Business world wins praise in the honours list June 17, 2012 CARPHONE Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone was the sole business leader awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours for 2012, announced over the weekend, in a year that saw industry and economic leaders garner just 12 per cent of accolades, down more than a full percentage point from 2011. However, Sir John Parker, chairman of [...]
Jubilee gives grocers £200m turnover boost June 19, 2012 BRITAIN’S grocery market grew 3.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to 10 June, boosted by an 11.3 per cent leap in the run-up to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee celebrations, industry data revealed yesterday. Market researcher Kantar WorldPanel said supermarkets took an extra £213m in the tills in the week ending 3 June. “The [...]
Lloyds ploughs £20m into new restaurant fund September 3, 2012 LLOYDS Banking Group’s private equity arm said yesterday it has agreed to provide £20m for a new restaurant fund set up by the former boss of The Clapham House Group. Paul Campbell is setting up the fund through his vehicle Hill Capital in partnership with LDC to invest in restaurant businesses with a small number [...]
Retail bonds boom as ICAP shuts its £50m issue ahead of schedule July 17, 2012 BROKER ICAP yesterday closed its £50m retail bond issue earlier than expected following a strong response from investors. “ICAP has met sufficient demand for the bond,” a spokesman said. They declined to comment on the likelihood of future issues. The bond offered a 5.5 per cent return over a six year period and subscribers could [...]
DO YOU SHOP AT A DISCOUNT SUPERMARKET? June 26, 2012 RICHARD CORBEN MINISTRY OF JUSTICE I shop at both because of the low cost. They are cheap and also in a good location. In the town where I live we have Lidl and an Aldi, and I am satisfied with the quality. PAOLO ADRAGNA FIDESSA I shop at Lidl from time to time because it [...]
Tesco’s marketing strategy needs a new broom in 2012 to sweep away its Clubcard January 12, 2012 THESE were bad figures, Tesco can’t get away from that. Britain’s biggest retailer reported its worst Christmas sales performance for decades on Thursday and warned it would see minimal profit growth next year. Down 1.3 per cent like-for-like (including VAT) in the UK was much worse than any other figures we’ve had from the major [...]
Tesco sales fall for fourth quarter in a row December 8, 2011 Tesco, the world’s No. 3 retailer, posted a drop in underlying British sales for the fourth quarter in a row on Thursday, overshadowing a more solid performance in its overseas markets. The firm, which takes about one in every 10 pounds spent in British shops, said sales at British stores open over a year, excluding [...]
Stocks edge upwards on renewed hope for more quantitative easing July 18, 2012 BRITAIN’S benchmark share index closed at its highest level in nearly two weeks yesterday, as hopes of fresh central bank stimulus measures lifted equity markets, although traders said the overall weak economic outlook would limit any future gains. The blue-chip FTSE 100 ended up 56.68 points, or one per cent, at 5,685.77 points – its [...]
Doing the UK supermarket sweep July 2, 2012 THE jubilant spending during the Queen’s diamond jubilee may have given the high streets a boost, and inflation is being slowly reined in, but UK supermarkets are still facing a difficult year ahead. According to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee boosted retail sales in June, but shop sales were down [...]
Former Tesco boss cuts till rolls December 4, 2011 Lord MacLaurin, the former chief executive and chairman of Tesco, is investing in a British start-up championing paper-less receipts. MacLaurin, who helped pioneer Tesco’s Clubcard, is backing Paperless Receipts, which sends digital receipts to personalised websites.