West End: Tourist tax ‘disadvantage’ costs retailers hundreds of millions September 16, 2024 Retail business in London missed out on a projected £220m in the first half of 2024 due to the ongoing effect of the so-called tourist tax, despite continued growth in international visitor numbers. The number of international visitors to London was three per cent above pre-pandemic levels, but spending in the West End fell nearly [...]
The Lanesborough: Value of five-star London hotel falls as loss widens September 13, 2024 The value of five-star hotel The Lanesborough has been cut as its pre-tax loss widened during its latest financial year.
Indian clothing tycoon who supplies Uniqlo, Decathlon and H&M buys Notting Hill home for £21m September 13, 2024 The owner of India’s largest clothing exporter has paid £21m for a home in Notting Hill in one of the UK’s biggest residential property deals this year. Harish Ahuja, owner and managing director of Shahi Exports, purchased the eight-storey property, which is more than 20,000 sq ft in July, according to a UK filing first [...]
Burberry: How low will ‘lost’ luxury fashion label’s shares go after FTSE 100 relegation? September 11, 2024 Burberry’s share price just keeps dropping and the decline is has shown almost no signs of slowing down for more than a year. It hit a 15-year low of 565p this week, after reaching a 14-year low in July, after hitting an all-time high of £2,690p last April. It is set to drop out of [...]
The Amalfi Coast is at its best in October – here’s why September 9, 2024 Mention Amalfi, and most imagine a sun-drenched romantic road trip along Italy’s famed coast, meandering through rustic towns draped in bougainvillea and cascading down mountainous cliffs towards a shimmering blue sea. A UNESCO world heritage landscape, the 34 mile stretch on Italy’s southern coast has inspired artists and writers whose creativity is fuelled by a [...]
Mallory Court in Warwickshire is an outstanding retreat September 9, 2024 Mallory Court, a country estate near Leamington Spa, is the perfect weekend retreat, says Harry Owen THE WEEKEND: Founded by IT entrepreneur Sir Peter Rigby, Mallory Court is part of the Eden Hotel Collection, which also boasts Dartmoor’s five-star Bovey Castle. What was once a Manor house set deep in the Warwickshire countryside, Mallory Court [...]
Harrods passes £1bn mark as Qatari owners get £180m pay day despite falling profit September 2, 2024 Sales jumped to £1bn at the company behind luxury department store Harrods during its latest financial year, but profit was slashed over the same period, it has been revealed. The London icon posted a turnover 8.2 per cent higher for the year to 3 February, 2024, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House, compared to [...]
The Savoy Hotel feels the pinch as London’s luxury market gets even more competitive August 28, 2024 The Savoy Hotel is feeling the impact of an increase in competition in London’s luxury hotel market after its pre-tax loss widened during 2023, it has been revealed. The hotel has reported a loss of £17.9m for its latest financial year, having also made a pre-tax loss of £12m in 2022, according to newly-filed documents [...]
Kurt Geiger: London luxury brand enjoys Taylor Swift Eras Tour boost amid record handbag sales August 28, 2024 A surge in demand for denim handbags and footwear linked to Taylor Swift‘s global Eras Tour have helped sales at luxury brand Kurt Geiger jump by 35 per cent since the start of its latest financial year. The London-headquartered business said that Western and Americana-themed products have helped boost its turnover further between February and [...]
Venice Film Festival: An insider’s guide to all the gossip, parties and deals August 27, 2024 The 81st Venice Film Festival kicks off tomorrow and it’s set to continue its legacy as a hotbed of dealmakers, party goers and luxury brand sponsorship. Our man on the inside gives the lowdown on what to expect this time around. “The Ghost with the Most is Back” proclaim the Venetian billboards for Tim Burton’s [...]