City of London Police commander: I look up to frontline officers November 6, 2025 Tor Garnett takes us through her career highs, her favourite coffee spots and what inspires her in this week’s Square Mile and Me CV Name: Tor Garnett Job title: Commander National – City of London Police Previous roles: Head of Central Specialist Crime, Met Police. Deputy Borough Commander for Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington [...]
Square Mile darling Farmer J bags $23m funding to take on New York October 7, 2025 London’s fast-casual darling Farmer J is heading across the pond after securing a $23m (£17.5m) funding round to launch its first New York flagship later this year, City AM can reveal. The investment, led by existing backer Beringea and joined by a new global hospitality investor, will also fuel three additional London openings before year-end, [...]
Green is good: How has Blank Street taken over London? October 3, 2025 Given the ubiquity of Blank Street’s pastel green branding across the capital, it is almost surprising to think the New York-based company only opened its first London shop in the summer of 2022. In fact, it only opened its very first shop in Williamsburg in 2021, after spending nearly a year housed in a Brooklyn [...]
Pret A Manger ‘being punished for focusing on UK’ September 15, 2025 Pret A Manger is being punished for focusing on the UK and this is a “disaster for domestic growth”, according to the chief executive of drinking chocolate chain Knoops. Writing on LinkedIn, William Gordon-Harris said “the sad fact is for UK domestic growth is that so many UK founded businesses focus their growth after launch [...]
Coco di Mama bets on meal deals as it launches in Tesco September 12, 2025 Coco di Mama has announced the launch of a range of freshly made Italian sourdough sandwiches in Tesco’s premium meal deal as it bets on the grocery market. The launch follows a “hugely successful” debut year in retail with its range in Sainsbury’s’ £5.50 meal deal. “Capital-light, fast-growing channels,” are the focus of the brand at [...]
Pret A Manger writes down value by a third amid £525m losses September 9, 2025 Pret A Manger has written off a third of the value it was handed after its 2018 acquisition by European investment group JAB as an uncertain UK economy puts pressure on the sandwich chain. The group made a £553m non-cash impairment to the £912m goodwill on its balance sheet created as part of the 2018 [...]
The Capitalist: slim pickings at Mansion House July 17, 2025 A slither of salmon at Mansion House, protein-packed ‘Super Plates’ at Pret and a self-appreciating AI. Catch up with all the latest gossip from the Square Mile with The Capitalist The Capitalist rubbed shoulders with the City’s great and good at Mansion House on Tuesday, where a decidedly upbeat Rachel Reeves told the assembled financiers [...]
Will Pret a Manger’s IPO be a tasty treat for the City? June 12, 2025 There are few better ways to start the morning than with a bacon sandwich. Outside City AM‘s offices on Cheapside, a coterie of cafes and sandwich shops open at 6am to sate City workers’ cravings for the greasy, umami-rich bap. There is often a line stretching out the door at Greggs, which charges £3 for [...]
Boardroom Uncovered: How work from home policies have changed business June 10, 2025 Pret A Manger UK managing director, Clare Clough, said work from home patterns are influencing where the business opens new stores.
How WFH is influencing where Pret A Manger will open new stores June 10, 2025 The move to working from home post-pandemic is having an impact on where Pret A Manger will open new stores, its UK boss has said.