Mother’s Day boosts takings at Greene King April 23, 2012 RECENT calendar highlights boosted Greene King as strong sales on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and St Patrick’s Day drove business up 4.5 per cent in the quarter. The pub operator said it sold 220,000 meals on Mothering Sunday, a 16 per cent increase on 2011 with wine sales up 18 per cent. Greene King chief [...]
EPISODE 52 – IN WHICH WE’RE LIKE CALVES TO THE SLAUGHTER April 9, 2012 We’re just off the return flight from Venice. Walking through the terminal, I’m speaking to Noel on the telephone. “Were you good for Maria?” “Yes daddy. Of course I was. But Gwennie…” The call is suddenly interrupted by a flurry of incoming messages. “Noel, I’m going to have to call you back.” “But daddy…” “A [...]
Online boosts February’s sales March 4, 2012 Traditionally the toughest month of the retail calendar, February shone brighter than expected this year boosted by a 27.9 per cent increase in online sales. The BDO High Street Sales Tracker, which analyses like-for-like spending at non-grocery retailers, also saw non-fashion sales grow by two per cent thanks to Valentines Day shoppers. But overall sales [...]
No Valentine’s Day love for Euro sovereign debt February 14, 2012 THE move made by Moody’s this week to downgrade a number of Eurozone sovereigns, as well as putting the UK and France on the naughty step, caused more of a political fall-out than any real effect on the markets. Politicians squabbled like teenagers as to whose economic policies were the object of Moody’s affections, but [...]
JOE LEWIS TO HOST HIGH-ROLLERS’ GOLF IN HIS TAKEOVER DOWNTIME February 13, 2012 THERE IS still more than a month to go before Bahamas-based billionaire Joe Lewis can come back with a bid for pub chain Mitchells & Butlers. To occupy himself in the meantime, the financier is hosting two of the world’s most high net worth golf tournaments. The first, the Albany International Challenge co-hosted with Rob [...]
FIT IN THE CITY February 13, 2012 Valentine SOS: Foxy fitness for the 14th Too late to pump it up to impress your Valentine date? No way – this lunchtime you can get buff, glowing and well in the mood for your dinner date. Plump for the fitness facelift. Anything that gets you sweaty and out of breath is good news for [...]
Still not ready for Valentine’s tonight? February 13, 2012 Staying In & Going Out ENJOY THE PERFECT RESTAURANT MEAL – AT HOME | FROM £35 Get amazing takeaway. The key for this one is to make sure it’s ready when she gets home – you want the table set, the candles lit, the wine out. Chinese isn’t allowed: instead, opt for the very best [...]
BILL OF THE WEEK February 12, 2012 THE CRACK Baby, a favourite with Chelsea property developers, isn’t as illegal as it sounds. But still – judging by the 26 vodka and champagne concoctions of the same name a party of 14 socialites got through when they visited Eclipse – the drink is just as addictive as its Class-A namesake. As is the [...]
Partnerships are all about finding the right person February 12, 2012 JUST a decade ago, the idea of going beyond family and friends to help find one’s significant other would be greeted by a mixture of confusion, curiosity and pity. However, times change and the plethora of introduction or dating agencies have expanded apace. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day – and of course entrepreneurs have stepped in [...]
Sweeten your Valentine’s Day with our gift guide February 6, 2012 Valentine’s day can be a minefield for the unprepared. Come home on the day with a bunch of supermarket flowers and a box of Quality Street and you may as well bed in at the office and prepare for that big meeting the next day. The discerning partner expects far more. Thankfully, we have done [...]