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Orioles make painful Zach Eflin IL move

The Baltimore Orioles are going through a rough stretch of the season right now as they’re down most of their reliable pitchers, and Zach Eflin was one of the latest to get dealt some bad news, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “The Orioles officially place ace Zach Eflin on the injured list with his […]

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Allu Arjun Net Worth

Allu Arjun is an Indian actor and dancer who has a net worth of $40 million. Allu Arjun works primarily in Telugu cinema. He has starred in numerous hit films, including "Parugu,"

Read more: Allu Arjun Net Worth

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First look at Channel 4’s gritty new thriller starring Dougray Scott set in remote Scots beauty spot

IMAGES from a gritty thriller starring Emmy award-winning Scots actor Dougray Scott have been released.

Summerwater is set to be aired on Channel 4 later this year featuring the star from the detective drama Crime, Shirley Henderson from Bridget Jones and Valene Kane from Blue Lights and Gangs of London.

A couple embraces by a window.
Dougray Scott and Shirley Henderson

The new six-part series is based on the critically acclaimed, best-selling book of the same name by novelist Sarah Moss.

The drama series has recently finished filming in Scotland, with other cast members including Arnas Fedaravičius (The White Lotus, The Last Kingdom), Anna Próchniak (The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Showtrial), Daniel Rigby (Black Mirror, Landscapers) and Gabriel Scott (Masters of the Air, House of The Dragon).

Set against the backdrop of a remote loch-side Scottish holiday cabin park, Summerwater looks at the simmering tensions between holidaymakers that eventually erupt into a devastating climax.

The series weaves together the lives of several families as they navigate unspoken conflicts, private dilemmas, and fleeting moments of beauty from their disparate cabins.

The story flashes back to dramatic events in key characters’ lives before their holiday which may have consequences in the present.

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Beloved high street retailer suddenly shuts its doors for good due to spiralling rents and high costs

AN ICONIC clothing store has closed for good leaving the owner and her loyal customers devastated.

The beloved boutique has faced rising costs lately and didn’t receive any help from the council once it started struggling.

"Sorry, we're closed" sign in a window.
Getty
A popular boutique has been forced to close[/caption]
Paula's Boutique & Art Gallery storefront.
Weheartmerthyr
Paula’s Boutique in Merthyr, Wales, has sold off its remaining stock[/caption]

Paula’s Boutique in Merthyr town centre, Wales, has sold its last garment after six years in service, much to the dismay of gutted shoppers.

Owner Paula Owen had a big sale to get rid of the rest of the stock after announcing the shock closure.

Despite her thinking it would last two weeks, all the items sold out nearly immediately prompting an emotional Facebook video of the proud owner thanking her customers.

In the 3.41-minute long video clip, she said: “The shop is in bits, we’re waiting for people to pick stands and things up.

“We’ve had a massive sale I thought it was last two weeks but it has already sold out.

“We’re shutting the doors indefinitely – there’s nothing left to buy, girls.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your fabulous messages.”

St Tydfil’s shopping centre, where the shop was based, went without a lift and elevator for years and Paula was worried it was impacting the boutique’s trade.

With rent increasing alongside other bills, the store was also facing higher running costs.

Paula flagged her concerns to Merthyr Council but nothing was done.

“It’s just been so hard,” she told WalesOnline, “after all we’ve put into the town.”

“I know things are hard for everyone. I know councils are struggling. But they are spending money on the wrong things.”

The boutique sold a range of women’s clothing, jewellery and accessories.

Shoppers flocked to the store to pick up knits, golden necklaces and two-piece set – but they’ll now have to look elsewhere for their fashion fix.

Paula’s legendary boutique survived the struggle of lockdown and even won the Oceanic Awards for Fashion & Accessories Retailer of the Year, but was unable to sustain rising rent.

Talking about closing the business, she added: “It is heart-wrenching. To think we have built it up.

“It has been an absolutely fabulous business. Through lockdown we kept everybody going.”

After the popular store announced its closure, tributes started to pour in from gutted shoppers and staff said they’d received 30 bouquets in the last few days.

Customers and pals of Paula took to social media to express their disappointment and offer their sympathy for the shop owner.

One disheartened customer said: “Aw Paula this is so sad you can tell how much this has affected you – genuinely the nicest shop with the best welcome in town.

“It’s been a pleasure watching you in the mornings and coming up for a spend with you, look after yourself, lovely lady.”

Another responded: “So sad. Its hard to believe.

“If you can’t survive with a lovely business like that in this town, I don’t know who can.

“You had lovely clothes, regular customers, good location, centre of town.”

A third aggreived shopper shared: “Everytime I open my wardrobe I’m going to think of you.

“Everytime I need something new to wear I’m going to curse Merthyr Council!!

One responded: “So sad for you Paula, the shop was you, and you threw everything into it, your heart and soul every day.”

The Sun has reached out to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council for a comment.

RETAIL PAIN IN 2025

The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.

Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.

A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.

Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.

The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.

It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”

Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.

“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”The beloved budget supermarket will be scrapping 52 cafes and 17 stores in a cost-cutting shake-up.

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PSG vs Aston Villa LIVE: Champions League quarter-final updates as Rashford leads line for Villans with Watkins benched

ASTON VILLA travel to PSG for the first leg of their huge Champions League quarter-final TONIGHT.

Unai Emery spent two seasons in the French capital, but now he leads a Villa side searching for the final four of the Champions League.

Les Parisiens will be tough to stop in their current form, having already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title and knocked Liverpool out in the round of 16.

The headline team news from the Parc des Princes is that Marcus Rashford leads the line for the Villans, while PSG loanee Marco Asensio is on the bench.

  • Kick-off time: 8pm BST
  • TV/live stream: TNT Sports 1 / discovery+
  • PSG team: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Lucas Beraldo, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Joao Neves, Kvaratskhelia, Doue, Dembele
  • Aston Villa team: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Ramsey, Rashford

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Follow Villa’s trip to Paris with our live blog below…

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