London Time: Smart watches, we’re afraid to report, are here to stay February 6, 2014 YOU know how rude it seems when someone checks their wristwatch during a conversation? Well, things are about to get a lot ruder, thanks to 2014 being the year of the smartwatch. Just as the pocket watch proved itself useful enough to migrate to our wrists over the course of the 1930s, we are now [...]
Future is sweet for Nectar as it ranks top of the loyalty schemes December 10, 2013 NECTAR has become the country’s most popular loyalty scheme, with 16.8m subscribers. A staggering 50 per cent of households now swipe their Nectar card when shopping in stores and online and it has become more popular than both the Tesco Clubcard and the Boots Advantage card. Gwyn Burr, Sainsbury’s customer director, said: “Customers are increasingly [...]
Playing the long game April 6, 2014 In 1997, Pokeware co-founder Maryse Liburdi was convinced her idea had potential. It took over a decade for the world to catch up. She tells Annabel Palmer why perseverance is the key to success IT WAS the nineties – a time when VCRs were present in most living rooms and pager sales were booming – [...]
Prince Harry got to the Pole – but you can still help December 15, 2013 Last chance to take part in the Walking Home For Christmas appeal to help raise money for wounded troops AFTER four weeks trekking across the Antarctic Plateau, the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge teams arrived at the South Pole just after noon on Friday. Prince Harry described it as an “amazing feeling” to have [...]
Brand Index: Consumer spending pressures also in play on the high street November 5, 2013 MARKS & Spencer’s ninth consecutive quarter of falling sales is set to put further pressure on CEO Marc Bolland, who has argued that recent improvements to the fashion business have been “well-received” by customers, but that high-street spending has yet to catch up with the wider economic recovery. So is this an economy problem, or [...]
Kelly Brook’s new place is Mahiki for City workers March 11, 2014 STEAM & RYE 147 Leadenhall St EC3V 4QT Tel: 020 7444 9960 FOOD Two Stars VALUE Three Stars ATMOSPHERE Two Stars Cost for two with drinks: £105 STEAM & Rye’s website features pages and pages of photographs of Tarquins and Lotties drinking cocktails and having what looks like a bloody good time. Here’s Tarquin posing [...]
Abercrombie plans a revamp November 6, 2013 STRUGGLING fashion retailer Abercrombie & Fitch yesterday said that it would expand its women’s tops collection, offer larger sizes and more colors, and start selling shoes, in a bid to win back teen customers who have turned to trendier labels. A&F shares closed down 14 per cent at $33.13 yesterday after the company reported a [...]
Hedge funds turn on Ugg boots February 25, 2013 THE POPULARITY of Ugg boots could have finally plateaued. Deckers Outdoor, the US owner of the iconic brand, was yesterday revealed as the most shorted stock by hedge funds ahead of earnings. Short sellers have increased their positions by 14 per cent in the last month and 43.1 per cent of stock is now out [...]
The Scottish Widow has returned January 22, 2014 THE WORLD’S most recognisable cape is back. No, not Batman, the Scottish Widow, obviously. Following a four-year hiatus, the insurance giant’s famous lady in black is back with a fresh new face and an ad campaign due to hit our small screens in February, as part of a drive by Lloyds to revamp the brand. [...]
Laidlaw boots Scots to landmark win February 24, 2013 SCRUM-HALF Greg Laidlaw kicked all the points as Scotland came from 8-0 down to beat Ireland 12-8 and earn their first back-to-back RBS Six Nations wins since 2001 at Murrayfield yesterday. Paddy Jackson’s penalty was Ireland’s only reward for dominating the first half, but wing Craig Gilroy’s try looked to have put them in charge [...]