Whitbread appoints Rogers to lead Costa expansion April 3, 2012 Whitbread said that Chris Rogers, currently group finance director, would take over as chief executive of its rapidly expanding coffee shop chain Costa Coffee in August, with a remit to drive international growth. Whitbread, which also owns budget hotel chain Premier Inn, said Rogers will head up Costa’s global business to drive forward a five [...]
Luxury hotel in the City given the go-ahead April 2, 2012 SINGAPORE’S KOP Group yesterday won approval to convert 10 Trinity Square, a listed landmark overlooking London’s Tower Hill, into a luxury boutique hotel. KOP said in a statement yesterday that City of London had approved plans to turn the building – which was originally home to the Port of London Authority’s headquarters – into a [...]
Honeymooning for one in the Maldives April 1, 2012 GOING on holiday alone is one thing. Going on holiday alone to the world’s foremost couples’ destination is rather another. I wasn’t off to backpack around the villages of the Himalayas or go down and out in Bangkok and Hanoi, bumping into new people and places every five minutes. No: I set off on a [...]
Struggling to choose a luxury car? Then ask the dealer for a holiday March 29, 2012 BUYERS of luxury cars are faced with more choice than ever before. To differentiate themselves, the car companies have started offering something extra to entice would-be customers. Most of the big luxury car marques offer driving trips to their customers, giving them the chance to tour a variety of stunning locations in their new car. [...]
And now…auf wiedersehen March 26, 2012 HEAD SOMMELIER AND MANAGER OF LUTYENS RESTAURANT ANDREW CONNOR THIS will be my last column for City A.M. I’d like to thank you all for reading over the last eight months. My wife and I have recently had our first child and we’d like him to spend some time with his German relatives, so I [...]
Chakra: good but not great March 19, 2012 157-159 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3LF Tel: 020 7240 2078 FOOD *** SERVICE *** ATMOSPHERE ** Cost per person without wine: £50 WE hate it when our friends become successful,” lamented Morrissey back in 1992. “And if they’re Northern, that makes it even worse.” I have to disagree with the last part. In Birmingham, Manchester [...]
A city that knows just how to seduce March 18, 2012 ON the five hour flight from London to Tel Aviv, serious-looking men in black clothes made their way to the back of the aeroplane to pray. The man next to us asked our opinions about the conflict as he bought me a coffee. At the airport, extensive and lengthy security checks were imposed. I’m not [...]
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 | [...]