UK Christmas travellers will fork out £1bn this year, and the cost of holidays is on the rise for 2017 December 14, 2016 More than a million Brits are set to jet off over the Christmas period this year, spending £1.03bn altogether despite holiday prices being on the rise. The average Christmas traveller will spend £757.43, but a quarter will spend between £1,001 and £2,000, research from Direct Line Travel Insurance suggests. The top destinations among travellers this year were Spain (19 per cent), [...]
Prosecco uncorks faster sales growth across Europe than champagne December 13, 2016 Prosecco sales have bubbled up 25 per cent in the UK this year despite champagne's best efforts to keep up. Champagne prices have fallen seven per cent since the European Union referendum in June, but its market value in the UK of €333m (£278m) is dwarfed by prosecco's value of €600m (£502m). Across Europe, champagne still has a [...]
Hollywood Bowl reports striking sales but profit is in the gutter after IPO and Bowlplex acquisition December 13, 2016 Hollywood Bowl announced striking growth breaking through the £100m sales mark in its earnings for the year ended 30 September. The figures The UK's largest 10-pin bowling operator reported revenue increased 23.9 per cent to £106.6m this year from £86m last year. Pre-tax profit was down in the gutter by £2.4m this year to £1.2m due to one-off exceptional costs [...]
Argos drivers are striking on the days before Christmas December 13, 2016 Christmas deliveries are set to be disrupted by Argos drivers, who today announced they will go on strike in the 72 hours up to Christmas over pay disputes, the Unite union said. The drivers, who voted 83 per cent in favour of striking, work for Wincanton based at Argos' flagship national distribution centre. The union said services could be "seriously [...]
M&S chairman Robert Swannell is leaving December 13, 2016 Marks and Spencer's chairman Robert Swannell is retiring in 2017, the company announced this morning. He will continue in his role until a replacement is found. Vindi Banga, senior independent director at M&S, will be leading the search for a new chairman. Swannell said: “A year ago we chose Steve Rowe as our chief executive. Steve [...]
Post Office workers are striking in the run-up to Christmas: Here’s what you need to know December 13, 2016 Post Office workers said they will strike during the run-up to Christmas, but at least 97 per cent of branches will stay open, the Post Office has said. This is the latest in a string of strikes by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) over disputes on planned changes to workers' pensions. When are the strikes? CWU [...]
Consumers are going to spend a record amount on supermarket premium ranges this Christmas December 13, 2016 Consumers have been preparing to taste the difference this Christmas as they stock up on supermarkets' premium own label brands. Data from Kantar Worldpanel showed that during the three months to the end of 4 December, shoppers spent 13 per cent more on brands such as Tesco Finest and Asda Extra Special than they did the year before. Read more: These [...]
Japan’s Asahi will buy AB InBev’s eastern European brands for €7.8bn December 13, 2016 Japan's Asahi has just announced it will buy five of Anheuser-Busch InBev's eastern European beer brands for €7.3bn (£6.1bn). The former SABMiller brands include the Czech Pilsner Urquell, Poland's Tyskie and Hungary's Dreier. AB InBev is working to close the deal as part of its efforts to pass competition regulations after its £79bn takeover of SABMiller. Asahi, on [...]
Post Office workers to strike in week before Christmas, although Royal Mail deliveries said to be unaffected December 12, 2016 Workers at the Post Office have announced that they will strike during the run-up to Christmas. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) says that strike action will commence on Monday 19 December and run through to Christmas Eve in 300 branches around the country. They have so far notified the Post Office, which is run separately [...]
London Southend is flying high as business travelers push private jet usage up 25 per cent December 12, 2016 Business travel is taking off this year as London Southend Airport reported private jet usage was up 25 per cent year on year between March and August. Compared to London's other business jet airports, the Stobart-owned business has the advantages of its convenience and special offerings, said the airport's head of business aviation Hannah Lo Bao. London Southend is located 35 miles from central [...]