On the block: Goals goes up for sale in wake of £12m fraud accusations August 29, 2019 Embattled five-a-side football operator Goals has put itself up for sale this morning, following a torrid six months that has been clouded by accusations of tax fraud. Goals Soccer Centres, which is part owned by retail magnate Mike Ashley, has said today that it is inviting offers for both the business and the assets belonging [...]
Self-cleaning homes and air taxis: What London will look like in 2069 August 29, 2019 Londoners might have to abandon veganism in the next 50 years as insect burgers become the capital’s next street food craze, according to a report that predicts underground skyscrapers and aquatic roads will reshape our capital. Researchers have also predicted that we will be playing “Quidditch-style” aerial sports matches. Though what the Health and Safety [...]
Supply and demand at work, or just good bargaining? The reality behind CEO pay August 28, 2019 A report published by Deloitte a couple of weeks ago will have enhanced the feeling of holiday wellbeing for many people. The median annual pay for bosses of FTSE 100 companies fell in 2018 to £3.4m, compared to £4m in 2017. This is the lowest level since 2014, when the UK brought in rules which [...]
Mike Ashley faces shareholder rebellion at Sports Direct AGM August 27, 2019 Mike Ashley could face a shareholder revolt at Sports Direct’s annual general meeting next month after two proxy advisors recommended investors vote to oust him from the board. Pensions and Investment Research Consultants (Pirc) and Glass Lewis have both urged shareholders to oppose the re-election of Ashley, the firm’s chief executive and founder, at a [...]
Ted Baker to ditch Debenhams for Next on children’s clothing range August 16, 2019 Ted Barker is set to end its deal to sell its children’s clothing range at Debenhams’ stores in the latest blow to the department store chain. Instead, Ted Baker will team up with Next, who are going to “create and sell” Ted Baker-branded clothes, shoes and accessories for babies and children. Read more: Ted Baker [...]
Sports Direct left looking like giant mugs as auditor Grant Thornton quits August 14, 2019 Sports Direct shares have tumbled to their lowest level since 2011 after it emerged that Mike Ashley’s retail empire could be left without an auditor, breaching stock market rules. The company is understood to have sought government advice over what would happen if it is unable to find an auditor after its current auditor Grant [...]
Grant Thornton quits as Sports Direct auditor August 14, 2019 Sports Direct faces being left without an auditor after Grant Thornton told the retailer it would not apply for reappointment. The decision threatens to leave Sports Direct high and dry as all of the Big Four firms have indicated they are reluctant to take on the role. The Financial Times reported that Sports Direct has [...]
City watchdog launches fraud probe into Goals Soccer Centres August 11, 2019 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reportedly launched an investigation into fraud at Goals Soccer Centres. The five-a-side football operator announced earlier this month that it was to delist from the stock market after an investigation into its accounting practices found “improper behaviour”. Trading in its shares was suspended in March after it said it [...]
The world’s local bank has a new boss on its doorstep August 9, 2019 It is just 4.3 miles from One Canada Square, HSBC Holdings’ headquarters, to 20 Gresham Street, the home of Lloyds Banking Group. How fitting, then, that “the world’s local bank” should have no further to look than its near-neighbour for its next chief executive. Mark Tucker, HSBC’s chairman, cautioned this week that his search for [...]
Southampton preview: Hasenhuttl ready to impart his tactical philosophy on Saints August 8, 2019 At the start of a new football season, fans’ excitement is increasingly directed towards new signings – players who offer hope that this campaign can be different. For Southampton, there are certainly high hopes for striker Che Adams, who has arrived from Birmingham for £15m, and winger Moussa Djenepo, who has joined from Standard Liege, [...]