Luxury London hotel sale boosts profit at family empire January 23, 2025 The sale of a luxury hotel in London significantly boosted the profit of a family empire which has set its sights on further expansion across the UK. Apex Hotels, which was founded by Norman Springford, has posted a pre-tax profit of £28.4m for the year to 30 April, 2024, after selling Apex London Wall Hotel [...]
Major lifeline for Wembley Park developer after huge losses January 23, 2025 The developer behind London’s Wembley Park transformation has secured a huge funding boost just months after losses of more than £700m were revealed. Quintain has completed the refinancing of London Designer Outlet and build-to-rent development Ferrum at the site with a £233.6m loan from Bank of America. The deal comes after City AM reported in [...]
Crafter’s Companion: Huge debts revealed at firm rescued by Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies January 23, 2025 Crafter’s Companion, the company started by Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies while at university, owed almost £20m when it collapsed into administration earlier this month before being rescued, it has been revealed. The company appointed Interpath to oversee the process on 7 January in a move which has led to its Barlborough store closing and [...]
‘We need to get back to our very best’: Boohoo boss vows to make 2025 a ‘year to remember’ January 22, 2025 The chief executive of fast-fashion giant Boohoo has said the group “needs to get back to our very best” as he vowed to make 2025 “a year to remember”. Daniel Finley was speaking a day after shareholders voted to keep co-founder Mahmud Kamani on its board in another blow to Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group. But [...]
Victorian Plumbing billionaire in line for huge pay day after bonus boost January 22, 2025 The billionaire founder and chief executive of Victorian Plumbing is in line for a huge pay day after his company decided to up his salary and potential bonus. The London AIM-listed company’s remuneration committee has decided to increase Mark Radcliffe’s base salary from £250,000 to £400,000 from 1 April, 2025. The committee has also increased [...]
‘It feels like a break-up’: CEO shuts down firm after passion runs dry January 22, 2025 The chief executive of a technology start-up has decided the close down the business after ‘running out of passion’. Ike Cooke, who co-founded Liverpool-based Bundant, announced the news on social media that the firm is to be wound down. The company provided a home refill service centred around a smart device – The Bundantband – [...]
Waterstones: Return to the office helps profit almost quadruple January 21, 2025 The return of employees to offices in major UK city centres helped profit almost quadruple at Waterstones during its latest financial year. The bookseller cited the trend of the return to work as a key factor in its pre-tax profit surging from £11.2m to £42.9m in the 12 months to 27 April, 2024. In newly-filed [...]
Knoops on track to almost double sales after festive cheer January 21, 2025 Drinking chocolate chain Knoops expects to almost double its revenue by the end of its current financial year as it reported record Christmas trading results. The London-headquartered company has also confirmed the appointment of Lush co-founder Andrew Gerrie, who is also a former chairman of Hotel Chocolat, to its board as a non-executive director. Gerrie [...]
Belfast Harbour to welcome world’s largest cruise ships with £313m project January 21, 2025 Belfast Harbour has unveiled a £313m, five-year plan to help it welcome some of the world’s largest cruise ships. The strategy, which is entitled Advance Regional Prosperity 2025-2029, has also been designed to position the hub as a key player in the development of offshore wind energy port capacity in the UK and Ireland. A total of [...]
Royal supplier Bidfood ‘the new P&O’ as unions claim thousands face being fired January 20, 2025 Bidfood, which delivers food for the likes of Manchester United, Five Guys and Subway, has been compared to P&O ferries after two unions claimed thousands of workers could be fired and rehired on ‘worse terms and conditions’. The GMB and Unite unions have said the company, which also delivers food for the army, prisons and [...]
