Perfect timing August 23, 2015 Harriet Green talks pub food, capitalism and the importance of shiny things with Watchfinder’s Lloyd Amsdon When I ask Lloyd Amsdon’s seven year-old step-daughter if she knows what an entrepreneur is, she draws a blank. It may be age-related, but there’s no reason why she would have heard the word. “I’m only an entrepreneur when I’m [...]
Sleepwalking to Brexit: The stakes are too high to be complacent about the risks May 17, 2015 Expect the unexpected could be considered the new mantra for UK politics, just like think the unthinkable has become an increasingly common refrain for markets. The shock Conservative majority and stunning gains of the SNP left Paddy Ashdown eating his hat, Alastair Campbell eating his kilt, and David Cameron well-advised to dust off the “Better [...]
British people can’t cope without the internet on holiday – most stay switched on even when abroad May 13, 2015 British people aren't very good at leaving the internet behind when they leave the country, a new survey has shown – it turns out 84 per cent stay switched on to their devices when taking a holiday abroad, despite the higher costs associated with it. The findings, released by market research firm Webloyalty, also reveal [...]
Go commando: Military tactics for businesses August 5, 2015 Invest in onboard training and establish a dynamic of trust While the aggressive nature of business is often wryly compared with armed conflict, commerce might do well to adopt some military practices. According to a working paper by the US National Bureau of Economic Research, chief executives with military experience were found to be [...]
Mix it up: Nothing beats a hotel for glamour and good conversation June 23, 2015 London’s best hotel bars can be intimidating places. A wasted youth of chatting about real ale (before it was fashionable) at town hall festivals didn’t prepare me for the pomp of a decent hotel bar. Years ago, I just about got through the door of the American Bar at The Savoy dressed in my best [...]
Election fatigue or just plain bored? Schoolgirl face-desks as David Cameron campaigns April 8, 2015 We've all been there. The guy next to you starts banging on about politics and suddenly you feel an overwhelming urge to rest your eyes, just for a second… and before you know it, you're being rudely waken up after the snores got that little bit too loud. And let's face it, who here [...]
Restaurant review: Fall down the culinary rabbit hole at Céleste at the Lanesborough hotel August 18, 2015 Céleste at the Lanesborough 9 Hyde Park Corner, SW1X 7TA Tel: 020 7259 5599 These are halcyon days for the London restaurant scene, a time when seemingly everybody is a foodie and every borough in London has at least half a dozen restaurants worth visiting. You can start to take it all for granted, [...]
Becoming Mr Matchmaker: Venntro founder Ross Williams talks going mobile, nature v nurture, and ginger dating August 16, 2015 A week today, Ross Williams will be a married man. “Oh, I’m not stressed, nervous, anxious, oh no,” he laughs. But Williams shouldn’t worry – after all, he’s got a wife and mother-in-law-to-be who are “absolutely fantastic” organisers, and his relationship was founded on a very firm footing: he and his fiancée met on an [...]
Isis fight sends Iraq to debt markets August 21, 2015 Baghdad plans to raise $6bn as ongoing battles with militants have decimated infrastructure. Iraq is heading to the bond markets with hopes of raising billions, as low oil prices and the fight against Isis eat into state finances. Deputy governor of Iraq’s central bank, Zuhair Ali Akbar, confirmed the country will issue $6bn [...]
Mix it up: London cleans up at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards July 21, 2015 The cocktail industry has come an awful long way in the last decade or so. Back in the day, I was tending bar part time in some of London’s best bars to pay my way through university. I was the last of dying breed: an amateur. Top bars and restaurants are now dominated by [...]