Pubs are go: Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame shrugs off strikes and inflation in eight per cent revenue rise March 22, 2023 Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame has said consumer spending in the wake of the costs of living crisis has “remained strong” as the group posts strong revenues for the 26 weeks to December 2022. The listed pubs group, which operates around London and the South East, posted revenues of £85.3m up 8.4 per cent from [...]
Elizabeth Line usage soars by 41 per cent as London commuters get around tube and rail strikes March 17, 2023 One in six journeys on Britain’s transport network have been made on the new Elizabeth line, with 62m taken on London’s newest railway between October and December 2022. Out of almost 370m rail passenger journeys across the UK, Crossrail accounted for 41 per cent, according to new figures released by the Office for Rail and [...]
Short haul powers London Gatwick’s return to profit after £830m pandemic loss March 16, 2023 London’s second busiest airport, Gatwick, is “cautiously optimistic” about a full recovery from the pandemic as passenger demand levels reach 70 per cent of pre-covid levels. The West Sussex hub reported 32.8m passengers in 2022 as it announced a £250m investment in the site to reach net zero by 2030. In its annual results this [...]
Coal for Christmas? National Grid to pursue emergency supplies for next winter March 16, 2023 National Grid has been requested by the government to explore the procurement of coal power plants for next winter.
Rail strikes: Hospitality says it has lost £3bn as it becomes ‘collateral damage’ in rail dispute March 16, 2023 London retail and hospitality bodies have said that the sector is “suffering” due to ongoing tube strikes as the disruptions continue to take a large bite out of the sector’s earnings. As Tube and rail strikes grind London to a halt this week, trade body UKHospitality has claimed that pub and restaurant businesses are expected [...]
Klassical a Dream bet to Floor rivals in the Stayers’ March 15, 2023 THERE can’t be many more open Grade Ones than the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (3.30pm), where all 11 runners look to hold something of a chance. It’s a race with many great story lines. FLOORING PORTER, winner of the last two renewals, is looking for the hat-trick, 2019 winner Paisley Park is back for another [...]
Shishkin’s Road to victory might not be straightforward March 15, 2023 THERE is no getting away from the fact that if the real SHISHKIN turns up for this afternoon’s Ryanair Chase (2.50pm), he should make light work of his eight rivals. They say that one swallow doesn’t make a summer and that’s the dilemma facing punters as to whether his blistering return to form at Ascot last time [...]
This looks a Good Time to back Jonny March 15, 2023 THERE aren’t many trickier puzzles to solve during the four days of the Cheltenham Festival than the Pertemps Network Final (2.10pm). The way the qualification system for this race works means you often get horses that we haven’t seen anything like the best of yet this season. And this year’s renewal looks particularly trappy with [...]
Winnie the Pooh Blood and Honey review: No pot of honey March 15, 2023 For characters in classic literature, there is nothing more frightening than the spectre of the Public Domain. After 95 years, admittedly a not unenviable lifetime, works of fiction are no longer protected by copyright, meaning it’s open season for whoever wants to publish, adapt, borrow from or utterly pervert a piece of fiction, no matter [...]
King and Edward to rule the roost in Queen Mother March 14, 2023 THERE might only be seven runners in this year’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30pm), but it’s a race that’s deep in quality. And while we might not have a horse of the calibre of Sprinter Sacre or Moscow Flyer in here, the fact we don’t almost makes it a more intriguing puzzle to solve. The [...]