A royal wedding and the FA Cup final? It's a UK retailer's dream

Three British institutions: the royal family, football, and the weather. Only one will guarantee that hard-pressed Britons open their wallets.

Retailers would dearly love the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Saturday to lift the national mood in the United Kingdom, and loosen the purse strings. The event could drive an extra £93.1 million ($125.8m) of spending across the UK this month, according to Springboard, which tracks shopper numbers.

There could even be a knock-on effect from any newfound cheeriness and a potential pickup of overseas visitors, which could mean another £102.4m of extra sales through to August.

The ceremony starts at noon UK time. But it doesn’t end there. At 5:15pm Chelsea and Manchester United will play in the the FA Cup final.

The two together could bring along street parties and barbecues. And that means a huge demand for food and drink. The celebratory atmosphere could extend over much of the summer, with the World Cup kicking off on June 14 and running through to the final on July 15.

This could not come at a better time for all kinds of British retailers. After a dismal start to the year, struggling shops need all the help they can get, and if the stars do align for a decent run of sales that could save those that are in really dire straits.

For grocers, fresh meat and salad have a higher margin than packaged food. A beverage to celebrate the happy couple's moment can be good for their earnings too.

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Royal wedding: Prince Harry to marry Meghan Markle - live updates

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It is possible families getting together to watch the wedding might also head out for a meal after, a fillip for the casual dining sector. Pubs, which have been trading more strongly than restaurants, might benefit from the twin events - the government is allowing them to stay open until 1am. on Friday and Saturday night.

And Brits could snap up new outfits to wear to street parties. Next found that was the case in the run-up to the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.

There are of course those special royal wedding products that retailers roll out, including Wm Morrison Supermarkets' copy of the happy couple's lemon and elderflower cake, made in its stores and selling for £7. High street stalwart Marks & Spencer Group will even rebrand itself as Markle & Sparkle for the weekend.

Saturday’s events aren’t always an easy way to make a fast pound, though, and not all companies will dive in. There will be no repeat of B&Q's commemorative garden gnomes. They were produced for the last royal wedding and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, but perhaps this home improvement division of Kingfisher will not have forgotten its experience with the 2014 World Cup, when England-themed gnomes went unsold. Anyway, the novelties might not fit with chief executive Veronique Laury's efforts to streamline the product range.

However, retailers will only see a big benefit if the sun shines. The forecast is for reasonably warm temperatures on Saturday. But if the predictions turn out to be wrong, and the day is colder or wetter than expected, the whole thing could turn out to be rather a damp squib.

Hoping the World Cup will save the day is a tricky one, too. There is not much of a time difference between the UK and Russia, so many of the matches can be aired in the evening. That is good for supermarkets, as those football fans staying in to watch the games have time to get home from work and pop to the supermarket before settling down on the sofa. And do not forget all those flat screen TVs that may be snapped up ahead of time.

These benefits cannot be assured. They hinge significantly on how long England stays in the tournament.

Hard pressed retailers and restaurant chains can wish that all the forthcoming events stimulate spending. But without the right conditions - particularly favourable weather - summer celebrations could turn out to be gnome joke.

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO

Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday

Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?

Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Race card

5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m

6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m

6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m

7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m

8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m

9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m

9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

COMPANY%20PROFILE

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Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn

In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:

Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE

Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:

• Buy second hand stuff

They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.

• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres

Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.

• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.

Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.

• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home

Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.

The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo

Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm

Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km

On sale: December

Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Kumulus Water

Started: 2021

Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid

Based: Tunisia

Sector: Water technology

Number of staff: 22

Investment raised: $4 million

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell