Kate Spade’s signature style with Target’s legacy of making the best design accessible to all,” said Jill Sando, Target’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, apparel and accessories, home and hardlines.
“Our teams worked together for two years to create this collection, and I can’t wait for consumers to see everything we have to offer. It’s stylish, affordable and loaded with items that’ll add plenty of joy to everyday moments.”
Since 1993, Kate Spade New York has been known for a spirited approach and playful wit, which is brought to life through this partnership.
“Kate Spade New York has always been rooted in joy. Our products deliver a distinct point of view that blends effortless style with a youthful edge,” added Charlotte Warshaw, VP, Americas wholesale, global licensing and collaborations of Kate Spade New York.
“This iconic collaboration with Target does just that. We’re excited for customers across generations to experience a little piece of the magic we’ve created together.”
Entertainment8 years ago