Sunny weather lifts Marston’s performance October 9, 2013 PUB CHAIN Marston’s full year results to 5 October yesterday showed encouraging performance on the back of good weather driving sales in the second half of the year. Its Destination and Premium pub’s annual sales grew 2.2 per cent driven by food sales up 3.7 per cent. Marston’s said profits from its Tavern pubs fell [...]
The range of premium mixers produced to raise gin’s spirits October 21, 2013 Annabel Palmer talks luck, liquor and a lightbulb moment with Charles Rolls, co-founder of drinks label Fever-Tree WHILE gin may not be the most popular global spirit (that prestigious title goes to Korean rice wine brand Jinro), the world consumes 440m litres of it each year. But back in 2000, Charles Rolls, co-founder of the [...]
Blown away by Dorset October 13, 2013 Head to a hotel on the south coast for wholesome activites, fresh salty air and inexpensive fine dining OF ALL the pastimes that governments enjoy, most involve splashing our cash around, telling us what to do, and chucking in a dose of mild nationalism to make it seem a bit more palatable. Little surprise, then, [...]
Costa owner Whitbread sees strong growth despite unimpressive restaurant results October 22, 2013 Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread has reported strong interim results, with profit before tax up 12.6 per cent at £216.1m and a 12.4 per cent revenue increase in the six months to August. (Release) Whitbread, who also owns Beefeater Grill, saw like-for-like sales up 2.8 per cent for the period, and have increased [...]
Good fortune comes with great design November 21, 2013 Positive energy guru Kerry Ann Smith tells City A.M. why feng shui interior design is just common sense THE OLD proverb says that an Englishman’s home is his castle. But with the rise of tablets and home-working, the castle is looking increasingly like, well, an office. Kerry Ann Smith, an interior design consultant, thinks she’s [...]
Restaurant review: Boulestin September 24, 2013 RESTAURANT 5 St James’s Street, SW1A 1EF Tel: 020 7930 2030 FOOD Three Stars VALUE Three Stars ATMOSPHERE One Star Cost for two with drinks: £140 An occupational hazard of being a restaurant critic is that people often ask you where they should go for dinner, or for recommendations of who does the best ostrich [...]
John Lewis is set to create a new restaurant August 14, 2013 JOHN Lewis is poised to launch a new restaurant concept in a move to diversify its catering range and attract more customers into its department stores. Chief executive Andy Street said while John Lewis’ restaurants and cafeterias were profitable and provided good quality, “middle of the road” food, they were not “cutting edge” brands. “There [...]
A hipster’s paradise at 100 Hoxton October 29, 2013 RESTAURANT 100 HOXTON 100-102 Hoxton Street, N1 6SG Tel: 020 7729 1444 FOOD Three stars VALUE Four stars ATMOSPHERE Two stars Cost for two with drinks: £70 OUTSIDE, a young woman draws on a cigarette, her waistline not much thicker than the rim of the spectacles worn by boys who glance at her as they [...]
Prezzo picking up the pace of growth with new restaurants September 4, 2013 PREZZO said yesterday it is enjoying a bigger slice of the restaurant market after opening seven new outlets in the six months to the end of June. The pasta and pizza provider posted a 17 per cent rise in revenues to £79.7m while pre-tax profits rose from £7.5m to £8.2m. Prezzo said it will open [...]
John Lewis is set to create a new restaurant August 11, 2013 JOHN Lewis is poised to launch a new restaurant concept in a move to diversify its catering range and attract more customers into its department stores. Chief executive Andy Street said while John Lewis’ restaurants and cafeterias were profitable and provided good quality, “middle of the road” food, they were not “cutting edge” brands. [...]