There can be only bubbles for a new arrival October 17, 2011 HEAD SOMMELIER AND MANAGER OF LUTYENS RESTAURANT THIS has been quite a week. I hope that you’ll forgive me if I start by thanking the wonderful staff of St Thomas’ hospital for the birth of my son. A new arrival is an event to celebrate so, with that in mind, I’m going to take a [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS October 17, 2011 ANGELA HARTNETT FEAST NIGHT AT WHITECHAPEL GALLERY DINING ROOM These monthly feasting menus are centred around a theme, and October’s is all about beef. Hartnett has worked with head chef Emma Duggan, ex-Foxtrot Oscar, to create these menus. “We want to create a night of eating for friends and family, with all of the food [...]
Arcadis to buy EC Harris October 17, 2011 Dutch engineering firm Arcadis said it would acquire London-based buildings and infrastructure consultant EC Harris to strengthen its position in project management and expand its presence in the Middle East and Asia. The company, which also cut its outlook for 2011 earnings, has been looking for opportunities away from the struggling Benelux market, looking to [...]
Rio Tinto launches $8bn asset sale October 17, 2011 Global miner Rio Tinto signalled a major retreat from its aluminium business on Monday, putting an estimated $8bn (£5bn) worth of assets up for sale across six countries, only four years after buying aluminium giant Alcan for $38bn. Rio Tinto said it planned to sell 13 assets, including smelters and alumina refineries, in a move [...]
G4S to buy ISS in £5.2bn deal October 17, 2011 Security services firm G4S agreed to buy Danish outsourcing service provider in a deal worth £5.2bn including debt, creating the world’s biggest security and facilities services group. G4S said it would pay £1.53bn to ISS, half in cash and half in shares, and would raise 1.88 billion pounds, net of expenses, to fund the deal [...]
BP and Anadarko in £2.5bn oil clean-up settlement October 17, 2011 Oil giant BP and Anadarko, its partner in the well which caused the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, have agreed a settlement on cleanup costs whereby Andarko will pay BP $4bn (£2.5bn) bill – less than half the amount it may have been forced to pay in court. BP said on Monday that as part [...]
H&M sees sales fall October 17, 2011 Swedish budget fashion group Hennes & Mauritz reported a seven per cent drop in sales at established stores in September, in line with forecasts as weak consumer sentiment dents shoppers’ demand for new autumn wear. Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a drop of 6 percent in like-for-like sales. Estimates for the decline were [...]
Treasury urged to back small banks October 16, 2011 THE Treasury is being urged to consider a radical new scheme that would see it hand government cash to banks so they can lend it to small firms, City A.M. has learned. The plan, which has been raised in meetings between government ministers and bankers, has sparked the interest of Vince Cable (pictured) as well [...]
Mouchel chair quits after just four days October 16, 2011 STRUGGLING infrastructure group Mouchel was plunged into further chaos last night after its interim chairman quit after barely four days in the job. David Sugden resigned after failing to win the backing of Mouchel’s lenders to fill the position permanently. He had only replaced Bo Lerenius on Thursday when the firm warned it could breach [...]
Trichet: Dissenters damage EU progress October 16, 2011 SLOVAKIA and other small countries must never again be allowed to defy the will of the European Commission on crucial financial initiatives, Jean-Claude Trichet, outgoing president of the European Central Bank (ECB), said yesterday, preparing the way for yet another power grab by Brussels bureaucrats. “It is necessary to change the treaty to prevent one [...]
