Melania Trump’s speech was too banal to be plagiarised: Political wives excel at vomit-inducing cliches, but business is worse July 21, 2016 When Melania Trump claimed that she wrote her infamous speech at the Republican National Convention herself, I believed her. So bad was that speech. Apparently, Ms Trump’s mother had taught her to work hard, be true to her word and respect other people. To paraphrase Janan Ganesh’s recent article on Theresa May’s first speech as [...]
New homes on sale in London this weekend: from the biggest development in Chelsea for a century to the regeneration of Catford July 21, 2016 Chelsea Waterfront From £1.55m Overseas buyers are showing a strong interest in new homes at Chelsea Waterfront following the EU Referendum result, according to its developer Hutchinson Property Group. The first phase of the redevelopment of the former Lots Road Power Station has sold out, and 17 out of 28 units remain in the second [...]
Fuller’s brews mixed results as premium pub sales rises but beer demand falls July 21, 2016 London brewer and pub owner Fuller, Smith and Turner's premium pubs business grew in the second quarter in a "challenging" trading environment, but the company was hit by a drop in beer and cider demand. The figures Like-for-like sales in the company's managed pubs and hotels division rose 2.1 per cent in a trading update for the 16 [...]
Is exercise the future of networking? A new generation of workers are choosing Asics over Aperol July 21, 2016 Spritzer or sprint finish? For years, summer in the City has involved the same vintage, slightly pedestrian routine. Workers spilling out onto every available inch of pavement to enjoy the evening sun with a glass or two of their favourite tipple. A new generation of City workers, however, is choosing a different way to socialise and [...]
Home counties sparkling wine producer Gusbourne launches booze bond, backed by majority shareholder Lord Ashcroft July 20, 2016 English sparkling wine maker Gusbourne has launched a bond issue to raise up to £10m to put towards its home counties vineyards. Gusbourne placed up to £10m of five-year secured deeply discounted bonds yesterday, which can be converted into shares at a later date. Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft, who owns nearly two-thirds of the company, [...]
Chris Froome closes in on third Tour de France title by increasing lead in Alps July 20, 2016 Britain's Chris Froome moved to within touching distance of a third Tour de France title by increasing his lead over his main rivals in the race’s 17th stage. Froome dropped Colombian Nairo Quintana and Dutchman Bauke Mollema in the later stages of a punishing final climb as he extended his advantage in the general classification [...]
The BFG: Steven Spielberg’s mega-bucks adaptation captures the surface but misses the soul of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic July 20, 2016 There's a lot of common ground between Steven Spielberg and Roald Dahl. Both incarnate aspects of childhood; the unrefined wonderment, the valorisation of innocence. And for long stretches, this mega-budget live-action adaptation seems like a great fit. Mark Rylance, as the titular Big Friendly Giant, provides much of the charm, playing his part with dignity [...]
Here’s how much Euro 2016 boosted pub turnover in June, according to the Coffer Peach Business Tracker July 20, 2016 Televising the Euro 2016 championship gave pub groups something to celebrate in June, despite England dropping out before the last rounds of the tournament. Like-for-like sales at pubs grew two per cent year-on-year in June, ahead of the restaurant sector, where growth trailed slightly behind at 1.4 per cent, according to the latest monthly figures from [...]
Nintendo back in the game as Pokemon Go-es bananas July 20, 2016 Pokemon Go has already established itself as the viral hit of 2016 – and it could not come soon enough for Nintendo. The game has taken a life of its own, as young smartphone users are able to act out a game from their childhoods in an ‘augmented reality’. Nintendo’s share price has risen sharply, [...]
Retiring to Europe? You should wait until Brexit negotiations on pensions and healthcare access have concluded July 20, 2016 Many Brits approaching retirement dream of moving to the continent. But Brexit has thrown a spanner in the works. Since the referendum, sterling has plummeted against a basket of foreign currencies, including the euro, and question marks loom over expats’ ability to settle elsewhere in Europe. Things look even more chaotic when it comes to financial [...]