Hats are back, and just in time for racing season May 15, 2011 Fashion lovers rejoice! You have a new accessory to explore. The statement hat – bold, feathery, and as glamorous as you like – is back! Sales of wedding hats have soared 60 per cent at John Lewis, thanks to the recent royal nuptials which saw every guest from A to Z sporting headgear of some [...]
Making your kitchen fit for a master chef June 2, 2011 THERE’S barely a TV minute, or channel flick that goes by these days without a celebrity chef whipping up an organic feast or gastronomic delight amid seductive lighting and a designer kitchen. Then there’s Masterchef, which has thrilled millions with its X Factor style drama. They’ve collectively inspired a nation of amateur culinary enthusiasts, and [...]
Mary Queen of Shops in high street review May 16, 2011 RETAIL guru Mary Portas is launching a rescue campaign to save Britain’s struggling high streets, after being called in by Prime Minister David Cameron. TV’s “Queen of Shops” wants giant supermarket chains like Tesco to hand over some of their profit to help independent shops. The management consultant has been identified as someone with the [...]
John Lewis’ sales improve September 5, 2010 RETAIL giant John Lewis is poised to post a strong set of financial results later this month as the department store chain returns to profitability. The group’s half-year results, which will be reported on 16 September, are likely to show that the company has made its way back to pre-recessionary levels after sales through out [...]
John Lewis in recovery as its profit rises September 16, 2010 JOHN Lewis warned yesterday that trading conditions were likely to get tougher as tax hikes and public spending cuts hit shoppers, even as it reported a 28 per cent rise in first-half profit. The group, owned by its 70,000 staff, said its strong first-half performance gave it confidence that both its department stores and grocery [...]
Outlook for electrical retailers is bleak May 15, 2011 AU revoir Britain, vive la France – that seems to be the prevailing view at Kesa, where management has asked bankers to put Comet, the underperforming British chain, on the block. That will allow Kesa to concentrate on the more profitable French business Darty, or so the theory goes. There is no doubt that Knight [...]
UBS has little scope to outflank Joe Lewis September 26, 2011 THE spotlight, when it comes to UBS, is currently on where the investment bank goes from here, but elsewhere there are teams of bankers getting on with their day jobs. In London, Nick Reid and his team are trying to do the impossible; advise the pubs group Mitchells & Butler on how it might get [...]
UBS has little scope to outflank Joe Lewis September 26, 2011 THE spotlight, when it comes to UBS, is currently on where the investment bank goes from here, but elsewhere there are teams of bankers getting on with their day jobs. In London, Nick Reid and his team are trying to do the impossible; advise the pubs group Mitchells & Butler on how it might get [...]
Piedmont hits out at M&B’s sluggish sales September 27, 2011 JOE Lewis yesterday signalled he will press ahead with a low-ball takeover offer for pub chain Mitchells & Butlers, after his investment vehicle Piedmont branded the group’s results “disappointing”. “It is a very disappointing score card for all shareholders and we are seriously considering our options,” said a spokesperson for Piedmont owner Joe Lewis on [...]
Card games trigger Panel probe at M&B September 18, 2011 REPORTS that Joe Lewis enjoyed games of cards with JP McManus and John Magnier on board his yacht Aviva over the summer, as revealed in City A.M. on 15 September, have prompted the Takeover Panel to re-open their files on alleged collusion between the two parties to seize control of pubs chain Mitchells & Butlers. [...]