Wine Without The Snobbery December 17, 2024 THE festive season is expensive, but your wine can still deliver deliciousness without curtailing your Christmas spirit – it is simply a case of knowing where to look to find those affordable gems. Celebration means sparkling, but buying Champagne can be a little like paying for a Tiffany’s diamond, there is a cost tied up [...]
Only the most ‘robust and resilient’ will survive post-Budget blues December 10, 2024 Jennifer Sieg meets Joanna Jensen, serial entrepreneur and founder of family skincare brand Childs Farm, to discuss all things business, investment and start-up trends If you are not prepared to make big personal sacrifices to boost your returns or retain your staff, you might not want to start a business anytime soon. This is the [...]
M&S and Waitrose meal deal maker Greencore rebuilds profits December 3, 2024 Food manufacturer Greencore has experienced a “stronger than expected” year of trade as the meal deal producer rebuilds profitability ahead of 2025. The Irish business, which supplies sandwiches and sushi to the likes of M&S and Waitrose, told markets this morning that like-for-like sales jumped from 29.7 per cent to 33.2 per cent in the [...]
My Top Christmas Wines December 3, 2024 As much as I love the tradition of turkey and think pigs-in-blankets are delicious, unsurprisingly the wine is the star attraction at my house, and I put a whole lot of thought and care into what I serve my guests. Nothing kicks off a celebration better than a glass of something sparkling and I will [...]
High Low Pairings: Fried Chicken November 19, 2024 It was the revered Château d’Yquem that first introduced me to the beauty of the high-low pairing when they served their premier sweet wine with KFC-style fried chicken. It was the taste sensation I never knew I needed, and I set out to discover what other fine wines would enhance the humble (but rightfully beloved) [...]
Struggles continue at Asda as new owner looks to turn around supermarket giant November 12, 2024 The continuing struggles at supermarket giant Asda have been revealed with both Tesco and Sainsbury’s hoovering up its market share in the UK, according to new figures. Sales at the Leeds-based grocer totalled £4.242bn in the 12 weeks to 3 November, 2024, down from the £4.490bn it reported for the same period last year, the [...]
Bonfire Night Wines November 5, 2024 During the time of Guy Fawkes, the historical figure for whom today’s Bonfire Night was created, drinking water was often riddled with dirt and germs meaning fermented or brewed alcoholic beverages were deemed safer to drink. Ale and beer, both lower in alcohol than modern day versions, were the staple of most adults and children [...]
What to wash your Halloween haul down with October 29, 2024 Never has there been a festival so associated with sweet treats as Halloween and now is the time to stock up for trick-or-treaters. Whether clearing the leftovers or raiding your child’s haul there is a way to make the experience even better with a glass of the good stuff. Chocolate I tend to go with [...]
John Lewis set for Black Friday and Christmas hiring spree October 28, 2024 The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is gearing up for a hiring offensive in the coming months as the retail group looks to bring in thousands of temporary staff for the festive season. Some 12,500 new workers are set to join its John Lewis department store and Waitrose grocery arm, up 4,100 on the same period [...]
Government should consider Post Office mutualisation, ex-minister says October 20, 2024 The government should consider plans to turn the Post Office into a John Lewis-style mutual, a former business minister has said, amid reports Whitehall is looking at the viability. Conservative shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake has said he would support a proposal to transform the Post Office’s business structure into a mutual in which customers [...]