How did theme-park giant Merlin weather the pandemic? January 20, 2022 This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA magazine. Diligence, resilience and diversity are the holy trinity when faced with a global crisis. Robert Galbraith CA, Head of Finance at Merlin Entertainments Japan, tells Nick Scott how the theme-park giant weathered the storm to get hearts racing again Read December/January’s CA magazine now “And he read Principles [...]
Furlough worth £70bn but unemployment fears mount as scheme ends on Thursday September 27, 2021 The furlough scheme cost the government £70bn and has been successful at preventing unemployment from skyrocketing, but concerns are sharpening about the jobs market’s ability to stand on its own two feet as the scheme ends this week. The initiative cost roughly the equivalent of 18 months’ of funding for UK schools, according to research [...]
London business confidence ‘booming’ as lower inflation fuels hopes of a recovery March 27, 2024 London business confidence soared in March as the UK's ongoing economic recovery lifted spirits in the capital, according to a closely watched survey.
UK business confidence jumps to highest level since Brexit referendum May 31, 2024 Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist at Lloyds, said the results "highlight a notable improvement in business confidence."
Profit drops at Marks Electrical amid ‘fiercely competitive’ backdrop but signs things are picking up June 26, 2024 The online electrical retailer reported that it was struggling with "downward margin pressure" as a result of consumers trading-down.
Virgin Wines ‘confident’ of hitting profit target after ‘positive’ half-year March 25, 2024 Virgin Wines has said it is confident it will meet its profit target after reporting "positive" half-year results.
Plan B ‘huge blow’ for city centre pubs as night clubs question timing of Covid passports December 8, 2021 Pubs and bars have called the introduction of Plan B Covid restrictions a “huge blow” for the sector, which was hoping to recoup its losses this Christmas. “Make no mistake, this is a huge blow for our sector as it further undermines consumer confidence and is devastating for pubs based near offices and in town [...]
UK retail industry kicks reliance on alcohol and tobacco sales July 27, 2021 Britain’s retail industry has kicked the habit of relying on alcohol and tobacco sales to generate income, according to a new study published today. The Office for National Statistics estimates that the volume of alcohol and tobacco sales has plummeted 76 per cent over the last three decades. Read more: Euro 2020 pushes retail sales [...]
Euro 2020 fails to trigger surge in spending on pints June 25, 2021 Euro 2020 has failed to trigger a burst in spending at pubs and restaurants, reveals new research. Spending in pubs and restaurants in the first 13 days since Europe’s flagship international football tournament kicked off was eight per cent lower than the 13 days before, according to debit card spending data from Lloyds Bank. The [...]
Clothing and footwear sales boomed in May as social events influenced shopping June 8, 2021 Retail sales enjoyed a buoyant May, with clothing and footwear performing particularly well as the easing of coronavirus restrictions allowed social events to influence how consumers shopped. UK retail sales were up 23.7 per cent on a like-for-like basis from May 2019, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), suggesting a [...]