Shard Times at the Shangri-La October 22, 2019 The Shangri-La hotel at the top of the Shard has revealed it booked a £56.2m pre-tax loss last year, driven by an impairment charge from writing down the value of its assets following years of weak results. Occupying floors 34 to 52 of the Shard, it is the tallest hotel in western Europe and swung [...]
Capital & Counties share price climbs as property tycoon Nick Candy eyes bid October 21, 2019 Shares in Covent Garden owner Capital & Counties jumped this morning after high-end property tycoon Nick Candy confirmed he is considering a possible offer for the group. Candy Ventures, the investment vehicle owned by Nick Candy, has said it is in early talks for a possible cash off for Capco, which has a market value [...]
Just Eat revenue rises as it hopes for £9bn end-of-year merger with Takeaway.com October 21, 2019 Just Eat’s third quarter revenue rose 25 per cent, it revealed today, as it hopes a £9bn merger with Dutch rival Takeaway.com willbe tied up by the end of the year. Despite this, shares fell five per cent in early trading as analysts were sceptical the deal would get past shareholders at a meeting pencilled [...]
Bottle Opener October 21, 2019 City A.M.’s wine expert offers his pick of the best bottles around Being the reliably stereotypical British chap I am, I know far more about French wines than I do about wines from any other nation (especially my own). Two pals have recently and independently taken on the task of introducing me to red Tuscan [...]
Property tycoon Nick Candy courts Saudis over Capco takeover bid October 20, 2019 Property magnate Nick Candy is said to be in talks with a Saudi investment fund over a potential takeover bid for Capital & Counties (Capco), the owner of Earls Court and Covent Garden. Candy, who developed the One Hyde Park complex with his brother Christian, has held early-stage discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund [...]
Focus on Teddington: This laid-back suburb is home to families, first-time buyers – and the odd seal October 18, 2019 Teddington is located on the banks of the River Thames between Hampton Court Palace and Twickenham, but it doesn’t have the royal or sporting connections of its neighbours. Instead, this leafy, laid-back suburb’s biggest landmark is its lock – the lowermost on the Thames, don’t you know – where a lost seal crops up every [...]
Watchdog launches investigation into Amazon’s Deliveroo investment October 16, 2019 The competition watchdog has launched a probe into Amazon’s investment in food delivery app Deliveroo. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today said it would investigate whether Amazon’s investment would “result in a substantial lessening of competition”. The e-commerce giant led a $575m funding round in Deliveroo in May. Read more: CMA puts brakes on [...]
Loungers revenue soars following restaurant expansion October 16, 2019 Loungers, the owner of the Lounge and Cosy Club restaurant brands, said revenue soared over the summer as the company opened 10 new venues. Revenue in the 24 weeks to 6 October was £79.8m, an increase of 22 per cent on the previous year, as the group opened eight Lounges and two new Cosy Clubs. [...]
Fast food chain Leon launches new product range with Sainsbury’s October 14, 2019 Fast food chain Leon has launched a partnership with Sainsbury’s to sell its first range of grocery products. Customers will be able to buy a range of Leon condiments, oils and bread in more than 600 stores as the chain expands beyond its London focused restaurant portfolio. Read more: Leon reports widening losses as rising [...]
Spotlight on Pizza Express as debt pile sparks fears for chain’s future October 13, 2019 Speculation over the future of Pizza Express mounted over the weekend amid reports of potential store closures and debt restructuring talks. The pizza chain, which is looking to slash its £1.1bn debt pile, has denied suggestions that it is mulling mass closures after a tough spell of trading. Read more: Twitter is scared Pizza Express [...]