Inside the Luxembourg bid to lure City firms after Brexit: How the Grand Duchy lines up against Frankfurt, Paris, Dublin and other rivals April 3, 2017 Alongside large and threatening Frankfurt, loud and opportunistic Paris and plucky Dublin, Luxembourg has kept a relatively low profile in the scramble to soak up some of London’s financial services power since the UK’s Brexit vote. But make no mistake, Luxembourg will be growing as a result of the UK’s decision. The city’s business area [...]
Embracing Italy’s culinary heritage on a journey from Florence to the stunning Riviera March 17, 2017 As welcomes go, my arrival into Genoa airport will take some beating. In my experience, airport transfers usually involve a 45 minute purgatory of cabs or shuttle buses. However, there I was, driving along dream-like coastal roads with a soundtrack of classic Italian standards. An appropriately bespoke introduction, given I would spend the next week [...]
Can you vape inside? The 10 rules of vaping etiquette you need to know according to experts Debrett’s March 17, 2017 Once upon a time you could smoke in bars, have a quick puff of a cigarette on a train, and blow smoke in kids' faces to your hearts content, but thankfully, that's no longer acceptable because we don't live in the blissful ignorance of the Mad Men era. And with the number of smokers dropping quicker than [...]
Wetherspoon’s Tim Martin: Government tax policy is hitting the pub sector and forcing people to drink at home March 16, 2017 Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin has issued a call to arms to pubs and restaurants in an attempt to convince the government to slash "unfair" taxes levied on the sector. The pub chain founder said tax policy is not only harming the pub sector, it is also forcing poorer people to drink at home as alcohol can [...]
Long Weekend: Tackle the French Alps in Chamonix, the perfect resort for a snow-filled weekend getaway March 13, 2017 The weekend: Hitting the mountain is often an annual affair – the same week, the same place, the same friends. While this might give you something to look forward to it’s worth remembering how easy it is to simply grab your gear and treat yourself to a weekend adventure. If you worked on Thursday and [...]
Focus On Kensal Rise: This north west London town ticks all the boxes for a place that’s due a price rise March 10, 2017 How can you tell if a place is about to get seriously popular? Well, there are a few signs that you can look out for; plenty of Victorian architecture; well-to-do neighbours; improving schools; green space; and a sudden proliferation of independent shops and restaurants. Kensal Rise in north west London ticks all of these boxes [...]
London’s best places to buy a pied-a-terre: Thinking of selling up for a landing pad in the city? Here are the best locations March 10, 2017 For those disenchanted Londoners considering a move to the country, but afraid of spending half their lives on commuter trains, buying a pied-à-terre could be the solution. For a fraction of the price that you would sell a family home in London, hard-working city executives can hole up close to the office during the week, [...]
The Restaurant Group’s share price has jumped as it reveals its turnaround plan after a tough 2016 March 8, 2017 After a challenging 2016, The Restaurant Group (TRG) said it is ready to pursue a new turnaround plan to grow its business. The figures The Frankie & Benny's owner said total like-for-like sales fell 3.9 per cent while revenue increased 3.7 per cent to £710.7m, in line with expectations for the year to 1 January. Adjusted pre-tax profit [...]
Mark Hix says you should borrow some sugar beet from a friendly farmer March 7, 2017 Why don't we regard sugar beet as a vegetable like swede or turnips or parsnips or even its close relative the beetroot? It is commonly grown as a rotation crop in conjunction with wheat, barley and pulses, used to return organic matter into the soil and prevent the build-up of disease. It’s grown in some [...]
Just Eat share price jumps as takeaway firm reports 42 per cent increase in orders March 7, 2017 Just Eat has reported a jump in order numbers in 2016, which in turn pushed revenues and profit up. The figures Orders were up 42 per cent to 136.4m, from 96.2m in 2015, and up 36 per cent on a like-for-like basis. Revenues increased 52 per cent to £375.7m from £247.6m, and underlying earnings before [...]