London’s FTSE 100 jumps as Liz Truss mulls cost of living support package September 6, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 jumped today driven by investors being reassured by new prime minister Liz Truss preparing to ramp up support for households and businesses this week. The capital’s premier index added 0.18 per cent to reach 7,300.44 points, while the mid-cap domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the [...]
Hospitality firms plead for energy bill support to survive ‘dire’ situation worse than pandemic August 16, 2022 A host of hospitality and small business bodies yesterday warned that many pubs, restaurants and hotels will not survive the “onslaught” of higher energy costs in the coming months. Representative bodies including UK Hospitality warned politicians that unlike domestic customers, rates are not capped for small businesses. Last week analysts at forecaster Cornwall Insight suggested [...]
Explainer-in-brief: A long journey of pain for pubs July 19, 2022 It’s a tricky time for pubs – again. Amidst rising energy costs and staff shortages, pubs are struggling to keep their doors open. Fifteen per cent of independent pubs surveyed by the British Institute of Innkeeping said their business is no longer viable. Just days ago the giant JD Wetherspoon warned that higher labour costs [...]
JD Wetherspoon beer sales lag pre-Covid levels as recovery ‘more laborious than anticipated’ July 13, 2022 JD Wetherspoon has said sales of pints were eight per cent below pre-pandemic trading and it expects to post higher losses this year. While a “boom in pub sales” had been anticipated following the easing lockdown measures, recovery for many venues had been “slower and more laborious than was anticipated,” the budget pub chain said. [...]
JD Wetherspoon shareholders await impact of cost of living on budget pub chain’s pint sales July 10, 2022 Investors will be eager to see if the cost of living crisis has made any dent to JD Wetherspoon sales in the budget pub chain’s quarterly update this week. Analysts said a wider downturn in consumer spending could be mitigated by the chain’s cheaper prices enticing drinkers but thin margins risked a gloomy verdict. The [...]
High street bosses plead for crisis cash to help with dramatic energy bill hikes May 18, 2022 High street businesses have called for emergency help over skyrocketing energy bills, as bosses warn a cocktail of cost pressures threaten to subdue their pandemic recovery. Without government action, historic levels of inflation and dramatic energy bill rises pose a risk to the beauty sector’s recovery, the British Beauty Council has said. The industry group [...]
Consumers buying more beer as Budweiser maker AB InBev reiterates growth outlook May 5, 2022 Budweiser maker Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) said drinkers are swallowing higher prices and bought more beer in the first quarter. After posting higher than expected earnings, the Belgian brewer reiterated an EBITDA growth outlook of between four and eight per cent for the full year. Consumers had bought 2.8 more drinks by volume in the [...]
The City View: US and UK rate hikes imminent May 4, 2022 Today Andy Silvester talks to City A.M.’s Economics and Markets reporter Jack Barnett. They go through UK and US rate rises, discuss the likelihood of a recession, and explain equity market slumps. Also in the news: Crossrail is only 20 days away and sales are slowing at JD Wetherspoon.
Sales slow at J D Wetherspoon as costs rocket and punters dip May 4, 2022 Sales at J D Wetherspoon dipped four per cent in the third quarter as the pub group struggles to keep pace with pre-pandemic levels.
Calories on the menu: Bosses fear new rules for restaurants will leave a sour taste April 6, 2022 Diners are being confronted with the calorie contents of meals at some restaurants under new laws that come into effect today – but could this do more harm than good? Hospitality bosses have said the changes come at the worst possible time, as the sector endeavours to recuperate pandemic losses while staring down the barrel [...]