William Hill’s share price drops as bookmaker announces lower revenues due to Cheltenham Festival, European football May 11, 2016 After issuing a profit warning in March, William Hill's revenues have indeed fallen off the back of a poor Cheltenham festival, the company said today in a trading statement. William Hill's share price fell more than six per cent today on the news. The figures Group net revenues at the bookie were down three per [...]
The EU’s block of the O2-Three merger proves why we need to vote remain May 11, 2016 This morning, the European Competition Commission blocked the proposed merger of O2 and Three mobile. The £10.5bn deal, which would have created the UK’s largest mobile phone operator, was blocked on the grounds that it would have reduced competition and meant less choice for consumers. While the ruling was made at European level, the merger would [...]
English and Welsh wine production dipped in 2015 due to “cooler conditions”, according to English Wine Producers May 10, 2016 Wine production in England and Wales fell by around a quarter in 2015 to 38,020 hectolitres, the equivalent of around 5.06m bottles. The drop in production was attributed to "cooler conditions" over the 2015 growing season, which also produced smaller grapes, according to the English Wine Producers body. The latest figures, provided by the government's [...]
Budweiser has filed to change its name to “America” this summer May 10, 2016 Call it an act of patriotism, or just a very dedicated marketing campaign – either way the American beer maker Budweiser has filed for permission to change its name this summer… to the word "America". As a tie-in with the US presidential elections, the beer brand is looking to change its name to America for a full [...]
Pubs Code Adjudicator defends his appointment and announces new conflict of interest policy at BIS Select Committee meeting May 10, 2016 The government's new Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) defended his appointment today and announced he would put in a conflict of interest policy to act as a check and balance to his role. "I believe I can do the job fairly, lawfully and properly," Paul Newby told the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee this morning. [...]
Pizza Hut ready to serve up super size £40m UK and Ireland expansion May 10, 2016 Fast food giant Pizza Hut Delivery is planning to serve up a £40m expansion in the UK and Ireland over the next four years that will create at least 3,000 new jobs. By 2020 the pizza firm is planning to launch 200 new takeaway stores, of which around one in four will take the Pizza [...]
This is what Leicester City’s win can teach businesses about incentivisation and the power of bonus schemes May 9, 2016 Leicester City’s Premier League win has been the sporting story of the year, if not the decade. In twelve months, the team has gone from narrowly missing relegation to flying high as champions, and players like Jamie Vardy have been elevated from near obscurity to household names. The club has given hope to sports teams [...]
Facebook wins copyright case against Chinese drinks company Zhongshan Pearl River Drinks May 9, 2016 If you'd been looking forward to sampling a refreshing "face book" beverage on your next visit to Beijing, you're about to be sorely disappointed. The US social networking behemoth Facebook has won a rare copyright victory in China, after the Beijing Municipal High People's Court ruled that Zhongshan Pearl River Drinks could no longer use [...]
Steel Crisis: Seven bids advance to the next stage of sale process for Tata Steel UK assets May 9, 2016 Tata Steel Europe has announced seven bids for its UK business have been advanced to the next stage of the sale process. The European arm of the Indian steelmaking giant said today that seven expressions of interest for the company's entire UK assets had been taken forward, and Tata Steel Europe will still seek to sell the [...]
Gruppo Campari’s sales go flat in first quarter May 9, 2016 Italian drinks firm Gruppo Campari posted flat results in the first quarter of 2016, with a small boost from an early Easter, though losses were driven by currency headwinds and losses from the firm's Jamaican sugar company. The figures The Wild Turkey, Skyy Vodka and Campari maker posted sales of €327.4m (£259.1m), unchanged from the first quarter of 2015, [...]
