The leisure sector has grown to £117bn as Britons are spending their money on experiences rather than products July 4, 2016 Britons are increasingly spending their time and money on experiences rather than shopping, according to research from Deloitte. Spending on leisure activities such as going out for meals, holidays and TV streaming services is growing nearly twice as fast as the retail sector. The industry as a whole is now worth £117bn and since 2010 has grown [...]
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband calls for rent-to-own industry to be better regulated July 4, 2016 Following an investigation, former Labour leader Ed Miliband has called on the rent-to-own industry to be better regulated. Having investigated some rent-to-own companies in his constituency of Doncaster, Miliband said "my constituents have told me they can end up paying three times as much, if they miss a payment or are late the costs spiral or worse, [...]
Sons of London’s Sepand Oboudiyat on cow bellies, Italian artisans and fast fashion July 4, 2016 "Bob Diamond wouldn’t hire a guy who had bad shoes," Sepand Oboudiyat informs me. And the latter has done very well out of the City’s predilection for fine footwear. The founder of new men’s shoe brand Sons of London has only been trading for seven months, but he’s already seen 75 per cent growth month-on-month. Sitting at [...]
Commercial real estate share prices suffer as future of the City hangs in the balance after the Brexit vote July 4, 2016 The share prices of commercial real estate share prices have suffered today after the Brexit vote put the future of London's financial district in peril. Liberum analysts said today that the risks surrounding commercial real estate have increased as the future of offices in the City is likely to remain uncertain for a long time. Read more: Nearly a [...]
Supermarkets under attack from the short-sellers July 4, 2016 Traders believe the worst is far from over for the UK's embattled supermarkets, as short-sellers have piled in to bet against the sector in the next few months. More than three times as many shares are held by people hoping to profit from a near-term fall in the share price of the UK's leading supermarkets as [...]
Making tech human: The Memo’s Alex Wood on why there’s more value in a smaller audience July 4, 2016 "Apple announcements aren’t exciting anymore,” says Alex Wood, the journalist and entrepreneur behind tech website The Memo. Not only is the tech titan failing to launch products and software which are more eye-catching than those which preceded them, Wood thinks that consumers are tired of technology being presented to them as an endless chronicling of operating [...]
Uniting the suits and the beards: Co-working’s rise July 4, 2016 Co-working the latest trend in ultra-hip working practices, has now hit the mainstream. The word conjures up images of bearded, flannel-shirted hipsters working on iMacs in Scandinavian inspired “spaces”. Yet more and more corporates are now adopting it, with the likes of Microsoft, Philips and several mainstream retail and investment banks creating specialised working environments. [...]
Gutterball: Bowling alley firm postpones flotation plans after Brexit July 3, 2016 A bowling alley firm has pushed back its plans to float on the stock market following last month’s Brexit vote. Hollywood Bowl had planned to launch an initial public offering (IPO) this month. But the plans have now been pushed back towards the end of the summer. Elsewhere, Sky News reported that NewDay, which provides store cards [...]
AmazonFresh opens up to new London postcodes June 30, 2016 US online retailer Amazon has expanded its recently launched fresh food delivery service, Amazon Fresh, across London. Its footprint has grown from 69 to 128 London postcodes less than a month after it began the service in London. Amazon Fresh’s arrival sent shockwaves through the grocery industry. Online supermarket Ocado’s shares fell to a three-year [...]
New homes on sale in London this weekend: from South Bank Tower to eco “Urban Houses” in Blackheath June 30, 2016 South Bank Tower From £1.8m The remaining 193 studio to four bedroom apartments and penthouses in the 41-storey South Bank Tower – formerly the IPC Media building – are now on sale. Four new show apartment by four interior designers – 1508 London, Goddard Littlefair, Studio Ashby and Rachel Winham – have been drafted in by [...]