Consumer spending rises ahead of prices for sixth straight month October 6, 2013 CARD transactions rose ahead of inflation for the sixth month running in September, according to an analysis of Barclaycard’s 33.7m customers released yesterday. Consumer spending grew by three per cent in comparison to the same month last year, with restaurants seeing a big increase in trade, up 11.2 per cent. The figures match suggestions that [...]
Bottom Line: Revamp can’t happen fast enough October 24, 2013 CHANGE can be good – great even – but it always come with risks. For months now Debenhams’ flagship Oxford Street store has been covered in scaffolding, with shoppers pointed towards a temporary entrance before being directed into a store that looks more like a building site than a shopping haven. All signs point to the [...]
Culture and shopping in Shanghai and Hong Kong November 10, 2013 When Michelle Filmer went to China, she split her time between its two most vibrant cities. From luxury to history, she selects the top ten highlights of her visit 1. THE BUND The waterfront area in central Shanghai that runs along the west bank of the Huangpu river is known as The Bund. The west [...]
Why we should all remember the man who built Canary Wharf October 28, 2013 THREE major forces help drive progress: economic and legal institutions; people, especially risk-taking buccaneers and entrepreneurs; and chance. The creation of Canary Wharf is a case study of how all three factors interact: its rise from the ashes of the bankrupt Docklands transformed London’s economy, enabling it to build and retain a world class financial [...]
Boost to the UK economy from dating up £200m from 2012 August 30, 2013 The boost to the UK economy from spending on dates is expected to rise by six per cent in 2013 compared with the year before, according to a study commissioned by match.com. This year, the overall spend on dating by UK singles is expected to be £3.6bn – up by £200m on the year before, [...]
Running your personal best time through the rainforest April 13, 2014 The day after the London Marathon, Kasmira Jefford tells us where to head for the next race IT IS is not yet eight in the morning but already the heat and humidity is cloying as I run down the long, red-earth road that skirts the south side of the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, [...]
Debenhams boss backs call for rates reform October 24, 2013 DEBENHAMS chief executive Michael Sharp became the latest retail boss yesterday to call on the government to overhaul the way in which it determines business rates, describing the current system as “outdated”. “It is clear that the current calculation is archaic and does not fit for the modern consumer world of today,” Sharp said. However, [...]
Restaurant review: 1701 September 17, 2013 RESTAURANT Bevis Marks Synagogue, EC3A 5DQ Tel: 020 7621 1701 FOOD Four stars VALUE Three stars ATMOSPHERE Four stars Cost for two with matched wine: £115 I GOT back from my holiday last week to another of life’s crushing milestones: I can no longer fit into my work suit. It’s all downhill from here. And [...]
JD Wetherspoon slams unsustainable taxes on pub sector October 16, 2013 JD Wetherspoon's 2013 annual report has shown pre-tax profits fall by three per cent to £57.1m in the 52 weeks ended 28 July as it warns that heavy taxation threatens the pub sector. There was some good news for shareholders with earnings per share, before exceptional items, increasing 12.6 per cent, along with revenue growth [...]
Ashcroft gets into wine firm September 3, 2013 A BUSINESS backed by Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft yesterday revealed a £7m deal to buy English wine maker Gusbourne Estate. Investment vehicle Shellproof will change its name to Gusbourne and join the Alternative Investment Market as a new firm as part of the purchase, raising £2.85m in the process. Shellproof investors, including Ashcroft, will take [...]