Oxford Street: Former MP for the City and Westminster brands pedestrianisation ‘bullying’ September 17, 2024 A row has erupted over Sadiq Khan’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street as the area’s former MPs branded the move “bullying”. The mayor of London today unveiled proposals to ban traffic from the iconic central London retail destination, in what he hopes will reinvigorate the nation’s “most famous high street”. But Nickie Aiken, the former [...]
West End: Tourist tax ‘disadvantage’ costs retailers hundreds of millions September 16, 2024 Retail business in London missed out on a projected £220m in the first half of 2024 due to the ongoing effect of the so-called tourist tax, despite continued growth in international visitor numbers. The number of international visitors to London was three per cent above pre-pandemic levels, but spending in the West End fell nearly [...]
Mcdonald’s empire hopes new Mcflurry flavours will keep customers happy after ‘bold’ price rises September 16, 2024 “Bold” price rises at a McDonald’s franchise empire helped sales jump by more than £15m during its latest financial year. Run by Andrew Gibson, AG Restaurants runs 27 sites in Glasgow, employs more than 3,000 people and is one of the largest in the UK. The business has reported a turnover of £135.2m for 2023, [...]
Itsu: Return to the office helps boost sales September 13, 2024 The move by companies to encourage their workforce to return to the office helped sales jump at East Asian-inspired eatery chain Itsu during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered company has posted a turnover of £160.7m for 2023, up from the £137.7m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show the brand’s [...]
The best things to do in autumn 2024, from amazing new films to London theatre September 12, 2024 Autumn can be about taking stock; enjoying long walks on the Heath and cosying up on the sofa. But it’s also the season when some of the most exciting new cultural events launch, from theatre to exhibitions and festivals. With A-Listers hitting the West End, major art shows and a creepy festival of death, this [...]
The City’s salad cult: What’s up with Farmer J? September 12, 2024 People in the City are addicted to Farmer J's large, expensive salad bowls. Why so?
The Notebook: Is Wapping the best place in London? September 11, 2024 With its cobbled streets, unspoiled apartment blocks and tall warehouse conversions with painted shutters, Wapping is a vision of a Victorian past.
Pizza Hut Europe serves up profit after £106m loss September 10, 2024 The European arm of Pizza Hut has surged back into the black after making a loss of almost $140m (£106.4m) , according to newly-filed documents. The London-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax profit of $12.2m (£9.3m) for 2023, after posting a pre-tax loss of $139.4m in 2022. New documents filed with Companies House also show [...]
Hawksmoor’s Will Beckett is ready to take on the American steakhouses September 10, 2024 Ali Lyon sits down with Hawksmoor boss Will Beckett to discuss the restaurant's plans to win over the land of steakhouses
From Pizza Express to Channel 4: Who is Luke Johnson, Revolution Bars Group’s new chair? September 9, 2024 After a lengthy restructuring process that included £12.5m in emergency funding, Revolution Bars has appointed Luke Johnson as its new chair. The former Pizza Express and Channel 4 chairman provided £3m of the financing and owns a 20 per cent stake in the company. He will replace outgoing chair Keith Edelman, whose nine years in the role [...]