Grafton keen on further growth after switching Irish roots for UK listing October 20, 2013 Gavin Slark, boss of the builders’ merchant, tells Kasmira Jefford what’s next for his company WHEN Gavin Slark was handed the toolbox and made chief executive of the Irish-based builders merchant two years ago, Grafton was in dire need of repairs. The global financial crisis had all but flattened the UK and Ireland’s construction market [...]
Saluting all those who served the country October 20, 2013 ALMOST 400 guests flocked to the Guildhall on Friday for the third Square Mile Salute banquet, hosted by Michelin-starred chefs Albert and Michel Roux Jr. With support from leading players in business and politics, including Lord Ashcroft and the spread-betting group CMC Markets, the event has grown into a hotly anticipated culinary masterpiece and a [...]
Irish bank puts Royal Exchange up for sale with £75m price tag October 17, 2013 THE ROYAL Exchange looks set to change hands after its Irish owners put it up for sale with a £75m price tag. The iconic site above Bank station is being sold off by The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, which said yesterday it has hired property advisers CBRE to market the 450-year-old building. The Royal Exchange [...]
JD Wetherspoon slams government’s tax policy as pub chain’s profits suffer October 16, 2013 THE chairman of pub chain JD Wetherspoon yesterday hit out at what he called excessive and unfair government taxes on pubs yesterday. “We believe that pubs are taxed excessively and that the government would create more jobs and receive higher levels of overall revenue, if it were to create tax parity among supermarkets, pubs and [...]
JD Wetherspoon slams unsustainable taxes on pub sector October 16, 2013 JD Wetherspoon's 2013 annual report has shown pre-tax profits fall by three per cent to £57.1m in the 52 weeks ended 28 July as it warns that heavy taxation threatens the pub sector. There was some good news for shareholders with earnings per share, before exceptional items, increasing 12.6 per cent, along with revenue growth [...]
Five best spots in the City for a clandestine meeting October 14, 2013 Security experts Blackstone Consultancy have analysed the City of London's top venues to find the best spots for those wanting to host clandestine meetings with potential employers, recruitment consultants, or with other parties that value discretion. The research was conducted by recruitment platform jobandtalent.com and saw security experts scrutinise some of the City's most popular [...]
Innovation Diary: Why food innovators have broken out of the development kitchen October 13, 2013 THINK of food innovation and the cronut (a croissant/doughnut) or the duffin (its doughnut/muffin cousin) may come to mind. Such foody portmanteaus – while reflecting the vibrancy of an industry that has weathered the last five years well – can have unpredictable results. Frappuccinos and banoffee pie now barely raise an eyebrow. The pluot (a [...]
Glamp it up October 13, 2013 Away from the hustle and bustle of Cowes Week, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are the perfect destinations for a family break – or something a little wilder SO AFTER a summer of festivals, beach holidays, muddy British weekends and garden play dens, chances are your tent has seen better days. The last thing [...]
Blown away by Dorset October 13, 2013 Head to a hotel on the south coast for wholesome activites, fresh salty air and inexpensive fine dining OF ALL the pastimes that governments enjoy, most involve splashing our cash around, telling us what to do, and chucking in a dose of mild nationalism to make it seem a bit more palatable. Little surprise, then, [...]
Just Eat’s sales sizzle as more restaurants join October 10, 2013 ONLINE takeaway network Just Eat enjoyed a 77 per cent jump in revenues last year, as 11,000 more restaurants joined its online service, taking its client list up to 32,000. Just Eat Group Holdings, which allows hungry customers to browse multiple takeaway menus, said it generated £59.8m across all of its businesses, £41m of which [...]