Hotel Chocolat in the red amid ‘challenging’ current trading landscape December 1, 2022 Chocolate maker Hotel Chocolat has posted a £9.4m loss but said “people are still treating themselves with affordable luxury” despite a cost of living crisis. Its full-year results came in contrast to the previous year’s, where the London-listed firm posted a £3.7m profit after tax. “It goes without saying that the current environment is challenging [...]
Our anxiety of talking about money is hampering our philanthropic efforts December 1, 2022 You don’t make the poor richer by making the rich poorer is a sixth form thought-starter to stimulate debate about the benefits, or otherwise, of inequality. Unarguably though, some of London’s rich are enthusiastically making themselves poorer by giving their wealth to good causes. It’s obvious that the UK has issues that aren’t being solved [...]
Let’s be honest, MPs should be allowed to expense Christmas parties for staff December 1, 2022 It has been a gruelling year for politicians. From partygate to the cost of living crisis, toxicity about Members of Parliament is on its way up. A YouGov poll earlier this month found that over two-thirds of Brits believe that politicians are “merely out for themselves”. This is an increase of 9 percentage points in [...]
10,000 ambulance workers vote to strike before Christmas November 30, 2022 10,000 ambulance workers have voted to strike before Christmas. Emergency workers in the GMB Union will walk out before the end of the year, with representatives across nine services to meet and decide dates. This comes as the cost of living crisis continues to pile pressure on people’s finances, with the NHS struggling to attract [...]
Winter of discontent: Platform staff join rail workers with more strikes in December November 30, 2022 Station platform workers have piled on more pressure to the British public before Christmas announcing a series of strike days in mid-December. Members of the TSSA union will join railway colleagues on the picket line as part of a long-standing dispute over salaries and jobs. Avanti West Coast workers will walk out on 13, 14, [...]
Eurostar security staff to join railway workers in pre-Christmas strike November 30, 2022 Eurostar’s passengers might need to brace for disruption over the Christmas period, as security staff contracted by facility manager Mitie have announced a strike for mid-December. Over 100 members of the union RMT are set to walk out on 16, 18, 22, 23 December as part of an ongoing dispute over salaries. This will severely [...]
Fabulous Christmas cheese and wine to stun dinner party guests November 30, 2022 How to perfect your Christmas cheese and wine servings this year Flavour is fine, but when selecting items for a cheeseboard, the key is to think about weight, texture, and intensity. A creamy bloom cheese such as a brie or camembert, for instance, is perfectly paired with the effervescent bubbles and acidity of a champagne [...]
City grinds to a halt as Just Stop Oil’s slow walk protest comes to Square Mile November 30, 2022 Just Stop Oil brought Square Mile traffic to a halt on Wednesday by slowly walking through the street. The environmental group’s tactic is designed to cause maximum disruption in protest of the government pursuing new oil and has licenses. The City of London Police tweeted earlier this morning, that: “We’re aware of a slow-walking protest [...]
City bosses more Santa than Scrooge this Christmas as it rains parties, presents and bonuses in London November 30, 2022 Despite economic difficulties, London bosses are still planning to give their staff Christmas parties, presents, or bonuses. London employers appear to be going bigger on bonuses, with 56 per cent of London staff expecting a Christmas bonus, compared with just 23 per cent of those in both the South East and South West, and only [...]
Royal Mail boss pushes back against claims union members intimidated during strike days November 30, 2022 Royal Mail chief Simon Thompson pushes back against claims that union members are being intimidated as strike action continues today. Speaking on Sky News this morning, the delivery boss said: “On strike action days we’ve seen some extraordinary behaviours,” including allegations of sexism, racism and threats of violence. Thompson said it is not something Royal [...]