Dear Santa, for this Christmas I want the nanny state to get lost December 19, 2019 What is the best thing about Christmas? Presents are nice. Spending time with friends and family is obviously a highlight. But for many of us what truly makes the season is the food. Mince pies, pigs in blankets, Christmas pudding, a snifter of sherry — the festive period is all about indulging. But will we [...]
Thin, light and mighty, the Surface Laptop 3 is Microsoft’s MacBook killer December 18, 2019 Microsoft’s Surface range of hardware has been around for seven years, but still manages to impress with each new device launched. Laptops that appear to have been sculpted out of single blocks of brushed metal. Tablets housed in alacantra keyboard cases. Two-in-one hybrids with skeletal, alien hinges, and gravity-defying desktop machines poised on silent hinges. [...]
The UK’s richest workers don’t live or work in London December 18, 2019 Professionals living in London are the poorest workers in Britain as expensive basic living costs eat up a large chunk of their salaries, according to the latest research. Despite enjoying an average monthly salary of £2,348.49 Londoners were left with just £221.16 to spend after essential expenditures such as rent, travel and food are taken [...]
Uber in talks to sell Indian food delivery business to Zomato in $400m deal December 16, 2019 Uber is said to be in talks to sell its Indian food delivery business to local rival Zomato in a deal worth roughly $400m (£299m). The ride-hailing giant is looking to offload Uber Eats in India to Zomato as part of its plan to reach profitability by 2021, according to several media reports. Read more: [...]
The best and worst ads of 2019 December 16, 2019 It has been a year of highs and lows for adland. PRs, creative agencies, and brands will be examining their advertising efforts this month, and while some will be pleased with their work, others will be looking to improve next year. To help with this process, I asked members of the marketing industry and other [...]
Restaurants can serve up lessons on why we should hire ex-offenders December 16, 2019 The hospitality sector is serving up more than Christmas parties this month. In the face of intense staffing challenges, employers in the industry can also serve up a lesson in how to effectively hire alternative talent. Restaurants, bars, and hotels are in the midst of the biggest skills shortage in decades — almost 80 per [...]
Delivery Hero takes a bite out of Asian market with $4bn Woowa deal December 13, 2019 Delivery Hero has agreed a $4bn (£3bn) deal to purchase South Korea’s biggest food delivery app and form a joint venture, driving up competition in the rapidly-growing Asian market. The Berlin-based group today signed a deal to take over Woowa Brothers, the startup behind the Baedal Minjok app – more commonly known as Baemin. Read [...]
Takeaway extends Just Eat takeover offer as it secures a slice of the vote December 12, 2019 Takeaway.com today said it has secured support for its Just Eat takeover offer from a chunk of shareholders, as it flexed its muscles amid a frantic bidding war with Prosus. The Dutch food delivery firm has tabled an all-share offer worth roughly £4.3bn, which has been recommended by the Just Eat board. Read more: Just [...]
Has-beans? What Chilango’s CVA tells us about the struggling casual dining sector December 11, 2019 Mexican chain Chilango offers its customers a choice between three different types of salsa: mild, medium, or hot. Faced with those options, who chooses the middle one? This is – in a way – the conundrum facing the increasingly polarised casual dining sector. Nowadays, customers either want fast, cheap fuel, or they want a quality [...]
The unexpected consequences of gorilla conservation in Uganda December 11, 2019 Standing in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, I’m dodging a light hail of fruits being thrown down by gorillas in the trees above. The animals climb down and gallop through the undergrowth. While they roly-poly down the steep slopes, we chase them in a less dexterous fashion, slipping onto our backsides and hoping we don’t roll in [...]