State handouts for oil are no way to help the poorest March 18, 2026 If government steps in whenever there is a so-called crisis then people will stop saving for a rainy day in the false belief government will always be there to supply them with an umbrella, says Charles Amos This week Keir Starmer announced a £53m support package for vulnerable people who use oil as their main [...]
Why this oil shock isn’t like the last one March 17, 2026 The new surge in oil prices will be shaped more by political responses than by monetary policy, due to a crucial shift in the economic backdrop from the tight labor markets of 2022 to the current looser conditions, says Helen Thomas This week, six major central banks meet in quick succession, including the big four: [...]
Fourth Appoints Veteran Product Leader Scott Collison as CEO March 12, 2026 Fourth, a leading provider of workforce and inventory management solutions for the hospitality industry, today announced the appointment of Scott Collison as Chief Executive Officer. A proven builder of enterprise software platforms with more than two decades of experience scaling technology companies, Collison will lead Fourth into its next phase of AI-led product innovation for [...]
Hospitality sector braces for ‘devastating’ tube strikes March 12, 2026 London’s hospitality sector could face “devastating” disruption from upcoming tube strikes, sector leaders have warned. Members of the RMT union, which represents London Underground staff, will strike over 12 days between March and May, and hospitality intelligence firm Access Hospitality has warned sector bosses to prepare now to protect their revenue. The last set of [...]
Is the City still sexy? March 12, 2026 The era of the long boozy lunch and male dominated pints down the pub may be over, but relationships matter more than ever in the Square Mile, says Eva sayers Over glasses of red and lunch at The Quality Chop House (not recommended for vegetarians, like myself), a broker who’s been working in the City [...]
Women’s Super League fans spend more on matchdays than Premier League counterparts March 12, 2026 Football fans attending Women’s Super League matches spend more than those going to Premier League games, according to new research commissioned by Barclays. Fan spend per matchday, excluding tickets, averaged £145 for supporters in the WSL compared with £138 in the Premier League, the research found. Non-food spending – merchandise and match programme – was [...]
Why Boisdale founder Ranald MacDonald is a London hero March 11, 2026 My culinary journey last week took me away from London. It was a tale of two Vikings, from Scotland to Stockholm and back again. So allow me to introduce my fellow founders, Niklas Ekstedt of his eponymous restaurant Ekstedt and Ranald MacDonald of Boisdale. BOISDALE OF BELGRAVIA When I began my entrepreneurial journey as founder [...]
Hugh Osmond-backed restaurant group snaps up pubs to launch new brand March 6, 2026 The restaurant group backed by British businessman Hugh Osmond has bought four pubs for more than £11m as it launches a new brand. London-listed Various Eateries has bought the four sites – in the Cotswolds, Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire – from Grosvenor Pubs and Inns for £11.5m. The group said “premium” pubs with rooms remain [...]
The 11 best pies in London to eat during British Pie Week March 4, 2026 If there is one thing of which we can be certain in these unpredictable times, it is that the British know how to make a good pie. And what better way to support the land’s pastry-slingers than by treating yourself one during British Pie Week. Now in full swing, you have until Sunday to head [...]
Brits go budget as ready meals replace restaurant dates March 4, 2026 Shoppers are opting for own-brand ready meals instead of fancy restaurant dinners in a boost for supermarkets. Brits are spending more on groceries but getting less for their money, as total till sales at UK supermarkets grew 3.3 per cent in the four weeks leading up to 22 February while the number of units sold [...]