Itsu: Return to the office helps boost sales September 13, 2024 The move by companies to encourage their workforce to return to the office helped sales jump at East Asian-inspired eatery chain Itsu during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered company has posted a turnover of £160.7m for 2023, up from the £137.7m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show the brand’s [...]
Canary Wharf Group’s credit rating cut further into ‘junk’ amid office exodus September 11, 2024 Canary Wharf Group's credit rating was cut deeper into "junk" status by Fitch as the east London financial district struggles to attract workers to its offices and battles an exodus of star tenants.
Heathrow: Passenger numbers soar as boss hails ‘busiest summer’ September 11, 2024 Heathrow Airport has reported a fourth consecutive month of record-breaking passenger traffic in what has proved one of the UK’s busiest ever summers for travel demand. Some 8m travellers passed through in August, up 5.5 per cent year-on-year and bringing the West London hub’s rolling 12 month total to 82.6m. Heathrow said it was “on [...]
Gymshark names bodybuilder Chris Bumstead as new shareholder September 10, 2024 Fitness apparel brand Gymshark has named bodybuilder Chris Bumstead as a new shareholder. The Solihull-headquartered business has not revealed the percentage stake Bumstead now holds. Gymshark was founded by Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan in 2012. In 2020, it was valued at more than £1bn when US private equity firm General Atlantic acquired a 21 [...]
Bloom & Wild hires first finance chief from Purplebricks as it targets return to profit September 10, 2024 Online flower delivery company Bloom & Wild has appointed a top boss at Purplebricks at its first-ever chief financial officer. Dominique Highfield has been hired by the London-based group from her position as chief operating officer at the online estate agency. Highfield has been at Purplebricks for almost two years, first joining in November 2022 [...]
Who’d be ambassador to President Trump? September 9, 2024 Peter Mandelson and David Miliband are rumoured to be in the frame for British ambassador to Washington, but only if Kamala Harris wins. That’s a mistake. A Trump victory would demand a diplomatic heavyweight, says Eliot Wilson By the beginning of next year, Dame Karen Pierce will have served as British ambassador to the United [...]
Hilton Foods: Profit soars at meatpacker as it looks ahead to Walmart site September 4, 2024 Hilton Foods’ seafood and core meat divisions helped bolster the meatpacker’s first-half results as the company geared up for further growth. The FTSE 250 constituent, which had struggled to deal with the rampant inflationary pressures of the last two years, posted a 23.2 per cent rise in adjusted operating profit to £46.9m on a constant [...]
Criminal Record producer STV takes control of Glasgow production company September 3, 2024 Public broadcaster STV has announced it has upped its stake in Glaswegian production company Hello Halo as it posted strong half year results, saying its order book for new shows is “stronger than ever”. STV has today struck a new deal to take majority control of Glasgow-based unscripted formats creator, Hello Halo Productions, which recently won [...]
‘Chicken King’ Ranjit Singh Boparan to sell poultry arm to himself September 2, 2024 The poultry arm of 2 Sisters Food Group, which is owned by the so-called ‘Chicken King’ Ranjit Singh Boparan, is to be sold to his private office for more than €200m (£168m). Boparan, who also owns high street restaurant brands like Carluccio’s and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, is to sell the European poultry operation to his [...]
Big Talk Studios: Bumper year for ITV-owned The Outlaws maker September 2, 2024 Revenue and profit both surged at Big Talk Studios, which helped make the likes of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, during 2023. The business, which was founded by Nira Park in 1994, led by CEO Kenton Allen since 2008 and acquired by ITV Studios in 2013, has reported a revenue of £35.7m for the 12 [...]