Where to spend Christmas: From Sydney to Finland, jet off to your dream winter wonderland November 9, 2014 Can’t face another Christmas trying to please the in-laws? Then make good your escape and book a festive trip far from home. Whether you’re looking for an authentic Scandinavian experience or just some respite from the cold, the ideal winter holiday is waiting for you. Here are some of our favourites: MEET SANTA [...]
London Bridge travel disruption: Everything Thameslink, Southeastern, Overground and Southern service commuters need to know December 2, 2014 Most commuters who travel to London Bridge are already used to stuffy train carriages, infuriating delays, slow trawls through crowded platforms and queues for ticket machines. Yet it could all be about to get even more stressful due to the next phase of a massive Network Rail rebuilding project at London Bridge mainline station [...]
Marks & Spencer AGM: Setback for M&S as clothing sales slide off hanger July 7, 2015 Investors and retail observers allowed themselves a small sigh of relief in April when Marks & Spencer brought 14 consecutive quarters of falling general merchandise sales to a halt. After efforts to improve the quality and style of its clothing and to win back disillusioned customers, it seemed to have broken a spell. [...]
Lessons learned as final parcel of Royal Mail goes on sale June 9, 2015 Last week chancellor George Osborne announced that the government will sell off its remaining 30 per cent stake in Royal Mail, meaning the company will become completely private. There is no immediate timeline for the sale. Currently the market value of the shares is around £1.5bn. Osborne was forthright in saying the transaction would [...]
Happy #EdBallsDay: It’s the fourth anniversary of *that* tweet April 28, 2015 Update: Ed Balls has made everyone's Ed Balls Day the best yet. https://twitter.com/edballsmp/status/593072495395282944 Crack open the champagne and settle down for hours of social media lolz. It's Ed Balls Day again. Ed Balls It's the fourth anniversary of what has become one of the finest tweets the political world has ever seen. Back [...]
Qatar World Cup final confirmed for 18 December March 19, 2015 FOOTBALL’S world governing body Fifa has confirmed that the final of the controversial 2022 World Cup in Qatar is to be held on 18 December. Fifa’s all-powerful executive committee yesterday met in Zurich to rubber-stamp the tournament schedule put forward by the organisation’s task force last month. The World Cup is expected to start in [...]
The inflation-boosting video games set to become Christmas blockbusters November 19, 2014 Video games have been credited with helping to push up inflation in the run-up to Christmas – we take a look at some of the titles that will be raking in the big money The Crew This is racing sim meets Grand Theft Auto, with a vast open world America to explore (to [...]
Tapping into a priceless showcase for sport: MasterCard’s Mark Barnett wants the World Cup to pay off for rugby and his brand May 25, 2015 For those of a certain age, the day that Erica Roe streaked at Twickenham during an England-Australia rugby international is a sporting image to rival anything that the greats of that generation, from Duckham to Underwood, Beaumont to Carling, achieved on the field of play. For Mark Barnett, president in the UK and Ireland for [...]
Qatar 2022 Fifa World Cup final to be held on Qatar national day March 19, 2015 The 2022 World Cup Final in Qatar will be held on Sunday 18 December, Fifa executives are reported to have agreed today. Football’s biggest fixture will therefore coincide with Qatar National Day, the annual celebration of Qatar’s independence. There had been some speculation that Fifa would choose to host the game on [...]
UK national rail strike: Bank holiday train chaos likely to hit brand reputations for all players – Brand Index May 19, 2015 Network Rail workers last Friday announced their plans to strike from 5pm on bank holiday Monday in a row over pay. Should it go ahead, it will be the first UK-wide rail strike for 20 years. It follows a vote for action from RMT union members, but has been condemned by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin. [...]