Chicken McNuggets without the chicken: McDonald’s Japan creates tofu nuggets after meat scandal July 30, 2014 McDonald’s is launching a new version of the beloved chicken McNugget – without the chicken – after the fast food giant was hit by a meat scandal across Asia. Fans of the chicken McNugget may have been put off forever by revelations that one of its meat suppliers in China has allegedly been selling out-of-date [...]
The New York power breakfast: A world of billion-dollar deals and $23 bowls of cereal July 29, 2014 Every morning, Leigh Wynn, the maitre d’ of the most expensive and exclusive breakfast spot in New York, wakes up at 4.30am. From 7am to 10am, her job is to find a table for some of the biggest and most demanding names in business, media and politics, and personally cater to their every whim, while [...]
New York Report: Dow in slight rise on spate of mergers July 28, 2014 WALL STREET edged mostly higher yesterday as investors weighed soft housing data against a flurry of deal news, including the takeover of Family Dollar Stores by Dollar Tree. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 22 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 16,982.59. The S&P 500 ended the day less than a point higher at 1,978.91, [...]
London property market: So you think you know Chelsea? July 24, 2014 Everyone thinks they know Chelsea. Even if you don’t live there, you have an idea of it. The term Sloane Ranger was used in the 80s to describe a certain breed of socialite that lingered around the King’s Road, and reality TV show Made in Chelsea has brought the stereotype back into the public eye. [...]
Restaurant Review: Ten Room July 22, 2014 I wonder if Ten Room at Café Royal saw it coming. A multi-million pound restaurant in an iconic London hotel… If you listened carefully in the days leading up to opening week earlier this year, you could hear the faint, metallic screech of knives being sharpened. And by all accounts, it was more than deserving [...]
R Capital bid to rescue Unipart Automotive from the scrap heap July 21, 2014 Unipart Automotive, the car parts supplier facing imminent bankruptcy, may hope for a late reprieve as investment firm R Capital is believed to be looking to buy the company. Sources say negotiations have been going on throughout the weekend with KPMG, the accountants appointed by Unipart Automotive, with a decision likely this week. Unipart Automotive, [...]
TGI Friday’s owners considering sale of chain’s British restaurants July 21, 2014 A sale of TGI Friday’s UK restaurants is under consideration by its owners, Sentinel Capital and TriArtisan Partners, just two months after they bought the restaurant chain. The private equity firms bought the global restaurant chain, known for its casual dining bar and grill service, in May for $800m (£468m). However the new owners are [...]
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race sailors veering from austerity to global QE bid July 14, 2014 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race sailors were splashing the champagne about as they arrived back in London over the weekend after a 40,000 mile round the world race. With entrants from firms including Goldman Sachs, UBS, Credit Suisse and HSBC, critics might label this sprinkling of sparkling as City excess. But organisers [...]
Chinese Hony Capital eats up Pizza Express July 14, 2014 PIZZA Express became the latest UK brand to be snapped up by a Chinese buyer after it was announced that the restaurant chain would be sold to Chinese private equity firm Hony Capital for around £900m. The sale of Pizza Express is part of a recent trend that has seen Chinese buyers take ownership of [...]
City Matters: Why the frustrating rejection of Smithfield redevelopment helps no one July 14, 2014 In 2018, the first Crossrail trains will come roaring in to Farringdon Station and commuters will spill out along its 200m platform. Some of them will be working in the new office buildings going up on Farringdon Street, as the railway helps revitalise the area. None will be working in the new Smithfield Quarter building [...]