UK top pubs, restaurants and cafes ranked: Costa, Greggs and Wetherspoon top consumer opinion poll of high street brands with the best reputation April 20, 2018 Public perception is rising for a clutch of major high street food and drink brands, a new report has revealed. Costa, Greggs and JD Wetherspoon have gained the most momentum when it comes to consumer attitudes, data research company CGA said. The report ranks operators by how fast they are building their brand awareness, positive [...]
FuroSystems Furo X review: A slick and stylish carbon fibre electric folding bike with buckets of power October 1, 2019 It took a short while for them to find one another, but now that they’re together, electric bikes and folding bikes are a match made in heaven. Either one is essential for those of us intending to commute partly by public transport and partly by bike, and without arriving at the office a sweating, stinking, [...]
Consumer spending growth slows and retail sales fall on Brexit fears March 4, 2019 Consumer spending growth and retail sales fell last month as households cut back on non-essential items amid fears over Brexit and the UK’s economic prospects. Clothing, department store and hotel spending all contracted in February, according to the latest monthly spend data from Barclaycard. Read more: Retail investors are sitting tight amid Brexit uncertainty Spending [...]
UK consumer confidence holds up in May despite Brexit impasse May 31, 2019 Consumers were feeling more upbeat about the British economy in May than they were in April despite Brexit, a new survey has shown, although confidence was well below the longer-term average. Read more: Warm-weather pub trips boost tepid consumer spending growth in April Meanwhile, more people felt positive about their personal financial situation than during [...]
Fuller, Smith and Turner posts “solid” numbers as consumers pick premium pubs January 25, 2018 London brewery and upmarket pub group Fuller, Smith and Turner delivered a “solid performance” in an update this morning. In the 42 weeks to 20 January, like-for-like sales across managed pubs and hotels grew three per cent, while profits from tenanted inns were up two per cent. Beer and cider volumes were flat. Read more: [...]
Ranked: The UK’s fastest growing companies for brand value September 11, 2019 Deliveroo, Costa Coffee and Brewdog are growing in value faster than any other UK brands, according to a survey published today. The food delivery app topped the list, increasing its value 54 per cent to $1.4bn (£1.1bn), while coffee chain Costa jumped 48 per cent to $1.5bn, boosted by its takeover by Coca Cola. Read [...]
Fast food chain Leon reports widening loss as rising costs hit margins May 19, 2019 Fast food chain Leon posted a record turnover of more than £65.2m last year but a third consecutive loss as it increases its UK footprint. The healthy food company has had a rapid rise in recent years, increasing its turnover by more than 15 per cent last year – from £56.3m in 2017 – [...]
Spilling the beans: How coffee chain Grind has carved out its own London niche January 20, 2020 Given how busy life in the capital can get, and how hard the people here work, most Londoners must live on coffee. It’s the only plausible explanation for the explosion in coffee shops in recent years. Independent coffee houses are thriving alongside the big brands like Costa and Pret a Manger. According to research by [...]
Focus On Clapham: Commons, good schools and cosy gastropubs means families stay put in SW4 March 15, 2019 The appeal of living in Clapham is clear for all to see. It has great transport connections along the Northern Line and Clapham Junction – one of the most well-connected stations in the UK – , particularly for south London. It’s better value for money than its north-of-the-river counterparts. The 220-acre Clapham Common is all [...]
If nothing else, the Lords at least offers some good debate September 6, 2019 Watching a debate in the House of Lords can lift the spirits. Admittedly, this isn’t always the case. After all, the place is so rammed with political cast-offs and the dregs of quangoland that following its proceedings can often feel like a punishment. However, during moments of great constitutional or legal significance it is to [...]