Greggs share price dips after ‘scum’ logo hack August 19, 2014 Pasty purveyor Greggs came in for a social media battering today after it emerged that someone had messed with the baker's logo. People Googling to look for the business – which now claims to have more UK outlets than McDonalds – found its strapline suddenly claimed it had been “providing shit to scum for [...]
Balfour Beatty looks to sell US arm Parsons Brinckerhoff in latest Carillion merger battle twist August 18, 2014 The long battle over a possible £3bn mega-merger between Carillion and Balfour Beatty took another turn last night, as Balfour was believed to be in advanced negotiations to sell its US business Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) to a Canadian bidder, adding to the pressure facing Carillion as it has been considering its options for another offer [...]
Are JetCards the Oysters of the skies? Air Partner sells record amount of top-ups August 18, 2014 The UK’s strengthening economy and corporates’ increased willingness to use private jets have helped Air Partner to sell more than £5m worth of its JetCards in the first six months of the year – more than double the amount they sold for the whole of 2013. The pre-paid JetCards, likened to TfL’s Oyster cards, have [...]
Lastminute.com-owner Sabre eyeing up sale of the travel site August 17, 2014 Travel website Lastminute.com is reportedly up for sale by its owner, US technology group Sabre Holdings. According to Sky News, Sabre has appointed bankers from advisory group Houlihan Lokey to oversee an auction for Lastminute.com, which it bought for £577m for in 2005. “We are always reviewing options to make our technology company as successful, [...]
Jeff Randall: From Sky soap box to Prudential sounding board August 17, 2014 So, Jeff Randall’s off the to the Pru. The veteran business hack, whose career has seen him go from The Telegraph, to the BBC to Sky (from where he stepped down earlier this year) is to become an adviser to Prudential boss Tidjane Thiam. Ah, I hear you say, another journo heads-off into a PR [...]
More pubs than ever are picking BT Sport over rival Sky Sports August 17, 2014 More pubs now subscribe to BT Sport than Sky Sports, according to the former state monopoly, as its £2bn investment in building a sports TV empire continues. In May, BT said more than 19,000 pubs, clubs and commercial properties had signed up for its sports service, putting BT neck-and-neck with Sky Sports, BT’s consumer division [...]
James Crosby-backed Moneybarn sold in £120m deal to Provident Financial August 14, 2014 Doorstep lender Provident Financial yesterday raised £120m to snap up Moneybarn, the motor insurer chaired by ex-Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) boss James Crosby. The lender, which makes loans to people with poor credit scores, generated the cash in a matter of hours after mandating JP Morgan to raise the fund. Existing shareholder Invesco bought [...]
Film Review: Hector and the Search for Happiness August 14, 2014 You’d think a psychiatrist would understand why people are unhappy. As it happens, Hector (played by ubiquitous everyman Simon Pegg) doesn’t even know why he’s unhappy. He lives a seemingly comfortable life with his beautiful and successful (but stubbornly childless, we’re reminded) girlfriend Clara in London. But he feels like a fraud imparting worldly advice [...]
Interest rate rise will be gradual and limited, says Mark Carney August 13, 2014 The Bank of England (BoE) has raised its 2014 growth forecast from 3.4 per cent to 3.5 per cent. However, those hoping for a rapid rise in rates will be disappointed thanks to weaker than expected growth in wages. The Bank now expects earnings to rise by just 1.25 per cent for 2014. [...]
BSkyB shoots for budget viewers with pay-weekly for Sky Sports August 11, 2014 BSKYB looks set to double down on its bid to capitalise on budget TV customers, a strategy that has seen rival TalkTalk soar to record user growth, as the satellite broadcaster begins offering a £10.99 seven day pass for Sky Sports on Thursday for its Now TV video streaming service. The launch comes 18 months [...]