Halfords mulls Hobbycraft deal February 8, 2010 BIKE retailer Halfords is mulling making acquisitions within the retail sector as part of ambitious expansion plans, it emerged yesterday. Halfords, which saw like-for-like sales jump 15 per cent over the Christmas period, is understood to be looking at crafts chain Hobbycraft, according to Sky News. Hobbycraft is undergoing a thorough strategic review by accountancy [...]
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT February 7, 2010 For the real high flyers, a day (or two) heliskiing offers the ultimate adrenaline rush. And of course there’s no problem finding virginal top-of-the-mountain snow for the very best of late season skiing. Danielle Stynes, of SwisSKIsafari (0041 273982194; www.swisskisafari.com) has the enviable job of putting together tailor-made helicopter and back-bowl skiing trips with idyllic [...]
Sky’s the limit for Qatar leaders February 7, 2010 CYCLING: Team Sky threw down the gauntlet to their rivals by producing a stunning performance to win the opening team time trial by eight seconds at the Tour of Qatar. The eight-man squad included seven debutants such as Bradley Wiggins and Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen, who wears the leader’s jersey for today’s second stage.
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS February 4, 2010 Betfair Ian Dyson, finance director of retail giant Marks and Spencer, has taken up a new non-executive directorship at the betting firm. Dyson, who joins the Betfair board immediately, joined M&S in June 2005 as group finance director, becoming group finance and operations director in 2008. He was also formerly finance director at the Rank [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS February 2, 2010 WM MORRISON JP Morgan upgrades Morrison’s to “overweight” ahead of its results on 11 March. Calculates that Morrison’s has grown three-fold over the past seven years, helped by its Safeway purchase. Says its sales densities are up by around 30 per cent, and reckons it has the “strongest topline momentum in the UK,” as well [...]
Tories in fast broadband plan January 31, 2010 A CONSERVATIVE government could use part of the BBC licence fee to fund the rollout of superfast broadband to the majority of homes by 2017. And the Tories pledged to end BT’s dominance of broadband by forcing it to give rivals access to its ducts, sewers, telephone poles and unused cables. Shadow culture secretary Jeremy [...]
THIRD DIMENSION January 31, 2010 Football fans in nine pubs – including the Railway Tavern in Liverpool Street (pictured) – yesterday watched the clash between Arsenal and Manchester United in 3D. Sky Sports used the event to launch its 3D channel, which goes live in April.
Sky launches 3D footie and defies slump January 28, 2010 SATELLITE broadcaster BSkyB will broadcast Manchester United’s clash with Arsenal this weekend in 3D at a handful of pubs. The event, which Sky is billing as a world-first, will drum up interest for its 3D TV service, which launches in April. Nine pubs in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin will take part. Sky announced its [...]
the INSIDER January 28, 2010 Legs eleven, black eleven, left wing (eleven), one less than a dozen (eleven) has always been my number but I’m going to have to swap it for seven. SEVEN IS MY NUMBER might be an obvious choice seeing as he has won five out of his last six racecourse visits but looking at Oddschecker the [...]
Arsenal should have the edge in Emirates thriller January 28, 2010 ARSENAL VS MANCHESTER UNITED SUNDAY – 4.00PM, SKY SPORTS 1 THE next few weeks are absolutely crucial for Arsenal in their battle to win the Premier League title for the first time since 2004/05. They were disappointing at Stoke last weekend and although they hit the woodwork twice at Villa Park on Wednesday night, they [...]