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”, [...]
Barclays unveils cash-free payment app in bid to poach bank customers February 15, 2012 BARCLAYS has launched a mobile app that could see the bank poach thousands of customers from rivals by giving them the ability to pay without cash. The app, called Pingit, is aimed at boosting Barclays’ brand by linking the lender to a convenient service. It lets users link their mobile number to their bank account [...]
One sponsor is helping everybody else onto the Olympic springboard February 14, 2012 COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES 163 DAYS TO GO CBS Outdoor’s UK head explains why it is the official outdoor advertising services provider for 2012 Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BRAND’S PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING INVOLVED WITH THE GAMES? A. CBS Outdoor felt very heavily involved in the pitch for London 2012. We worked [...]
Still not ready for Valentine’s tonight? February 13, 2012 Staying In & Going Out ENJOY THE PERFECT RESTAURANT MEAL – AT HOME | FROM £35 Get amazing takeaway. The key for this one is to make sure it’s ready when she gets home – you want the table set, the candles lit, the wine out. Chinese isn’t allowed: instead, opt for the very best [...]