Why you should serve a magnum on Christmas day December 21, 2016 Yes, Yes, Christmas is a time for giving. But it is also a time for a decent glass of wine or two and sharing them with friends and family. One of the greatest pleasures in collecting and appreciating wine is choosing the wines that will work just right with the occasion and the planned menu [...]
John Lewis hits out at Labour MP over Christmas jingle December 20, 2016 The John Lewis Partnership has hit out at a campaigning Labour MP after she produced a Christmas jingle criticising the retailer for how it treats its staff. Labour MPs, led by Siobhain McDonagh, recently recorded a song – titled "National Living Rage" – to highlight how retailers are cutting staff benefits in response to the national living wage. Read more: [...]
Britons have lost their taste for these favourites of Christmas past December 20, 2016 Christmas 2016 may have been marked by the rise of craft beer and gin advent calendars (yes, really), and a season when we cracked open £2bn worth of bubbly, but spare a thought for the traditional tipples we're leaving behind. Despite being a Christmas staple, Britons have lost their taste for the fortified wines of port, sherry and vermouth, as [...]
Revealed: The best places to work in the UK December 7, 2016 Businesses can breath a sigh of relief – the trend of trying to emulate Google's particular brand of work environment with bean bags, slides, hot desking and food freebies might just be over. The tech company has slipped out of the top 10 best places to work list for the first time, coming 13th in the annual ranking by [...]
John Lewis sales bolstered by final Black Friday promotions December 6, 2016 John Lewis' sales over the past week received a boost from the final Black Friday promotions on offer. Sales for the week to 3 December increased 3.9 per cent year-on-year, the department store said, reaching £172.1m. Read more: Nespresso is teaming up with John Lewis to open two new boutiques Year-on-year, fashion and home sales [...]
The cost of Christmas dinner has dropped 10 per cent since 2009 November 30, 2016 Inflation may be creeping up, but the price of your Christmas dinner isn't – in fact, this year's festive feast may be cheaper than ever before, after a new study suggested its price has fallen 10 per cent since 2009. Good Housekeeping's Christmas index found the cheapest place to buy turkey and all the trimmings [...]
The world’s oldest port brand is now available in Waitrose November 23, 2016 The world's oldest brand of port uncorked plans to sell at Waitrose after a successful launch at Marks & Spencer last month. Kopke, a top-tier port brand that was founded in 1638, has launched its Kopke Reserve Tawny in the major retailer just in time for Christmas. The company is part of the Sogevinus Group, the fifth largest producer [...]
Eh? Rolls-Royce and Game are among the 25 best UK companies to work for. Supposedly. November 23, 2016 An engineering giant which has issued a string of profit warnings, two retailers which recently came out of administration and a bank which was the centre of a major scandal this year are among UK employees' 25 favourite companies to work for, according to new research. Rolls-Royce came top of jobsite Indeed's Top Employers in Britain list. The [...]
Now Heathrow Airport’s trying to swoop in on the Christmas ad battle with this tear-jearker featuring two teddy bears November 17, 2016 First it was John Lewis that routinely took the crown for best Christmas ad. But in recent years other retailers have been upping the ante – from Sainsbury's to M&S to Waitrose's adorable robin. And now, not content with winning the battle over airport expansion (for now), Heathrow Airport has unveiled its very first Christmas ad [...]
John Lewis Partnership chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield admits pay changes in retail aren’t a “genuine move forward” November 16, 2016 The chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, Sir Charlie Mayfield, has admitted that the response to the national living wage from retailers has not been a "genuine move forward" for their employees. Following the introduction of the new national living wage, several retailers have cut staff benefits while increasing basic pay rates. Minutes from a John [...]