Ten Entertainment to target London in bowling alley expansion plan March 20, 2019 Ten Entertainment is targeting expansion within London as the bowling alley chain looks to increase its presence within city centres. The owner of the Tenpin brand is considering establishing a presence in urban areas in a move away from its traditional focus on out-of-town retail parks, chief executive Duncan Garrood told City A.M. Read more: [...]
City Moves for 12 March 2019 – Who’s switching jobs at Mewburn Ellis, Notonthehighstreet and Legal & General Investment Management? March 12, 2019 Today's City Moves includes Mewburn Ellis, Notonthehighstreet and Legal and General Investment Management. Mewburn Ellis Mewburn Ellis has bolstered its European trade mark practice with the high profile hire of partner Kate O’Rourke, senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys. A trade mark attorney and solicitor with more than 25 years’ experience, O’Rourke will lead the firm’s [...]
Luxury retailer Farfetch to merge Chinese business with JD.com March 11, 2019 Luxury fashion retailer Farfetch will merge its China sales platform with ecommerce giant JD.com before the end of the year as it looks to cash in on growing demand for luxury goods in the country. The merger, first announced last month, comes after the London-based firm bought Toplife, JD.com’s luxury fashion venture. Read more: Chinese [...]
Superdry urges investors to vote against founder Julian Dunkerton’s return March 11, 2019 Superdry will hold a shareholder meeting on 2 April to vote on the reinstatement of Julian Dunkerton after months of rising tensions between the founder and the board. The fashion retailer confirmed the meeting in a circular sent to shareholders this morning, but urged them to vote against the reappointment of Dunkerton. Read more: Hundreds of [...]
If London is to continue to thrive, MPs must take a no-deal Brexit off the table March 11, 2019 There is no denying that trying to sell London to international investors this week of all weeks presents a challenge. Inevitably, uncertainty caused by Brexit has made some businesses more hesitant to commit further to operations in London than they would have been otherwise. Looking beyond the imminent drama in Westminster, however, I have reason [...]
Sir Philip Green sells former BHS headquarters for £44m March 10, 2019 Retail tycoon Sir Philip Green has sold a former BHS headquarters in London as his fashion empire Arcadia faces challenges on the high street. Green, who has been under fire over allegations of racial abuse and sexual harassment – which he denies – has sold Marylebone House to property investment company Aprirose for £44m. Read more: [...]
One Savings Bank and Charter Court Financial Services Group confirm £1.6bn merger talks March 10, 2019 Challenger banks One Savings Bank and Charter Court Financial Services Group are in final talks over a potential £1.6bn merger, the firms have confirmed. The companies said they are in advanced discussions regarding an all-share combination, which would see One Savings Bank chief executive Andy Golding become the boss of the combined group. Read more: [...]
Asda to stop selling single knives by end of April March 9, 2019 Asda has announced plans to remove single kitchen knives from sale in response to growing concerns over knife crime. The supermarket chain said the knives would be removed from all stores by the end of April following a rise in knife-related deaths across the UK and in London. So far this year at least 39 [...]
Editor’s Notes: The River Thames is the key to London’s past – and its future March 8, 2019 The 19th century socialist MP for Battersea, John Burns, described the Thames as “liquid history”. Today, even a short cruise from Tower Pier to Westminster offers a glimpse of the capital’s rich past – from a Saxon landing bay by Southwark Bridge to the original access point for the Old London Bridge which, by the [...]
Mike Ashley moves to oust Debenhams board and appoint himself as director March 7, 2019 Retail tycoon Mike Ashley has ramped up the pressure on embattled department store chain Debenhams this evening, after making an audacious bid to axe most of the firm’s directors and appoint himself to the board. In a surprise announcement made on the London Stock Exchange tonight, the billionaire magnate pledged to step down from his current role [...]