Stagecoach’s share price jumps after it announces it will offload European megabus despite fall in profits June 29, 2016 Stagecoach's share price has jumped over three per cent in early morning trading, despite its profits sliding, as it announced it was offloading European megabus to FlixBus. The figures Stagecoach's full year revenue for 2016 was £3.87bn, a rise for the £3.2bn from 2015. However, profit before tax fell 37 per cent to £104.4m in the 12 months [...]
St Helena airport costing £285m can’t open because it’s too windy June 9, 2016 The South Atlantic island of St Helena is one of the hardest-to-reach locations in the world; it takes a five-and-a-half day voyage on the RMS Saint Helena. So naturally, there was a lot of excitement in town when it was decided an airport was going to be built. That's been met with the same frustration [...]
Long Weekend review: Island hopping around Spain’s Balearic Islands, from luxury villa to serene Mediterranean spa June 3, 2016 THE WEEKEND: Island-hopping around the Balearics is the perfect way to spend a three-day weekend. The Mediterranean islands may be notorious party hotspots, but the charm of the Balearics is easy to find in the quieter parts of the islands. You know, the parts that don’t attract groups of lads who expect two-for-one Jagerbombs poured [...]
Olympic controversy and Zika outbreaks have done nothing to dampen Rio de Janeiro’s party atmosphere June 1, 2016 In what is surely a daily occurrence in Brazil, a bunch of transfixed foreigners sat speechless ogling a local. “Wesley, she looks friendly, get out of the van and walk up to her,’’ suggested our Iguassu Falls host Juliana. “I have two daughters, I’m not going anywhere near her,’’ Wesley replied. Juliana, let me confirm, [...]
Brexit threatens London’s world beating tourism industry: Don’t let the capital become a museum May 24, 2016 Tourism is one of our biggest exports – and London is the most-visited city on earth. But the industry is worried that this world-beating ranking could be at risk if Britain cuts itself off from Europe. In fact, Europe is our biggest tourist market, with more than 60 per cent of visitors to the UK [...]
The Netherlands is the most lucrative buy-to-let property hotspot in the EU according to study from World First UK May 16, 2016 You might have thought it would be somewhere coastal on the Mediterranean, or a country better-known for its second home culture such as Italy or France. But the most lucrative buy-to-let market in the European Union turns out to be the modest, not-so-hilly, tulip-saturated Netherlands. With the EU's highest rental yield rate in April, at [...]
Celebrity vineyards: Who makes the best wine, Donald Trump, Cliff Richard or Angelina Jolie? April 29, 2016 Feel depressed about the US presidential election? Need a stiff glass of something to steel yourself against the carnival of bigotry unfolding in the Republican ranks? Well, why not indulge in a large glass of Trump? I’m afraid it’s true: Donald Trump is a winemaker. Down in Virginia there is a 200 acre winery that [...]
UK retailers hit by drop in Chinese shoppers April 20, 2016 UK retailers are suffering as new European visa rules deter Chinese shoppers. Global Blue, the tax-free shopping services company, said the number of Chinese shoppers in British stores slumped 30 per cent last month, leading to an overall decline of 21 per cent in the first three months of 2016. Read more: Online retail sales growth rate doubles [...]
Need a travel companion? Icelandair is offering a free buddy to transatlantic travellers stopping over in Reykjavik April 1, 2016 Iceland has done an incredible job of positioning itself as a Tolkien-esque tourist destination, making sure everyone knows about its vast, elemental landscape – fit for frost giants – and its storied Viking history. But how to get the most out of this varied country? Why not try ice climbing, or knitting or dining on [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Pidgeon talks childcare, Tube and bus fares, congestion charge, airport expansion February 16, 2016 As the Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London, Caroline Pidgeon dismisses suggestions that the contest to replace Boris Johnson in City Hall is a two-horse race between Labour hopeful Sadiq Khan and Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith. But she does not shy away from slamming the front-runners for being too self-important in their efforts to become [...]