The Notebook: Less of the doom please. Business is spooked! October 9, 2024 Business optimism is plunging and no wonder. With all the doom and gloom, has Labour forgotten its mission of growth? Asks Kiki McDonough
No showstopper performance for The Great British Bake Off maker October 8, 2024 Turnover and profit at Love Productions, the maker of TV shows including The Great British Bake Off, both fell back during its latest financial year. The business has reported a turnover of £71.7m for 2023, down from the £79.3m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show that its pre-tax profit also [...]
Leeds landmark sold for almost £80m in city’s biggest deal for over five years October 8, 2024 A landmark building in the heart of Leeds’ financial district has been sold for almost £80m in the city’s largest office deal for more than five years. Ashtrom Properties UK has acquired Central Square, which is home to the likes of M&S, PwC an Sky, for £78m. Central Square comprises 217,249 sq ft of office [...]
Coldplay Moon Music review: Could this be perfect pop? October 8, 2024 Every now and then I find myself considering the fine margins between major and minor success. I remember, for instance, a gig I attended at the turn of the millennium at the Nottingham Arena performed by the band Travis. In those days, like their rivals Coldplay, they could easily fill a stadium of 10,000 people. [...]
UK’s cash-strapped fintechs brace for buyouts as London IPOs stall October 8, 2024 Amid a dearth of IPO activity, the UK's fintech sector is bracing for more consolidation as successful start-ups expand and established players fend off future rivals.
Tories must take the Sabrina Carpenter approach to get back on top October 8, 2024 Sabrina Carpenter worked for a decade to become an overnight success. Likewise, if the Tories want to turn their fortunes around, the hard work on policy starts now, says Emma Revell It wasn’t quite a Taylor Swift moment. Keir Starmer wasn’t scrounging for hospitality tickets, for one thing. But it certainly felt like I was [...]
Why Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is the most fascinating city in Europe October 7, 2024 Towering over the Georgian capital of Tbilisi is Mtatsminda Park, a Soviet-era fairground and gardens set atop a craggy hill. Accessed by a funicular railway, you will find a host of terrifying, creaky old amusement rides, including the 65-metre-high Giant Wheel, which seems to bow outwards over the edge of a sheer cliff. Dotted around [...]
‘We’re all on one page’: Ten Hag rejects sack fears after United’s worst start October 6, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insists he doesn’t fear the sack after the club’s hierarchy watched them continue their dismal form at Aston Villa. The goalless draw means United have made their worst start to a Premier League season, with eight points from seven games beating their previous lowest tally – last year under [...]
TGI Fridays rescue deal nears completion October 6, 2024 A rescue deal for TGI Fridays’ embattled UK operations is set to be finalised over the weekend, potentially saving over 2,000 jobs. Breal Capital and Calveton, owners of restaurant group D&D London, are expected to acquire a majority stake in the American diner-inspired restaurant chain as soon as Monday, according to Sky News. Final details are [...]
Seedlip revolutionised alcohol free drinking. Now its founder has a new product: We tried it first October 6, 2024 Ben Branson birthed the alcohol free spirits scene when he launched Seedlip nearly ten years ago. Five years after selling his majority share, he’s ready to change the face of drinking. Again. He talks to Adam Bloodworth Through the launch of Seedlip, Ben Branson established a reputation as the founding father of the alcohol free [...]