Character & colour November 10, 2009 CHOOSING an overcoat is a serious business. Likely to be the most substantial item in your wardrobe, your outer shell in winter needs to speak of your character and integrity as much as your fashion sense. It should be sober, ineffably elegant and well-made – a first-class overcoat should give decades of use rather than [...]
OUT OF OFFICE November 30, 2009 CALEDONIART SCOTS ART SHOWThere are some beautiful pieces of art on show at Caledoniart in honour of St Andrew’s Day which should delight Scots and non-Scots alike. It’s a colourful, sensual collection of 25 of Scotland’s finest contemporary artists, including work from Gregory Rankin, Robert Kelsey, Roseanne Barr and Tim Cokburn, whose enchanting Bride and [...]
WINNERS & LOSERS May 3, 2010 A WEEKEND is a long time in sport, as this lot will attest. But while for some it was a few days to remember, others may wish they had never set foot out of the house. CHELSEA IT was do or die for the Blues at Liverpool on Sunday, but they held their nerve to claim [...]
THE TIPSTER January 10, 2010 THERE’S been no shortage of news regarding the increased demand for natural gas by UK consumers as the cold snap continues to grip the country. As a result, BG Group (formerly British Gas) has got the year off to a cracking start, outperforming the FTSE-100 by over 100 per cent. But the cold (hopefully) won’t [...]
HOW DID THE MARKET REACT TO DEBENHAMS’ RESULTS? October 22, 2009 KATHARINE WYNNE INVESTECWe believe the combination of positive margin trends, evidence of improving full price sales despite a highly promotional stance, and Debenhams’ brand mix – which allows customers to trade up and trade down within the range – should support a higher valuation. KEITH BOWMAN HARGREAVES LANSDOWNDebenhams has climbed a very steep hill, with [...]
Getting to the BOTTOM of ladies’ underwear December 17, 2009 You know the feeling. It’s two days before Christmas and there is a creeping sense of dread threatening to ruin your festive spirit. So far seasonal cheer has extended to quaffing too many glasses of strong lager and trying not to abuse your boss at the office party. But now there’s no more putting off [...]
Land Secs calls an end to cut-price rents October 26, 2009 LAND Securities, Britain’s biggest property developer, said yesterday it would stop offering cut-price commercial rental deals amid signs that the market is picking up. Land Securities chief executive Francis Salway said: “There are instances of retailers still asking for concessions, and it can be in our interests to show flexibility. However, we do not believe [...]
Land Secs calls an end to cut-price rents October 26, 2009 LAND Securities, Britain’s biggest property developer, said yesterday it would stop offering cut-price commercial rental deals amid signs that the market is picking up. Land Securities chief executive Francis Salway said: “There are instances of retailers still asking for concessions, and it can be in our interests to show flexibility. However, we do not believe [...]
Retail is a sell as customers desert the UK’s high streets January 10, 2010 THE BRITS lived up to their reputation as a nation of spenders and splashed their cash with abandon over the festive period. Major retailers swept up and some, like fashion chain Ted Baker, saw sales rise 20 per cent in the latter part of 2009. John Lewis, Next, Marks & Spencer and J Sainsbury also [...]
Improved GDP numbers will add to the growing confidence in sterling December 21, 2009 ALL the signs are pointing to an upward revision to UK GDP growth this morning. The consensus among City economists is for a smaller 0.1 percent fall in GDP in the third quarter. But there is a real possibility that growth was actually stronger and could even have been flat on the quarter. A 2 [...]