Return of the Mayfair home March 1, 2012 It would be disingenuous to call Mayfair “up and coming” – after all, its prestige and attractions have drawn the world’s elite for centuries. But change is afoot: no longer just a haven for hedge funds, designer shops and the odd rich Russian resident, Mayfair’s stock of residential property is rocketing as offices are converted [...]
Restaurant Group plots more site openings as profits jump February 29, 2012 THE RESTAURANT Group, the owner of the Garfunkel’s and Frankie & Benny’s chains, said another 600 jobs were in the pipeline for this year after boasting of another “corking” set of full-year results for 2011. Revenue increased to £487m in the year to January, while like-for-like sales were up 3.25 per cent. Pre-tax profit was [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF WHITBREAD’S RESULTS? February 29, 2012 JAMIE ROLLO | MORGAN STANLEY Whitbread has reported fourth quarter like-for-like sales growth of 1.8 per cent, in line with our expectations but with a slightly different mix…With a stronger performance at Costa balancing the slightly weaker performance at Premier Inn we do not expect to see changes to consensus for 2012. WYN ELLIS | [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF WHITBREAD’S RESULTS? February 28, 2012 JAMIE ROLLO | MORGAN STANLEY Whitbread has reported fourth quarter like-for-like sales growth of 1.8 per cent, in line with our expectations but with a slightly different mix…With a stronger performance at Costa balancing the slightly weaker performance at Premier Inn we do not expect to see changes to consensus for 2012. WYN ELLIS | [...]
Powder rules on the mountains of Japan February 26, 2012 SKIING in Japan has been on the radar of dedicated powder seekers for a number of years. The snow that falls upon Japan’s resorts has to be some of the best in the world; it is light, dry and very often chest deep. Now that word has leaked out about Japan’s fantastic skiing opportunities – [...]
TRAVEL NOTES February 26, 2012 New palatial property in Marrakesh The Oetker Collection – which includes Le Bristol in Paris and the du Cap Eden Roc on the Cote d’Azur – is to unveil a deeply seductive new property, Le Palais Namaskar. Set in 50,000 sq m of Balinese-inspired scented gardens and designed by Philippe Starck protégée Imaad Rahmouni, the [...]
MEDIA EXEC BRINGS £1M PERUVIAN BID TO SOHO February 20, 2012 MARTIN MORALES was headhunted by Apple as one of the four founders of iTunes Europe and sat on the board of The Walt Disney Company. But Ceviche, the Peruvian restaurant behind a plain black door at 17 Frith Street in Soho, is his life’s work. Since leaving Disney in July 2011, the half-Peruvian Morales has [...]
Episode 47: AN INTIMATE MONDAY LUNCH February 20, 2012 I sit opposite Caroline at the same secluded table we used to sit at 10 years ago. We’ve both moved on since then. The restaurant hasn’t. Caroline is clearly making a point. “How was your bonus?” she asks, as the waiter retreats, having taken our order. “We won’t go hungry,” I reply. Technically true, although [...]
Desert island dream in remotest Philippines February 19, 2012 AS the plane rumbles along from Manila to Busuanga in the Palawan peninsula in the Philippines, the smiling stewardess at the front starts playing a game of “Show and Tell” to an enraptured audience, in the absence of TVs to divert us. First person to hold up a… pen, wins a thermos flask. Next person [...]
Internet sales boost Domino’s pizza profit February 15, 2012 PIZZA DELIVERY AND BANKING ARE LATEST TO JOIN THE DIGITAL PAYMENT REVOLUTION DOMINO’S Pizza UK & Ireland said a “breath-taking” surge in online sales and a recovery in the Irish market helped fuel a 14.6 per cent rise in full-year profits, beating City expectations. The pizza delivery company called 2011 “the year of the app”, [...]