M&S declares war on Aldi over ‘obvious’ copy of Christmas gin December 16, 2021 Marks and Spencer has launched legal action against discount supermarket rival Aldi, over what it alleges is a copycat gin. Aldi’s ‘The Infusionist’ gold-flake gin liqueur range has been accused of copying M&S’ Light-Up Gin, in papers filed at the High Court earlier this month. M&S registered three varieties of its designs earlier this year, [...]
Novel coronavirus: Meet the writers who penned a book during lockdown December 3, 2021 They say everyone has a book in them, but usually that’s where it stays. Writing a novel is a time-consuming business, a months- or years-long project, often undertaken with little guarantee anyone will ever read it. Every successful author has their ‘origin story’, from JK Rowling scribbling away in an Edinburgh cafe to Dostoyevsky bashing out The [...]
Pizza Express to reopen 13 London restaurants for delivery May 19, 2020 Casual dining chain Pizza Express will reopen 13 of its London sites for delivery from next week. The Italian restaurant chain is preparing to reopen sites across the capital including in Balham, Fulham and Notting Hill where it has typically seen high customer demand. Pizza Express will launch with a “slightly edited” menu and with [...]
Heritage campaigners and M&S roll up sleeves for public inquiry over Oxford St flagship store July 27, 2022 Heritage campaigners have started crowdfunding to battle Marks and Spencer’s plans to demolish its 1929 flagship Oxford St store this autumn. M&S hopes to demolish the Marble Arch building, which it says has “asbestos throughout,” to create a new 10-storey building, with office space and a gym. A two-week public inquiry in October will assess [...]
High street stalwarts shun Black Friday November 13, 2021 High street stalwarts are shunning Black Friday this year due to the discount shopping event losing its pull among consumers. The likes of Marks and Spencer and Next will stop offering discounts on products due to the event squeezing margins and offering little value to businesses. Other online retailers, including Amazon and AO.com, are intending [...]
London markets dip as Darktrace continues to tumble November 12, 2021 Cambridge-based cybersecurity firm Darktrace continued to tumble today, dragging London markets down with it. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index dipped 0.49 per cent to 7,347.91 points, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 lost 0.07 per cent, falling to 23,557.52 points. Darktrace plunged over four per cent during morning exchanges, extended a brutal period for the [...]
London markets boosted by rallying bank stocks as rate hike bets lift sentiment toward sector November 22, 2021 A rally among banks boosted London markets this morning as sentiment toward the sector improved on strengthening prospects of the Bank of England hiking rates. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index climbed 0.49 per cent 7,258.91 points, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 added 0.30 per cent to 23,561.92 points. The likes of Barclays, NatWest and [...]
Best of 2023: What I learned rewatching every X-Files episode December 29, 2023 The X-Files turns 30 this week: With more than 230 hours worth of material, Steve Dinneen dived back in to Mulder and Scully's world
Mind the gap? Financing scale-ups takes sharper focus August 19, 2020 ‘There is a risk… of a lost generation of innovative businesses unable to access the right capital to scale and go global’: so warns an analysis published this month entitled The Future of Growth Capital. The report – co-produced by Innovate Finance, the ScaleUp Institute and Deloitte, in collaboration with industry, investors and the recently [...]
Retail welcomes move for tougher sentences on those who abuse shop staff December 16, 2021 Businesses have welcomed the progression of legislation that will see people who commit violent offences against retail staff face tougher sentences. The House of Lords passed the government’s amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill this week. The amendment will mean assaults on those serving the public or performing a public duty will [...]