Profit warning puts thorn in Mulberry October 14, 2014 MULBERRY shares were looking the worse for wear yesterday after the troubled luxury leather goods group issued yet another profit warning. The English luxury brand has been attempting to turn itself around following an ill-fated attempt to move the brand upmarket under previous chief executive Bruno Guillon. But in a statement yesterday, Mulberry warned that [...]
Prince William’s favourite island retreat October 3, 2014 Malta is a hot ticket right now. Even Prince William paid a visit last month to mark its 50th year of independence. While he was there, he may have noted the red, 1940s postboxes that still line the streets, embossed with the letters RG (Rex George), and smiled at the thought that they will be [...]
London taxi protest: Uber invites black cab drivers to join up before today’s strike September 24, 2014 London cabbies are set to wreak traffic havoc across central London as they prepare to protest against illegal minicabs. The action means up to 4,000 black cabs will drive slowly around Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square. The London Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) which organised the protest, said: TFL’s inability to deal with the growing threat [...]
Russia and Thai tension drags UK tourist spending to five-year low August 21, 2014 Tourist spending in the UK has slumped for the first time in five years, after the Russia-Ukraine conflict and political unrest in Thailand deterred visitors from those countries. Figures published today by tax-free shopping specialist Global Blue showed that spending by overseas visitors fell by four per cent in the first six months compared with [...]
Heathrow reports record passenger numbers as airport expansion debate heats up August 11, 2014 Heathrow and Gatwick have reported record high passenger numbers for the month of July, adding fuel to the argument that both London airports are in need of expansion if the UK is to maximise its position as business and tourist destination. Passenger numbers at Heathrow were up 0.5 per cent on July 2013 to 6.97m. [...]
Pork barrel UK: Buying off voters with taxpayer cash has serious consequences August 4, 2014 THE CLASSICAL liberal French economist Frédéric Bastiat once said that “government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavours to live at the expense of everybody else.” Over the past year or so, numerous examples and allegations suggest that a more accurate pearl of wisdom for the UK would be: “Government is the great fiction, [...]
Panama: Latin America’s new number one holiday destination July 11, 2014 In Britain, Panama is famous for two things: the canal and canoe man. Back in 2002, John Darwin faked his own death and fled to Panama City with his wife, who, following his “canoeing accident”, claimed £1m in insurance and pension pay outs. Had a newspaper not got hold of a picture of him looking [...]
City & Gild: Catching a cab, or catching up? June 13, 2014 I wrote recently about the sharing economy and the fact that hotels in New York are in court with Airbnb. Surprise surprise, now the black cabs are on strike because of Uber. As the hoteliers of New York claim their grievance is with Airbnb not paying hotel tax, the cabbies are apparently upset because they [...]
Bottom Line: World Cup kicks off problems for air traffic June 2, 2014 WHEN the England football team jetted off to Miami at the weekend for a couple of pre-World Cup friendlies, they did so from Luton. They took a private plane of course – tourists can only get as far as Egypt or the Canaries from the north of London airport – but their departure will kick [...]
Shaftesbury reaps the benefits of a buoyant West End market May 19, 2014 WEST END landlord Shaftesbury enjoyed a 47 per cent jump in profits in the first half, buoyed by tourists and Londoners flocking to its restaurants and shops in the West End. The company, which owns 575 properties around Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Chinatown, Soho and Charlotte Street, said pre-tax profits rose to £120.5m in the [...]