Lastminute.com sold for £76m to Swiss travel firm December 16, 2014 TRAVEL site Lastminute.com, founded at the height of the dot.com boom in 1998, has been sold to Bravofly Rumbo Group in a £76m deal. The sale will see current owner, US-based Sabre, swallow a big loss, having bought the holiday site for £577m in 2005. Swiss company Bravofly made the winning bid yesterday, following a [...]
Putin’s disaster economy now faces a perfect storm December 16, 2014 VLADIMIR Putin is surely receiving his long-awaited comeuppance, as his country struggles to deal with a full-blown currency rout, driven by plunging oil prices. For if the US and Saudi Arabia are indeed in cahoots to drive down the price of oil to smite their Russian enemy, as I have previously posited, one must admit [...]
William Hague outlines English votes for English laws: Here’s what you need to know December 16, 2014 William Hague has outlined proposals for English votes for English laws (EVEL). Speaking to the House of Commons, Hague revealed his party's plans to put an end to the so-called West Lothian question that has divided opinion across the UK for decades. Under the current system Scottish MPs have the right to vote on issues [...]
Labour councillors call for Soho nightclub Madame Jojo’s to be re-opened under new management December 4, 2014 Labour councillors have called for legendary nightclub Madame Jojo's to re-opened under new management, after its license was revoked last month following a violent incident. By closing the iconic club Westminster council would "continue the remorseless process of Soho gentrification". Rather, it should be re-opened by a new owner under the same licensing terms. The area, [...]
James Bond 24: All you need to know about Spectre, plus we crunch the numbers on franchise’s profits December 4, 2014 James Bond mania is upon us. Today at Pinewood Studios in west London, Sony Entertainment, Eon and MGM revealed the details of what has until now been simply called James Bond 24. The new film is called Spectre, taking the title from Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, a fictional organisation that [...]
London Bridge travel disruption: Everything Thameslink, Southeastern, Overground and Southern service commuters need to know December 2, 2014 Most commuters who travel to London Bridge are already used to stuffy train carriages, infuriating delays, slow trawls through crowded platforms and queues for ticket machines. Yet it could all be about to get even more stressful due to the next phase of a massive Network Rail rebuilding project at London Bridge mainline station [...]
George Osborne puts his money on roadbuilding and reveals Stonehenge tunnel plans November 30, 2014 Chancellor George Osborne will today unveil plans to build a tunnel under historic landmark Stonehenge, as he sets out how £15bn will be spent to overhaul British roads. The announcement marks the end of a long-running battle for a tunnel at the site, after plans were dropped seven years ago because of cost. Deputy prime [...]
Is Latin America the next step for your business? November 30, 2014 SPONSORED CONTENT BY SANTANDER Look south west, and there is a vast, untapped export market. That’s the message of Canning House, Britain’s leading forum and contacts hub for Latin America, and a participant at Santander’s Breakthrough Box last week. “Companies are being held back because of a lack of familiarity and a fear of engagement,” [...]
Police blame retailers as Black Friday descends into chaos November 28, 2014 The chief of Greater Manchester Police has blamed retailers after officers were called to seven Tesco stores across Greater Manchester to deal with crowds at Black Friday events. In a video posted to YouTube, Sir Peter Fahy said three people had been arrested – including one who threatened to "smash" a staff member's face in, [...]
David Cameron: Let us block migrant benefits or we’ll leave EU November 27, 2014 David Cameron will today fire a warning shot over EU negotiations by revealing plans to dramatically tighten benefits allowances for immigrants from within the Union. The Prime Minister will toughen his stance by insisting that he is ready for Britain to leave the EU unless benefits for migrants can be severely restricted. His speech comes in [...]