Byron avoids a grilling, serves up healthy profits for its “proper hamburgers” in 2015 March 30, 2016 Still pursuing its goal to turn the UK into a nation of "proper hamburger" lovers, Byron saw healthy growth in sales and expanded into eight new venues (mostly outside of London) in 2015. The figures Profit after tax at the posh burger chain remained flat at £4.4m, while turnover jumped by 25 per cent from £55.2m to [...]
Why some IPOs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be March 30, 2016 Despite a high number of hotly anticipated flotations in recent years, 2016 has been slow going for initial public offerings. Now the dust has settled, it is interesting to examine the wide variations in performance. Compare Just Eat, Auto Trader, Poundland and AO World. All four came to market in the first few months of [...]
M Victoria review: The new restaurant serving up raw kangaroo March 30, 2016 M on Threadneedle Street is a City staple, a thrumming lunchtime emporium comprising two restaurants: the steaky M Grill and and fishy M Raw. Opened last November, M Victoria matches its older twin beat for beat in SW1, presenting with an eerie familiarity bordering on deja vu. This is unmistakably M: from the steak and [...]
Working Lunch review: Does Obica’s mozzarella bar have what it takes to storm the City? March 23, 2016 Obica St Pauls | 4 Limeburner Lane, EC4M WHAT? The latest of five restaurants bringing the Italian “mozzarella bar” to London. The St Pauls flagship opened last week, quite literally catering for casual walk-ins, business dinners, deli lunches, takeaway pizzas and cocktail fiends. WHERE? In a quiet street just off Ludgate Hill in a 120-seat, copper and stainless [...]
Ding’s Mark Roden talks Dubai, Elon Musk and the importance of sticking to what you know with Harriet Green March 21, 2016 While on what was supposed to be a relaxing family holiday to Dubai in 2005, Mark Roden was cooking up a business. “I’d taken my wife Nicola and our then three under three away to celebrate the sale of my previous business to RBS.” Roden owned a successful network of in-store cash ATMs, which he had [...]
Fashion retailer New Look to move 800 staff to new London headquarters at King’s Cross March 21, 2016 New Look is moving 800 staff to new headquarters at King’s Cross after signing up for seven floors on the 67-acre regeneration site. The fashion retailer, which was bought last year by South African billionaire Christo Wiese, has taken a lease for 123,000 square feet of space in building R7 on Handyside Street on the north-eastern part of the site. It [...]
Focus On Canning Town: For affordability and an easy commute to Canary Wharf, the only way is E16 March 17, 2016 East London’s post-industrial landscape is rapidly disappearing in favour of quirky cultural venues, artfully rustic cafes and glassy residential towers. While the investment potential in Hackney and Tower Hamlets has been well-documented, other locations that are just as accessible have managed to slip under the radar. One of these is Canning Town, a part of [...]
Scheme is full steam ahead: Battersea boss hits back at fears that investors are fleeing March 16, 2016 The developer behind the £8bn regeneration of Battersea Power Station has sought to quash fears of investors fleeing the site after warning signs that a glut in new build homes, tougher tax rules, and currency turmoil in foreign markets is weighing on London's prime property market. Speaking to City A.M. in Cannes, Rob Tincknell, chief executive [...]
Leading fans group blasts Charlton owner Roland Duchatelet over divisive statement criticising fans March 16, 2016 Charlton owner Roland Duchatelet has been condemned by a leading fan representative's group after a club statement criticised supporters for protesting his ownership. The Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) described the club statement, which alleged that some fans have come to games deliberately to wreak havoc, as a "desperate attempt by Duchatelet to divide the club's fan [...]
Eat and London Luton Airport investor agrees sale of 46.7 per cent stake in Italian healthcare operator for £230m March 16, 2016 Private investment company Ardian has sold its near-half stake in an Italian healthcare and residential care home operator for €292m (£230m). Ardian’s 46.7 per cent stake in KOS has been sold to CIR-Compagnie Industriali Riunite S.p.A. and F2i. Ardian, whose other investments include restaurant chain Eat and London Luton Airport, acquired the stake in 2010. Read more: Ardian closes [...]