Second chance for BHS? An open letter to David Anderson, managing director of the newly online-only retailer September 27, 2016 Dear David Anderson, Whether it’s BHS or Woolworths, we all love a good phoenix from the ashes story, especially when it involves a great British brand. News that BHS is to be reincarnated online has been met with a cautious welcome. Cautious because the challenges ahead are considerable: in addition to the reputational damage the [...]
House of Fraser sales flat as it warns on a volatile trading environment that isn’t going away September 27, 2016 House of Fraser announced sales in the first half of the financial year were unchanged on a year ago, warning that it faces a "volatile trading environment" that is unlikely to change. Home was House of Fraser's strongest category, with sales for the 26 weeks to 30 July increasing by 4.5 per cent. But the House [...]
Boohoo upgrades forecast for the second time this year September 27, 2016 Online fashion retailer Boohoo upgraded its forecasts again today after announcing bumper sales growth and profits for the six months to the end of August. Boohoo upgraded its full-year sales guidance for the second time in two months. At the beginning of August, the online retailer upped its expected sales growth to between 28 per cent [...]
Four things you need to know ahead of tomorrow’s Megabrew vote September 27, 2016 Tomorrow morning, SABMiller shareholders will cast their final votes at a High Court meeting on whether to give the green light to a £79bn takeover from the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev. If the tie-up has escaped your attention so far, rest assured: you need to know about it. To help you catch up, here [...]
Alton Towers owner Merlin just got slapped with a £5m fine for the Smiler rollercoaster crash September 27, 2016 Alton Towers owner Merlin Attractions has been handed a £5m fine over a crash on one of its rollercoasters last year that left five people with serious injuries. Two female passengers were forced to undergo leg amputations and three others were also seriously injured when their carriage collided with a stationary carriage on the same track. [...]
Thomas Cook bookings dip hit by volatility in Turkey September 27, 2016 Travel company Thomas Cook said today that trading for summer 2016 had gone as expected, with strong demand for most destinations – but not for Turkey. Tourist numbers in the country have plummeted as a result of terrorist attacks and political upheaval. Bookings were up by eight per cent when Turkey was excluded, driven by demand [...]
Free from foods set to soar as four in 10 Britons opt for specialised diets, according to Nielsen September 27, 2016 More than 40 per cent of Britons now avoid certain foods and followed specialised eating regimes such as gluten, sugar or hormone-free diets, according to data from Nielsen. Almost half (49 per cent) of people now avoid foods containing antibiotics or hormones, while 45 per cent opt out of eating artificial additives and 42 per [...]
Greater devolution could boost English tourism and encourage more staycations, the Local Government Association has argued September 27, 2016 Greater devolution could help English tourism thrive as it would give local bodies the means to turn their areas into travel hotspots, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said today. Striking more devolution deals to improve regional transport, infrastructure and business support — all key to boosting tourism — could give local groups such as combined [...]
Carnival cruises to highest ever quarterly earnings September 26, 2016 Carnival has cruised its way to its highest ever quarterly earnings and has said it is “well on track” to deliver nearly 25 per cent earnings growth this year. Net income at the Miami-based cruise ship operator reached $1.4bn (£1bn) in the third quarter. Revenues came in at $5.1bn, $0.2bn higher than the same period [...]
New flavours and quirky marketing help popcorn burst in popularity as sales rise 14 per cent to £120m September 26, 2016 Innovations in flavours and marketing, as well as snackers acquiring a taste for healthier treats, have pushed popcorn sales up 14 per cent in the last year. Total UK popcorn sales rose to more than £120m in the 52 weeks to 16 July, according to market intelligence group IRI. Both volume and value sales increased, [...]