US startup incubator TechStars moves into Silicon Roundabout February 21, 2013 A COLORADO-BASED firm that nurtures technology startups has made its first move out of the US by launching in London. TechStars will launch a programme designed to help 20 small businesses develop, allowing them €85,000 (£74,000) made up of funding and convertible debt each. The startups will also receive mentoring from successful British technology startups [...]
Tesco voted worst supermarket in survey of 11,000 UK shoppers February 21, 2013 TESCO has been voted the worst of Britain’s nine major supermarkets in a poll carried out by one of the leading consumer groups. More than 11,000 Which? members rated the supermarkets with customer scores based on customer satisfaction and the likelihood they would recommend it to a friend. Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket group, came [...]
Kabel hikes its payout as tries to fend off bid February 21, 2013 VODAFONE takeover target Kabel Deutschland hiked its dividend by two thirds yesterday in a move that may protect the company from a bid. The German cable company, which Vodafone is circling as it attempts to improve its presence in the country, also saw profits double to €200m (£175m), boosted by strong demand for broadband and [...]
Sky splashes out with a deal for Disney movies and new channel February 21, 2013 BSKYB has inked a deal with Disney that will see the Hollywood giant’s films shown on a new channel as well as open up its catalogue of historic films to on-demand viewing. The deal will tighten Sky’s grip on exclusive film rights by giving it first access to new titles such as Iron Man 3 [...]
Carpet maker Axminster on brink of failure February 21, 2013 AXMINSTER Carpets, the historic manufacturer that has woven carpets and rugs for Britain’s stately homes since the eighteenth century, has filed for administration. The Devon-based company, which employs around 400 people, confirmed its intention to appoint Duff & Phelps as administrators. It said it would continue to trade while it explores all potential restructuring operations. [...]
STV shares leap as battle with ITV ends and it returns to profit February 21, 2013 SHARES in Scottish broadcaster STV jumped by more than 10 per cent yesterday as the company posted a rise in profit on improved TV advertising revenues. STV, which runs the terrestrial channels in central Scotland run by ITV in England, posted a surprising improvement in performance during 2012, and said it expects advertising revenues to [...]
Digital revamp takes its toll on Centaur Media as losses widen February 21, 2013 THE PUBLISHER of business magazines Marketing Week and The Lawyer saw its losses more than treble in the six months to the end of last year, owing to restructuring costs. Centaur Media, which also owns market researchers Econsultancy, said exceptional costs associated with recent sales and acquisitions had dragged the company down to a loss [...]
Travis Perkins slams Osborne over economy February 21, 2013 THE GOVERNMENT needs some radical thinking to get the economy moving, the boss of the country’s biggest supplier of building materials, Travis Perkins said yesterday. “The trouble at the moment is that people are thinking of conventional solutions and I’m afraid we’re not in conventional economic times, so we’ve got to think more radically to [...]
Weir in £55m shopping spree as it extends mining footprint February 21, 2013 ENGINEER the Weir Group yesterday said it had snapped up a trio of companies for £55m, as it extends its footprint into mining industries. The FTSE 100 firm has bought the R Wales group of companies in Canada – which makes rubber linings for the processing industries – in a move into the North American [...]
Boeing nears Dreamliner fix February 21, 2013 BOEING is believed to have found a way to fix the batteries on its new 787 Dreamliner, over a month after signs of burning grounded all 50 of the planes in operation. However, transport watchdogs are yet to decide whether and when to allow the planes to fly again.