Department store chain Beales hoists for sale sign December 17, 2019 Department store chain Beales has put itself up for sale in a bid to secure a sustainable future for the company in a challenging retail environment. The Bournemouth-based company has appointed KPMG to conduct a strategic review of the firm, including assessing a potential sale. Read more: Debenhams strengthens board as department store implements rescue [...]
In a spin: Whirlpool recalls 500,000 washing machines over fire danger December 17, 2019 Half a million Whirlpool washing machines must be recalled from British homes over a fire risk, the company admitted today. A door locking system fault with Whirlpool’s Hotpoint and Indesit branded machines creates a fire risk as a result of overheating, the firm said. Read more: MPs blast Whirlpool over its safety attitude The affected [...]
Dame Vera Lynn wins trademark battle with gin brand December 17, 2019 Dame Vera Lynn has won a trademark battle over the use of her name by an artisanal gin brand. Halewood International applied to trade mark the Second World War singer’s name in June this year, but the 102-year-old entertainer opposed the attempt on the basis that it could appear that she was endorsing the product. [...]
CBI welcomes Prime Minister’s Brexit trade deal deadline December 17, 2019 The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has thrown its support behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to leave the EU with or without a Brexit trade deal come December 2020. Often vocal in its opposition to the government’s stance on a no-deal Brexit, the CBI today welcomed Johnson’s decision to block any further Brexit delay, [...]
Book closes on bargain retailer amid fierce competition December 17, 2019 The Book People, one of the UK’s largest booksellers, has been forced into administration in the run up to Christmas. PwC has been appointed to manage the insolvency process, Sky News reported. Read more: Amazon’s Deliveroo investment raises competition concerns, watchdog finds The accountancy firm was handling an auction for the bookseller, as its private [...]
Boris bans government ministers from Davos December 17, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has banned government ministers from the annual World Economic Forum jamboree in Davos. The Daily Mail’s Jason Groves reports that a Government source told him “Our focus is on delivering for the people, not champagne with billionaires.” The gathering of the business and political elite is seen as the premier networking [...]
Person dies after being hit by train at Harringay station December 17, 2019 A person has died after being hit by a train at Harringay station in north London this morning. In a statement, British Transport Police confirmed that officers were called to the station shortly before 11.50 this morning following reports of a casualty on the tracks. Paramedics were also in attendance, but the person was pronounced [...]
City of London Group plots £50m capital raise for SME bank December 17, 2019 City of London Group is planning a capital raise of up to £50m early next year to develop its new UK small and medium enterprise bank, the company said as it revealed losses widened in the six months to the end of September. The figures The company’s losses widened from £2.35m to £3.34m after it [...]
RMT pledges to fight Tory plans for ‘minimum service’ during strikes December 17, 2019 The boss of the RMT transport union has hit out at government plans to pass legislation to ensure commuters to can get to work during strikes. Responding to the proposed legislation, general secretary Mick Cash said: “It hasn’t taken long for the true colours of this new Tory government to emerge. Read more: South Western [...]
CBI: UK manufacturers end 2019 under a cloud of worry December 17, 2019 The CBI has warned UK manufacturers are set to end the year on a low note. Manufacturing output volumes in the three months to December fell at the quickest rate since the financial crisis as output expanded in only six of 17 sub-sectors, CBI Industrial Trends data revealed today. The survey of 289 manufacturers showed [...]