McDonald’s plans $3bn facelift November 14, 2013 McDonald’s said last night that it plans to spend $2.9bn to $3bn next year to open 1,500 to 1,600 new restaurants and remodel about 1,000 others – roughly in line with this year’s reduced spending forecast. The world’s biggest hamburger chain, which recently has struggled to meaningfully expand sales at established restaurants, last month trimmed [...]
People too scared to save because they don’t trust politicians March 5, 2014 BRITAIN remains in a savings crisis. A shocking 19 per cent of the public have no savings at all, up from 17 per cent last year, and the average stash put away for a rainy day is a miserable £10,208. The total number of people who felt able to add to their savings actually dropped [...]
Sales soar over festive season at Greene King January 13, 2014 BREWER and pub group Greene King yesterday reported a 3.8 per cent jump in its like-for-like sales during the first 36 weeks of its financial year, boosted by bumper food sales on Christmas Day. The results were helped by the two trading weeks covering Christmas and the New Year, during which Greene King reported sales [...]
Greene King brews up record-breaking Christmas January 13, 2014 Pub retailer Greene King has posted a rise in like-for-like sales of five per cent for the last six weeks. The company achieved a six per cent rise in like-for-like sales over the years two most important trading weeks. Christmas Day proved to be the most successful in the company's history, with 62,000 meals sold, [...]
Profits rise for Burger King as costs drop 90pc October 28, 2013 BURGER King Worldwide, known for its Whopper hamburgers, yesterday said it plans to introduce fewer seasonal and limited-time menu items in a bid to help restaurant operators improve profits and speed up service. Burger King, which reported a better-than expected third-quarter profit, has recently added a string of attention-getting products ranging from bacon sundaes and [...]
The man putting new power into Battersea Station April 7, 2014 Rob Tincknell talks to Kasmira Jefford about British buyers and a new breed of nesters ROB TINCKNELL is leading the way up a flight of steps to the roof of Battersea Power Station’s marketing suite. “We have got to be really quiet,” he whispers, as he opens the door onto the terrace and points to [...]
Furnishings designed to impress February 27, 2014 Melissa York talks to Karen Howes about creating riverside luxury HOW DO you please the buyer that has everything? This is the question Karen Howes has to answer every day. She’s the co-founder and chief executive officer of Taylor Howes, an interior design firm that specialises in furnishing the homes of the uber-rich. “Every element [...]
Some of the City’s finest take a slice of the Villandry December 1, 2013 THE PATH from the City to the foodie industry is well-trodden, and the latest epicurean hangout to get the City-treatment is the Villandry. A consortium of well-known investors took stakes in the restaurant chain back in May 2011 and they’ll be raising a glass to its newest outpost, in St James’s, tomorrow – for the [...]
The battle for Smithfield Market is heating up. Here’s what you need to know February 3, 2014 As the day of public inquiry into the redevelopment the western end of Smithfield Market approaches, both sides – developer and multi-billion pound investment management firm Henderson on one side and SAVE Britain’s Heritage on the other – are gearing up with their respective arguments for and against Henderson’s proposed scheme. Here is a brief [...]
Inside Track: Supermarket set to repair Russian reputation in London February 6, 2014 THERE’S been many a well-known company, from the likes of retailer Harvey Nichols to the property website Zoopla or even the restaurant website Just Eat, tipped to float on the reviving London new issues market, but it looks likely one of the first companies to make it across the line will be Lenta, which is [...]