Sainsbury’s plans Argos presence in all larger stores October 11, 2016 Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe has confirmed plans to put an Argos in every one of its large stores. The supermarket completed a £1.4bn takeover of Home Retail group, which owns retailers including Argos and Habitat, in September in a deal that it hoped would expand its online offering and increase its footprint in the UK. Read more: Sainsbury's [...]
Back to school doesn’t have to mean dull. As you switch to a winter wardrobe, these fun but practical timepieces should be on your mind September 22, 2016 While it may have been a while since you bought a new pencil case, donned a scratchy jumper and polished your non-descript pair of black shoes, there’s still something about September that has a “back to school” feel. The weather starts to cool and you relinquish the summer florals in favour of autumn’s more sombre [...]
Want more excitement in your food? Here are London’s most fun desserts January 27, 2017 Fire baked cookie at Temper Temper is Soho's basement playground dedicated to meat, smoke and tacos with plenty of global flavours and few boundaries. It's pretty impossible not to have a good time here, particularly if you end your meal with a dish of 'baked cookie' which doesn't give a huge amount away, so let [...]
The Royal British Legion and Canary wharf have launched the UK’s first Remembrance Art Trail November 1, 2016 Ahead of London Poppy Day on Thursday, The Royal British Legion and Canary Wharf have commissioned the UK’s first Remembrance Art Trail. Created by British artist Mark Humphrey, the trail consists of seven art installations dotted around the area, each telling visual stories of the sacrifices made by Armed Forces through their service. The pieces [...]
Online retailer Hut Group set to announce Ideal acquisition September 18, 2016 Online retailer Hut Group is poised to announce the takeover of an American dieting and sports nutrition company. The digital retailer is expected to announce the deal for Ideal Shape in the coming days, Sky News reported. Read more: The Hut Group eyes acquisitions after securing £210m loan Hut Group reported group sales of £334m, [...]
Do schmaltzy Christmas ads cheer up revenues? November 15, 2016 What do a robin, a boxer dog, a cartoon character called Dave and Mrs Santa Claus have in common? It may sound like the start of a bad joke but this motley crew all have starring roles in 2016's Christmas adverts for major retailers. So far, the M&S ad appears to be the biggest hit [...]
Christmas sandwiches tested: which have been naughty and which are nice November 8, 2016 We filled a basket with the first crop of Christmas sandwiches – find out which ones we thought worthy of your lunch money and which to avoid like the Grinch. Pret Christmas lunch ★★★★☆ Too much going on here – piles of slightly-too-dry stuffing and a clumping of fillings in the middle. But saved by [...]
How full service agencies have come full circle: Meet The&Partnership January 9, 2017 After a scurry following a room change I meet Nick Howarth, managing partner at The&Partnership, in one of the countless buildings it is “slowly taking over” in Fitzrovia. “I think it’s called ‘Noho’ now,” he chuckles. “If you say you work in Fitzrovia people think you’ve gone back in time about 250 years.” The&Partnership is a [...]
This Arizona town will let you play out your cowboy fantasy: Ride bulls, wear cool hats, walk into a saloon and have the music suddenly stop playing, the works November 4, 2016 They say “all sunshine makes a desert.” But in Arizona (299 sunny days per year; average temp 24 degrees celsius) I don’t hear anyone complaining. In fact, this state is booming, with capital Phoenix now one of the fastest growing metro areas in the US. Scottsdale, a wealthy destination town in the northeast of the [...]
Scooters in the City: A quick way to kill your credibility September 2, 2016 In this sprawling metropolis, it’s not often you notice the same person twice outside of your normal routine. But nearly every morning I see this same chap: well groomed, early 30s, nicely cut suit – you know the type. In fact you might even be him, or umpteen others like him. He wouldn’t stand out among the [...]