Development of symbol stores within the Unitas Wholesale estate has stalled due to the rising cost of raw materials.

The wholesale group’s symbol stores includes the Today’s, Lifestyle Express and Day Today fascias. Speaking to Better Retailing at the firm’s annual tradeshow in Liverpool on 1 October, managing director John Kinney said: “One of the problems coming out of lockdown is a refit which would have cost £30,000 has now gone up. The supply chain issues in convenience are no different to what the construction industry faces. We’re also coming up to pre-Christmas trade and some people have gone back into panic buying.

“Retailers will not want to disrupt their stores. We’ve got a good pipeline of stores, but it will most likely be February until we start to see things move again.”

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