Majestic Wine raises glass to revenue boost after Naked Wines buy, but braces for store revamps and takeover costs to hit profits June 19, 2016 Majestic Wine, the favoured mass booze retailer of the middle classes, is expected to report a leap in sales tomorrow following its takeover of rival Naked Wines last year. Revenues at the firm are forecast to have risen 41 per cent in the year ending March 2016, from £285.4m to £403.2m, according to analysts at Investec. However, [...]
Major report from the Royal Society for Public Health and the Faculty of Public Health calls for drug decriminalisation in the UK June 16, 2016 Drug reform was put back on the agenda today after a report by two major public health organisations called for the personal use and possession of all illegal drugs to be decriminalised. The study by the Royal Society for Public Health and the Faculty of Public Health criticised the government's drug policies and said the [...]
Kenya considering launching tea futures to stabilise prices June 16, 2016 The world's first tea futures contracts could be launched in Kenya in an attempt to stabilise prices and securitise production. Representatives of the Kenyan tea industry have held talks with INTL FCStone Inc, a financial advisory firm based in New York, about setting up the derivatives, Bloomberg reported. Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of [...]
Latest surge pushes bitcoin price above $750 barrier June 16, 2016 In another bitcoin price rally the cryptocurrency smashed through the $750 (£530) mark during trading today to reach a 2016 high, after falling below $700 on Tuesday. By mid-afternoon (GMT), bitcoin was still trading up 5.8 per cent at more than $736, after hitting a peak of $750.37 at around 11.30am, according to the Bitstamp index. It was the first [...]
London’s drinking hotspots outdid the rest of the UK in May June 16, 2016 Ahead of the annual summer drinking boom London's pubs and bars were buoyed in May, as sales at the capital's drinking holes outpaced the rest of the country. Like-for-like sales at pubs and bars in London were up 3.8 per cent, while the pub and restaurant sector as a whole grew by 0.9 per cent. "With a [...]
Airlines could sit on £112m of flight compensation this summer, as 70 per cent of customers won’t claim back for delays June 16, 2016 UK flyers could lose out on £112m in flight delay compensation this summer, according to new research from comparison website Money.co.uk. Seven in 10 UK travellers are unlikely to claim compensation from their airline this summer for delays to their journeys. However, this could be because consumer believe they will receive just £176 if they make [...]
Revised version of the Pubs Code due in July, but industry is “disappointed” it won’t be backdated to original enforcement date June 15, 2016 A revised version of the Pubs Code is set to come into force in July, but pub organisations are “disappointed” that the government has refused to make the legislation apply retrospectively. The British Pub Confederation has claimed the failure to backdate the Code to its original launch date of 26 May could leave over 400 pub [...]
London Distillery Company and Royal Botanic Gardens team up to launch Kew Organic Gin June 15, 2016 Artisan gin just got a floral makeover, as The London Distillery Company announced a collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens to create Kew Organic Gin. Developed at the company's London-based distillery, the gin will be crafted using "uniquely harvested seasonal flora" from the gardens and a selection of other organic botanicals from around the world. [...]
Coffee has been officially declassified as a cancer-causing substance by a World Health Organization-affiliated body June 15, 2016 Coffee lovers can rejoice today after a World Health Organization and United Nations-affiliated body declared there is not enough proof to link it to cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), concluded coffee can no longer be classified as a potential carcinogen and that there may be evidence that drinking it could actually lower [...]
Bookies are bracing for a £150m betting bonanza on Thursday as Ladies’ Day, Euro 2016, golf and tennis come up alongside Brexit wagers June 15, 2016 UK bookies are bracing themselves for a multimillion pound betting bonanza on Thursday, according to Ladbrokes, as four major sporting events combine with Brexit in a waging spree. Punters all over the country will be able to take their pick from the Euro 2016 England v Wales match, Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot, Andy Murray making his way [...]
