How Gaucho’s boss has turned the once-troubled steakhouse into a success story January 17, 2023 Martin Williams – the man behind M Restaurants – and his partners pulled Gaucho out of administration in 2018. Since then he’s turned the brand into one of the hospitality industry’s shining lights, with profits up and expansion continuing. We ask him how he’s done it. ASK regular restaurant-goers what their biggest bug bear is [...]
FTSE 100 close: London index makes tracks to record high as world elite meet in Davos amid recession fears January 16, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 made more tracks toward its record high today, extending a bullish start to 2023. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.2 per cent to 7,860.08 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, climbed 0.65 per cent to close above the 20,000 [...]
Biscuit lovers help lift Fortnum & Mason’s back from the brink January 16, 2023 Fortnum & Mason has returned to profitability following two successive years of losses. The historic British department store and grocer reported an operating profit of £6.1m on sales of £187m when its year ended on 10 July 2022. This marks a dramatic turnaround from the £2.7m loss the luxury food store posted in its previous [...]
Marks and Spencer shells out £480m as it revamps UK stores in bid to become leading ‘omnichannel’ retailer January 16, 2023 Marks and Spencer (M&S) is to plough nearly £0.5bn into an accelerated UK-wide investment drive which will result in 20 new larger and improved stores across the UK in the next financial year. The retailer also aims to create over 3,400 new jobs whilst providing shoppers with a “seamless” customer experience. M&S said it was [...]
It’s Blue Monday, So Is It Time For A New Job? January 16, 2023 January is such a tough month in so many ways: you probably got paid before Christmas, meaning that your bank balance isn’t looking too healthy right now––and payday is ages away. The weather is dire, those endorphins depleted during the festivities are struggling to retain equilibrium, you’ve broken all your resolutions. The icing on the [...]
The Notebook: Reforming the NHS, how the world got rich, and tax breaks for the over-50s January 16, 2023 The notebook is a place for interesting people to say interesting things. Today, it’s the turn of John O’Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance Reforming the NHS no longer so unsayable? As the NHS endures its annual winter crisis – before it moves into its inevitable summer crisis – thousands of doctors are reportedly [...]
Ocado set to post grocery growth in latest festive update January 15, 2023 Ocado investors will be hoping it becomes the latest retailer to indicate that consumer spending over the key festive quarter was more resilient than many expected. The online retail giant is set to post an increase in grocery sales over the latest period when it updates investors on Tuesday 17 January. The firm’s technology operation [...]
British retailers cheer Christmas sales, but City analysts warn of coming storm January 15, 2023 Britain’s largest retailers kicked off 2023 strongly last week, posting better than expected Christmas sales, signalling the consumer is holding up a bit better than feared. Tesco’s like for like sales were 7.9 per cent higher, while Marks and Spencer pocketed a 7.2 per cent rise. Sainsbury’s also posted record Christmas sales. Those bumper numbers, [...]
More strikes: 100,000 civil servants WILL walk out next month after talks with government dubbed ‘total farce’ January 13, 2023 A strike by 100,000 civil servants is to go ahead next month after talks with the Government aimed at resolving a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions were dubbed a “total farce”. Cabinet Office Minister Jeremy Quin met with union leaders to discuss growing industrial unrest after weeks of stoppages across the country, including [...]
Very: Shoppers splurge on air friers and games consoles, but group sales slide January 13, 2023 Sales at online retailer Very rose 2.2 per cent year-on-year during the busy festive season. Toys, gifts and beauty and home departments were the main beneficiaries of the spending splurge, with sales up 17.7 per cent and 10.2 per cent respectively. Games consoles and Ninja air fryers were the bestselling items during the seven weeks [...]