Bupa snaps up dentistry group Oasis for £835m from private equity house Bridgepoint November 18, 2016 Private healthcare group Bupa has announced an £835m takeover of dentistry chain Oasis from a private equity group. Bupa, advised by Barclays bankers, was said to be in competition with other private equity groups for the acquisition of Oasis, which was owned by Bridgepoint. The private equity house, advised on this deal by Moelis and [...]
Q&A: Why are brands like Marks and Spencer pulling their advertising from Google? March 20, 2017 A newspaper investigation uncovered examples of several high profile brands being advertised against extremist content such as videos of a preacher banned from Britain and from white extremist David Duke insulting Jewish people. The BBC, Channel 4, The Guardian as well as the Financial Conduct Authority, Transport for London and the Royal Navy, advertising for [...]
John Lewis Partnership chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield admits pay changes in retail aren’t a “genuine move forward” November 16, 2016 The chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, Sir Charlie Mayfield, has admitted that the response to the national living wage from retailers has not been a "genuine move forward" for their employees. Following the introduction of the new national living wage, several retailers have cut staff benefits while increasing basic pay rates. Minutes from a John [...]
M&S workers seek unionisation after pay changes and job cuts September 6, 2016 The shopworker's union Usdaw has said it is willing to go through the courts to become recognised as the official union of Marks and Spencer's employees. M&S recently announced it would be cutting premium pay for workers on Sundays and bank holidays, and reducing pension contributions. Usdaw told City A.M. it is happy to "go down the statute route" for official recognition [...]
Super-premium Brockmans Gin toasts record sales for the first half of 2016 as it basks in UK gin renaissance and expands overseas November 21, 2016 Brockmans Gin has served up record sales for the first-half of 2016 as super-premium gin continues to grow in popularity both in the UK and abroad. Total revenue grew 116 per cent in the first-half of 2016 to £2.6m as the company capitalised on the growing gin renaissance in the UK where sales are expected to [...]
Marks and Spencer’s profits plunge in first half as it announces plans to pull out of ten international markets November 8, 2016 Marks & Spencer has unveiled plummeting profits for the 26 weeks to 1 October, once again blaming its struggling clothing arm for dragging on the rest of the business, and outlined plans to close 60 stores. The figures Group revenue was up by 0.9 per cent to £4.99bn from £4.95bn in the first half of last [...]
You can now buy the world’s oldest port wine brand online from Marks and Spencer August 16, 2016 Move over, craft beer. For the first time in five centuries, the world's oldest brand of port wine is now going to be available to buy online at a major UK retailer. Top-tier port brand Kopke's 1996 vintage has launched on Marks & Spencer online for £30 for a single bottle and can also be [...]
M&S retail boss wrote to former chancellor George Osborne to defend benefit cuts for staff November 4, 2016 M&S management wrote to former chancellor George Osborne this summer as the business was under siege for cutting staff benefits. In an internal memo seen by City A.M., the retail director of M&S, Sacha Berendji, told staff he wrote to Osborne responding to criticism about cutting premium pay rates for staff. Read more: M&S shells out £100m for pension changes [...]
MPs and campaigners deliver petition against M&S pay changes to the retailer’s flagship store September 1, 2016 MPs and campaigners turned up at Marks and Spencer's flagship store in Marble Arch today to deliver a petition – signed by 90,000 people – voicing concerns about the company's proposed pay cuts. Under the proposed changes, staff will lose the pay premiums they receive for working on Sundays and Bank Holidays and will face reduced pension [...]
Marks & Spencer is in a pay row with staff and could be axing 500 jobs. Is it time to split the retailer in two? September 5, 2016 Marks & Spencer’s famous adverts (“These are not just potatoes, these are pan-shaken ready-to-roast extra-crispy King Edward potatoes…”) may have stayed ripe for mockery for over a decade, but between our guffaws lies a reluctant acceptance that the branding is absolutely spot on. M&S food halls have been a roaring success, especially among the millions of Brits [...]