STRICTLY BUSINESS BRIEF ENDS VINCE CABLE’S DANCING DREAM June 28, 2011 THERE is something bothering business secretary Vince Cable – and it’s not the separation of retail and investment banking, the Greek debt crisis or even waging war on Rupert Murdoch. No – Cable is concerned his demanding day job could mean he never fulfils his dream of returning to Strictly Come Dancing for a full [...]
Brisbane: still surfing, sun, and lots of fun October 2, 2011 NOT so long ago, Brisbane was little more than the country cousin to Sydney and Melbourne, and the gateway to Surfers Paradise and Noosa. However, this city, the third largest in Australia, and the capital of Queensland, is transforming into a fast-paced modern metropolis. Brisvegas, as it is affectionately known, is making a name for [...]
When times are hard it’s easy to impress April 20, 2011 SHAREHOLDERS may have been handed a carrot today in the form of a reinstated dividend, but long-term a return to the stick is looking more and more likely. Argos has been underperforming for Home Retail Group since Christmas 2008, and unless Terry Duddy really throws his weight behind it that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. [...]
DON’T BANK ON HOLIDAY GROWTH April 17, 2011 ENTREPRENEUR AND INVESTOR AT THE end of April, as you are more than likely aware by now, there will be just three working days out of a run of 11. Employees may be rejoicing at the thought of this break from the office, but I have mixed feelings about this enforced holiday period. The challenge [...]
CITY BIRDS SWOOP ON GULLS’ EGGS LUNCHEON May 17, 2011 THE City’s summer season is officially underway, marked by yesterday’s Macmillan Gulls’ Eggs City Luncheon at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall. The quirky institution serves guests green speckled gulls’ eggs – which are only in season for four weeks of the year – as they get stuck into some serious networking. “It is like Linked In [...]
America’s very own slice of the Caribbean, plus plenty of rum August 29, 2011 WELCOME to the United States of America,” says a groundsman as I land on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, introducing me to the first of many contradictions here. The island is, I find, a cocktail of the tropical Caribbean, American high rise (it is a commonwealth of the USA) all mixed with a huge [...]
America’s very own slice of the Caribbean, plus plenty of rum August 29, 2011 WELCOME to the United States of America,” says a groundsman as I land on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, introducing me to the first of many contradictions here. The island is, I find, a cocktail of the tropical Caribbean, American high rise (it is a commonwealth of the USA) all mixed with a huge [...]
NO PLAN B FOR BRITAIN SAY TORY BELIEVERS July 7, 2011 DON’T have a business card on you? No problem – just write your name on the back of a £50 note and drop that in the hat for the City lunchtime raffle instead. Yes, it could only be the annual fundraising gathering of The Cities of London & Westminster Conservative Association, where the Tory body’s [...]
BAA to spend £50m to tackle snow March 24, 2011 Airports operator BAA said it would invest £50M in better winter defences after a report criticised its response to the snow-induced chaos at London’s Heathrow airport last year. An inquiry into BAA’s handling of last year’s big freeze, which closed runways in the week before Christmas, said BAA had to prove it can keep Heathrow [...]
Ancient and modern wonders July 3, 2011 THE Eternal City has had a 21st-century makeover. In the last few years, daring new architect-designed buildings have been springing up, while workmen sing along to Tony Bennett: “The glory that was Rome/Is of another day.” The Auditorium Parco della Musica was created by Renzo Piano, and took 12 years to build. The American architect [...]