Tesco is trying to give quick delivery apps a run for their money May 26, 2021 Tesco is set to launch a new rapid delivery service which will allow the supermarket giant to shuttle orders to customers doorsteps in less than an hour. The supermarket chain will first trial the Whoosh delivery service at its Wolverhampton Willenhall Express store – assessing its potential for a wider rollout. It said that the [...]
Beyond Pret sandwich sales, how do we measure the recovery of London? May 23, 2021 After more than a year of lockdown restrictions, words like “recovery” are thick in the air. Indeed, the Bank of England is forecasting annual growth of 7.25 per cent, the fastest rate since 1941; positive news, but it is not the most digestible statistic for much of Britain’s population. The most important benchmarks are ones [...]
Pret A Manger trades city centres for Pret-rol stations May 21, 2021 Pret A Manger is set to open new shops in petrol stations owned by the Motor Fuel Group (MFG), the café said today, in a well-needed boost for roadside stops. Wither fewer people travelling and going to work, petrol stations have suffered a sales slump of 13.3 per cent compared with the same month two [...]
Pret a Manger plots Tesco store launch in bid to shake off City image May 11, 2021 Pret a Manger is planning to open stores in Tesco supermarkets as it looks to shrug off its reputation as a hotspot for office workers. The trial partnership marks efforts by the coffee chain to broaden its appeal, with boss Pano Christou saying he wanted to “bring Pret to the people”. Its first concession will [...]
Heathrow calls for green list expansion as passenger numbers sink by 92 per cent May 11, 2021 Heathrow Airport has called for an expansion to the travel green list in the next government review in three weeks’ time, including the United States, to boost trade and reunite friends and family. The number of passengers passing through Heathrow Airport was down by 92.1 per cent in April, compared to pre-pandemic figures. After the [...]
Rise & grind: Employers splurge on keeping teams caffeinated while working remotely April 6, 2021 Employers kept staff fed and caffeinated while working from home during the pandemic, making up for the loss of coffee and sweets available at the office by expensing Starbucks and Deliveroo orders. Keeping teams fed and caffeinated while working remotely made up nearly 36 per cent of all expenses claimed during January to November 2020, [...]
Central London to get ‘half a dozen’ new Greggs stores following rent bonfire March 16, 2021 Half a dozen new Greggs stores will open up in zones one and two in central London, including in the City of London, after falling rents in the capital made London spaces more attractive. Greggs reported its first annual loss today since listing on the stock exchange in 1984, after coronavirus restrictions forced store closures [...]
Hospitality redundancies: How many restaurant and pub jobs have been lost during the pandemic? February 27, 2021 How many restaurant and pub jobs have been lost during the pandemic?
Is central London finished? International investors think otherwise February 9, 2021 It is a strange experience going into central London right now. Areas that are normally bustling with crowds or chaotic with commuters lie still – even Pret A Manger has reduced its menu and opening times. Those who live outside of Zone 1 and for whom memories of maroon coffee cups, the underground and the [...]
Brand Britain is stronger than you think – so let’s give it some welly on the global stage January 22, 2021 Let’s start with a couple of caveats. Firstly, I’m a resolute optimist – something I share in common with many adfolk. Advertising is not a great career choice for pessimists. Hope is more of a till ringer than gloom. Secondly, I’m proud to be British. Not in the jingoistic sense of the word, but in [...]