Business & Technology
Abingdon: ‘Internationally renowned’ classic car company for sale
The company, Classic Citroen International, was established in 2011 as a ‘lifestyle business’ which restores an d sells classic car parts online.
It has been listed for sale to a new owner as the founder intends to retire to Italy, according to the listing.
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Described as a ‘very niche’ business providing parts for classical Citroens, focusing on parts for models from the 1940s to 1990s along with ‘up-and-coming’ models just entering the ‘classic car’ bracket, it has lists of between 1,300 and 1,500 car parts for sale in nine different countries.
The listing said: “The business can be run from anywhere in the UK. The vendor is based in Oxfordshire currently operating from a rented premises with parts storage unit and small yard.
“Over the last few years Classic Citroen International has grown without any serious UK competition to an international supplier gaining many close contacts worldwide especially USA where there is a huge market.
“The business has a big online presence and advertises on nine international sites with full translation done automatically by a third-party company.
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“The company is especially well known in Citroen circles in the USA.
“This is a simple business to run and with some coaching from the vendor any buyer will soon get the knowledge to be able to move forward.”
Included in the business sale are hand tools, the client base and a handover period, with an asking price of £29,950.
Business & Technology
TCL launches art-style A400 Pro TV in UK from GBP £599
TCL has launched the A400 Pro NXTVISION TV in the UK, positioning it as an art-style television with QD-Mini LED display technology.
The model will be available in four sizes, from 43 inches to 75 inches. Prices start at GBP £599 for the 43-inch version and rise to GBP £1,399 for the 75-inch model.
TCL is targeting a part of the TV market that combines home décor with large-screen viewing. The A400 Pro features a light walnut woodgrain frame, a matte HVA panel and a unibody design intended to reduce visible cables and remove the need for an external connection box.
The display uses QD-Mini LED technology, with up to 448 dimming zones depending on screen size. TCL says the set is designed to deliver stronger contrast, brighter highlights and improved colour reproduction than art-style TVs that use simpler lighting systems.
It also includes TCL’s TSR AiPQ processor, which adjusts contrast, colour and motion in real time. The television supports 4K 144Hz refresh rates and up to 288Hz acceleration, targeting sports viewers, gamers, and film and TV audiences.
Audio comes through a built-in ONKYO 2.0 Hi-Fi system with Dolby Atmos and DTS support. TCL says this is intended to provide clear dialogue and surround-style sound without the need for a separate soundbar or speaker setup.
Home focus
The launch comes as TV makers try to appeal to consumers who want screens to blend more easily into living spaces. TCL cites Eurostat data showing that more than 68% of people in the European Union live in owner-occupied homes, a factor it links to growing interest in products that fit interior design choices.
Art Gallery mode lets the screen display curated artwork and AI-generated visuals when the television is not being used for entertainment. Users can also create wallpapers and ambient screen settings, giving the set a dual role as both a display and a decorative object.
A brightness sensor adjusts the picture according to ambient light throughout the day. The matte panel is intended to cut reflections in brighter rooms and help the screen resemble framed artwork when idle.
Market position
TCL tied the launch to its broader position in large-screen and Mini LED televisions. According to Omdia TV Sets Emerging Technology Market Tracker data for the fourth quarter of 2025, TCL ranked first worldwide for Mini LED TV shipments in 2025 with 3.954 million units, equal to a 31.1% market share.
The same dataset showed TCL also ranked first globally in shipments of televisions sized 75 inches and above, with 4.938 million units and a 19.1% market share. The figures underline the company’s focus on larger premium screens as competition in the TV market shifts towards display quality, design and software platforms.
The A400 Pro runs on Google TV, giving users access to streaming services, personalised recommendations and voice control. That places the set within a broader contest among TV manufacturers over software ecosystems as well as hardware features.
In the UK, the A400 Pro will be sold in 43-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch sizes. Prices are GBP £599, GBP £899, GBP £1,099 and GBP £1,399 respectively.
Business & Technology
Historic Blenheim hotel in Cotswolds town up for £1.8m sale
The Blenheim Buttery in Woodstock dates back to 1668 and has been listed for £1.8m by Manor.
The property is currently a four-star guest house and eatery with a 4.3 rating based on over 350 Google Reviews.
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The listing stated: “A rare opportunity to the commercial property market.
“The Blenheim Buttery enjoys a commanding position on Woodstock’s historic Market Square, occupying a beautiful 17th-century Cotswold stone building dating back to 1668.”
The hotel has six ensuite bedrooms, a bed and breakfast licence and a courtyard garden space.
The Blenheim Buttery in Woodstock has been put up for sale (Image: Manor)
The listing continued that the bedrooms are thoughtfully put together retaining the original period features that reflect its heritage and charm.
It added: “Combining character with modern comforts, the business benefits from a strong reputation and established trade, supported by a full bed & breakfast offering and alcohol licence.”
The Blenheim Buttery is two minutes’ walk from Blenheim Palace – the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough and where former Prime Minister Winston Churchill was born.
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The palace was built in the early 18th century for John Churchill, a leading general in the Wars of Spanish Succession.
Before then there was a manor at Woodstock and a royal hunting lodge used by medieval English monarchs.
The listing says the property has “consistent year-round visitor footfall”.
Business & Technology
Parcelhero says High Street closures beat 2030 forecast
Parcelhero has published a new report revisiting its earlier forecast for the future of the UK High Street. It says store closures have already exceeded the level it projected for 2030.
The delivery and retail research firm estimates that 122,682 physical stores have closed since 2016, compared with its earlier forecast that 100,000 would shut between 2016 and 2030.
The new report revisits warnings made in Parcelhero’s 2016 study, which argued that the rise of eCommerce would reshape town centres and wipe out large parts of traditional retail. That earlier work, discussed in Parliament, focused on the likely decline of department stores, fashion chains, bank branches and newsagents.
David Jinks, Head of Consumer Research at Parcelhero and lead author of both reports, said the latest findings suggest the direction of travel has not changed, even if some parts of the High Street have proved more resilient than expected.
“When we released our first study, 2030 seemed a long way off. With just four years remaining, now is the ideal time to see whether our town centres continue to wither on the vine or whether there are green shoots we didn’t foresee 10 years ago.
At first glance, I’m afraid our new report, ‘2030: The High Street Fights Back?’, is far from encouraging reading. That question mark in the title is there for a reason. The first report forecast 100,000 store closures by 2030. As our new report reveals, in some ways the situation is even worse than we feared. Since 2016, an estimated 122,682 physical stores have already closed.”
Big names gone
The report lists a long line of brands that have disappeared from town centres, entered administration or sharply reduced their store estates over the past decade. Among those named are Jaeger, Toys R’ Us, Maplin, Mothercare, Thomas Cook, Debenhams, Beales, Laura Ashley, Harveys Furniture, McColl’s, Paperchase, Homebase, Ted Baker, Oddbins and Lloyds Pharmacy.
It also points to more recent pressure on chains including Claire’s, The Original Factory Shop, Russell & Bromley and Quiz.
Department stores are presented as one of the clearest examples of structural decline. House of Fraser’s store count has fallen from 59 to 23 since Sports Direct bought the business after it entered administration, while Debenhams’ 165 department stores had all closed by mid-2021 following liquidation. Beales, which had 23 stores in 2019, no longer has any.
According to the report, more than 83% of UK department store space has disappeared since 2016.
Fashion retail has also suffered heavy losses. Arcadia Group alone closed more than 200 stores, while household names including LK Bennett, Karen Millen, Jack Wills, Cath Kidston, Oasis, Warehouse, TM Lewin, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons have all entered administration or closed large parts of their estates.
Branches and bookshops
The latest study also tracks the retreat of other traditional High Street staples. Around 6,660 bank branches closed between 2016 and 2025, adding to the long-term decline in branch banking as customers moved online.
Newsagents and stationery retailers have also shrunk. WHSmith sold its High Street stores to Modella Capital, where they were rebranded as TGJones, while Paperchase and McColl’s have vanished from many town centres.
Not every prediction from a decade ago has been borne out. Jinks said bookshops have held up better than expected, with 1,052 independent bookshops still trading despite pressure on physical retail.
“Our new report goes on to feature many other categories where our original predictions were all too true. However, our crystal ball was not infallible. In ‘The Death of the High Street’, we predicted that bookshops were nearing their final chapter. We said, ‘The traditional High Street book store industry is collapsing at 2.3% a year, with just 1,071 retail businesses remaining.’ While there has been a decline, the current number of independent bookshops alone still stands at 1,052. Bookshops have turned over a new leaf.”
Online shift
The report argues that the broad shift to online shopping remains a central force behind changes on the High Street, even though the pandemic-era surge did not continue at the same pace.
Online spending accounted for 14.2% of all retail spending in mid-2016, according to Parcelhero. It peaked at 35.6% in February 2021 during the pandemic before easing back to around 28% of the market. In February 2026, online sales represented 28.2% of total retail spend, the report says.
That leaves open the question of whether Parcelhero’s earlier prediction that online would account for 40% of retail spending by 2030 will be reached.
The report says the pandemic created a short-lived boom that also exposed weaknesses among online-first retailers. It cites setbacks at Ocado, Asos and Boohoo, and notes the disappearance of rapid grocery delivery firms Jiffy, Gorillas and Getir. Missguided also entered administration after expanding too far.
Signs of life
Even so, the report identifies pockets of growth in physical retail. Convenience stores were the fastest-growing category in 2024 as major supermarket groups opened more smaller outlets. Coffee shops and cake shops also recorded net openings.
Jinks said the overall closure figure does not amount to a net loss on the same scale, because retail churn means some openings replace closures. But he added that closures still outnumber openings in important sectors and continue to threaten weaker shopping areas.
“Don’t run away with the idea that eCommerce is on its way out and the High Street will return to its former glory, however. Our latest report reveals that online sales have fallen back since 2021, but they remain significantly higher than in 2016, at around 28% of the entire market. In February 2026, online held 28.2% of total retail spend, for example. The jury is still out on our predicted eCommerce share of 40% by 2030.
So have online’s growing pains been the High Street’s gain? Well, as our new report’s title, ‘2030: The High Street Fights Back?’, hints, there have been some encouraging signs. In 2024, the fastest-growing category was convenience stores, as large supermarket chains accelerated growth in this expanding market by opening increasing numbers of smaller stores. Likewise, coffee shops saw more than one net opening per week, and cake shops also grew in number. So at least part of our High Street looks set to enjoy a sweet future.
While we have lost 122,682 physical stores between 2017 and the end of 2025, that is not a net loss. That number is harder to determine, but it will be lower, as some churn is natural. Even so, as our report highlights, many more shops have closed than opened, especially in key sectors such as department stores. This still threatens the survival of some High Streets and shopping arcades. The High Street may not have reached a dead end by 2030 but, in this new age of retail, it will have arrived at its biggest crossroads.”
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