Velaa Private Island review: On this real life Bond island, guests can pilot their own complimentary submarine April 20, 2018 Velaa Private Island is a resort for billionaires, by billionaires. Where else, in addition to the standard private pool and butler, does the hotel provide a personal submarine? Welcome to the real life James Bond island. In true 007 style, as if seeking an exotic rendezvous with Scaramanga, I arrive at sunset by seaplane. Velaa [...]
Debenhams profit drops 84.6 per cent and CFO leaves for greener pastures April 19, 2018 Debenhams announced a dramatic drop in profits this morning, while its finance chief departed the company for a position at Selfridges. But chief executive Sergio Bucher insisted that the retilaer is on the right track to return to profitable growth. Shares in the company were down as much as 12.6 per cent in early trading [...]
Bad weather could reduce UK GDP growth – but effects should only be temporary says PwC April 16, 2018 While the UK is currently enjoying the start of a hotter spell, upcoming economic data will still be feeling the effects of the recent cold snap, according to the latest forecasts. GDP growth could fall as low as 0.2 per cent for the first quarter, down from 0.4 per cent at the end of last [...]
Greene King share price (GNK) bubble up despite the Beast from the East hitting sales April 12, 2018 Greene King’s sales were bitten by the so-called Beast from the East earlier this year as winter storms swept through the country, but its shares jumped at the market open as it toasted the future, saying it remains well placed to combat a challenging market. The pub group said like-for-like sales fell 1.8 per cent [...]
Manchester City: How Pep Guardiola’s side compare against Fergie’s Manchester United Fledglings, Wenger’s Arsenal Invincibles, Mourinho’s Chelsea April 5, 2018 Manchester City’s Champions League hopes may have been severely dented by a heavy loss at Liverpool this week but with attention returning to the Premier League, they need not have such worries. City host fierce local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, when a win would see them clinch the Premier League [...]
Poundland follows controversial Christmas naughty elf campaign with some risqué Easter ads March 26, 2018 Poundland got into hot water last month with the Advertising Standards Authority for its naughty elf Christmas adverts, which were branded offensive and unsuitable to be seen by children. But that hasn’t dampened the discount retailer’s spirit. In fact, it has recently kicked off a new campaign for Easter, featuring a fluffy rabbit and chick. [...]
House of Fraser’s lenders call in advisers EY as high street crisis continues March 24, 2018 House of Fraser has become the latest household name to send out warning signals, as its lenders have appointed EY as advisers to check its ongoing viability as a business. In a year that has already seen the collapse of Toys R Us and Maplins, a syndicate of banks acting as lenders to House of [...]
The AA thinks pumped-up petrol prices may have diverted £1bn away from high street spending last year March 24, 2018 Higher petrol prices in 2017 cost drivers £1bn in money that may otherwise have been spent on the high street, according to new research from breakdown cover provider The AA. A rise of nearly 9p per litre in the average price of petrol last year siphoned off a huge chunk of consumers’ spending capacity, The [...]
Focus On Hackney: How the London Overground caused a price surge in E8 March 23, 2018 Though the area around Hackney Central is better known as hipster central, the property prices certainly don’t reflect the salaries of young, freelance creatives. The E8 postcode has seen some of the most dramatic house price rises in the whole of London, a trend that has survived the plateau-ing – and declines – of recent [...]
Focus On Hackney: How the London Overground caused a price surge in E8 March 23, 2018 Though the area around Hackney Central is better known as hipster central, the property prices certainly don’t reflect the salaries of young, freelance creatives. The E8 postcode has seen some of the most dramatic house price rises in the whole of London, a trend that has survived the plateau-ing – and declines – of recent [...]