Starbucks cheers ‘good progress’ in plan for 100 new UK shops September 7, 2023 Coffee giant Starbucks has hailed “good progress” in its expansion plans to open 100 new stores in the UK over the current year. The chain said it has also “maintained strong, double-digit growth” in the UK in recent months despite pressure on consumer spending due to the rising cost of living. On Thursday, the retail [...]
Morrisons: Debt-laden grocer records strongest sales growth in three years March 27, 2024 Supermarket Morrisons has reported its strongest like-for-like sales in over three years, helped by competitive pricing strategies.
Primark owner Associated British Foods ‘dodging most economic bullets’ as outlook improves February 27, 2023 Primark owner Associated British Foods has upped its outlook for the full year after reporting a jump in sales at the budget fashion chain as consumer spending held up better than expected. The group said sales at the retailer, which has 419 stores, are set to rise by 16 per cent at actual exchange rates [...]
Ocado shares sink after HSBC downgrade September 20, 2022 Shares in Ocado sank on Tuesday after HSBC analysts downgraded the grocery delivery firm from a Hold to a Reduce rating. HSCB’s notes caused shares in the middle-class favourite to drop by more than eight per cent after Ocado warned last week that soaring inflation will weigh on its profitability in Q4. The firm warned [...]
Budget: OBR says UK to avoid recession and is on course to grow every year after short blip in boost for Jeremy Hunt March 15, 2023 Britain will avoid a much-tipped recession this year and will grow every year until 2027 after a short blip, a massive reversal from economists warning of the longest contraction in a century just a few months ago, the country’s spending watchdog said today. UK GDP is on course to suffer a mild slump in 2023 [...]
‘A historic moment’: Football regulator plans confirmed in King’s Speech November 7, 2023 The move will "safeguard the future of football clubs for the benefit of communities and fans", King Charles III said.
Spring Budget 2024: Just four per cent of London homes exempt from ‘hefty’ stamp duty fees as pressure mounts on Hunt February 28, 2024 Only four per cent of homes on sale in London are exempt from “hefty” stamp duty charges, as fresh pressure is piled on the UK Chancellor to reform the levy ahead of the Spring Budget next week.
London rent averages over £900 a month as desperate renters battle over fewer properties April 19, 2023 Private renters in London are faced with the highest costs since 2012 as a sparse and competitive market send the cost of homes in the capital to new highs. Landlords in the capital increased rent by 4.8 per cent in the 12 months to March 2023, up from an increase of 4.6 per cent in [...]
London rent crisis deepens: Costs may soar to £2,700 as families face being driven in to poverty August 3, 2023 Average rental costs in London may soar to £2,700 per month next year, new figures suggest. Families in the city are being driven into poverty by “sky-high” rents, campaigners warned. The figures, gathered by City Hall, mean that many Londoners can expect to pay £133 more than the current average of £2,567 calculated by Rightmove. [...]
À la Parisienne: we need to make space for more al fresco dining – and less cars – in our cities July 21, 2023 Demand for al fresco dining in London is strong, but there's no space for restaurants to spread out on the streets. But we should be following this demand, like they do in France, writes Max Pearson-Smith