Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open June 7, 2016 Markets are still cheering Yellen all but taking the June interest rate hike off the table and the Associated Press has called the US Democratic presidential nomination for Hillary Clinton ahead of today's primaries across the country. Here's what you need to know before the market open at 14:30 London time. Markets are still riding the wave [...]
You may love many cars in a lifetime, but you only ever have one first love. For me, it was an Aston Martin June 6, 2016 With 568 British horsepower it’s quite appropriate I should pay a visit to Her Majesty’s stud. Driving down Kings Avenue towards the Sandringham Estate I spotted the stables to the right, a big ‘ER’ embedded in the brickwork, and swung my Aston Martin through the open gate. Within seven seconds a royal protection officer arrived [...]
The beautiful Caribbean island of Anguilla is the shimmering blue epitome of tropical fun times June 3, 2016 Far out in the well charted waters of the east Caribbean lies the Leeward Island chain, and at its northern tip is an utterly charming little strip of limestone called Anguilla. Its interior is arid, scrubby and overrun with semi-domesticated goats and chickens, but it is frilled with some of the most incredible beaches in [...]
West Berkshire Brewery raises glass as it expands into Islington-based pub Shillibeers and puts pen to paper on new brewery June 2, 2016 Crowdfunding beer maker West Berkshire Brewery is raising a glass after it put pen to paper on a new £3m custom-built brewery and secured its first urban pub, Shillibeers, in Islington. The new brewery will allow West Berkshire to increase its brewing capacity tenfold and also to provide packaging for other breweries. The brewer has said the [...]
Could new City skyscraper 1 Undershaft host London’s highest museum? June 2, 2016 The City's next tallest skyscraper could become home to the capital's highest museum, after the Museum of London unveiled plans to create public viewing galleries on the 71st and 72nd storeys of 1 Undershaft. Property Week reported this morning the museum has been in talks with the tower's developer, Aroland Holdings, about managing the building's free public viewing [...]
How to do things differently in the pub industry: An interview with Marston’s chief executive Ralph Findlay June 1, 2016 It's fair to say it’s been a challenging decade for the UK's pub sector. First it was hit by the smoking ban in 2007, then by the recession in 2009. Revenues across the industry have also been affected by broadly falling levels of alcohol consumption. Pub companies have been forced to rethink their strategies to stay [...]
Brexit vote too important to be left up to politicians June 1, 2016 Moan all you like about the EU referendum but it's got people talking. From Cornwall to the City and from the Western Isles to Westminster, people are engaged and discussing the issues. People are debating in restaurants and outside pubs and, as is always the case in political campaigns, they're doing so with more nuance and [...]
Finally, you can get Pizza Express delivered to your door May 31, 2016 Middle class pizza lovers rejoice – you can now get those delicious dough balls and more delivered straight to your door from Pizza Express. The high street chain has inked a deal with restaurant delivery startup Deliveroo to get its menu to people sat at home on their sofa in addition to those who visit the [...]
Gordon Ramsay Group toasts healthy sales growth after “huge transformation” May 31, 2016 The Gordon Ramsay Group toasted healthy full-year results today, as revenue at the London-based, international restaurant firm grew more than 10 per cent The figures Revenue at the restaurant group was up 12.6 per cent to £50.3m in the year to 31 August 2015, up from £44.7m in 2014. The group posted an operating loss of £1m [...]
The English wine industry uncorked another bumper year in 2015 May 30, 2016 The English wine industry gained more fizz last year as 37 new wine producers and vineyards opened over 2015, research from national accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young has found. A total of 170 wine producers have entered the domestic industry over the past five years, UHY Hacker Young said, while the popularity of boutique alcohol and locally-made products [...]