Boxing Day spending set to fall after Brits cash out on bumper Black Friday December 26, 2019 UK shoppers are set to tighten the purse strings in the Boxing Day sales this year after retailers bagged a record performance over the Black Friday weekend. Brits are expected to spend £3.7bn in post-Christmas sales this year, £200m less than in 2018, according to new figures from Barclaycard. Read more: Super Saturday fails to [...]
Beware the annual workplace Christmas click-off December 20, 2019 The closer we get to the holidays each year, the more festive — and less productive — we feel at work. It’s a feeling that gets to even the most dedicated of employees. With tinsel adorning hallways and mince pies appearing on every desk, excitement begins to bubble and motivation begins to wane. Staff leave [...]
Dear Santa, for this Christmas I want the nanny state to get lost December 19, 2019 What is the best thing about Christmas? Presents are nice. Spending time with friends and family is obviously a highlight. But for many of us what truly makes the season is the food. Mince pies, pigs in blankets, Christmas pudding, a snifter of sherry — the festive period is all about indulging. But will we [...]
Premier League winter break: How does it work and what is every team doing? February 4, 2020 This week marks a Premier League first, with the advent of its inaugural winter break. Each team has been allocated a 13-day rest between top-flight fixtures, but fear not: there is no television blackout. Since the interval is staggered across two weekends, 12 teams have this weekend off while the other eight get to rest [...]
Christmas can come too early – or at least the adverts can November 3, 2019 It’s just days since Halloween, but the Christmas advert season is well and truly upon us already. But not everyone is feeling festive yet. Market researcher Kantar Group has revealed that 67 per cent of shoppers think the adverts are too early. Read more: Toxic Tube a health hazard for commuters On the other hand, [...]
Four challenges Sharon White must address at John Lewis January 9, 2020 Incoming John Lewis Partnership boss Sharon White will have a big job on her hands when she joins the retailer next month, as this morning’s trading update showed. The department store issued a profit warning today and made the surprise announcement that John Lewis managing director Paula Nickolds will leave the partnership in February. It [...]
Night-time businesses slam 10pm curfew as ‘devastating’ September 22, 2020 Businesses in the UK’s night-time economy have slammed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a 10pm curfew on venues for up to six months as “devastating”, and warned that it will lead to wide-scale business collapse and unemployment. Boris Johnson today announced a 10pm curfew on all hospitality and leisure venues in England in a bid [...]
Coronavirus: The Queen’s speech to the nation in full April 5, 2020 The Queen tonight gave an historic televised address to the nation, calling on Brits to band together in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In the speech — only her fifth peacetime address outside her annual Christmas message — the Queen thanked frontline medical staff and said Britain would overcome the crisis. She also made [...]
Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods boosts sales as shoppers stockpile sweet treats April 20, 2020 Shares in Premier Foods jumped almost 25 per cent in early trading today after the firm said it had experienced a sharp rise in demand during the coronavirus outbreak. The Mr Kipling maker said it expected sales to rise roughly 3.6 per cent year on year in the fourth quarter and 10.5 per cent in [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Belami looks ready to take Ascot Silver December 19, 2019 AFTER all the recent rain, conditions look set to be brutal at Ascot this weekend so tread with care. If there’s one horse who won’t mind it heavy it’s Venetia Williams’ BELAMI DES PICTONS who can be backed at 7/2 with Ladbrokes to win tomorrow’s Silver Cup (3.00pm). He won on terrible ground over this [...]