Pets at Home set to beat profit expectations as revenue jumps 10 per cent August 2, 2019 Pets at Home revealed that its revenue had grown by 9.9 per cent to £303.4m for the period 29 March to 18 July in a scheduled trading update released today. Retail revenue was up 8.7 per cent to £266.4m and vet group revenue was up 18.8 per cent to £37m for the period this year, [...]
Mark Carney warns no-deal Brexit shock would be ‘instantaneous’ August 2, 2019 Bank of England governor Mark Carney has hit back at accusations that he is stirring fear about Brexit, warning that the UK would be hit by an “instantaneous” economic shockwave if it cannot strike a deal with the EU. Carney said this morning it is “not helpful” to deny the challenges that a no-deal scenario [...]
A truly radical and pragmatic Prime Minister would let parliament get a cat August 2, 2019 Parliament is infested with vermin. According to an internal report seen by the MailOnline, the Westminster war on mice is being lost, despite £111,498 spent on pest control last year. As political conundrums go, this one has an obvious solution: allow cats on the parliamentary estate. Lots of them. Practical, inexpensive, and ruthlessly effective, this [...]
Royal Bank of Scotland ‘returns from the wilderness’ with £1.7bn dividend August 2, 2019 Royal Bank of Scotland scored a bumper £1.3bn profit for its second quarter, it revealed today, as well as offering a special 12p per share dividend to investors. But it warned that tough economic conditions would hit profitability into 2020, sending its share price down almost five per cent. Read more: Barclays boosts first half [...]
British Airways to fight data breach fine as parent company profits stay flat August 2, 2019 British Airways will “vigorously defend itself” against its £183m fine by authorities for a data breach in which more than 400,000 customers’ information was stolen. The airline this morning said it would use all means at its disposal to avoid the record-breaking penalty. Read more: British Airways owner set for record £183m fine after 2018 [...]
Boris Johnson’s majority cut to one after Liberal Democrats win Brecon and Radnorshire by-election August 2, 2019 The Liberal Democrats have won the seat of Brecon and Radnorshire from the Tories in a by-election, leaving Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s new government with a majority of one. Lib Dem candidate Jane Dodds beat incumbent Conservative Chris Davies by 1,425 votes, overturning a majority of 8,038. Read more: Boris Johnson at odds with Leo [...]
Focus on London Fields: The attractive Hackney suburb buyers don’t want to leave August 2, 2019 Homeowners who bet on London Fields 20 years ago are some of the canniest in the capital. Then, homes in the leafy-for-Hackney neighbourhood were worth 17 per cent more than the London average, according to Hamptons International – but today that has jumped to a huge 52 per cent, translating to £240,000. “Once an unloved [...]
Artificial intelligence could solve Britain’s productivity puzzle August 2, 2019 At a time of technological innovation and low unemployment, why is UK productivity close to 16 per cent behind other advanced economies in the world? Experts disagree on the causes of the UK’s “productivity puzzle” but they, the government, and technology companies like ours agree that artificial intelligence (AI) will form a crucial part of [...]
Property of the week: This West End flat gets you a pass to one of Mayfair’s secret gardens August 2, 2019 Where luxury homes are concerned, Mayfair pretty much has it all. A quick scan of current property listings reveals homes complete with built-in pizza ovens, spa treatment rooms and their own chauffeur-driven Bentleys. There is one area where most of its premium pads fall short, though – access to a garden. Not a roof terrace, [...]
DEBATE: Is it fair to consider ITV’s Love Island the biggest advertising opportunity of 2019? August 2, 2019 Is it fair to consider ITV’s Love Island the biggest advertising opportunity of 2019? Dave Lawrence, planning partner at creative agency Brave, says YES. Whether the show was the “biggest advertising opportunity” depends on what that brand was trying to achieve. While the women’s World Cup earlier this year, for example, had a much larger [...]