Nando’s buying spree pays off as the chain returns to profit December 9, 2012 NANDO’S swung back into profit last year after the restaurant chain, famous for its flame-grilled peri-peri spiced chicken, lured more customers through its doors. The company posted £14.7m in profits before tax in the year to 26 February compared with a £7.1m loss the previous year, accounts filed at Companies House show. Nando’s acquired Clapham [...]
Even Middle England must admire Murray January 13, 2013 IT’S still going on. The complete refusal of certain parts of Middle England to accept that Andy Murray is a national asset to be cherished and revered. On the 11.27 out of Waterloo on Saturday night, I was approached by a man (sober) who inquired if I was going to the Australian Open. “Yes”, I [...]
TfL hopes to push Overground onto key suburban rail routes November 28, 2012 TRANSPORT for London (TfL) remains optimistic that it will get the go-ahead to take control of key suburban rail routes early next year. Howard Smith, chief operating officer for TfL’s rail operations, told City A.M. that he is “hopeful of coming to some conclusions in the next few months” following discussions with the Department for [...]
Bargains bring home the bacon but bite into profits December 9, 2012 AS DECENT numbers for Nando’s reveal the chain moved into profit last year after three in the red, the cheaper end of the restaurant sector may be turning a corner. The latest figures from BDO indicate that operators including the Restaurant Group and JD Wetherspoon have seen an upturn in trade in September and October. [...]
Regeneration of London Bridge to cause five years of disruption October 29, 2012 COMMUTERS through London Bridge were yesterday warned to brace themselves for five years of daily disruption as Network Rail unveiled its plans for the regeneration of the City’s oldest station. The biggest redevelopment in the capital in a generation begins next May, and will give London Bridge the biggest concourse in the country as well [...]
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 [...]
Prime property in capital still rocketing up October 30, 2012 PRIME London property values soared in the third quarter, two separate data releases showed yesterday, boosting the number of homes worth more than a million pounds to over two fifths. Forty-three per cent of homes in prime London areas are now worth at least £1m, data from estate agent Marsh & Parsons showed, compared to [...]
Something different for the summer… July 16, 2012 FITNESS & DIET EXPERT I don’t know about you but every so often I need some life breathed into my fitness routine. Not in the form of a wacky new class; more like something that I’d usually do but with a twist. These are the two things currently making me smile on my fitness radar: [...]
Commuters face fare hike as taxpayer subsidy is cut August 14, 2012 COMMUTERS are set to come in for a hammering from January next year, when rail companies are next allowed to raise fares. Individual fares will be lifted by up to 11.2 per cent, as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) plan to shift costs from the Exchequer to the passenger. The cap on regulated [...]
CLAPHAM, SW4 October 13, 2011 CALDERVALE ROAD Price: £950, 000 On a tree-lined street just a few minutes walk from Clapham Common, this four bedroom family home stretches over 1,800 square feet and has room for extension. The property retains many of its original features. Contact: Douglas & Gordon on 020 8675 4400 or go to www.douglasandgordon.com CLAPHAM COMMON Price: £2.45m [...]