French Connection founder Stephen Marks could sell 42 per cent stake, company confirms October 8, 2018 The founder of French Connection is looking to sell, 46 years after creating the fashion brand, the company has confirmed. Stephen Marks is looking to offload his 42 per cent shareholding and has started approaching potential buyers. The company said it is “currently reviewing all strategic options in order to deliver maximum value for its [...]
Club 18-30: Sun sets on booze-fuelled party holidays as millennials look for social media friendly trips October 8, 2018 Club 18-30, the travel brand promising sun, sea and sex to teenagers going abroad without their parents for the first time, will close down at the end of the month after losing ground with millennials. Thomas Cook, which bought Club 18-30 in 1998, decided to end the brand after failing to sell it over the [...]
Pret a Manger supplier hits back at claims its products killed a second allergic customer at sandwich shop in 2017 October 8, 2018 A Pret a Manger supplier has hit back at claims that its yoghurt killed an allergic customer. Pret a Manger says a supposedly dairy-free yoghurt from supplier Coyo contained traces of a dairy protein, causing the death of a customer in its Bath store on 27 December last year. It is the second recent death [...]
Smiths Group boosts its heating and ventilation arm with deal for US-based Airbus supplier October 4, 2018 Smiths Group will buy US engineering firm United Flexible to boost its heating and ventilation arm, the company said Thursday. The deal values the Airbus supplier at $345m (£265m), which the British engineering group will pay through a mix of cash and bank loans. Read more: The clock’s ticking for Smiths to shape its destiny [...]
Travelodge targets conferences centre attendees in £100m push to open new business-friendly hotels across the UK October 4, 2018 Travelodge is set to invest £100m in establishing new hotels aimed at the UK’s growing conference sector. The budget hotel chain said it would add 10 hotels close to conference centres to its portfolio. Read more: EU to decide on Radisson hotels sale to Jin Jiang in November It is targeting three locations in London and [...]
Teenagers charged with manipulating financial markets using social media October 4, 2018 Two young men have been charged with distorting the markets on social media while they were teenagers at a Swedish high school. The pair are alleged to have bought shares in companies listed on alternative exchange Aktietorget before posting positive messages on investor chatrooms to manipulate the prices. They would then quickly sell when the share [...]
Damien Hirst refits his new £40m Soho headquarters, set to open early next year October 4, 2018 Artist Damien Hirst has a “blank canvas” to rework his new £40m building in the heart of London’s Soho. Hirst’s new flagship studio and art complex is expected to go through a major overhaul to match his needs and vision before opening in the early part of next year. The second floor of the new [...]
The world’s first hyperloop train has been revealed and is due to launch next year October 3, 2018 The world’s first hyperloop capsule which promises to zip passengers around at airplane speeds has been revealed in Spain. The capsule, produced by HyperloopTT, will hold up to 40 passengers when it becomes operational in 2019. The system uses a system of frictionless magnetic cushions to propel capsules along underground low-pressure tubes at speeds of [...]
Brewdog raises £23m in latest crowdfunding round, falling short of its upper £50m target October 3, 2018 Brewdog will finish its fifth fundraiser having smashed its initial target, but fallen short of the company’s £50m upper limit. The crowdfunding round will close on 15 October having so far raised £23m, breaking the company’s previous record £19m fundraiser in 2016. Read more: Brewdog temporarily takes down parody porn site after backlash The brewery had [...]
Blackstone challenges Bloomberg with deal for $20bn Thomson Reuters arm October 2, 2018 Private equity giant Blackstone has completed its biggest investment since the 2008 financial crisis by taking over Thomson Reuters' financial and risk unit. The deal, which values the business at around $20bn (£15.5bn), sees the Blackstone-led consortium of private equity funds take a 55 per cent stake. Thomson Reuters keeps 45 per cent of the business, [...]
