Argos catalogue to make way for new online era October 24, 2012 ARGOS yesterday unveiled a five-year turnaround plan that will see it distance itself from its trademark printed catalogue business and become a “digital-led” retail chain. John Walden, Argos’ new managing director, said it will cut the circulation of its 40 year-old bi-annual catalogue and eventually replace laminated versions in store with web-based browsers. It also [...]
What the other papers say this morning November 14, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Nine bidders for Parlophone records Warner Music and a joint venture led by industry impresario Simon Fuller are among nine groups to have registered interest in buying Parlophone from Universal Music Group. The label, home to Kylie Minogue and the Pet Shop Boys, is being sold to satisfy regulators’ concerns about Universal’s £1.2bn [...]
Comet’s passing brings a brief celebration for rivals’ shares but the challenges they face haven’t gone away November 1, 2012 COMETS are said to burn across the sky on the death of a prince. The passing of this Comet was marked instead by the rise of its rivals’ share prices, with Dixons Retail Group doing especially well on the assumption that its chains will pick up business. But no one can pretend that kind of [...]
The Hobbit: A journey worth taking? December 13, 2012 FILM THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Cert 12A *** Afew months ago I went to a reading of The Hobbit by Andy Serkis, the actor most famous for providing the voice of Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He was reading the part where Bilbo Baggins first encounters the mysterious Gollum, [...]
Burberry shares plummet on profit warning September 11, 2012 Burberry shares plunged by almost 19 per cent in early trading as the fashion retailer cut its profit forecast for the full year. The group, which has been hit by falling sales in China, said like-for-like sales were unchanged year on year, with sales dropping off in recent weeks. The FTSE 100 company, whose trademark [...]
Dole bags $1.7bn from sale of businesses to Japan’s Itochu September 18, 2012 DOLE Food Company said yesterday it will sell two businesses to Japan’s Itochu for $1.7bn (£1.05bn) in cash – a deal that will help the world’s largest fruit and vegetable producer pay down its heavy debt load while expanding Itochu’s food presence in new markets such as China. Dole has been struggling with volatile demand [...]
City Moves | Who’s switching jobs September 17, 2012 LDC The private equity house has appointed Andrew Hampshire as investment director in its value enhancement group. He joins from the Lloyds Banking Group, where he spent six years leading change and technology programmes. He was most recently responsible for heading up Lloyds’s data quality function. Deloitte Fredrik Burger has been appointed as a partner [...]
Burberry drops as slowdown knocks sector September 11, 2012 BLUE chip fashion retailer Burberry issued a profit warning yesterday, as analysts warned the whole luxury sector may be hit by the global economic slowdown. Shares in the FTSE 100 company plunged 20.87 per cent in trading yesterday to close at 1,088p. The group, which has been hit previously by falling sales in China, said [...]
Turbot charged Hawksmoor turns attention to the fruits of the seas November 19, 2012 RESTAURANT HAWKSMOOR AIR STREET 5a Air Street, London, W1J 0AD Tel: 020 7406 3980 FOOD **** VALUE *** ATMOSPHERE **** Cost for two people: £140 PROPPING UP a cocktail bar amidst the art deco surroundings of Hawksmoor’s Air Street branch, my mind mused over the agonising misfortune of having been born into the wrong era. [...]
Turbot charged Hawksmoor turns attention to the fruits of the seas November 19, 2012 RESTAURANT HAWKSMOOR AIR STREET 5a Air Street, London, W1J 0AD Tel: 020 7406 3980 FOOD **** VALUE *** ATMOSPHERE **** Cost for two people: £140 PROPPING UP a cocktail bar amidst the art deco surroundings of Hawksmoor’s Air Street branch, my mind mused over the agonising misfortune of having been born into the wrong era. [...]