Retail investors excluded from Polypipe float March 18, 2014 BRITISH plastic piping manufacturer Polypipe is the latest company to announce its plans to float on the London Stock Exchange, as it looks to take advantage of the UK construction market recovery. Around half of the company’s share capital will be up for grabs, but like online food takeaway business Just-Eat, which announced its plans [...]
Restaurateur Des McDonald discusses the burger revolution, forests and what it means to have cooking in your blood December 7, 2014 Sitting in your own month-old restaurant would be extremely exciting for most people. It is for Des McDonald too, except this is one of six – and they’ve all opened within the last two years. His second branch of The Fish & Chip Shop is the latest, and it’s bringing the City what McDonald describes [...]
What is China’s Singles Day? Alibaba nears record-breaking billion-dollar sales target in one day November 11, 2014 The 11th day of the 11th month has a very different meaning in China – in case you haven't heard, today is Singles Day, because of the combination of two 'ones'. But having initially been a day for young singles to meet future partners, and also eat lots of deep fried dough sticks and dumplings, [...]
London Report: Supermarkets’ results to show split in fortunes May 5, 2014 THE varying fortunes of the UK’s supermarkets will be revealed this week as Morrisons gives its quarterly results while Sainsbury’s announces full-year figures. Sainsbury’s annual results are forecast to show that underlying pre-tax profits rose 3.5 per cent to £782m. However investors will be anxious to see the company’s plans for the next year, especially [...]
A day in the life of a chef on the world’s finest yachts November 23, 2014 It sounds like a dream job, but serving food on the high seas to the world’s elite comes with its own challenges. People assume being a chef on a super-yacht – the kind you see in Hello magazine – is a dream job. In many ways they’re right, of course. But it’s not [...]
From Vibease to Elon Musk’s underwhelming big reveal, here are nine of the worst inventions of 2014 December 13, 2014 If you're looking for Christmas present ideas, you've come to the wrong listicle. This is all about the worst inventions of 2014, and there have been some real crackers. If you end up with one of these under the tree, you know your family hate you. 1. Pizza Hut's mind-reading menu app We're pretty certain [...]
48 Hours in… Budapest October 13, 2014 Where to stay Brody House is a great reflection of the new, young Budapest. You don’t just get a room – you get an “inspiring space”, and it’s as well known for its parties as its suites. The rooms are beautiful in their own right, though, with a cool, shabby-chic vibe. brodyhouse.com Where [...]
Chateau Gütsch: Journey to Lucerne, the ticking heart of watchmaking January 11, 2015 Overlooking Lucerne, Chateau Gütsch is a belle-epoque retreat with a horological secret. As a writer with a particular penchant for Swiss watchmaking, I probably use the term “chocolate box” far too frequently. Hard not to when describing a springtime visit to an atelier nestled in the verdant Jura foothills, surrounded by cows and their clanking [...]
The Supper Club founder Duncan Cheatle talks cowboys, venture capital and safe spaces January 25, 2015 If you ask Duncan Cheatle, founder of members-only entrepreneur networking group The Supper Club, to describe his formative entrepreneurial experience, you’re instantly transported. “Like lots of entrepreneurs, the first early thing I did was to sell tuck,” he tells me. “I guess there’s a limit to what you can do as a kid to show [...]
Institutions get a stronger hand in new issues April 14, 2014 THE PENDULUM of power in the new issues market could swing back to institutional investors this summer after a spate of companies floated so far this year sank underwater. Big name issues in London including Brit Group, Just Eat, AO World and Pets at Home have all fallen below the price they floated at in [...]