Mary Queen of Shops flagship scheme failing to make an impact August 2, 2014 Mary Portas' government funded scheme to restore the high street has failed to have a significant impact, reports Sky News. Portas' high street revival project received £1.2m in public funding and focused on 12 town centres. Wolverhampton was one those chosen to pilot the scheme and received £100,000. The results were mixed, with five retail [...]
Apple Pay launches: Why mobile payment is about take off October 21, 2014 Apple Pay, the tech giant's mobile payment service, has launched in the US offering users the ability to pay for items using just their mobile phone. It kicks of the most high-profile launch in the nascent mobile payment space, which could finally push it into the mainstream. A mobile wallet is perhaps the best way [...]
Thinking bigger: My Voucher Codes founder Mark Pearson talks Fern Britton and young tech entrepreneurs November 16, 2014 While we’re talking, it suddenly dawns on Mark Pearson that it’s his company’s eighth birthday. “It’s definitely around now,” he laughs, raising his empty plastic water cup in the air. In June of this year, Pearson sold My Voucher Codes, as part of his parent company Markco Media, to global mobile money technology provider [...]
Tesco investors non-plussed by John Allan as chairman – he’s no Archie Norman say analysts February 18, 2015 Something to tick off Dave Lewis’ Tesco recovery to-do list: – appointing a new chairman. The milestone was finally passed after a near four-month search with the naming of Dixons Carphone’s John Allan as Richard Broadbent’s successor. What’s that done to Tesco shares? Not much. They edged up slightly in early trading and are [...]
Employee owned businesses in the UK booming July 4, 2014 The number of employee-owned companies in the UK is on the rise, outstripping growth in all other businesses. According to a recent report, the employee-owned sector grew 10 per cent in 2012, the last period for which figures are available, compared to 3.1 per cent for all businesses. Employee-owned businesses now account for 3 per [...]
TSB promises modest bonuses as it aims for a cleaner image June 5, 2014 REVIVED high street bank TSB yesterday tried to differentiate itself from other banks by vowing to keep bonuses relatively low – yet these could still be 100 per cent of base salary for executives. The bank claims its policies are inspired by market leaders such as John Lewis – for instance, all staff will be given £100 [...]
Tesco turnaround: Here’s what the analysts say January 8, 2015 Troubled Tesco today unveiled a dramatic turnaround plan, which will be led by Halfords chief executive Matt Davies when he starts as the supermarket's new UK boss in June. Its share price soared more than 10 per cent in mid-morning trade. But what are the analysts making of it all? Finally fighting back: John Ibbotson, director [...]
Tissues at the ready for latest John Lewis ad August 15, 2013 PLEASE please, please let me get what I want – a reasonable deal on my home insurance. John Lewis, purveyor of homewares and heart-rending Christmas advertisements, is branching out into insurance ads with a fresh tear-jerker from Adam&eveDDB, the agency that brought us last year’s snowman offering. The £5m campaign, to be aired on Saturday, [...]
John Lewis is set to create a new restaurant August 14, 2013 JOHN Lewis is poised to launch a new restaurant concept in a move to diversify its catering range and attract more customers into its department stores. Chief executive Andy Street said while John Lewis’ restaurants and cafeterias were profitable and provided good quality, “middle of the road” food, they were not “cutting edge” brands. “There [...]
Ted Baker sales rise as overseas growth pays off June 10, 2014 TED BAKER posted a 17.9 per cent jump in first quarter sales yesterday, as the fashion retailer’s tailoring and quirky prints won over customers overseas where it had been opening more stores. Retail sales rose 15.8 per cent in the 19 weeks to 7 June, helped by 48.1 per cent growth in its online business. [...]