Wilko reviewing management of financing ahead of vital Christmas season November 20, 2022 Discounter Wilko has said it has a strong relationship with lenders, amid newspaper reports that it is urgently attempting to secure a £30m cash injection. The high street chain was reported to be in emergency talks with alternative lenders over rescue cash, off the back of a dramatic leap in interest rates, according to The [...]
Spirited is a flawed but entertaining riff on A Christmas Carol November 18, 2022 Another year, another twist on the Scrooge formula. Apple’s Spirited is one of two films loosely based on A Christmas Carol (Netflix’s musical version arrives in December), but few others could offer a more compelling duo of leads. The yuletide fable imagines that Dickens’ ghostly visitations are not only real, but a yearly occurrence run [...]
Posties to walk out over Christmas season in new Royal Mail strike dates November 17, 2022 Posties are set to strike on six days next month, including on Christmas Eve, in a fresh wave of industrial action. Workers at the Royal Mail will take action on six days between 9 and 24 December, in addition to the four days of strikes already called. The Communication Workers Union announced the new dates [...]
Fuller’s boosted by commuters returning to London as gov offers ‘close to zero support’ for pubs November 17, 2022 The government has not issued any “meaningful support” for the pub sector, the boss of Fuller, Smith & Turner, told CityA.M., following the autumn budget. Although the country now had a “very strong” Prime Minister and “very solid” Chancellor in place, the pub sector had been offered “close to zero support” amid a worsening economic [...]
Burberry tops expectations as luxury consumers continue to flock November 17, 2022 Burberry smashes expectations, as the luxury brand appears to dodge cost of living concerns in Europe and weathers the ongoing pandemic-related restrictions in its largest market, China. Group revenues climbed by 11 per cent to £1.35bn in the half year, beating projections of £1.32bn, while operating profit increased 27 per cent to £263m from the [...]
La Clique Leicester Square review: Camp cabaret is essential for Christmas November 16, 2022 Leicester Square is probably number one on the list of places Londoners avoid at all costs, but during Christmas there’s a surprisingly decent market there that’s atmospheric enough to justify breaking our avoidance pacts. The centrepiece of it is the Spiegeltent, an in-the-round theatre space hosting La Clique, which has become the Christmas cabaret tipple [...]
Beaverbrooks: We don’t expect government to solve all of firms’ problems November 16, 2022 A wedding “catch-up” boom post-pandemic has driven momentum for jeweller Beaverbrooks, its top boss told CityA.M. After the Covid-19 lockdowns saw many couples put plans to get hitched on hold, the easing of restrictions has seen a boom in plans for nuptials, driving ring sales, Anna Blackburn said. The pandemic spurred some couples to get [...]
Demand for corporate Christmas parties through the roof as offices ‘make up’ for Covid November 16, 2022 Work Christmas do’s are back with a bang this year, as City bar and pub chains report strong bookings. Publicans are excited about the industry’s first full Christmas trading season in three years, void of Covid-9 restrictions. Although consumers are caught in the teeth of what’s set to be a protracted recession, Young’s boss, Simon [...]
Exclusive: Shopify boss banks on big Black Friday as ‘last cheat meal’ before 2023 hiatus November 16, 2022 Shopify’s European chief says that despite the cost of living crisis, Brits are still planning to spend big this Black Friday, calling it the “last cheat meal before you start a really big diet”. In new data released today, the commerce firm revealed that although inflation was hitting hard, where 78 per cent of people [...]
Many Brits to turn off Christmas lights in bid to save energy November 14, 2022 Christmas is set to be a bit less sparkly this year with a massive upsurge in Brits not putting up Christmas lights to save energy. The soaring cost of electricity means 16 per cent of UK households will avoid plugging in fairy lights on their tree and across their house, which light up many streets [...]