Marks & Spencer’s share price tumbles as head of general merchandise John Dixon quits July 17, 2015 Marks & Spencer's head of general merchandise John Dixon has quit the business after three years in the role, prompting the retailer's share price to tumble in early trading. Dixon "has decided to leave the business to pursue career opportunities outside of the company", the retailer said this morning. He will step down from [...]
Meet the Edmond de Rothschild asset manager who launched a UK-focused fund just before the referendum (and doesn’t regret it) November 27, 2016 With the European Union referendum just two months away, April 2016 may have seemed like a bold time for a European asset manager to launch a new fund focusing exclusively on the UK – even if it looked like we were headed for a Remain vote. Shares in companies such as ITV, BT, and Marks [...]
Why it’s time to stop drinking prosecco November 10, 2016 Three years ago, when I was just starting out with this column, I boldly predicted the rise of prosecco in the hearts of the British quaffing classes. And oh how it has turned out to be true. Clever marketing, combined with the British love of cheap fizz, has propelled prosecco relentlessly up the wine charts. [...]
EU referendum: Tory MP Michael Fabricant discusses leaving the EU, in-fighting and the way forward for the splintered Brexit groups February 8, 2016 “The UK may be 25 miles off the coast of Calais, but culturally it’s 25 miles off the coast of Boston, Massachusetts, or Brisbane, Australia,” says Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield and former Conservative Party vice-chairman. Fabricant, who readers may know from his wryly written tweets that get him into occasional trouble, is a man [...]
Supermarket chic: Sainsbury’s to launch new premium fashion brand September 2, 2016 Hobbs, LK Bennett and Whistles could be feeling nervous this weekend – as Sainsbury's prepares to launch its new range of women's clothing early next week. The supermarket group named those three high-end brands in particular as it threw down the gauntlet in the battle to win more customers with its new collection. "The quality and styling [...]
Retail industry attention turns to high street bellwether Next July 31, 2016 The retail industry's attention will turn to Next, with the UK high street bellwether expected to report a fall in sales in the coming week. The FTSE-100 listed firm's widely-watched results are regarded as a good indicator for how its peers, such as Marks & Spencer, are faring. Read more: Retailers rocked by sales shocker Next's trading is likely to have [...]
Greencore Group bags The Sandwich Factory from Cranswick in tasty £15m deal July 25, 2016 Irish food group Greencore has bagged food-to-go producer The Sandwich Factory from Cranswick in a deal worth up to £15m. The Sandwich Factory, which operates from a single facility in Warwickshire, produces a range of products for convenience stores and food service channels. Its net revenue for the year ended 31 March was £42m. Greencore is already one [...]
EU referendum: Treasury Select Committee will review UK’s membership of the EU October 10, 2015 The influential Treasury Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the economic and financial costs and benefits of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union. The inquiry comes as a response to the government's commitment to holding an In/Out referendum on the EU by the end of 2017. Read more: Former executive chairman of Marks and [...]
Focus On Peckham: How it went from Only Fools fame to be the first time buyer capital of London November 25, 2016 Whatever you think about 2016, it’s been a billboard year for Peckham. Two large houses near Peckham Rye station sold £2.5m this year, a record price for the area, firmly cementing SE15’s fast-growing reputation as a desirable place to live. It’s not bad for an area that is embedded in the national psyche as the [...]
Christmas adverts 2015: It’s not just about John Lewis – here are all the other adverts including Marks & Spencer, Burberry, Waitrose, TK Maxx, Curry’s PC World, Argos – but nothing from Tesco yet November 6, 2015 Yes, yes, we know, there's a mournful man on the moon and a girl with a telescope and the whole of the UK is crying. But Christmas is not just about the John Lewis advert. There are some other retailers with festive ads of their own to share. Here's the best Christmas adverts the UK [...]