Minecraft theme park to open in the UK November 19, 2024 Merlin Entertainments, the giant that operates the likes of Alton Towers, has revealed plans to open a Minecraft theme park in the UK. The group is to invest more than £85m in the first two attractions, which will be launching in the US and the UK between 2026 and 2027 after partnering with Mojang Studios, [...]
Production firms backed by James Corden and LeBron James in major merger November 18, 2024 A production company backed by James Corden, which is behind plans for a £450m film studio in Sunderland, is to merged with a business founded by LeBron James. The merger between The SpringHill Company and Fulwell 73, which is expected to complete in the coming weeks, will be backed by Fenway Sports Group, RedBird Capital [...]
Huel: Record sales as profit triples at brand backed by celebrities November 18, 2024 Huel, which counts the likes of Idris Elba, Steven Bartlett and Jonathan Ross among its investors, has reported record sales as a profit almost tripled during its latest financial year. The Hertfordshire-headquartered company, which is known for its vitamin-enriched food items, has reported a revenue of £214m for the 12 months to 31 July, 2024, up from the £184.5m [...]
Budget could destroy seventh-generation pub giant, warns boss November 18, 2024 The changes announced in the Budget represent an ‘existential threat’ to the future of a seventh-generation pub and brewing giant, its owner has warned. William Lees-Jones, who owns and runs Manchester-based JW Lees, which has produced real ale since 1828, has warned he is now “facing the very real prospect that we will never be able to [...]
JD Gyms hails record year as sales pass £100m November 18, 2024 JD Gyms, which is part of the wider empire owned by FTSE 100 giant JD Sports, has posted a pre-tax loss despite its sales passing £100m in what the chain has described as a record financial year. The Greater Manchester-headquartered company has reported a pre-tax loss of £29,000 for the 12 months to 3 February, [...]
Go Outdoors: Brand owned by FTSE 100 giant JD Sports slumps to a loss November 18, 2024 Go Outdoors, which is owned by FTSE 100 giant JD Sports, has slumped into the red thanks to a “disproportionate” rise in costs. The business, which also operates the Go Outdoors Express, Taylor’s and Fishing Republic brands, has reported a pre-tax loss of £1.4m for the year to 3 February, 2024. The loss comes after [...]
Typhoo Tea: Jobs at risk as historic brand nears collapse November 15, 2024 More than 100 jobs are at risk after it emerged that Typhoo Tea is on the verge of collapsing into administration. The Bristol-headquartered business, which can trace its roots back over a century, is lining up EY to oversee the process after filing a a notice of intention to appoint administrators. In an interview with [...]
Mike Ashley’s empire tightens grip on Boohoo as crunch vote nears November 15, 2024 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has continued to up its stake in Boohoo as a war of words over the future of the fast-fashion giant rumbles on. The owner of the likes of Sports Direct and House of Fraser now has a 28 per cent stake in the Manchester-headquartered group, which itself features brands such as [...]
How Arla Foods boss went from selling cigarettes to Lurpak and Cravendale November 15, 2024 A globe-trotting career that began selling cigarettes at British American Tobacco and has led to heading up the UK arm of dairy giant Arla Foods is maybe not what Bas Padberg could have predicted when he started out in the early 1990s. The managing director of the group behind Lurpak, Cravendale, Skyr and B.O.B milk [...]
Gary Lineker’s TV production company enters liquidation November 14, 2024 A TV production company co-owned by Gary Lineker has entered liquidation, it has been revealed. Goalhanger Films is owned by Gary Lineker and former ITV controller Tony Pastor and has produced access documentaries featuring major sports stars. Its previous projects have included Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health; Hand of God; Mo Salah: A [...]
