Never mind the credit crunch. What time’s the match? August 15, 2008 With the Premiership football season due to kick off tomorrow, London’s top-flight clubs appear to be immune to the ravages of the credit crunch, with some hopeful of attracting more fans than ever before. The stars of Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Fulham take to the pitch in the knowledge that fans are [...]
Growth slows for hotelier as guests skimp August 13, 2008 The world’s largest hotelier, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has reported first-half operating profits of $291m (£153m), an increase of 29 per cent – despite slow second quarter growth from its US operations. Reporting in US dollars for the first time, IHG announced an increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) of four per cent, though [...]
Tesco to open wholesaling chain in India August 13, 2008 Supermarket giant Tesco yesterday said it was pushing into India by launching a wholesale cash-and-carry business. At the same time it announced a deal with Indian titan Tata to help it expand its fledgling hypermarket business. Tesco will invest £60m in its wholesale business – which will supply Tata’s chain of food stores, as well [...]
Woolworths chooses DIY chief as boss August 13, 2008 Woolworths, the troubled British retailer, has appointed former head of Focus DIY Steve Johnson as its new chief executive, in an attempt to revive its fortunes. Johnson, 44, takes over from Trevor Bish-Jones, who was ousted in June, and will earn a basic salary of £550,000 a year, as well as a cash bonus of [...]
Warm reception for London’s priciest restaurants despite fears of recession August 6, 2008 A clutch of top-end London restaurants have enjoyed successful openings this summer, despite fears of a protracted economic downturn. In July, against a backdrop of doleful news in the property and financial sectors, Ambassade de L’Ile, with Chef Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex, opened its door to diners in francophone South Kensington, while the eponymous Helene Darroze at [...]
10 Ways to avoid stress August 5, 2008 Relaxing during a busy day need not take up time and money, says Zoe Strimpel There’s a lot of stress out there at the moment, what with holidays being cut short and cancelled, workloads ratcheting up and lunchtimes shrinking even more than normal. You probably need to de-stress, but sometimes popping out a massage or [...]
Water world August 4, 2008 Piedmont is wet, but perfect for the outdoors enthusiast, discovers Katie Hope Every nation has its eccentric national pursuits. The Japanese play pachinko – an addictive cross between pinball and a fruit machine which pays out metal balls; the Dutch eat chips with mayonnaise; the Spanish fight bulls. And in Northern Italy, come the weekend [...]
Next cautious after half year sales fall 6 per cent July 31, 2008 Next, the second largest clothing retailer in the UK, saw sales fall in the first half of the year and said the trend was likely to continue this year. Second quarter sales actually fared better than expected, down 2.4 per cent on the same quarter the previous year, as the warmer summer weather coaxed shoppers [...]
Woolworths profits hit by retail slump July 30, 2008 Sweets-to-DVDs retailer Woolworths issued a profit warning yesterday, blaming a marked downturn in trading conditions, as it scrapped plans to sell out of DVD publisher 2 Entertain, sending its shares to a new low. The 100-year-old group, which last month agreed to part company with chief executive Trevor Bish-Jones, said it planned to rebuild its [...]
Hot Chi Minh July 28, 2008 Foreign investment means tourism is coming to Vietnam’s capital, says Ben Griffiths Intoxicating Ho Chi Minh is the best place to experience the myriad changes taking place in Vietnam, a country on the fast-track to becoming one of the hottest spots in Asia. The downtown area encapsulates all the sights and sounds of Asia juxtaposed [...]