Back in black: Bluewater owner Landsec swings to £275m half-year profit November 16, 2021 Bluewater shopping centre owner Land Securities has revealed it swung to a half-year profit as the retail sector bounces back and workers return to offices thanks to the lifting of pandemic restrictions. The group, also known as Landsec, posted a pre-tax profit of £275m for the six months to September 30, against losses of £835m [...]
MusicMagpie hires new chief finance officer following London float November 16, 2021 Recommerce business musicMagpie recruits Matthew Fowler as new executive director and chief financial officer, following Ian Storey’s promotion to chief operating officer at the time of the IPO of the group.
Revolution Bars cuts losses as young people revive bar chain after Covid-19 revenue drop November 16, 2021 Revolution Bars Group’s (Revolution) revenues are being revived by the return of its young customer base, as it looks to recover from a brutal drop in sales. Sales plummeted by nearly two-thirds this year, falling from £110.1m in the previous year to £39.4m. The premium bar chain suffered restrictions or closures every day during its [...]
Future of travel special: Pent-up wanderlust, streaming and, of course, a lot of tech November 16, 2021 After three strict lockdowns, the old adage ‘trip of a lifetime’ has never been more appropriate. Nearly two years into the pandemic, constant reminders of how precious life is have inevitably left their mark, bringing an increased awareness of what really matters, which is quite a motivation for many people to stop putting off that [...]
There will be enough turkeys for Christmas, says British Poultry Council boss November 15, 2021 Though the UK will not face a severe shortage of turkeys this Christmas, choices will be limited, according to the head of the British Poultry Council (BPC). The shortage of the festive bird has been a symptom of the country’s current labour shortage, which has seen fewer retail staff, butchers and meat processing plant workers. [...]
Burger chain Five Guys eyes accelerated expansion after seeing opportunity in pandemic November 15, 2021 “We’re just really early days still,” explains Five Guys’ UK CEO John Eckbert. The US-founded burger chain expects to ramp up its UK expansion plans after the pandemic has opened up real estate opportunities – but dark kitchens would only ever be “temporary.” Alongside Carphone Warehouse founder Sir Charles Dunstone, Eckbert was responsible for launching [...]
Antivaxxers have a new enemy: The Santa from Tesco November 14, 2021 Tesco has become the latest subject to antivax protest, after it included a double vaccinated Santa in its latest Christmas advert. Antivaxxers, those who have been against the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, took to Twitter to protest the advert, which pushed #BoycottTesco to trend on the social media platform. GB News presenter Tonia Buxton tweeted: “#BoycottTesco [...]
All Brits want for Christmas is… gift cards or cold cash November 14, 2021 Gift cards, vouchers or cold cash are the top Christmas presents Brits are hoping to receive this year. More than a quarter (27 per cent) of people chose this option in a YouGov poll, while clothing came second, the choice of 23 per cent. After spending much of last year indoors amid coronavirus restrictions, a [...]
From the Isles of Scilly to Scotland’s Assynt-Coigach: Britain’s most scenic spots revealed November 13, 2021 Cornwall’s Isles of Scilly and north-west Scotland’s Assynt-Coigach are the UK’s favourite scenic destinations, according to a survey. It is the second year in a row that the Isles of Scilly – renowned for their white sandy beaches – were named the top area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. [...]
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas: London switches on world’s largest lights November 13, 2021 More than one million LED lights will deck London’s most well-known Christmas hotspots, including Leicester Square, Mayfair and Piccadilly Circus. A total of 20 streets across the city’s West End all had their lights switched on at the same time by the Lord Mayor of Westminster to mark the beginning of the festive season. Shoppers [...]