Dutch private equity firm Waterland establishes a UK office to give British businesses access to its €2bn fund October 26, 2017 Netherlands-rooted Waterland Private Equity Investments has established its first UK office and dedicated team, based in Wilmslow. The new office will give lower mid-market businesses, which generate earnings of £3m to £10m, access to Waterland’s €2bn seventh fund which was raised last month. Headed by Andy Scaife, who was Quantum Pharma’s chief executive throughout the [...]
We risk losing our minds over this unhealthy data obsession October 9, 2018 After two listeners complained about a radio advert that compared avocados unfavourably to bacon butties as a breakfast choice, Costa coffee was forced to withdraw the ad. The Advertising Standards Authority upheld the complaint that the advert “discouraged the selection of avocados” and therefore broke the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising by discriminating against vegetables. [...]
Sadiq Khan floats ‘junk food’ advertising ban on entire TfL network May 11, 2018 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has today proposed a ban on “junk food” across the entire Transport for London (TfL) network. The move is intended to tackle the “ticking timebomb” of childhood obesity in London. Khan said: “Child obesity in London is a ticking timebomb and I am determined to act. If we don’t take bold [...]
Opinion: High net worth millennials are passing on the fixer-upper villa in Tuscany in favour of modern towers in global cities September 28, 2018 The millennial generation have different tastes and attitudes to their now middle-aged Generation X forebears. As they move into their thirties, they are playing an increasingly important role in the international property markets and many have significant buying power, either through inheritance or their own entrepreneurial flair. Previous generations favoured a stand-alone villa they could [...]
Focus On Pimlico: This central spot is the perfect place to pick up a period conversion flat and benefit from the re-development of Victoria December 11, 2018 In London, you often have to make the choice, whether to live in a traditional part of town that’s earned its towering house prices, but isn’t likely to soar again anytime soon; or take a punt on an up-and-coming part of town that’s better value and has the potential for price growth. Luckily, with Pimlico, [...]
Kingfisher hurt by French unit again September 19, 2018 Kingfish posted a 14.7% fall in first-half pre-tax profit to £375 million, while analysts were anticipating £386 million. The French business was the underperformer of the group, while the British and Polish operations performed well. Gross margin dropped by 40 basis points due to logistics and stock inefficacies largely in France. The group revealed a [...]
Kingfisher hurt by French unit again September 19, 2018 Kingfish posted a 14.7% fall in first-half pre-tax profit to £375 million, while analysts were anticipating £386 million. The French business was the underperformer of the group, while the British and Polish operations performed well. Gross margin dropped by 40 basis points due to logistics and stock inefficacies largely in France. The group revealed a [...]
Truth to power: Adtech has to stand up for journalism October 22, 2018 The future of the press is in doubt. If you need an example of just how powerful fake news has become, remember August, when even seasoned journalists accepted at face value a spoof campaign ironically titled “Don’t believe every tweet”, featuring bogus quotes from Twitter’s chief executive Jack Dorsey. The changes in journalism have not [...]
From bottling in Battersea to viniculture in Tooting, you barely have to venture outside your house to find a winemaking scene December 19, 2018 There are many ways people imagine exploring wine country. In a Fiat 500, driving across the hills of Tuscany with sunglasses on noses and Alanis Morissette in ears; touring the Languedoc by train, sipping crisp Saumur from Tours all the way to Paris. And these days, back home in England, where from Kent all the [...]
Brunch in Dubai is luxurious in the extreme. Just be careful not to eat the golden macarons – they’re purely decorative… May 12, 2017 Visiting a destination for the first time is like being on a first date. You want to go to a nice restaurant, you’d like him to be charming, but arriving with six dozen roses and a list of potential baby names is probably overkill. Dubai is like the most try-hard of bunny boiler boyfriends, the [...]