Autumn Statement 2015: Business rates regime scrapped by chancellor George Osborne in “revolutionary” move November 25, 2015 George Osborne has delivered a much-needed fillip to struggling town centres and bricks and mortar retailers by abolishing uniform business rates. Under plans announced during the Autumn Statement today, the much-hated regime will be ditched in favour of letting councils decide whether to cut rates to make their town centres "more attractive to businesses". "Elected [...]
Monty the Penguin buoys John Lewis sales November 11, 2014 John Lewis’ sales jumped 5.1 per cent to £95.7m in the week to Saturday 8 November, buoyed by the launch of its Christmas campaign featuring Monty the penguin. Week-on-week sales rose 3.9 per cent. Online sales were up 17 per cent, with “Monty” the most searched term on its website. The advert featuring a boy and his [...]
TSB results: Chief executive Paul Pester says the big banks have it far too easy as his challenger bank reports 22 per cent increase in customer lending for 2015 January 28, 2016 TSB Bank chief executive Paul Pester told City A.M. that the challenger bank "definitely went from strength to strength" in 2015, as the lender announced its full-year results this morning. The retail and commercial bank, which was carved out of Lloyds Banking Group in 2014, reported profits were ahead of expectations, with management profit before tax of £105.7m, while [...]
Silverstone boss Patrick Allen ousted for being “too close” to tycoon plotting takeover August 9, 2016 The home of Formula One’s British Grand Prix has been thrown into turmoil by the unexpected departure of its boss Patrick Allen who has been suspended. Allen is managing director of the Silverstone track in Northamptonshire and was seen there last month at the British Grand Prix when 139,000 spectators watched local hero Lewis Hamilton [...]
Black Friday 2015: A third of British and American retailers say the sales bonanza is unprofitable November 16, 2015 Britain's biggest online shopping fixture Black Friday is dividing the retail industry, with a third of major retailers saying it is unprofitable while the same number believe it provides a major fillip, research by LCP Consulting shows. The business consultancy firm’s annual Omnichannel report released today found that retailers with an established presence both in bricks [...]
Jeremy Corbyn announces new shadow cabinet amid mass resignations June 27, 2016 Jeremy Corbyn has announced ten new members of his top team this morning in defiance of the slew of resignations engulfing Labour's frontbench and ahead of a crucial meeting of MPs later this evening. As a host of shadow ministers resigned this morning, Corbyn has already promoted a number of loyalists and insiders to senior positions in his shadow [...]
John Lewis Xmas ad is the full monty… November 5, 2014 It’s the advertising moment of the year – retailer John Lewis launches its Christmas advertising campaign this morning, in anticipation of its first TV airing tomorrow night before Channel 4’s Goggle Box. The ad, by agency Adam & Eve DDB, revolves around a penguin called Monty and a little boy called Sam and is set [...]
Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2015 travel deals and cheap flights: Discounts on ski holidays, Mediterranean cruises London hotels and Los Angeles flights November 26, 2015 The shopping deals we’ve all been waiting for are upon us. Yes, Black Friday is here at last, and the travel industry is getting in on the action. After all, whether you’re planning to brave the crowds of the high street, or the crashing websites of online retailers buckling under the strain, when it’s all [...]
The infinite bookshop: How Chinese architects created a reflective space using mirrors July 7, 2016 With Amazon, ebooks and high street supermarkets pushing bookshops to the brink of extinction, the few independent sellers remaining have sought to reinvent themselves as shrines to literacy, intimate meeting places for authors and their readers, and serene reading grounds amidst the urban noise. One such spot is Zhongshuge-hangzhou, a newly- opened bookshop in Hong [...]
Black Friday 2015 UK: Currys PC World reveals deals on Nespresso, Dyson, LG, Samsung, Sony and Bosch goods November 24, 2015 Currys PC World has launched its Black Friday 2015 bargains today, promising 40 per cent more stock will be available and 30 per cent more deals on offer than last year. In total, Currys PC World is promising more than 3,000 deals on top brands including Nespresso, Dyson, LG, Samsung, Sony and Bosch across a 10-day event starting [...]