The Crime Lord: Peter Capaldi on the manosphere, London and rocking out with his band as he approaches 70
Rail strikes: Pubs and bars breathe sigh of relief – but walkouts are still planned March 21, 2023 London’s hospitality sector has welcomed RMT trade members’ vote to accept a pay offer from Network Rail, after the strikes and disruptions cost restaurant and pub business up to £3bn. Kate Nicholls, chief executive at UKHospitality, described the decision as “encouraging news” for hospitality businesses. She said: “There’s plenty still to be done, of course, [...]
Morrisons slashes prices AGAIN as supermarket attempts to woo Aldi and Lidl shoppers back to its aisles March 20, 2023 Morrisons is slashing prices for the third time in three months as it attempts to drag shoppers back from value retailers including Aldi and Lidl. The supermarket said it was cutting the prices of 460 items such as beef mince, cleaning products and fruit, in a move that followed on from a round of price [...]
Luxury Lodges: Why invest in the UK’s finest holiday homes March 20, 2023 | Sponsored The City has many charms – from the camaraderie of your colleagues to the historic restaurants and architecture. But creating a home away from home, away from the hustle and bustle of the Square Mile, can give you a peaceful bolthole whenever you need it without the hassle of finding a villa or gambling on [...]
Have Brits fallen out of love with DIY? B&Q and rival Wickes eye lower profits after costs soar and demand dwindles March 20, 2023 B&Q owner Kingfisher and rival Wickes are set to reveal falls in profits over the past year as surging costs dampen the outlook for the home improvements market. Kingfisher, which runs B&Q and Screwfix, has previously indicated its sales and profits have weakened over the past year, as it also saw DIY demand from locked-down [...]
American candy stores or retail hub? What might be next for Oxford Street March 19, 2023 It has been three years since the UK was plunged into its first-ever full scale lockdown – forcing the majority of stores in London’s West End to temporarily cease trading and arguably altering the state of physical retail forever. The pandemic forced once seemingly indestructible retailers such as Debenhams, Topshop, and Gap off Oxford Street, [...]
American candy stores: Calls for ‘stronger’ laws and business rate reform to clamp down on shops which blight Oxford Street March 17, 2023 Westminster City Council has called for a “stronger” economic crime bill and reform of business rates to officially bring a halt to American candy and souvenir stores which continue to litter Oxford Street. “We are dealing here with a sophisticated operation which is skilled at exploiting UK legal loopholes,” Cllr Adam Hug, leader of Westminster [...]
Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold dies aged 62 March 17, 2023 Jacqueline Gold the boss of lingerie brand Ann Summers has died aged 62, her family has said. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to the businesswoman who passed away on Thursday evening following a seven-year battle with cancer. She was heralded as a “brilliant retailer and champion of champion of women in business”, as her family [...]
Brexit: Hospitality sector slams Government’s decision to exclude overseas restaurant and bar workers in shortage occupancy lists March 17, 2023 Hospitality figures have described the government’s decision to not include overseas restaurant and bar workers in its shortage occupation list as “disappointing” as the sector claims that ongoing labour shortages are “crippling” businesses. “Ongoing labour shortages are crippling hospitality businesses, forcing them to reduce their hours and costing the industry billions in lost trade,” Kate [...]
Explainer: Why Waitrose is no longer the jewel in the John Lewis crown and how the group’s future may lie in property, not produce March 17, 2023 Times are tough for John Lewis as chair Sharon White admitted when the high street stalwart this week announced it had made a £234m loss in 2022. The sum was worse than market expectations and marked the second year the upmarket retailer had gone into the red. In a sympathetic letter addressed to the company’s [...]
John Lewis blames ‘pain of inflation’ for £234m loss and admits it will not be paying partner bonuses March 16, 2023 John Lewis Partnership has blamed shoppers feeling the “pain of inflation” and a write down in the value of its Waitrose stores for its second year of losses in a row. For the year ending January, the middle class favourite, which owns John Lewis department stores and grocery chain Waitrose, posted a loss of £234m [...]