Last Orders: An appreciation of the takeaway menu, a dying cultural artefact December 3, 2024 When I walked through my front door in Gateshead as a teenager, the doormat would be covered in a carpet of brightly coloured paper. A cherry-blossom pink menu from the local Chinese takeaway, the red and gold of an Indian place, and pictures of row upon row of bargain buckets from the local chicken shop. [...]
M&S and Waitrose meal deal maker Greencore rebuilds profits December 3, 2024 Food manufacturer Greencore has experienced a “stronger than expected” year of trade as the meal deal producer rebuilds profitability ahead of 2025. The Irish business, which supplies sandwiches and sushi to the likes of M&S and Waitrose, told markets this morning that like-for-like sales jumped from 29.7 per cent to 33.2 per cent in the [...]
Marston’s rings in Christmas bookings as profit jumps in ‘defining year’ December 3, 2024 Pub operator Marston’s has surpassed market expectations as pre-Christmas bookings begin to introduce hope for another bumper year of trade. The Wolverhampton-headquartered firm told markets this morning that its total revenue for the year ending 28 September, 2024, increased to £898.6m, up three per cent from £872.3m the prior 12 months. Pre-tax profit for Marston’s [...]
Etoro: ‘We could still float in London but things need to change’ December 3, 2024 The UK boss of trading platform Etoro has opened up about what the London Stock Exchange has to do to win its backing.
Pearl Mackie: The Doctor Who star on her dream last supper December 3, 2024 Pearl Mackie, star of Netflix thriller The Diplomat and the upcoming production of Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre, tells us what she would eat for her last meal on earth My mum was vegetarian so I was veggie when I was growing up, until I was about 12. Back then it wasn’t great [...]
How two ex-consultants plan to revolutionise UK consumer credit December 3, 2024 As financial services consultants at EY, Gerald Chappell and Michelle He noticed a weak spot shared by some of the world’s biggest banks: affordable personal loans. Up against ageing data-sharing systems, bureaucratic decision-making and a lack of business motivation to enter a market easily written off as “risky”, they set out to provide finance to [...]
The Trump effect? Why super-rich Americans are moving to the UK December 3, 2024 Trump’s election victory was widely seen as a boon for America’s top one per cent, but not all of them welcome the return of the Don. Some of them are fleeing their native America, and choosing the UK as their sanctuary, writes Ali Lyon. Tom Ford and Ellen DeGeneres have plenty in common. As well [...]
How I crafted the perfect recipe for my multimillion-pound biscuit brand December 3, 2024 Building a successful business takes a focussed mind and a steady hand - but can you have both?
The Notebook: Brexit is causing a stink in the world of cheese December 3, 2024 British cheese is now considered some of the best in the world. After a boom in artisan cheesemaking, Britain produces 1,100 varieties, double the total in France, and many connoisseurs argue it is now superior in quality too. Which meant there were high hopes for British entries at the recent World Cheese Awards, which took [...]
London risks losing its crown to New York December 3, 2024 The city that never sleeps is outpacing London – where pubs close at 10.30pm – on almost every measure. Even its Christmas tree is bigger, says Emma Revell As we enter December, London should come into its own. The lights are up on Oxford Street, the Christmas tree has arrived in Trafalgar Square and the [...]