Decline in marketing spend eases October 12, 2009 THE rate of decline in marketing spend eased sharply in the third quarter of the year, as optimism increased among marketing professionals, according to new research. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising/BDO Bellwether Report showed that UK companies’ spending on advertising fell for the eighth quarter in succession in the period, but the reduction in [...]
Tootsies folds after Clapham House hires administrators October 12, 2009 TOOTSIES, the restaurant chain, yesterday fell casualty to the credit crunch after its parent Clapham House called the administrators in. Clapham House said it had put Tootsies into administration because “there was little prospect of the Tootsies business as a whole generating a profit in the near future”. The group said it was acting to [...]
Output expectations tumble for first time in seven months October 4, 2009 HOPES for a speedy economic recovery will be dealt a blow today when a report shows that output expectations have fallen for the first time in seven months. The latest Business Trends report from BDO shows a decrease in the Output Index from 96.3 to 95.8, while the Optimism Index also dropped from 96 to [...]
ARE YOU ENCOURAGED BY DMGT’S TRADING UPDATE? September 29, 2009 ANDY VINER BDO STOY HAYWARD“DMGT is also benefiting from having reacted early to the downturn with a cost control programme of around 15 per cent of its workforce. It was also encouraging to see comments around positive cash flow and continued net debt reduction. It now looks to be boosted by an improved advertising outlook [...]
Farepak starts to send cheques out, three years after its collapse September 28, 2009 Administrators acting for the collapsed Christmas hamper firm Farepak yesterday said they have started sending out cheques to customers who were left out of pocket by the group’s demise. BDO Stoy Hayward, which is acting as liquidator, said cheques worth a total £240,000 have been sent to 6,000 customers who placed orders in the company’s [...]
WILL YELL’S REFINANCING PROPOSALS BE ENOUGH TO SECURE ITS FUTURE? September 23, 2009 ALEX DEGROOTE PANMURE GORDONBased on what was said today, the plans seem fairly well-advanced. I think it is a step in the right direction, but it has been well-trailed and the news has already been priced into the shares, which have been hit today by the underwhelming trading outlook given by the firm. ANDY VINER [...]
Tech firm woes to hit new high September 16, 2009 The number of business failures in the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sector is set to peak at 2,360 in 2010, exceeding levels seen in the aftermath of the dot-com bust. According to the latest Industry Watch report by accountants and business advisors, BDO Stoy Hayward, the business failure rate will peak at 1.5 per [...]
PROPERTY FUND GURUS HEDGING THEIR BETS September 15, 2009 ISN’T IT astonishing to discover the lengths to which advisers will go to finesse their PR message? Yesterday, City A.M. ran a piece about the UK Strategic Income Property Fund. It will be managed by Coba Asset Management’s Graham Gould and BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management, while advisers include industry veteran and former Slough Estates [...]
PROPERTY FUND GURUS HEDGING THEIR BETS September 15, 2009 ISN’T IT astonishing to discover the lengths to which advisers will go to finesse their PR message? Yesterday, City A.M. ran a piece about the UK Strategic Income Property Fund. It will be managed by Coba Asset Management’s Graham Gould and BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management, while advisers include industry veteran and former Slough Estates [...]
Brown admits need for cuts in spending… September 15, 2009 PRIME MINISTER Gordon Brown finally admitted yesterday that spending cuts would be necessary if the UK is to rein in its £175bn projected government deficit and put the country back on the path towards fiscal sustainability. In a speech to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Brown said: “Labour will cut costs, cut inefficiencies, cut unnecessary [...]