Service industry looks to an improved Britain September 11, 2014 BUSINESS SERVICES of the year In uncertain times, companies that are willing to try something different – be that a new management team, an innovative business structure or a better use of technology – are those that tend to succeed. Our choices come from the transport sector, catering, white-collar recruitment, online professional networking and management [...]
UK commuters feeling strain of taking the train September 10, 2014 If you are a regular traveller on the 16:46 from London Euston to Crewe and are wondering why you never get a seat, it’s because you are on the most crowded train service in Britain. According to figures released yesterday by the Rail Executive of the Department for Transport, last autumn the four-carriage service carried an [...]
Virgin on ridiculous: Four businesses showing how Richard Branson likes to “fail fast” September 8, 2014 It was only a year ago that Richard Branson was prancing around in a red kilt during the opening of Little Red, his domestic airline for the UK, which was designed to provide competition after British Airways owner International Airline Group acquired BMI. Since its launch, though, Little Red has been dogged by rumours [...]
City AM awards: Business of the Year nominees announced September 7, 2014 I have great pleasure in introducing the first of our shortlists for the annual City A.M. awards. As ever, the awards have attracted nominations from all sorts of diverse businesses and people who have done great things during the course of the past year, a year of recovery in the UK. We have taken on [...]
And the nominees are… September 7, 2014 TOMORROW: ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR ALDI The German discounter has taken the British high street by storm. Aldi now has a 4.6 per cent share of the UK market, up more than one third in a year due to consumers choosing its quality and low prices over the more established retailers. It has even [...]
Living in luxury in London… as a student? September 5, 2014 Students deserve better and they’re willing to pay for it. At least, this is what some of the country’s leading estate agents and developers are starting to realise, and they’re happy to oblige with a range of quality alternatives to traditional student digs. Gone are the days when students were expected to put up with [...]
Profits soar at Go-Ahead with more rail routes September 4, 2014 RAIL and bus group Go-Ahead yesterday saw its share price jump 3.17 per cent as it reported record passenger numbers across its services. Pre-tax profits for the year to 28 June soared to £91.2m, up 44 per cent from £63.1m in the first half of 2013, as revenue rose to £2.7bn, up five per cent [...]
Airport Commission sinks £70bn Boris Island plan as too risky September 2, 2014 LONDON mayor Boris Johnson yesterday refused to throw in the towel over his plans for a Thames Estuary airport, despite the scheme being grounded by the Airport Commission for being too risky. Undaunted by the crushing blow to his proposal, the mayor hit back yesterday against the commission and its head, Sir Howard Davies. Johnson [...]
Uber taxi app banned throughout Germany after Frankfurt ruling September 2, 2014 In what may be the severest crackdown on taxi app service Uber seen so far, Germany has banned the San Francisco-based company from operating throughout the country after a temporary injunction was issued by the Frankfurt regional court. Uber will be subjected fines of up to €250,000 (£198,000) if it defies the ban. The injunction [...]
Blow for Boris as island airport is rejected September 1, 2014 LONDON Mayor Boris Johnson was dealt a blow last night after his plan for an island airport in east London was rejected by the Airports Commission. The Mayor’s transport advisor Daniel Moylan called the decision not to back the scheme, dubbed Boris Island, “shortsighted” but said the campaign to build a four-runway hub in the [...]