Black Friday 2015 UK: John Lewis staff banned from using discounts on sales items November 27, 2015 John Lewis has banned employees from using their staff discounts on its Black Friday promotions online. Although staff are allowed to make use of their partner discount – 12 per cent off electricals and 25 per cent on other goods – in store, they have been blocked from using it online. The department store told This [...]
As consumer price index inflation reaches a 12-month high, should we expect price rises to accelerate? February 17, 2016 Ben Brettell, senior economist at Hargreaves Lansdown, says Yes. Yes – but not by much, and not because of any inflationary pressures in the underlying economy. The headline rate of inflation continues to be largely driven by volatile fuel prices. Throughout 2015, fuel prices were registering double-digit falls compared with a year earlier. But given how [...]
The rise of the talking head: why City experts are taking over our TV screens and it’s not just back-to-back suits January 11, 2016 By eight o’clock on a typical Monday morning Jane Foley, senior currency strategist at Rabobank, will have been at her desk for nearly two hours preparing for her clients and keeping an eye on the markets. She will also have had to squeeze in a couple of live interviews, providing expert commentary for broadcasters from [...]
From Bangkok to Phuket, Thailand is a country of contrasts that’s full of surprises June 10, 2016 What are you missing?” the chef asked. I looked down at a soggy pile of noodles, looked back up and replied, “More soy?” “Sugar!” he barked, then he dumped an entire saucer’s worth into the pan. “Now that’s pad thai.” As someone with severely savoury tastebuds, I was appalled. I was in Issaya Cooking Studios, [...]
Black Friday 2015 UK: An interactive guide to the best deals, the history of the sales bonanza, whether it’s good for business – plus Cyber Monday November 27, 2015 The 2015 incarnation of Black Friday is set to be the UK’s biggest ever shopping day with some estimates suggesting almost £2bn will be spent on deals, sales and offers at the country’s biggest retail stores – both online and on the high streets. But what is it all about, why does it matter for [...]
Hipsters and Mindfulness: Ladybird books prove a hit for bookseller Foyles January 5, 2016 Publisher Ladybird's series of spoof guides helping adults to make sense of modern day themes from hipsters to hangovers have proved a hit for bookseller Foyles this Christmas. The family-owned retailer said like-for-like sales jumped by 4.7 per cent for the month of December with seven of Ladybird's for grown up series making it into the [...]
Fines on nuisance call firms increased by over 300 per cent to £1.14m in 2015 December 29, 2015 Nuisance call companies have been warned to expect more fines in 2016 by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), as it was revealed it fined firms over 300 per cent more in 2015 than in 2014. The ICO imposed fines totalling £1.14m in 2015 on nuisance calls and text messages, "with the same in the pipeline for early [...]
Three Little Birds in Brixton Jamaican restaurant review and the Shuang Shuang Chinese hot pot conveyor belt disaster February 2, 2016 Last time I didn’t like a restaurant, someone got so cross they threatened to report me to the Independent Press Standards Organisation for the sheer gall of having an opinion, which, in this case, happened to be that their restaurant was rubbish. So in the interests of not making someone else cross, I shouldn’t write [...]
Black Friday 2015 UK: John Lewis will have to beat sales on iPads, Nutribullets, Samsung TVs and De’Longhi coffee machines to improve on last year’s bargain bonanza November 25, 2015 Black Friday 2015 is around the corner and many retailers – including Amazon, EBay and Currys PC World are already offering huge discounts on a wide array of TVs, computers and other must-have electrical devices. John Lewis has so far kept its powder dry and will only be unveiling its offers on the day itself [...]
Dixons Carphone share price falls despite beating expectations for Christmas, as its warns on full year currency impact January 26, 2016 Dixons Carphone announced a five per cent increase in group sales over the Christmas period this morning, beating expectations. Like for like sales in the UK and Ireland were up five per cent for the 10 weeks ending 9 January. This beat consensus expectations of a four per cent rise. Last year the group's UK sales [...]