Bolland takes the helm as M&S chief May 4, 2010 A NEW era was ushered in at Marks & Spencer yesterday as former Morrisons chief Marc Bolland took the hot seat at the retailer. The Dutch executive faces the pressure of living up to a £15m remuneration package as he takes on the challenges of shaking up the company’s clothing range. Modernising the stock while [...]
M&S sales up as staff given £80m bonus April 8, 2010 STAFF at Marks & Spencer will be handed an £80m bonus pot after the retailer ended the year with better-than-expected same store sales of 5.1 per cent in the UK. The figures were fuelled by the unseasonally cold weather which saw a massive jump in the sake of woollens. M&S said that total like-for-like sales [...]
Pink power April 7, 2010 T HE tangiest of British vegetables, so long relegated to fools and crumbles, stepped into the (pink-tinged) lime-light last week. Rhubarb made headlines when Waitrose suddenly found itself entirely sold out of the British variety, thanks to an advert featuring Delia Smith and a rhubarb and ginger brulee recipe. In just four days, the supermarket [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS March 31, 2010 BRUNCH AT HAWKSMOOR We’ve long known that East End restaurant Hawksmoor was one of the best places to eat meat, and it’s now servring a truly spectacular brunch. From 11am you can get stuck into steak and eggs – choose from seven different steaks, and add half a lobster if you like – sausage and [...]
Waitrose in talks for EAT March 28, 2010 EAT, the sandwich chain favoured by City workers, could be sold within the next month to the upmarket supermarket giant Waitrose, City sources suggested yesterday. EAT was founded in 1996 by Niall and Faith MacArthur and now has over 30 branches in the City selling sandwiches, soups, pies and drinks. The husband and wife team [...]
2010 is the year of the big move to the country March 25, 2010 MANY who earn their crust in London dream of living in the country, and there are good reasons to make 2010 the year to make the move. While the property markets in the desirable parts of London have now fully recovered, with prices similar to those achieved in the 2007 peak, the same isn’t true [...]
Ocado confident on float March 17, 2010 ONLINE grocer Ocado is looking at a summer flotation, confident its rapid sales growth and expanding marketplace will win over investors despite jittery equity markets and its lack of profit. Finance director Andrew Bracey said proceeds from selling new shares would be used mainly for growth, such as building a second centre for processing customer [...]
What to Drink with your Indian dinner March 17, 2010 LAURENT MIQUEL CAZAL VIEL ROSÉ VIELLES VIGNES 2008 £6.99 at Majestic This delicate rosé has red fruit flavours with a round, mellow structure and superb freshness on the finish, which makes it the perfect rosé for mild to medium heat and tomato-based curries such as a shrimp dopiaza. PLÈNITUDE, MADIRAN 2005, £16.99 at Adnams, City [...]
John Lewis gives staff 15pc bonus March 11, 2010 JOHN Lewis will hand its staff a 15 per cent bonus after reporting a surge in annual profits. The staff-owned retailer made a profit before the employee bonus and tax of £306.6m in the year to the end of January – up from £279.6m in the previous year. It owns 28 department stores, one John [...]
John Lewis to give staff £151m bonus March 11, 2010 JOHN Lewis will hand its staff a 15 per cent bonus after reporting a surge in annual profits. The retailer made a profit before the staff bonus and tax of £306.6m in the year to the end of January – up from £279.6m in the previous year. It owns 28 department stores, one John Lewis [...]