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 [...]
Weekly Grill: The world-famous Nobuyuki Matsuhisa on his mother’s miso soup and how he used to hustle for eels October 8, 2019 Who are you and what do you do? I am Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, also known as ‘Nobu’, sushi chef proprietor of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants, author and father. I currently own 49 restaurants in 44 cities on five continents around the world. What’s new at Nobu in London? We are hosting a series of ‘Tastemakers’ dinners at Nobu [...]
Fitness advice: Fix body and soul in the great outdoors October 8, 2019 The City is great. I’ve owned a gym here for almost 10 years. It can be invigorating being around so many people, seeing all the new buildings fly up, checking out all the new bars and restaurants. But there’s a flip-side. Being around so many people can be mentally and physically draining. An office full [...]
Oh (dough) balls: Twitter’s scared Pizza Express will fold like a calzone October 7, 2019 Pizza Express fans were thrown into panic today following reports the restaurant chain has called in financial advisers over its mounting debt pile. The firm has hired advisers from Houlihan Lokey ahead of talks with creditors, while a group of secured bondholders has tapped Perella Weinberg Partners, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. [...]
Can Gordon Ramsay hit gold again on the site of Maze with pan-Asian eating house Lucky Cat? October 4, 2019 Ten years and several lifetimes ago, Jason Atherton was heading up the kitchen at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze. Back then, Ramsay could do no wrong. He was decorated with more Michelin awards than he could comfortably carry up a flight of stairs, owned lauded restaurants from New York to Tokyo, and was the sweary star of [...]