Economic green shoots to coax Bank of England into steepest rate rise since independence July 13, 2022 Signs of green shoots in the UK economy will encourage the Bank of England to launch the steepest interest rate hike since it was made independent 25 years ago. Stronger than expected growth in May suggests the economy can absorb higher interest rates without falling into recession, known as a “soft-landing,” according to City analysts. [...]
JD Wetherspoon beer sales lag pre-Covid levels as recovery ‘more laborious than anticipated’ July 13, 2022 JD Wetherspoon has said sales of pints were eight per cent below pre-pandemic trading and it expects to post higher losses this year. While a “boom in pub sales” had been anticipated following the easing lockdown measures, recovery for many venues had been “slower and more laborious than was anticipated,” the budget pub chain said. [...]
Boohoo follows in Zara’s footsteps with return fee for online orders July 12, 2022 Fast fashion retailer Boohoo has introduced a return fee of £1.99, following in the footsteps of Zara. The Manchester-based brand said it had made the decision because costs for retailers, including shipping, have increased considerably over the past few months. A Boohoo group spokesperson told The Mirror: “As the cost of shipping has increased, we’ve [...]
German Doner Kebab owner eyes New York listing as chain swells quickly July 12, 2022 The owner of the German Doner Kebab chain has said it is eyeing floating on the New York stock exchange. Scotland’s Hero Brands, which owns the rapidly expanding kebab chain as well as Island Poké and Choppaluna, is mulling a public listing across the pond. Imran Sayeed, boss of the Glasgow-based business, told Times Enterprise [...]
Former Asos CEO moves upmarket with top job at Matches Fashion July 12, 2022 Ex-Asos boss Nick Beighton is set to take the reins at premium fashion retailer Matchesfashion, it announced on Tuesday. The e-commerce firm had been anticipated to make Beighton’s appointment on Tuesday morning, as it tries to boost its performance, according to a Sky news report on Sunday evening. Matches sells designer labels such as Gucci, [...]
Wagamama owner acquires Mexican restaurant brand Barburrito in £7m swoop July 12, 2022 The owner of Wagamama restaurants has acquired Mexican fast-casual restaurant brand Barburrito for £7m. Announcing the takeover on Tuesday morning, the Restaurant Group said the purchase represented a next 12 months run-rate EBITDA multiple of 4.4x. The London-listed group said Barburrito’s offering was “well aligned with key consumer trends including healthy eating, convenience, customisable cuisine,” [...]
Retail sales tumble to a rate ‘not seen since depths of pandemic’ amid cost of living crisis July 12, 2022 Retail sales volumes are plunging by a rate not seen since the darkest days of Covid lockdowns, as industry voices have warned businesses will struggle amid historic inflation. Total sales dropped by one per cent in June, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG retail sales monitor for the five weeks to 2 [...]
Railway ticket office and platform staff vote to back strike action at Southeastern and Network Rail July 11, 2022 Ticket office and railway platform staff working for Southeastern and Network Rail have voted in favour of industrial action, in ballots by the TSSA union. According to the union, which announced the ballot’s result today, 73.9 per cent of Southeastern members balloted voted in favour of walking out while 85.1 per cent said yes to [...]
Domino’s poaches Just Eat’s finance director for top board role July 11, 2022 Domino’s has appointed a new chief financial officer, poaching Just Eat’s UK and Ireland regional finance director. The pizza chain announced on Monday that Edward Jamieson will join the board of directors in October 2022. Jamieson’s CV includes a four year stint at the food delivery platform, where he helped the UK arm boost revenue [...]
Klarna to unveil $800m fundraising round with backing from Canada’s largest pension fund July 11, 2022 Klarna is set to reveal an $800m fundraising at a valuation below $6bn, it has been reported, with a potential backer including Canada’s biggest pension fund. The fintech giant could announce this week that it has clinched funding from existing and new investors, according to a Sky News report. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board [...]
