How Christmas bonuses can turn into a festive disaster December 14, 2015 As we gallop, reindeer like, towards Christmas, thoughts will be turning to the gesture of “measured generosity” that is the discretionary Christmas bonus. It should be uncontroversial: a mark of appreciation that will help staff pay for their retail pleasures over the festive season. If employers get it wrong, however, they could face expensive claims from [...]
Philanthropy is at the heart of the City – and there are more ways to give than ever December 14, 2015 With only 11 days left until Christmas, streets that until recently were sparse and drab with winter gloom are now transformed. People stride around with rolls of wrapping paper, tinsel glints in shop windows, and gingerbready aromas waft down Cheapside. It’s a unique time when the City community is even closer than normal. Our minds [...]
Magic circle law firm Slaughter and May announces Christmas bonus bonanza December 13, 2015 Bankers are not the only ones who can dream of a bumper bonus this year, as law firm Slaughter and May has boosted its bonus pay. The magic circle firm revealed on Friday that its bonus for associates this year would be between nine to 16 per cent for those achieving a good or exceptional [...]
NORAD Santa tracker 2015: Where is Father Christmas right now? Track Santa and his reindeer live as they fly over the world to deliver presents on Christmas Eve December 13, 2015 Want to keep a close eye on exactly when Father Christmas will reach your chimney this year? Well, you’re in luck: US air defence is lending their satellite and radar technology to kids hoping to track his progress across the globe live for the 60th year in a row. Yes, really. In an unlikely burst [...]
Robert Dyas Christmas advert wins weirdest ad of 2015 for “we’re gay, straight and bi” YouTube video December 13, 2015 We've had John Lewis's Christmas advert bonanza, then the Man on the Moon spoof (from Aldi, who else), as well as the curveball surprise hit of the Christmas ad season (a Spanish lottery ad, if you missed it). Now, we have the winner of the title for weirdest ad of the year (and not just Christmas). Of [...]
Countdown to Christmas 2015: Six of the most amazing and useful inventions of the year December 12, 2015 The stream of inventions flowing out of labs across the world never seems to stop, and 2015 has been no exception – over the last 12 months, a huge number of new inventions have been presented to us by scientists. Only today, we learned that American technicians managed to develop robots that can learn in [...]
From Tesco’s share price and Donald Trump’s hot air to property prices spiralling out of control: Here’s what got us talking this week December 11, 2015 The most expensive car of the year sold for a cool £18m. The shadow City minister played hard to get.. And we remembered all sorts of things about the last 12 months. Here's What Got us Talking 1) You're probably not working at one of the best companies in the UK And, seeing as it's [...]
Shopping in London: This weekend is going to be the busiest day in the West End for Christmas present buying December 11, 2015 Planning to go shopping in London this weekend? You're not the only one. In fact, retailers in the West End are preparing themselves for the busiest Christmas gift-buying weekend of the year. Shoppers are expected to spend £120m in the next two days – comparable to the £200m spent over the three days of Black [...]
US retail sales increase expectations for an interest rate rise from the US Federal Reserve December 11, 2015 US retail sales rose strongly in November as the Christmas shopping season got under way, heightening expectations that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates for the first time in nearly 10 years next year. The Commerce Department said on Friday retail sales excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services rose 0.6 per [...]
Hector and Grandma: This week’s new film releases reviewed December 11, 2015 Hector 15 | Dir. Jake Gavin ★★★★☆ Peter Mullan plays the title role in this British drama about a homeless man who travels from Glasgow to London to spend a few days at a Christmas shelter. With a big operation on the horizon, he uses the journey to revisit the events and broken relationships that drove [...]