Bottom Line: Boohoo floats on rising tide as M&S sinks February 17, 2014 BOOHOO.COM’s founders look set to be crying tears of joy this March when the retailer, which specialises in catering to fashionistas, floats on the London stock exchange. For one of its most established competitors, however, it’s another reason to reach for the Kleenex and start sobbing. Marks & Spencer’s clothes division is a once-great national [...]
Footfall rises but high street is still losing out February 17, 2014 HIGH-STREET shops have failed to make any gains from improved footfall in January’s sales, continuing to slip behind other platforms for bricks and mortar retailers. A boost to sales following Christmas didn’t translate into more traffic for high streets, according to new figures released today by Springboard and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) – but [...]
Three things you didn’t know about… February 17, 2014 Jones Lang LaSalle UK CEO Guy Grainger 1 He’s been commuting to work on a Vespa for about 12 years and absolutely loves it. He admits he’s got a more grown-up, modern, black one now but used to ride a 1968 flame orange Vespa, with an open-face helmet. 2 He once appeared on The Apprentice [...]
Brothers who built brand with purpose February 16, 2014 Annabel Palmer talks travelling, Topman, and the English weather with Rob Forkan – the tsunami orphan who co-founded new flip flop brand Gandys INNOCENT may have pioneered a whole new approach to marketing (the company has even published a book about its “story,” and “what they’ve learned”), but no business tale will ever be as [...]
Inside Track: Rothschild shows independent advisers are on a roll February 13, 2014 AT THE top of Rothschild’s impressive and relatively newly-built London headquarters, a modern building set in the 17th century St Swithin’s Lane in the heart of the City, is an auditorium which the firm’s bankers use to host what are known as kick-off meetings for the flotations they’re working on. Over the past few months, [...]
Telecity slumps as 2014 forecast fails to inspire February 12, 2014 BRITISH data centre operator Telecity has forecast weaker than expected revenue growth this year, sending its shares down more than 10 per cent to a two-year low. The company, which targets the top end of the market from prime city-centre locations, said yesterday that demand from sectors such as e-retail and video streaming services remained [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 12 February 2014 February 11, 2014 FINANCIAL TIMES Planners seek cash for fast ruling Westminster Council has sought permission from the Treasury to accept cash payments from property developers to speed up their planning applications and resolve backlogs in what could become a template across London. In a joint letter to George Osborne the leader of Westminster council, deputy London mayor [...]
London Report: Retail sales revival drives FTSE up to late January levels February 11, 2014 The UK’S top equity index rose for a fifth straight session yesterday, boosted by retailers which were up strongly on industry data that provided more evidence the economic recovery is slowly gathering momentum. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up by 1.2 per cent, or 81.11 points, at 6,672.66 points – marking the index’s highest [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 11 February 2014 February 10, 2014 FINANCIAL TIMES Woodford puts name to new fund Neil Woodford, one of Britain’s most successful fund managers, will pin his own name to his asset management venture, according to Companies House filings. Woodford Investment Management has been set up at the same address at Oakley Capital, the firm Mr Woodford is joining in May after [...]
West Ham pen deal for sale of Upton Park site February 10, 2014 WEST Ham agreed to sell their Upton Park home to London-based developer Galliard Group yesterday, ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. Galliard intend to build new homes, retail and leisure facilities as well as a Bobby Moore memorial garden as a permanent tribute to their former defender who lifted the World [...]