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SUPERMARKET chain Iceland is closing two stores starting in days as shoppers share their devastation.

The frozen food specialist is shutting a location in Margate on the Kent coast on June 21.

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Iceland is closing two stores starting in days[/caption]

Meanwhile, a further branch will close for good in Inverness, Scotland, on July 12.

The retailer said in a statement that staff at both sites have been offered roles at surrounding stores “where possible”.

But news of the closures has still been met with heartbreak from locals and shoppers.

One, posting on Facebook about the Margate closure, said: “Margate is losing everything bit by bit.”

Another added: “Can the town centre get any worse with empty buildings.”

Commenting on the Inverness branch shutting, one shopper said: “Very sad to hear this news.”

Another chipped in: “I’m so gutted.”

The closure of the Inverness branch means there will no longer be any Iceland stores in the Scottish city.

The nearest Iceland store will be in Aberdeen while there is a Food Warehouse, run by Iceland, in Inverness’s Telford Street.

It’s not the first store closure made by Iceland in the past few months.

It pulled down the shutters permanently on its site in Welling at the start of the year.

A site in Borehamwood and another in Exeter permanently shut around the same time.

The latest closures means Iceland has shut more than 20 stores since the start of 2023.

It’s worth bearing in mind retailers often shut branches in underperforming areas and open them where they think they’ll get more footfall and sales.

For example, it’s not all bad new for Iceland as in 2024 it announced plans to open more of its Food Warehouse format stores across the UK.

Food Warehouse stores, run by the Iceland Foods Group, are generally larger than Iceland shops and usually found in retail parks.

OTHER RETAIL CLOSURES

The retail sector has struggled in recent years due to the onset of online shopping and lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic.

Higher inflation since 2022 has also hit shoppers’ budgets while businesses have struggled with higher wage, tax and energy costs.

The Centre for Retail Research has described the sector as going through a “permacrisis” since the 2008 financial crash.

Figures from the Centre also show 34 retail companies operating multiple stores stopped trading in 2024, leading to the closure of 7,537 shops.

This was the highest number of stores affected in a calendar year since the Centre started collecting this data in 2007.

On top of these more than 7,500 stores, over 11,000 independent shops closed in 2024.

This is in addition to almost 7,800 independent stores that closed in 2023.

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PINRANG, PAREPOS.CO.ID– Sebanyak 367 jemaah haji asal Kabupaten Pinrang, Sulawesi Selatan, tiba di kampung halaman...

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ISRAEL has launched strikes against Iran in a dramatic escalation risking all-out war in the Middle East.

Explosions rung out and plumes of smoke rose above the capital Tehran after a volley of “preemptive strikes” as part of Operation Rising Lion.

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Smoke rises above Tehran after an attack by Israel[/caption]

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Explosions rung out and plumes of smoke rose above the capital[/caption]

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Israel claims the attack targeted nuclear and military sites[/caption]

The attack comes after tensions flared following Iran’s advancing nuclear programme, with Donald Trump warning of a “massive conflict” between the enemy nations.

Iran has been stockpiling uranium and it is feared they are close to having enough weapons-grade fusion material for as many as 15 nuclear bombs.

The US has already declared it had no involvement in the strikes, which Israel claimed targeted nuclear and military sites.

Fearing a reprisal, Israel has already declared a “special state of emergency”, closing schools and public gatherings and sounding air-raid sirens.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said: “Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.”

The orders have been imposed across the entire state, with emergency messages sent to mobile phones ordering Israelis to stay close to shelters and limit movement in open areas.

Speaking after the blitz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a “decisive moment in Israel’s history”.

On Thursday, the UN’s nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency censured Iran for failing to work with its inspectors.

Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as “extremist” and blamed Israeli influence.

Trump, whose administration is in talks with Iran in a bid to hammer out a deal over its nuclear programme, said he had urged ally Israel to hold off as he stressed his commitment to a diplomatic solution.

“I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if an Israeli attack loomed.

Trump said he believed a “pretty good” deal on Iran’s nuclear program was “fairly close,” but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.

The US has already pulled some diplomats from Tehran and offered evacuations for troops and families stationed in the Middle East.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

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One of the best Yakuza games is remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2 with new content and features, but is it worth the inflated price tag? 

A BELOVED cafe that served customers classic English breakfasts for nine years has been forced to close due to the cost of living.

The owner said it is “impossible to carry on” in the current climate.

Traditional cafe Deb’s Diner in Birmingham posted the sad update on Facebook.

“It is with great sadness that Deb’s Diner has closed it doors for the very last time.

“Due to ill health and the current cost of living crisis, it has become impossible to carry on so we have decided not to renew our lease.

“We would like to thank all of our customers for their continued support over the last nine years, it’s been a wonderful journey.”

Customers commented to express their sadness and to send best wishes.

It comes after the Chancellor’s hike to national insurance contributions and minimum wage for firms kicked in at the start of April.

The NI rise has hit investment, recruitment and prices.

Businesses were dealt the £25 billion ‘Jobs tax’ raid at the Budget with the increased contributions as confidence among entrepreneurs taking a hit.

From April 6, businesses  have to pay a higher rate of employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) of 15% from 13.8%.

The threshold at which they are paid is also being lowered from £9,100 to £5,000.

The Government confirmed it was making the changes in its Autumn Budget last October in a bid to increase revenue.

It also said the move meant it wasn’t increasing taxes for working people.

However, it will have an impact on shoppers and everyday consumers as businesses look to pass on the additional costs.

Figures show that almost a third of businesses affected by the hike are planning to cut jobs or freeze hiring.

It comes on the back of 160,000 part-time retail jobs are on the cusp of going in the next two years due to a rise in Labour costs.

Alamy

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, after presenting her Spending Review[/caption]

CHILLING new audio reveals the moment OceanGate’s founder fired the company’s operations director who voiced safety concerns about the ill-fated Titan sub.

The audio clip was obtained by Netflix and has been used in its documentary Titan: The OceanGate Disaster.

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The vessel imploded during a June 2023 expedition that initially prompted a major rescue operation[/caption]

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Stockton Rush would go on to be one of the victims of the Titan disaster[/caption]

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Lochridge had branded the Titan submersible as being ‘unsafe’[/caption]

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Lochridge would go on to inform the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of Titan’s safety issues after he was fired[/caption]

American businessman Stockton Rush, who would go on to be one of the victims of the Titan disaster, can be heard David Lochridge in the clip.

Lochridge had raised concerns around the safety of the submersible ahead of its doomed voyage.

Rush tells him: “I don’t want anybody in this company who is uncomfortable with what we are doing. 

“We’re doing weird s*** here. I’m definitely out of the mold, I am doing things that are completely non-standard.

“I’m sure the industry thinks I’m a f****** idiot.

“That’s fine, they’ve been doing that for years. And I’m going to continue on the way I am doing.”

A woman can be heard saying: “We need David on this crew, in my opinion we need him here.”

Lochridge says Rush’s remarks left him “a tad let down” and “pretty gutted”. 

 “This is the first time on paper I’ve ever put any health and safety concerns,” he adds.

“You know every expedition we have had, we’ve had issues.”

Rush concedes the point, and Lochridge asks him: “Do you now want to let me go?”

But Rush bluntly replies: “I don’t see we have a choice.”

Rush would later die on board the Titan alongside Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood and Paul-Henri Nargeolet.  

The vessel imploded during a June 2023 expedition that initially prompted a major rescue operation.

But the discovery of a piece debris in the North Atlantic dashed any hopes of a successful rescue mission.

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Despite warnings from experts and former OceanGate staff, Titan continued to make dives[/caption]

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Remains of the Titan submersible[/caption]

BBC

Stockton Rush wearing life jacket and hard hat[/caption]

Speaking to filmmakers, Lochridge said: “To me it was just sheer arrogance.

“I didn’t know what to say, but I was blown away that at this point they were willing to play Russian roulette.”

Lochridge was fired back in 2018 after he had worked at the firm for three years.

He would go on to inform the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of Titan’s safety issues after he was fired.

He reportedly got a settlement and release agreement from OceanGate’s lawyers after flagging these concerns with OSHA.

It wasn’t first time concerns had been raised about Rush’s approach to safety.

Karl Stanley, a veteran submersible expert and longtime friend of Rush, told author Matthew Gavin Frank: “Rush’s ego was so big, he was willing to die and kill to be pivotal to the character of this story.

“He wanted to go [die] at the wreck [of the Titanic].

“The more high-profile, the better. He didn’t just murder four wealthy people and get paid a cool mill to do it — they are all part of the Titanic mythology now.”

Anker PowerCore 10000 power banks have been recalled after 19 reports of fires and explosions.

The Friday letters page looks forward to the Silent Hill 1 remake, as a reader gets a tip for how to play 3-lap races in Mario Kart World.

SHOPPERS looking for a new television may want to think twice before trusting the discounts advertised by some of the UK’s biggest retailers.

An investigation by consumer champion Which? has revealed questionable pricing practices at Currys, Very, and other major sellers, potentially misleading customers into believing they are getting better deals than they actually are.

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Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: “Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing – not smoke and mirrors.”[/caption]

Which? analysed over 1,600 television deals across five retailers.

More than half (56%) of the “was” prices used in promotions were not the most recent prices charged before the discount. 

Which? said this tactic can create the illusion of massive savings when, in reality, the higher price may not have been charged for months – or was only briefly in place.

Plus, four in 10 TVs (40%) had a “was” price that was only in effect for less time than the discounted price.

And a third of all the TVs reviewed (33%) were doubly misleading, with both intervening prices and promotional periods longer than the higher “was” price.

Which? said the findings are concerning because UK consumer protection guidance states that a “was” price must represent the genuine price immediately prior to the discount.

Retailers that dodge these rules risk enforcement action from authorities such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: “Shoppers deserve clear, honest pricing – not smoke and mirrors.

“If retailers are using dodgy was/now discounts to create the illusion of a bargain then we expect the competition regulator to take enforcement action.

“Anyone in the market for a new TV or any other expensive purchase should take any such discounts with a pinch of salt and check price tracking sites like CamelCamelCamel or Price Runner to ensure they are getting a genuine deal before making a decision.”

Which retailers were the worst offenders?

Very emerged as the worst offender in the Which? investigation.

Of the 399 TV deals reviewed, nearly nine in 10 (87%) used “was” prices that were not the most recent, and over half (53%) had higher prices that were in place for less time than the promotional price.

For example, the LG OLED65B46LA 65-inch TV was advertised with a “was” price of £2,499 and a “now” price of £1,499.

However, the £2,499 price hadn’t been charged for five months and had been replaced by seven lower price points during that time.

Currys also came under fire, with three-quarters (75%) of its 608 TV deals featuring outdated “was” prices.

Plus, it had the highest rate (68%) of TVs where the higher price applied for a shorter time than the discounted price.

An example includes the LG UT73 50-inch TV, which had a “was” price of £399.99 and a “now” price of £299.99.

The higher price had only been in place for 25 days, compared to 207 days at the lower price.

What about other retailers?

While AO was also found to use intervening prices in a third (33%) of its deals, it provides transparency by publishing the dates of its “was” prices and acknowledging that lower prices may have applied.

This makes AO’s deals less likely to mislead shoppers, Which? said.

Argos performed the best, with nearly all of its “was” prices reflecting the price immediately before the promotion, offering customers a more accurate picture of potential savings.

Amazon’s pricing practices were also reviewed, but the retailer uses a different approach.

Its “was” prices reflect the median price paid by customers over the past 90 days, excluding promotional offers.

While this is a distinct method, Which? has concerns that it could still confuse shoppers and make discounts appear larger than they are.

Which? also revealed earlier this week that Sports Direct shoppers are being misled by deceptive pricing tactics, creating the illusion of bargain deals.

TEMPLEGATE tackles Friday’s racing confident of building the bank for Royal Ascot.

Back a horse by clicking their odds below.

BURRITO (4.10 York, nap)

Having missed his two-year-old season, this Gosden-trained son of Lope De Vega showed bundles of promise when winning on debut at Newmarket this time last year. He then went close at Chester in September before being gelded over the winter. He looked a bigger and stronger prospect when returning at Newbury 28 days ago. The four-year-old absolutely tanked along and was value for a fair bit more than the official margin of half a length. Unfortunately the handicapper was paying attention but a 10lb rise in the weights is fair enough.

MISS JUSTICE (3.15 Sandown, nb)

Will relish this longer trip under William Buick after an excellent second at Wolverhampton last time. She makes her handicap debut off the same mark and can give the Gosdens another winner.

TOPTEAM (3.25 Chester, treble)

Enjoyed himself over this course and distance 13 days ago when scooting in by more than three lengths. This race looks little tougher and he can take another step forward for Andrew Balding.

Templegate’s tips

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A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.