Firms reduce ad spending January 17, 2010 COMPANIES continued to reduce their advertising budgets in the final quarter of 2009, although most expect to increase spending this year. The latest bellwether survey, published today by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and accountancy firm BDO, found that 25 per cent of companies reduced their marketing spend in the three months to [...]
Economic cheer at its highest level for two years as 2010 marks turning point January 13, 2010 ECONOMIC optimism is at its highest level for two years according to a business trends report, published yesterday, by accountants and business advisers BDO. The Business Trends output index was up significantly to 99.7 in December from 96.3 in November –?the biggest rise since the end of the early 90s recession. The sharp increase was [...]
BDO consider PDC takeover January 11, 2010 DARTS: British Darts Organisation chief Olly Croft says he is considering a takeover offer from rival organization, the Professional Darts Corporation. Croft rejected an offer from PDC chief Barry Hearn for £1m, plus a further £1m to invest in grass roots, back in October. He said: “My opinion is that it has no substance but [...]
Annual fraud breaks the £2bn barrier and could treble soon January 10, 2010 REPORTED fraud in the UK broke the £2bn barrier for the first time and could treble over the next two years. New research from business advisers BDO suggests that business and public sector fraud rocketed a staggering 76 per cent last year with both the number and size of frauds increasing dramatically. And it warns [...]
WOLFIE’S ON TOP OF THE WORLD January 10, 2010 WILY Martin ‘Wolfie’ Adams held off a thrilling comeback from Dave Chisnall to become BDO World Darts Champion for a second time. Chisnall, 29, roared back from 3-0 down to level at 4-4, but Adams held his nerve to claim a 7-5 victory. At 53, he breaks his own record as the oldest champion in [...]
Man dies at Lakeside darts January 7, 2010 DARTS: A man who went to Lakeside to watch the BDO world championship was yesterday found dead under the frozen lake at the tournament’s venue. “It’s a tragedy,” said Robert Holmes of the British Darts Organisation. “A body was taken from the lake and it was someone who had been here to watch the darts. [...]
How the Queen of support services wants to turn UK companies green January 6, 2010 GOING GREEN may not be the most original of strategies but that doesn’t make it any less lucrative. So Mitie Ruby McGregor-Smith’s decision to bet the future of her support services giant on cashing in on the trend for all things environmental has gone down well with investors. The FTSE 250 company is still busy [...]
M&S LEADS HIGH STREET RECOVERY January 4, 2010 HIGH street bellwether Marks & Spencer is this week expected to report its first sales growth in two years, boosting hopes that British consumers have cast aside their gloom and started spending again. The retail giant will update the market on Wednesday on how it fared over Christmas, with analysts expecting M&S to post like-for-like [...]
Barneveld cruises through December 20, 2009 DARTS: World No2 Raymond van Barneveld strolled into the second round of the PDC World Championship with a 3-0 victory over New Zealand part-timer Warren Parry at Alexandra Palace. The Dutchman is joined in round two by last year’s BDO winner, Mark Webster, who opened his account with a 3-2 win over Mark Walsh. Scotland’s [...]
Expansion curtailed as profits slump at restaurant group Clapham House December 17, 2009 THE company behind restaurants Gourmet Burger Kitchen and The Real Greek has suffered a 13 per cent slump in profits – scuppering any major expansion plans next year. Clapham House Group – whose Tootsies chain closed in October – said trading conditions remained “pretty challenging”. However, the firm claimed there were signs that things were [...]