All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers dealt bloody nose by investors over executive pay March 24, 2021 Mitchells & Butlers, the owner of All Bar One and Toby Carvery, has been dealt a blow by shareholders against executive pay plans and corporate governance. Nearly a fifth of investors – 17.5 per cent – opposed the pub chain’s remuneration policy at today’s annual general meeting. Meanwhile, around a quarter of shareholders opposed the [...]
Competition watchdog set to block £140m Seedrs and Crowdcube merger March 24, 2021 The competition watchdog has provisionally blocked the planned £140m merger between Seedrs and Crowdcube over concerns it would lead to less choice and higher fees. The two crowdfunding platforms announced plans to merge in October, saying the deal would create one of the world’s largest private equity marketplaces. But following an in-depth investigation, the Competition [...]
Burford Capital restores dividend following record year for realised gains March 24, 2021 Burford Capital has restored its dividend to its pre-pandemic level of 12.5 cents per share, and plans to pay out a full dividend in June, despite not paying an interim dividend in December 2020. The litigation founder enjoyed a record year for realised gains. The group saw asset realisations up 72 per cent this year [...]
Bitcoin is a safer option than using a traditional bank March 24, 2021 Banks are unsafe, according to That Martini Guy, and Bitcoin is providing a much safer option than the traditional methods.
Energy firms refusing to supply pubs during pandemic, trade body says March 24, 2021 The pub industry’s trade body has accused energy companies of refusing to supply venues with power – even where they are used as residential buildings. The British Beer & Pub Association today said a number of pubs across the UK had “experienced poor commercial behaviour” from utility firms that have refused to renew contracts or [...]
Tencent confirms talks with regulators amid China tech crackdown March 24, 2021 Tencent has confirmed it is in talks with Chinese antitrust regulators as authorities in Beijing ramp up the pressure on tech firms. President Martin Lau today said the company’s founder Ma Huateng had held a voluntary meeting with antitrust watchdog officials this month to discuss compliance at the company. He said the two sides had [...]
The curious case of Boris Johnson’s popularity after a year of lockdowns March 24, 2021 In 1993, economics Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman published a paper with the enigmatic title “When More Pain Is Preferred to Less”. He and his colleagues conducted two experiments with the same group of people. In the first, the participants had to hold their hand in cold water for a specified time. They had to keep [...]
DIY retailer Wickes forecasts strong sales growth ahead of Travis Perkins demerger March 24, 2021 DIY chain Wickes, which is being demerged from building trade retailer Travis Perkins, today forecast strong full-year sales growth ahead of launching its public listing as a standalone firm. The home improvement sector has performed well during the pandemic as Britons have spent more time at home, have had fewer leisure options and have travelled [...]
Boris Johnson accused of asking for a ‘blank cheque’ to restrict freedoms to September March 24, 2021 Boris Johnson has been accused of asking for a “blank cheque” to restrict freedoms as the government prepares to extend emergency Covid powers until September. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey today told MPs today that the Prime Minister was “pushing a bill that will restrict one of our most fundamental freedoms” – the right [...]
John Lewis to permanently close eight stores, putting 1,465 jobs at risk March 24, 2021 John Lewis has announced it will not reopen eight stores after lockdown restrictions are eased, putting almost 1,500 jobs at risk. The retailer said the four department stores and four “At Home” branches are in locations that “can’t sustain a large store”, and will be permanently closed. It will enter into consultation with the 1,465 [...]
