English wine is fine: British producers booming despite merciless pandemic hit to hospitality June 11, 2022 The top producers of English wine have seen their turnover increase by another 4.5 per cent last year. Proceeds from British wines went from £24.3m in 2019/20 to £25.4m in 2020/21, despite sales to the hospitality sector being heavily impacted by Covid. Sales to hospitality venues and events organisers such as conferences, awards and weddings [...]
Rebranded and under new ownership: McDonald’s set to relaunch in Russia market this weekend June 10, 2022 This weekend will mark a new dawn for Russian fast-food lovers as former McDonald’s Corp restaurants reopen under new branding and ownership, more than three decades after the arrival of the Western fast-food chain in the world’s largest country. Watch the full video report.
Parkdean Resorts: £1.6bn sale of holiday park giant stalled over slow UK growth concerns June 9, 2022 The UK economy’s slowing growth is reported to have stalled the £1.6bn sale of Parkdean Resorts following a sixth month auction process. The holiday parks operator and its owner Onex Corporation took the decision to call off the move amid concerns about a possible UK recession, and its impact on the staycation market. This week, [...]
On the rocks: Inflation puts pressure on grocers’ relationships with suppliers June 9, 2022 Tensions are escalating between the country’s retailers and their suppliers, according to research on behalf of the independent groceries regulator. Just over a quarter (26 per cent) of suppliers said they had experienced being refused by a retailer to consider a request for a cost price increase or an unreasonable delay in concluding such a [...]
Private healthcare giant Mediclinic rejects £3.4bn offer from consortium June 9, 2022 Private hospital operator Mediclinic has rejected a £3.4bn takeover approach from a consortium including billionaire luxury goods tycoon Johann Rupert. In an update on the London Stock Exchange, the Mediclinic board confirmed that it received an unsolicited and conditional proposal from a consortium on 26 May 2022. The consortium consisted of South African investment firm [...]
London becomes fourth most expensive city in the world: Rent, petrol and cooking oil drive cost of living June 9, 2022 A perfect storm of rising inflation, the war in Ukraine and soaring house prices and rent, have turned London in to a pressure cooker of expense, making it the fourth most costly place to live in the world. London move up one place according to new research about cost of living for expatriates around the [...]
Poundland owner: UK shoppers particularly wounded by higher bills due to stagnant wage growth June 9, 2022 Poundland owner Pepco has said consumers in the UK have been particularly wounded by higher costs of living, impacting spending. Pepco, which also owns discount retailer Dealz, said higher wages in Central and Eastern European markets were significantly offsetting inflationary pressures. However, in the Western European markets, stagnant wage growth had led to shoppers paring [...]
Apollo and Reliance Industries join forces to make binding bid of up to £6bn for chemist Boots June 9, 2022 Private equity firm Apollo and Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries have made a binding bid for high street chemist Boots, it has been reported. According to the Financial Times, the offer values the company at between £5bn and £6bn, two sources familiar with the deal told the newspaper. US owner Walgreens Boots Alliance had been looking [...]
Morrisons’ private equity owner clears final regulatory hurdle for £7bn supermarket sweep June 9, 2022 The competition watchdog has given the green light to Morrisons’ private equity owner, meaning the deal has now cleared regulatory checks. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had provisionally accepted Clayton, Dubilier & Rice’s offer to sell 87 petrol stations in order to address competition concerns. Now, the watchdog said it has accepted the undertakings [...]
DFS reveals deliveries have dipped below expectations as supply chain issues bite June 9, 2022 DFS has revealed its production and deliveries are below expectations in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year.