Cable Bay looks set to strike for in-form Hills at Haydock May 28, 2015 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE BEST OF THE WEEKEND’S RACING ACTION MY WEATHER forecasting days are numbered; my dreams of becoming the next John Kettley shattered. A week ago I guessed at what the ground was going to be like at Haydock two days later and my assumption that it would be soft proved to be [...]
Tory MPs demand end to banker bashing: Bank levy debate hots up after historic Conservative election victory May 11, 2015 Conservative MPs and senior City figures want the new government to rein back punitive taxes aimed at banks and avoid weakening one of the UK’s most competitive industries. Shares in banks jumped on last week’s unexpected election result. Defeated Labour leader Ed Miliband had threatened major hikes to the bank levy, more bonus taxes and [...]
Marks & Spencer patches up sales at clothing arm March 29, 2015 Marks and Spencer is expected to report an improvement in sales at its general merchandise arm as the retailer recovers from its recent warehousing debacle and thanks to fewer clothes being left on the shelves. Citi, joint broker to M&S, expects the high street chain to report a 0.1 per cent decline in underlying sales [...]
Apple Pay: How does it work and is it any quicker? A guide for the new contactless payment system July 15, 2015 Apple Pay has finally arrived in the UK. Well, sort of. If you have the right iPhone and the right bank and you shop in the right place and if the sun is shining at just the right angle – then you can use Apple Pay (okay, we made the bit about the sun up). [...]
Matalan chief Jason Hargreaves makes retailer a family affair May 14, 2015 Jason Hargreaves made a trip to Oxford Street earlier this year with his four-year-old daughter in tow. The managing director of Matalan, the out-of-town value fashion and homeware chain founded by his father, John Hargreaves, 30 years ago, came to view its first ever central London store at the east end of on Oxford [...]
Marks & Spencer’s share price jumps as retailer finally breaks 14-quarter decline in general merchandise April 2, 2015 The numbers Marks and Spencer has recorded its first growth in general merchandise – the division heavily focused on clothing – in 14 quarters. The like for like growth of 0.7 per cent for the three months to March 28 brings to a close a two-and-a-half-year downwards spiral that has plagued chief executive Marc Bolland's tenure. [...]
Marks and Spencer Asia head quits ahead of store shake-up March 2, 2015 MARKS & Spencer said yesterday that its regional director for Asia was quitting after less than two years in the role as it announced a review of plans for China including the closure of five Shanghai stores. Bruce Findlay, a former retail director for Calvin Klein who is leaving to join Diesel, took on the [...]
London Collections: Men – the lowdown on the latest menswear trends June 4, 2015 The Breton Stripe is a summer classic. Get the long-sleeved T-shirt from Ralph Lauran at mrporter.com, £110, the chinos from AMI at mrporter.com, £155, the Steve McQueeninspired shades from Persol at davidclulow.com and the “Classic Batchel” shoulder bag from The Cambridge Satchel Company, £130, cambridgesatchel.com Sketches: Emma Hopkins LC:M – aka London’s men’s [...]
Andy Harrison’s Whitbread exit dents shares April 28, 2015 SHARES in Whitbread slipped 2.5 per cent last night after Andy Harrison announced plans to step down following five years as chief executive in which pre-tax profits have surged by more than 220 per cent. The Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner has seen its market value grow fourfold to almost £10bn since Harrison joined [...]
Marks & Spencer seeks customer loyalty with digital coffee app trial January 21, 2015 Marks & Spencer's chief executive Marc Bolland knows something about the power of loyalty. In his case it's shareholder (and staff) sticking with him despite three and a half years-worth of consecutive declines in clothing sales. But the business is also awakening to the fact it's quite helpful if your customers are loyal, [...]