Brits put Dry January on ice as alcohol sales boom in first week of latest lockdown January 13, 2021 Brits have seemingly given up on Dry January this year as supermarket alcohol sales have soared in the first week of lockdown. The month-long stint of alcohol abstinence has been put on hold for many people, according to the latest Waitrose sales figures. The grocer said wine sales are up 27 per cent and beer [...]
The A-Z of wine: H is for… Hunter Valley June 9, 2022 Our alphabetical tour of the wine world continues with a trip Down Under to find a hidden gem in Hunter Valley What’s this then? A bit of a niche area this week, because it turns out that when you commit to the rigid structure of an alphabet-themed series there’s always one letter that throws a [...]
Sink the pink: How to make the most of Great British Rosé Week May 4, 2022 Sunshine and spring blossoms are thankfully becoming a more regular occurrence, heralding that crowd-pleaser, Rosé Season. You could be a fan of the pale pink of Provence or the juicy Garnacha of Spain, but English rosés are increasingly coming to the award-winning fore and right now we are in the middle of Great British Rosé [...]
John Lewis posts £29m pre-tax loss after restructuring costs – CityAM : CityAM September 16, 2021 John Lewis has reported a pre-tax loss of £29m for the year’s first half, after restructuring costs. However, the high street giant said its half year results ending July 31 marked a significant improvement on last year’s pre-tax loss of £635m. Profit before exceptional items was £69m, up £124m on the comparable period last year, [...]
Waitrose offloads stores risking hundreds of jobs July 18, 2019 Waitrose is set to close three stores and sell a further four, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, the supermarket announced this afternoon. Budget grocery chain Lidl has snapped up stores in Bromley, Oadby in Leicestershire and Wollaton in Nottinghamshire. Read more: Waitrose sets out £1bn online shopping plan A fourth store in Sandhurst, Berkshire, has [...]
Sainsbury’s to close all stores, Argos and Habitat on Boxing Day as a ‘thank you’ to its 170,000 employees September 13, 2021 Sainsbury’s, Britain’s second-largest supermarket chain will keep all of its supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol filling stations shut this Boxing Day as a “thank you” to its roughly 170,000 colleagues. Sainsbury’s added that all its Argos and Habitat stores will also remain shut for the day. The decision follows rivals including Morrisons, Waitrose and Marks [...]
The best bangers to eat this National BBQ Week July 8, 2021 Newmarket is the home of horse breeding and thoroughbred racing. It’s also the home of sausage-making and thoroughbred bangers, and therefore the go-to place for National BBQ week. The royal households have been getting their bangers from Suffolk for over 100 years and doubtless William and Kate have placed their order for this week. Founded [...]
Dining Diary: A tasting in Sky Garden showcased Great British wine January 12, 2022 I always recommend the Sky Garden to anyone visiting London. It has 360 degree views across our glorious city, with three bars, two restaurants and plenty of space to meander through the indoor garden or on the outside balcony. Fenchurch is the fancier of the restaurants, sporting its own wide terrace where I sipped Simpsons [...]
Rosé Prosecco: Why this once-banned drink was the star of 2020 June 18, 2021 I think we can all agree that 2020 had few highlights but let me put this forward as a big hitter… Pink Prosecco. Yes, you heard correctly, rosé Prosecco was only legalised in 2020 which means last year marks the first harvest and creation of an entirely new type of wine. History was made and [...]
Freedom Day: Where do I need to wear a face mask from today? July 19, 2021 Across England, the final remaining coronavirus restrictions have been lifted. From today, people are no longer required by law to wear masks. The government has said, however, that people will still be expected to wear face masks in certain situations while some businesses, travel operators and local politicians have said that masks will still be [...]