What the other papers say this morning – 18 December 2013 December 17, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES French seek EU defence fund Plunged into its second African military mission in under a year, France is showing increasing frustration at what it sees as a lack of spine among European partners on defence issues. In an effort to put its allies on the spot, President François Hollande is poised to demand, [...]
Food, coupons and ale drive Greene King’s profit higher December 3, 2013 GREENE King reported revenue growth of more than five per cent yesterday on the back of strong retail pub sales during the first half of the year. The company said that food sales and its use of promotions at its retail pubs had led to profits reaching £85.6m, up 5.7 per cent during the six [...]
Some of the City’s finest take a slice of the Villandry December 1, 2013 THE PATH from the City to the foodie industry is well-trodden, and the latest epicurean hangout to get the City-treatment is the Villandry. A consortium of well-known investors took stakes in the restaurant chain back in May 2011 and they’ll be raising a glass to its newest outpost, in St James’s, tomorrow – for the [...]
Cafe Royal: The life and times of a London institution | City A.M. December 1, 2013 FEW INSITUTIONS can boast a history as rich as this one. Such a louche and libidinous past, with so many stories playing out as some of the greatest figures of modern times drank and (occasionally) dined – scandal, intrigue and ruin just a breath away. And rarely has a place been so studied, conceptualised, remodelled, [...]
Inside Africa’s megacity: God, oil, and traffic chaos in Lagos November 29, 2013 From the Nollywood film industry to shanty-dwellers with a line in tech imports, Nigeria’s biggest city reveals its secrets to Alex Dymoke NO ONE knows quite how many people live in Lagos. Nigeria’s 2006 census put the official figure at just under 8m. The UN estimated the number for 2011 at 11.2m. Others say it’s [...]
Marston’s sells off 200 pubs to New River Retail as profits grow November 28, 2013 PUB AND and brewing company Marston’s said yesterday it will sell 202 pubs to property group New River Retail for £90m as part of efforts to reduce debt and help pay for its new pub-restaurants. Marston’s, which has 2,100 pubs in the UK, said it was trying to shift from pubs focused on drinking to pubs [...]
Nando’s opens new branches as annual profits in Britain double November 27, 2013 CHICKEN restaurant chain Nando’s has beefed up its profits in the last year after opening new branches. Accounts for Nando’s Group Holdings, the British business carrying the Nando’s name, showed turnover in the year to 24 February rose 15.6 per cent to £485.2m, while pre-tax profits more than doubled to £33.4m. Nando’s opened 30 restaurants [...]
Shaftesbury to give Chinatown shops a facelift November 27, 2013 WEST END landlord Shaftesbury said yesterday it is looking to shake up Chinatown by refurbishing some of the buildings and bringing in new restaurant operators from the Far East, as the group posted strong full-year figures. Chinatown, which makes up 22 per cent of Shaftesbury’s portfolio, has the largest concentration of restaurants in the UK [...]
Review: The Sign of the Don November 26, 2013 FOOD Four Stars VALUE Three Stars ATMOSPHERE Four Stars Cost for two with matched wine and some sherry £148 Address: 21 St Swithins Lane, EC4N 8AD Tel: 020 7626 2606 If you were taking a partner out for an important occasion – an anniversary, maybe, or the death of a loved one – would you [...]
O’Neill’s owner Mitchells & Butlers profits rise to £150m November 26, 2013 Pub and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers profits rose to £150m for the year ended 28 September 2013. The group whose branded bars and restaurants include All Bar One and O'Neill's saw revenue rise 2.2 per cent to £1.2bn with like-for-like sales growth of0.1 per cent in the first eight weeks of the fiscal year [...]