Lanzarote is far more fun – and far classier – than you probably think November 26, 2016 THE WEEKEND: With year-round sun and a large ex-pat community, this Canary Island has unfairly gained a reputation for being overrun with stereotypical ‘Brits Abroad’. However, breathtaking beaches, a diverse landscape and a new line of luxury resorts have made it an affordable and desirable destination for those yearning for a relaxing getaway. Former PM [...]
Mulberry profits hit by weak sterling December 8, 2016 Revenues were up in the first half of the year for luxury handbag brand Mulberry – but profits were dented by the weak pound, it said today. The Somerset-based manufacturer said revenues rose 10 per cent to £74.5m in the 26 weeks to the end of September, up from £67.8m the year before – but it [...]
Netflix and Hills: how streaming services are moving in on Hollywood real estate February 20, 2017 The Schroders Global Cities Index ranks the fastest growing urban economies in the world. We write about our favourite cities on the Global Cities Blog. With Netflix having just committed to an office spanning 25 acres in Hollywood, we explain why we like LA. Sitting at number six in the Global Cities Index, we rate Los [...]
Thomas Cook takes £10m profit hit after rocky year of trading due to terror attacks and political instability November 23, 2016 Thomas Cook's revenue and profit in the 12 months to 30 September was dented by a difficult year's trading which included a number of terror attacks in popular tourist destinations, and post-Brexit vote currency volatility. The figures The travel group's revenue dropped to £7.81bn from £7.83bn. Profit from operations was down to £205m from £211m, and [...]
Iran is open for business with a post-Brexit UK November 14, 2016 Iran is officially open for business after four years in the global wilderness. Following the imposition of financial sanctions in 2012 by the US for its burgeoning nuclear weapons programme, it was almost impossible for the west to do any business with Iran. Those sanctions were lifted earlier this year after France, Germany, UK, Russia and [...]
West End gets Brexit boost from overseas shoppers as sales to tip over £9bn for the first time September 21, 2016 Overseas shoppers are flocking to the West End to spend their cash since the fall in the value of the pound – and the Brexit boost is set to tip sales for the district over £9bn this year. Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of the West End lobby group New West End Company, says London's premiere shopping district [...]
Whisky galore: Scotch exports rise for first time since 2013, but Brexit concerns weigh heavy on industry September 16, 2016 Scotch was used to prop up bars a little more worldwide last year as global export volumes grew for the first time since 2013 – though the industry is still hesitant on the challenges of Brexit. Volumes of Scotch, which already adds £5bn to the UK's economy, shipped overseas grew by 3.1 per cent over the first [...]
Chinese mega cities increase dominance in Schroders Global Cities 30 index December 15, 2016 Fund manager Hugo Machin explains the trends behind the latest moves in the Schroders Global Cities index Chinese cities had a strong showing in the first Schroders Global Cities 30 index, launched in the summer. In the first update to the index, that dominance has only increased. Four of the top five spots are now [...]
As French growth grinds to a halt, is the country’s economic model fundamentally broken? August 1, 2016 Tim Worstall, senior fellow of the Adam Smith Institute, says Yes. France’s economic model is irretrievably broken. Along one axis we have a spectrum of possible economic models. We can have low tax and redistribution market economies and high tax and redistribution ones. Non-market economies do not work. Further, the more we tax and redistribute, the [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Pidgeon talks childcare, Tube and bus fares, congestion charge, airport expansion February 16, 2016 As the Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor of London, Caroline Pidgeon dismisses suggestions that the contest to replace Boris Johnson in City Hall is a two-horse race between Labour hopeful Sadiq Khan and Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith. But she does not shy away from slamming the front-runners for being too self-important in their efforts to become [...]