DAILY BRIEFING: Ask and Zizzi Italian restaurant chain owner serves up sales of £262.8m in the last year
Refurbishments paid dividend for Azzurri as they saw a 12.5% rise in sales
Restaurants flourish The owner of Zizzi, Ask Italian and Coco di Mama restaurant chains saw its sales increase last year after refurbishments attracted customers.
Azzurri, which owns the three brands as well as pizzeria Radio Alice, saw its sales jump 12.5 per cent to £262.8million in the year to July 2. Earnings increased 8.6 per cent to £38million.
Meat factory Meat packing firm Hilton Food Group is building a £29million processing factory in Auckland, New Zealand, to supply meat to Countdown Supermarkets.
The development will take place as an extension of an existing site.
Floats boom More than £1.7billion has been raised by firms which have floated on the AIM junior stock market so far this year, scotching fears of a Brexit slowdown.
Research company Dealogic said this was higher than the £1.1billion raised in the whole of last year.
There were £834million of deals in the three months to September 30 alone – the highest figure for that quarter since 2007.
Fees suffer British law firms’ fee income has grown just 3 per cent this year as they fail to handle technological change, according to a report by accountant PwC. And half saw their profits fall. PwC said just 11 per cent of firms were taking advantage of new data-analysing technology to cut costs.
Catalyst backed Private equity firm Livingbridge has invested in City consultancy Catalyst Development.
Catalyst helps banks deal with changing regulation – and, as the financial system is reshaped in the wake of the crisis, Livingbridge believes it is poised to grow.
Fracking role A former US Army captain has taken command of the shale division at Ineos as the firm founded by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe tries to kickstart fracking in the UK.
Ron Coyle is being promoted from his role as commercial director of the firm’s phenol division.
Ineos has licences to explore sites across the UK for natural gas and is planning to start drilling test wells very soon.
Aircraft deals Defence firm Ultra Electronics has been hired to supply aircraft ejection systems to Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
The contracts for its Cheltenham-based Precision Control Systems business are worth £12million.
Most watched Money videos
- Aston Martin unveils new Vantage sports car capable of 202mph
- How to invest to beat tax raids and make more of your money
- Iconic Dodge Charger goes electric as company unveils its Daytona
- Mini unveil an electrified version of their popular Countryman
- Would you retire abroad for cheaper living costs?
- Pair of rare 1980s Ford Sierra RS500 Coswotths head to auction
- German car giant BMW has released the X2 and it has gone electric!
- Skoda reveals Skoda Epiq as part of an all-electric car portfolio
- Steve McQueen featured driving famous stunt car in 'The Hunter'
- BMW's Vision Neue Klasse X unveils its sports activity vehicle future
- The new Volkswagen Passat - a long range PHEV that's only available as an estate
- MG unveils new MG3 - Britain's cheapest full-hybrid car
- Four in 10 mortgages are being taken out by borrowers who...
- Morrisons boss says turnaround is in 'full swing' as...
- Trump's social media firm soared on its stock market...
- Commodities broker Marex Group snubs City as it files...
- H&M profits spring back to life as it seeks to fight off...
- D-day for crypto wunderkind who crashed to earth: Sam...
- Thames Water shareholders refuse £500m lifeline plea
- Debt fuelled deals are bringing great British firms...
- Insurance market Lloyd's of London toasts best result 'in...
- Car crash victims to get faster, higher compensation...
- Trader Tom Hayes vows to fight on in bid to clear his...
- Americans crashing Mondi bid for DS Smith plot UK listing...
- BUSINESS LIVE: Recession confirmed; Thames Water survival...
- Yorkshire BS launches savings account to go with 99%...
- CMC Markets shares soar as trading platform lifts...
- Why are so many people being hit with £5 fines for...
- MARKET REPORT: Carnival set for record year as bookings boom
- Barclays debanked our tennis club - £120 compensation...