Wetherspoons profits drop: Pub chain looks for new weapons in push against supermarket price war March 13, 2015 JD Wetherspoon could be a victim of the supermarket price war. To fight the discounters, the pub chain offers competitive prices for breakfasts and Lavazza coffees – of which it has already sells 50m cups a year- between certain hours. It also sells 24m breakfasts a year and hopes to triple the sales of both [...]
Apprenticeship Week: We can celebrate a revolution in the UK’s skills market March 12, 2015 As many of us look forward to the weekend, I’m here reflecting on the eighth National Apprenticeship Week and the hundreds of events that have taken place across the capital, recognising how apprenticeships have transformed the skills market in the UK. As the mayor’s ambassador for training and enterprise, and as head of emerging talent [...]
Focus on Battersea: Home of dogs, cats, families and riverside living March 12, 2015 Battersea’s venerable institutions – from its power station to its Dogs and Cats Home – often overshadow its considerable success as a residential destination. While houses easily soar over the £1m mark in this part of south-west London, UK buyers still account for 76 per cent of the market, 80 per cent of whom use [...]
Talking ‘bout the older generation: Kensington Row is the development that’s built for life March 12, 2015 There’s plenty of debate how our healthcare system is going to cope with an ageing population, but less fuss is made about how housing is going to meet the challenge. We generally think the older generation has been blessed in the property department, but finding a place to downsize in central London isn’t as easy [...]
Amazing Spaces’ George Clarke on how to deal with empty homes March 12, 2015 Last week, over a thousand City workers stood at the bottom of Tower 42’s monumental staircase and thought, “Why did I sign up for this?” Joining them was City A.M.’s digital team and architect-turned-TV personality George Clarke, who reached the top of the skyscraper in a very respectable nine minutes and 29 seconds, all in [...]
General Election 2015: Unemployment is driving some young voters from the Conservatives to Labour March 12, 2015 Some young people who voted for the Conservatives in the last general election are choosing to vote Labour this time, according to Reuters. The news agency spoke to a sample of first-time voters in 2010, and tracked them down again this month to find out how their opinions had changed in the run up to [...]
Morrisons share price falls as it announces 23 store closures after losses mount and sales drop March 12, 2015 A bad morning for Morrisons. The supermarket announced it will close 23 stores and cutting its future dividend pay-out after reporting a large full-year loss and falling quarterly sales. Shares in the retailer opened one per cent down this morning. The trading environment is a tough one, Morrisons said, and it isn’t expected to get [...]
Sport Comment: Referee Oliver proved his pedigree March 11, 2015 IN a season when the FA Cup’s mojo has been well and truly rediscovered, it was good to see two of the giants of the English game turn it on the other night. Manchester United-Arsenal was a snorter but I had to chuckle when the TV millions were exhorted to vote for their man of [...]
Lancaster recalls Lawes and Brown for Calcutta Cup bash March 11, 2015 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster believes his side will benefit from an injection of know-how when they bid to resurrect their Six Nations title hopes against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday. Second row Courtney Lawes has been recalled to the starting XV in place of George Kruis after recovering from an ankle problem and is [...]
General Election 2015: Third of young people say social media will influence their vote March 11, 2015 There is a strong tradition of British elections adopting some of the more cutting edge political trends seen in the US. Labour and the Tories have both hired top political strategists from the Obama team to add a little stardust to the campaigns. Social media is also in the political parties' sights and rightly so, [...]