The retailer said all England branches will shut at 6pm today (July 15) to allow staff to watch the match.

England face Argentina this evening for a place in their first World Cup final since 1966.

The winner of the game will play Spain this weekend, after they beat France 2-0 yesterday (July 14).

Smyths closing England stores early for World Cup semi-final

A statement shared by Smyths said: “All Smyths Toys stores in England will close at 6pm on Wednesday, 15th July, giving everyone plenty of time to get home for the England World Cup game.

“Enjoy The Game!”

Shoppers were full of praise for the retailer, with one commenting: “Now this what a business should be all be about, being considerate for there [sic] employees.”

Another said: “And this is why I applied to work here.

“They care for their workers.”

A third added: “Amazing way to treat your employees!”

Smyths has more than 100 locations across the country that will shut.

It is not the only retailer that will see its opening hours change due to the World Cup.

SCS Sofas said that all of its poltronesofà stores are closing at 7pm today for the semi-final.

Meanwhile, if England reaches the World Cup final, Tesco will close its Express stores across England at 7.30pm, instead of the usual 10pm or 11pm.

This is to allow colleagues to watch the match, which kicks off at 8pm.

Express stores will still be open as normal during the daytime, so fans can stock up on pre-match supplies.

Customers needing last-minute essentials will also still be able to place orders with Whoosh until 11pm.

All online Grocery Home Shopping orders already placed for Sunday evening will be honoured and delivered as normal.

If England doesn’t reach the final, stores will open and close at their normal times.

Stores in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to remain open in line with their usual hours.

When is the World Cup final?

The World Cup final is on Sunday (July 19) at 8pm and will air on both BBC One and ITV1.

Spain will play the winner of England vs Argentina.

There will be a third/fourth-place playoff game on Saturday (July 18) at 10pm UK time, with the loser of tonight’s game playing France.

Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know in the comments.

KAREN JOY BACUDO

Finance Editor

HSBC UK is working with Visa on AI-powered shopping services for cardholders, including what the companies describe as an industry-first agentic card transaction on a live merchant website.

The project is designed to let customers shop and pay through AI platforms without moving between multiple websites. An HSBC UK-issued card has already been used to complete an end-to-end transaction in that setting.

Agentic commerce refers to systems in which an AI tool performs parts of a shopping task on a customer’s behalf, such as searching for products, booking travel, or purchasing household items. In this model, payment is handled within the AI-led journey rather than through a conventional checkout spread across several sites.

HSBC UK and Visa said the model will rely on controls designed to keep customers in charge of spending decisions. Permissions and safeguards are built into the experience, while security and transparency are expected to be central as AI agents begin initiating transactions in real-world environments.

Payment authentication is a key part of the work. HSBC UK said it is supporting the technology and security measures required to enable these transactions, including secure authentication via customer biometrics.

The initiative places the bank and card network within a wider effort by financial groups to adapt payment infrastructure to generative AI and automated digital assistants. For banks, that shift raises questions about how card credentials are presented, how consent is captured, and how fraud controls work when software agents, rather than consumers, initiate parts of a purchase.

Retailers and payment providers have been exploring how AI assistants could change online shopping by reducing the steps in a transaction. Supporters argue the model could make routine purchases quicker, while critics point to the need for clear controls over data access, payment authority, and dispute handling.

Andy Rankin, Chief Payments Officer of Consumer Banking, HSBC UK, outlined the bank’s view on the shift in consumer payments.

“The way people pay is constantly evolving, and artificial intelligence has the potential to make everyday shopping simpler, faster and more convenient for our customers. At HSBC UK, we’re helping to shape the future of payments by bringing together innovation, trusted technology and industry collaboration. AI-powered commerce is set to be the next evolution in how people shop, and we’re working alongside our partners to help build the experiences that will make it a reality, while ensuring customers remain firmly in control of their money. As new technologies emerge, customers need confidence that their payments are protected, and we’re working with Visa to lead the industry in building trusted experiences that can unlock the benefits of AI for consumers,” said Andy Rankin, Chief Payments Officer, Consumer Banking, HSBC UK.

Visa said its role is to connect banks, merchants, and AI systems through the existing card network rather than build a separate payments rail for these purchases. That suggests the companies want agentic transactions to sit within established card protections and merchant acceptance systems.

Rob Cameron, Group Country Manager, UK & Ireland, Visa, described how the company sees the next phase of development.

“AI agents are beginning to initiate transactions in real-world environments, and our role is to ensure every transaction remains secure, transparent and trusted. By connecting our issuer partners like HSBC UK with merchants and AI systems through our network, we are enabling this next phase of commerce using the infrastructure and protections already in place,” said Rob Cameron, Group Country Manager, UK & Ireland, Visa.

For HSBC UK, the project also reflects broader competitive pressure on banks to remain present in digital commerce as new interfaces emerge between consumers and merchants. If AI assistants become a regular way to browse and buy, card issuers and networks will need to ensure their products remain embedded in those experiences rather than displaced by alternative payment methods.

The announcement does not set out a launch timeline for broader customer use, but it signals that live testing has moved beyond theory. The use of an HSBC UK card in an end-to-end agentic transaction on a live merchant website shows banks and payment networks are now testing how AI-led shopping can work within existing commerce systems.

Administrators from Moorfields Advisory were appointed for Agile Property and Homes Limited on July 8, as the eco developer reportedly suffered from rising business costs.

Based in Culham, Oxfordshire, on its website it said it delivered “safe, civil and low-carbon affordable homes”.

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The business added: “We need a new housing model that provides places for people to live, whatever their household income.

“Our response to this need is an Agile home – an affordable, rapid-response housing solution that respects you and the planet.”

Its properties are made using naturally renewable materials, such as straw and timber, and are modular, meaning they are prefabricated inside a controlled factory environment.

The walls, floors and roof can take as little as a day to erect and can be ready to occupy in just six weeks.

A report in late June from The Telegraph included a quote from Andy Pear – one of the administrators – who said the company had struggled to adapt to rising costs as well as inflationary pressures.

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At the time, the newspaper said it was searching for a buyer as it prepared to appoint the administrators that are now in place.

In its latest accounts on Companies House – for the year to June 30, 2025 – it listed creditors falling within one year of £1,862,792 and debtors of £259,636.

During the same time it had an average of 13 employees a large reduction from the year before when it was at 22.