Gin and wine sales sparkle as boozy Brits prop up the bar September 12, 2016 The gin and sparkling wine craze is providing a much needed boost to British pubs according to new figures released by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association. The latest WSTA Market Report reveals that in the last 12 months more than £1bn worth of gin has been sold, while sparkling wine sales in pubs, bars and [...]
Investors eye strong earnings at Morrisons September 11, 2016 Supermarket chain Morrisons is expected to deliver its best half yearly performance in four years this week. The chain, which is in the middle of a back-to-basics turnaround, has been slashing prices and doing deals with competitors to try and tempt customers through its doors. Analysts are expecting like-for-like sales growth of 0.7 per cent [...]
Three former Tesco executives have been charged by the SFO in relation its accounting scandal September 9, 2016 Three former Tesco executives have been charged with fraud by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in relation its accounting scandal. The ex-financial director Carl Rogberg, former commercial director John Scouler and the former UK managing director Christopher Bush have been charged for their role in the retailer's profit overstatement. They have each been charged with one count of [...]
High street sales struggled for the seventh month in a row in August September 9, 2016 High street retailers haven't managed to increase sales since the beginning of the year, according to data released today. Sales fell by 1.5 per cent year-on-year in August, which is the seventh month in a row of no growth for the sector, according to accountants BDO. Consumer confidence has bounced back somewhat since its immediate trough [...]
As Fabric closes its doors for the last time, is arbitrary state intervention killing London’s night life? September 7, 2016 Alex Proud, founder of Proud Galleries and Proud Camden, says Yes. Possibly the world’s greatest club has been closed. A club held by most in the industry (and until recently by the Met and Islington Council) as an example of good practice, run to the highest standards of professionalism, crime prevention and drug prevention. Six tragic [...]
Our resident chef Mark Hix on why we should make the most of our British plums September 6, 2016 I'm a bit fed up with seeing rock hard, imported plums on sale in supermarkets. What’s the point? They sit in the fruit bowl taking ages to ripen, then they go off after a few days. What’s wrong with our home grown plums? We grow plenty of varieties here, from the well-known Victoria to the [...]
Takeaway.com eyes imminent IPO on Euronext stock exchange after snapping up Just Eat’s Benelux operations September 6, 2016 The Netherlands’ largest restaurant delivery site Takeaway.com will seek to list on Amsterdam’s Euronext stock exchange in the next few weeks, the company announced today. Although previously active in the UK, earlier this summer Takeaway offloaded its entire British operations to Just Eat for an undisclosed sum, before snapping up Just Eat’s Benelux arm for €22.5m [...]
Consumer spending hit a 13-month high in August as Brits overspent on holiday September 6, 2016 Consumer spending hit a 13-month high in August, boosted by the nation's holiday overspend on the back of the decline in the value of sterling. Overall, spending increased by 4.2 per cent year-on-year in July, according to Barclaycard, which collects data on consumer spending in everything from retail to food and leisure. Holiday spending boosted [...]
Is Britain a BBQ nation? Laura Ivill thinks so and she’s spent the last few days of summer learning some grill skills September 1, 2016 Brits love to BBQ. I count the quality of the summer by how many BBQs I’ve had. A couple of years ago I had a New Zealand friend staying. So in tune with the BBQ lifestyle are the Kiwis that his family would have a cook-up on Christmas Day. On balmy evenings we would fire [...]
Campbell’s shares slump in the pre-market after “disappointing” results September 1, 2016 Consumer demand for fresher produce is putting the squeeze on the world's largest maker of soup, Campbell's. The soup brand has posted a net loss attributable to the company of $81m (£61m), or 26 cents per share, compared with a profit of $17m a year earlier. Net sales dipped 0.35 per cent to $1.69bn in the fourth quarter ended [...]