Premier Inn to open German hotel by 2015 October 21, 2014 THE UK hotel and restaurant group Whitbread, owner of Costa and Premier Inn, announced yesterday that it was expanding into Germany after a successful first half of 2014. Its share price dipped slightly, by 0.66 per cent, after the firm revealed that it had purchased a 200-room hotel in Frankfurt to trial Premier Inns in [...]
Carpetright chairman Lord Harris to take his leave after 26 years October 21, 2014 CARPETRIGHT founder and chairman Lord Harris announced yesterday he would be stepping down – and this time for good – after naming Mitchells & Butlers boss Bob Ivell as his successor. Harris first announced his retirement in May only to reveal weeks later that he planned to stay on as non-executive chairman until a replacement [...]
Greene King’s £723m gets it into the Spirit October 20, 2014 BREWING giant Greene King has raised its bid for pub chain Spirit Pubs after its previous offer was rebuffed. Spirit said its board is likely to recommend Greene King’s higher £723.3m bid, which values Spirit at 109.5p per share – a 20 per cent premium to the stock’s closing price on Friday. “The board of Spirit [...]
Pitcher and Piano founder in smokin’ hot deal to fund Hickory’s expansion across UK October 19, 2014 Piper Private Equity, the buyout shop behind the Pitcher and Piano bar chain, has ploughed £6m into restaurant Hickory’s Smokehouse in a bid to guide its expansion. The firm, which owns stakes in Be At One and Turtle Bay, has backed the chain in the hope of establishing 100 Hickory’s restaurants across Britain. This forms [...]
The war on London’s nightlife is damaging businesses – and ruining our fun October 15, 2014 Londoners like to think of the capital as a thriving international destination, full of creative people, bustling with ideas, and a cultural and entertainment rival to all the major cities of the world. Generally, they may be right, if a little parochial. But in one area this is just no longer true: the night-time economy. [...]
How to make Blanchette’s perfect beef fillet October 15, 2014 Tom Storrar, head chef at Soho's Blanchette, on his beef fillet with courgettes, sarladaise potatoes and green peppercorn sauce I’ve been at Blanchette since the restaurant opened late last year. The beef in this recipe is a new dish on the menu; a restaurant version of steak and chips. I chose it because many [...]
Trafalgar and Parliament squares smoking ban to cost £6.5m October 15, 2014 London's 1.2m smokers could face new restrictions on where they can light up if the mayor Boris Johnson decides to implement a report from London's Health Commission (LHC). Smoking could be banned in London's parks, Trafalgar and Parliament squares. The proposals will certainly be controversial in a city where 18 per cent of the population [...]
Why PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel thinks luck will get you nowhere October 13, 2014 Harriet Green explores the tech billionaire’s contentious views on setting up a business. Co-founder of PayPal, first outside investor in Facebook and seasoned venture capitalist, Peter Thiel is Silicon Valley royalty. His new book, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future, offers a series of insightful – and often [...]
Mountain a new challenge this ski season October 13, 2014 1. Tirol, Austria White 5 pass is valid for 10 days from 1 October 2014 to 15 May 2015, for €358 per person, tirol.com If you just can’t wait to go skiing or you want to beat the peak season rush, Austria is the perfect destination this month. The five Tirol glaciers encompass 229km [...]
More stores closing on UK high streets but betting shops survive October 9, 2014 There has been sharp decline in the number of shops on UK high streets According to a survey by PwC and the Local Data Company, the net reduction of shops during between January and September was two and a half times greater than during the equivalent period in 2013. There was a net closure [...]