Center Parcs Woburn Forest: For a weekend getaway with the kids, you can’t beat this November 16, 2014 It is 9.30am on a Saturday and the whole family is wobbling through a woodland assault course 25ft feet above ground, hooked into harnesses in case our schoolyard adventure playground skills fail us. Unexpectedly, my husband, who thinks nothing of hopping on sky-high ski lifts, says he is scared of heights, and threatens [...]
Sotheby’s figures beat forecasts as auction house prepares for Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko sales November 10, 2014 Art lovers expectantly awaiting the auction of works by Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko this week have already had an eye-opening surprise from Sotheby’s, the auction house selling the pieces. The auction house’s quarterly figures beat Wall Street forecasts in what is traditionally a quiet quarter for sales. Sales fell 12.7 per cent [...]
Norman Baker quits as Home Office minister November 3, 2014 LIBERAL Democrat Norman Baker has resigned as Home Office minister, saying his experience of working in the Home Office alongside Home Secretary Theresa May was like “walking through mud”. In a resignation letter sent to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, he said that “in the Home Office, the goodwill to work collegiately, to take forward [...]
Selfridges’ record high profits of £150m boosted by international delivery and UK click and collect services November 3, 2014 Selfridges yesterday announced record profit of £150m for last year, boosted by the launch of its international delivery service. The quintessentially English department store chain, which has just revealed its storybook themed window displays for Christmas, said sales were £1.2bn for the year to the end of January, up 10.4 per cent on the previous [...]
Insurers refuse to cover new Range Rovers October 27, 2014 INSURERS are refusing to cover new Range Rovers in London after a spate of thefts of the high-end cars. Underwriters are wary of insuring the models, which cost around £100,000, unless they are parked securely and have tracking devices. Thieves have reportedly cloned keys, or used equipment to tap into the onboard diagnostic systems, to [...]
Denny’s profits lift October 27, 2014 DENNY’S, the US hamburger chain, yesterday reported an 18.7 per cent increase in third-quarter profit. Revenue for the quarter came in at $117m, higher than forecasts of $115.4m. “Given the strength of our results and the solid start to the fourth quarter, we are positioned to produce our highest annual system-wide same-store sales growth since [...]
Huntsman near triples its third quarter profit October 27, 2014 HUNTSMAN yesterday reported third quarter profit almost three times as high as last year, helped by a tax benefit and increased revenues. Peter Huntsman, president and chief of the chemical products manufacturer, said: “We continue to see growing demand for key products such as MDI polyurethanes, amines, maleic, aerospace composites and environmentally friendly textile dyes [...]
Chipotle sales beat forecasts October 20, 2014 MEXICAN food chain Chipotle yesterday reported forecast-beating profit as sales continued to surge. Sales rose 19.8 per cent at restaurants open at least a year for its third quarter. While the US company expects comparable restaurant sales increases in the mid-teens for this year, it forecast that figure will dip to low to mid-single digit [...]
Ukip: We’ll prop up Tories if EU vote is in 2015 October 13, 2014 UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said his party would work with a minority Conservative government if the Tories agreed to a “full free and fair referendum” on Britain’s membership of the European Union soon after the General Election. Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday Politics, Farage said he wanted “the opportunity to get our country back, [...]
Payday lenders: Don’t tar us all with Wonga brush October 5, 2014 The Consumer Finance Association, which represents payday lenders, says all short-term lenders should not be tarred with the same brush. The CFA was responding to suggestions that all lenders may be required to compensate customers. The calls came after online payday lender Wonga was accused of irresponsible lending and was forced to write off more [...]
