Pret A Manger thriving on a macaroni diet April 21, 2015 Quinoa and coffee are the order of the day, Clive Schlee tells Jenny Forsyth PRET A Manger boss Clive Schlee is talking quickly and excitedly. Perhaps he’s just feeling upbeat about the British cafe chain’s record yearly figures – showing a total sales rise of 16 per cent to £594m. Or maybe he’s had a [...]
Restaurant review: Percy & Founders brings a taste of spring to Fitzrovia April 21, 2015 Is there a greater sign of our times than a hospital closing down to be replaced by a modern European restaurant and some offices? It’s the kind of thing politicians go wild for, especially this close to an election. “I pledge that my government will favour nurses over barbecued langoustines. We need hospital beds, not [...]
48 hours in… Vancouver April 19, 2015 WHERE TO STAY L’Hermitage is the best boutique hotel in Vancouver. Located in the heart of the city’s shopping and entertainment district and only blocks from its financial centre, it offers convenience and luxury. Rooms start at $279 per night, visit lhermitagevancouver.com WHERE TO GO Just a 25 minute drive from the city centre, Grouse [...]
The most popular lunch in Britain? Just a simple cheese sandwich April 16, 2015 When it comes to lunch, simplicity is key – Britons are more likely to opt for a good old cheese sandwich than anything else. Not only that, but three in 10 choose this humble meal every single working day, and have done so for an average of four and a half years (that's around 1,000 [...]
Sun’s out buns out: Where to eat al fresco in London – restaurants with outdoor dining April 14, 2015 Angler, South Place Hotel, Moorgate anglerrestaurant.com / 020 3215 1260 This Michelin-starred seafood restaurant in South Place Hotel has a beautiful terrace overlooking the City. It has an a la carte menu offering three courses for £35. Must try: Roasted monkfish tail with braised octopus, aubergine caponata and golden raisins Typical cost for [...]
Hayfever season has arrived – here’s how you can protect yourself against the pollen April 13, 2015 With sunshine, blossoming flowers and every other pleasant thing that arrives with the warmer months, there's also pollen – the culprit of many a summer day spent in extreme discomfort. The hayfever season is upon us, and already sneezes and itchy eyes are causing irritation across the nation. The bad news is, as yet, [...]
From flights to philanthropy: Ebookers founder Dinesh Dhamija talks luck, Romania and why Britain’s entrepreneurs shouldn’t be too bothered about the General Election April 12, 2015 We often hear that the startup landscape of today lacks funding opportunities: the banks still aren’t lending to small businesses, and despite pockets of cash existing, unless you’ve got the inside track, it’s difficult to know how to access them. But Dinesh Dhamija, the multi-millionaire son of an Indian diplomat who, in 1999, founded online [...]
Have a whale of a time beside the Sunshine Coast in the real Australia April 12, 2015 Everyone knows it’s a long way to Australia, but I don’t think people really compute just how claustrophobic a 24 hour flight is until they’ve done it. When I touched down in Brisbane, a small child jubilantly ripped her seatbelt off and cried, “I’m free, Mummy! I’m free!” I was right there with her. If [...]
From Hatton Garden heist to Eric Pickles in a pickle: Here’s what got us talking this week April 10, 2015 There was a jewel heist. There was plenty of oil. And somewhere in California, there was the world's first gathering of micronations. Here's what got us talking this week 1. There's oil in them there hills A huge oil well, thought to contain more of the black stuff than has been produced by [...]
Wage increases gather pace as recruiters battle skills shortage April 9, 2015 Salaries for new staff rose at their fastest pace in six month in March, recruiters said today, as diving unemployment combined with strong growth to push up pay. Finance workers and engineers are in the highest demand, closely followed by executive staff. The study from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG found that almost [...]