Coffee Wars: Inside the race to become London’s number one chain June 1, 2024 Coffee has played a vital role in reviving Brits for centuries. Despite feeling like a relatively new phenomenon, the first record of a coffee house in England dates back to 1652 and was said to be opened by a Turkish Man named Jacob in Oxfordshire.
Coronavirus: Greggs to start reopening branches for takeaway and delivery April 27, 2020 High street bakery chain Greggs is preparing to reopen to provide a takeaway service during the coronavirus lockdown. All of the cafe chain’s stores are currently closed due to the UK’s coronavirus lockdown. However, the government restrictions allow cafes and restaurants to remain open for takeaway and delivery services. The company said it will trial [...]
Post COVID19: Do we really want to change the way we do business? January 11, 2023 It’s been a disruptive few years for both the public and business. No industry has escaped COVID’s impact. However, not all disruption has had negative consequences. Disruption in this instance is not a stand-alone event; one industry shutdown knocks onto the next causing widespread disruption. Key industries, and businesses that adapted to fill the resulting [...]
The X-Files at 30: What I learned from rewatching every episode September 6, 2023 This week marks the 30th anniversary of the X-Files first airing in 1993. A global smash of almost unprecedented levels (the premier of the 2016 reboot attracted 50 million viewers), it left an indelible mark on popular culture. I still vividly remember hunching over our ancient TV set every Monday evening, obsessing about a show [...]
Alarm bells ringing: British farmers warn out-of-control milk price rise may lead to dairy and cheese crisis April 9, 2022 Brits will soon face a cheese shortage as spiralling production costs hit producers, farmers are warning this weekend. A farming expert said many supermarkets are already experiencing dwindling supplies – and warned that things are going to get a lot worse. Dairy Farmer Steve Evans from Pembrokeshire told GB News cheese is already in short [...]
Square Mile and Me: Cashplus CEO Rich Wagner on his career journey… and figuring out where the Square Mile was November 16, 2023 Each week we ask a City figure to take a trip down memory lane. Today Rich Wagner, CEO of challenger bank Cashplus, takes us through his career in the Square Mile.
Tory leadership: Shapps and Raab back Rishi Sunak to be next PM July 12, 2022 Transport secretary Grant Shapps and deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab have backed Rishi Sunak to be the next Tory party leader, with the former chancellor today vowing “a return to traditional conservative economic values” if he becomes Prime Minister. Shapps’ endorsement comes after he decided to call off his faltering campaign and throw his lot [...]
New London hotel: 1 Hotel Mayfair’s new Tom Sellers restaurant is Michelin star worthy August 3, 2023 Inside the 1 Hotel Mayfair, where Tom Sellers, the chef behind twice-Michelin-starred Restaurant Story, has opened his newest eatery. The hotel is one of the openings of the year, and focuses on sustainability in its design and ethos. Does the theme work or feel like a lecture? Adam Bloodworth checks in At the newly-opened 1 [...]
The dominance of high street banks is waning as they shun small businesses February 16, 2022 Shortly after the financial crisis in 2008, a wave of new UK challenger banks and fintechs began to emerge. The challenge facing this new breed of business was stark. How could these upstarts challenge the incumbent behemoths without the vast scale, established branch networks and centuries old name recognition held by the high street banks? [...]
Beverly Hills, 9021: Oh! Checking into the Beverly Hills Hotel for its centenary year July 27, 2023 The Beverly Hills Hotel, aka The Pink Palace is still the place to be seen in Hollywood, says Siobhan Grogan. From celeb-spotting to relaxing, this is still a rare paradise at 100 years old Within a few short hours of arriving in Los Angeles, I’m sitting metres away from two of the most famous women [...]