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☆ Japanese inventor who built the first karaoke machine after a colleague mocked his bad singing has died
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewWe have one man to thank (or blame) for the many nights we've spent yelling our favorite hits down a microphone: Shigeichi Negishi. The Tokyo-based entrepreneur, who invented the world's first karaoke machine, has passed away aged 100. Farewell to another legend: Shigeichi Negishi, inventor of karaoke, has died age 100. And so, in 1967, the world was graced with its first karaoke machine: the Sparko Box. Online retailers of karaoke hardware continue to thrive, led by Ace Karaoke and Karaoke Warehouse in the States.

Persons: —, we've, Negishi, Atsumi Takano, Matt Alt, Shigeichi, ZOpLdSisb2, Daisuke Inoue, Alt, Lady Gaga, Shigeichi Negishi Organizations: Service, Business, Japan Karaoke, Association, Getty Japan, Buffalo Wild Wings, Ace, Apple Locations: The Tokyo, Japan

☆ Searching for your Irish ancestry? Guinness’ archives could help you reconnect with your roots
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Catherine E. Shoichet | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“It’s, unfortunately, one of the biggest barriers to Irish family history research,” says Crista Cowan, corporate genealogist for Ancestry. The 1.6 million records come from what might sound like a surprising source: the archives of Ireland’s famed Guinness brewery. The Guinness brewery has a storied pastResearchers combing through the newly released files might stumble upon some celebrity connections, too. Courtesy Guinness Archive, Diegeo IrelandArthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a Dublin brewery in 1759. Courtesy Guinness Archive, Diageo IrelandWorkers generally entered the Guinness workforce at age 14, according to a description of the records on the company’s website.

Persons: “ It’s, ”, Crista Cowan, they’ll, Patrick’s, Cowan, ” Cowan, “, who’s, John O’Brien, Liam Neeson, Graham Norton, Bono, Arthur Purcell, who's, Purcell, Arthur Guinness, “ Guinness, …, Eibhlin Colgan, ” Guinness, Guinness, ‘ Organizations: CNN, Public Records, Ireland’s, Guinness, Diegeo, Records, Brewery, Diageo, Diageo Ireland Workers Locations: Dublin, St, Ireland, Diegeo Ireland, United Kingdom, United States, Diageo Ireland, James’s, James's

☆ $1 Million Homes in London
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Marcelle Sussman Fischler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nunhead Green | £795,000 ($1.01 million)A semi-attached, renovated two-bedroom, one-bath Victorian cottage with a contemporary interior and front and rear gardens. The London skyline is visible from the parklike Nunhead Cemetery. Neighboring Peckham Rye has an expansive park and common area with a Japanese garden, sports facilities, cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. From the Peckham Rye station, rail service takes ten minutes to London Bridge and 15 minutes to Victoria. A built-in white sink with a high arc brass faucet and the refrigerator are at the far end.

Organizations: Conservation, London Bridge Locations: Southeast, London, Peckham Rye, Victoria, bookshelves

☆ This Small Island Has a Dark History
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Look closely at this tiny, idyllic island: Victorian-era fortifications dot the windswept coastline. A concrete anti-tank wall disrupts a quiet beach. This is Alderney, where the 2,100 people who call the island home do not lock their cars. Where the streets are quiet and the pubs (nine of them) are lively, and the roads don’t have traffic lights. And where reminders of World War II hide behind most corners.

Locations: Alderney, France, Britain

☆ I moved from the US to Ireland. Here are 11 things that surprised me most.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Alexis Mcsparren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Read on for some of the things that surprised me when I first got to Ireland. I thought a lot of the phrases in Ireland would be similar to what I heard in the UK. But I knew I finally adapted to the language when I found the words "thanks a million" (or "thanks a mil") and "bye bye bye … bye bye bye bye" after any phone call slipping off my tongue. Although it's been an adjustment, unpredictability is what makes Ireland feel like things are still run by people, not by algorithms and advancement. But my alcohol consumption has definitely increased since living in Ireland because socializing here often happens exclusively at the pub.

Persons: —, it's, Alexis McSparren, I've, I, I'm, there's, Alexis McSparren Small, There's, Alexis McSparren Leprechauns, Harry Potter, Tinker Bell, King Puck, Queen Puck, King Puck's, he's Organizations: Service, Business, Guardians, RyanAir, Hollywood Locations: England, Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Indiana, Moher, County Clare, County Meath, County Kerry, Dublin, Europe, Killorglin

☆ I studied at Yale and Cambridge University. The elite colleges offered me secret societies, maids, and formal balls.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Connie Cheung | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

For my undergraduate degree, I went to Yale, and then for graduate school, I enrolled in Cambridge University. Dreary and massive, these buildings belonged to Yale’s oldest secret societies — hundreds of years old, with members including former presidents, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts. As George Bush wrote in his memoir, “[In my] senior year, I joined Skull and Bones, a secret society; so secret, I can’t say anything more.”In my final year, I joined a secret society at Yale, which was founded 20 years ago. But my favorite memories at Yale and Cambridge were never at events in floor-length gowns or strappy heels. I’m tremendously lucky to have experienced this universe of elite education, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Persons: —, sommeliers, George Bush, wouldn’t, England, smartly, John’s, Ball, Pictionary Organizations: Service, Yale, Business, Cambridge University, New, Cambridge, Trinity College, Time Locations: Hong Kong, Vermont, New Haven, Cambridge, poshness, St

☆ I'm a bartender and can spot red flags while you're on your date. Here are 5 things to keep an eye out for.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Imy Brighty-Potts | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

If you ever need help with a situation, don't hesitate to ask your bartender for help. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Now I am 25, I can guarantee that I can spot a red flag during a date from behind the bar. He agrees that these five things are red flags.

Persons: I've, barterenders, —, Connell Barrett, We've, Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber, " Barret, Barrett, Barret, Barett, Angela Organizations: Service Locations: sweats

☆ Henry Olonga: Exiled for standing up to a ‘vicious dictator,’ former cricketer finds solace in singing career
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Henry Olonga was at the peak of his career as a professional cricketer when he took a stance that would ultimately force him to leave Zimbabwe. Alexander Joe/AFP via Getty ImagesThese days, Olonga is more concerned with pursuing his career as a singer. The emotions, though, are still raw: after the World Cup protest, Olonga explains how he was “vilified” as a “rebel” and “controversial figure” in Zimbabwe. Flower (left) and Olonga were both exiled from Zimbabwe following their Cricket World Cup protest. “Now, I’m creating new memories in a new sphere and a new world, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it … I’ve found peace here.”

Persons: Henry Olonga, Robert Mugabe’s, Olonga, ” Olonga, Zimbabwe’s, Andy Flower, ”, Mugabe, “, I’m, “ It’s, Alexander Joe, David Coltart –, I’d, Max Nash, –, Flower, ” Mugabe, Howard Burditt, – Olonga, didn’t, he’s, I’ve Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, Namibia, Getty, Voice Australia, India, Cricket World, Reuters, England, Zimbabwe Locations: Zimbabwe, England, Adelaide, Australia, AFP, …, Africa, Rhodesia, Pakistan, India, South Africa, London, Australian

☆ For ‘Golden Bachelor’ Fans, a Novel About a Golden Baking Contestant
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jenny Rosenstrach | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Their house is infused with smells of tea loaves, biscuits and mince pies — because baking is Jennifer Quinn’s “superpower,” as Bernard tells anyone who will listen. Not a day goes by when she’s not measuring out flour and sugar on her old-fashioned kitchen scale, and turning out something sweet in their well-loved kitchen. She’s never had a career either, and watching Bernard fall asleep in front of the TV — and thinking of their marriage entering its final chapter — makes Jennifer yearn for something of her own. Spontaneously, secretly, she applies to be a contestant on “Britain Bakes,” the popular show Bernard pretends not to keep an eye on while reading. “I’ve spent my life being led less by great ambition and more by small victories,” she types on her application.

Persons: Olivia Ford, Jennifer Quinn, you’ve “, Bernard, Jennifer’s, Jennifer Quinn’s, she’s, Olivia Ford’s, Jennifer, Poppy, She’s, —, Jennifer yearn, “ I’ve Locations: ”, Swiss, Alaska

☆ Time Out reveals world’s best cities for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Perhaps it’s no wonder, then, that media company Time Out has named New York City as its best city for 2024. Time Out surveyed some 20,000 city-dwellers across the world, alongside its network of global writers and editors, to compile its latest round-up of the best cities in the globe. Smaller cities in the top 10 include Liverpool, UK (number 7) and Porto, Portugal (number 10). New York City, USA2. Cape Town, South Africa3.

Persons: CNN —, Katy Scott, Scott, ”, “, ” Scott, Grace Beard Organizations: CNN, New, Cape, Theatre, . New Locations: New York City, ”, York, Cape Town , South Africa, Cape Town, France, South Africa, Cape, Robben, Berlin, Germany, London, Madrid, Spain, Liverpool, Porto, Portugal, . New York City, USA, Mexico City, Mexico, Tokyo, Japan, Rome, Italy

☆ I went to college in the US and then enrolled at Oxford. I preferred college life in England with black-tie balls and no testing.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jennifer Barton Packer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Since my Ukrainian-born mother dreamed of returning to Europe, she begged me to consider transferring to a university in England or France. So I reapplied for the degree I hoped to study and headed off to Somerville College, Oxford, where I would "read" — major in — Modern Languages, French, and Russian. Most of all, it opened my eyes to many differences between US and UK college life. AdvertisementMy college years in England involved a lot of dressing up for fancy-dress-themed "bops," or dances with cheesy music, and black-tie balls. I also learned that my college life in the UK was all-around better than the one I experienced in Vermont.

Persons: Jen, couldn't, they'd, Proust, Tolstoy Organizations: New Yorker, Middlebury College, Somerville College , Oxford, Oxford, University Locations: New, Vermont, Europe, England, France, Paris, St, Petersburg, Russia, —

☆ In Dublin’s Pubs, Raising a Farewell Pint to Shane MacGowan
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Ed O Loughlin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Christmas came early this year in Dublin, but too late for a beloved adopted son. On the last evening in November, a wet Thursday, cars at the rush hour stop lights blared “Fairytale of New York” on a thousand radios. From the sidewalk, you could hear drivers and passengers singing along: “The boys from the N.Y.P.D. choir still singing ‘Galway Bay,’ and the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day.”The song’s renowned lyricist and co-writer, Shane MacGowan, the British-born frontman of the punk-folk band the Pogues, died earlier that day. Ireland — his greatest muse, and ancestral home — was coming to terms with a death that had, thanks to MacGowan’s well-known addictions to alcohol and drugs, long been foretold.

Persons: Shane MacGowan, —, MacGowan Organizations: Galway, Christmas, Ireland, Big Apple Locations: Dublin, York, ’, British

☆ Shane MacGowan, Songwriter Who Fused Punk and Irish Rebellion, Dies at 65
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Matt Phillips | More About Matt Phillips | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Shane MacGowan, the brilliant but chaotic former songwriter and frontman for the Pogues, who reinvigorated interest in Irish music in the 1980s by harnessing it to the propulsive power of punk rock has died. Mr. MacGowan’s wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, announced his death on Instagram. Mr. MacGowan emerged from London’s punk scene of the late 1970s and spent nine tumultuous years with the initial incarnation of the Pogues. He later founded Shane MacGowan & the Popes, with whom he recorded and toured in the 1990s. Along the way, Mr. MacGowan earned twin reputations as a titanically destructive personality and a master songsmith whose lyrics painted vivid portraits of the underbelly of Irish emigrant life.

Persons: Shane MacGowan, MacGowan’s, Victoria Mary Clarke, MacGowan, ’, ” Organizations: Pogues Locations: North London, New York

☆ UK PM Sunak reportedly said 'just let people die', COVID inquiry hears
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak visits the pathology labs at Leeds General Infirmary, to show how yesterday's budget is supporting those affected by coronavirus (COVID-19), in Leeds, Britain March 12, 2020. Danny Lawson/Pool via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quoted as saying the government should "just let people die" during the COVID-19 pandemic rather than impose a second national lockdown, the inquiry into how Britain handled the crisis heard on Monday. Patrick Vallance, who was the government's chief scientific adviser during COVID, made a note in his diary on Oct. 25, 2020, about a meeting involving then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sunak, who was finance minister. Vallance quoted Cummings in his diary as saying: "Rishi thinks just let people die and that's okay. A spokesman for Sunak said the prime minister would set out his position when he gives evidence to the inquiry "rather than respond to each one in piecemeal".

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Danny Lawson, Patrick Vallance, Boris Johnson, Sunak, Dominic Cummings, Johnson's, Vallance, Cummings, Rishi, Johnson, Andrew MacAskill, Elizabeth Piper, Christina Fincher Organizations: Britain's, Leeds General Infirmary, Thomson Locations: Leeds, Britain

☆ ‘Saltburn’ director Emerald Fennell explores the dark side of the British ruling class
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Thomas Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Emerald Fennell knew exactly what she was doing, dressing Jacob Elordi like that. Nice try.’”Jacob Elordi as the upper class Felix Catton in "Saltburn." “Saltburn” is a film in the British country house gothic tradition, complete with snobbish butler, black-tie dinners, calcified ways and repressed emotions. Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton, Jacob Elordi as her brother Felix, and Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in "Saltburn." Emerald Fennell directs Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi on location for "Saltburn."

Persons: Emerald Fennell, Jacob Elordi, Elordi, Elvis Presley, Sofia Coppola’s “ Priscilla, ”, “, Felix, I’ve, ” Fennell, Jacob, ‘, Nice, ’ ” Jacob Elordi, Felix Catton, Fennell, Part Dickie, Ripley, Sebastian, Oliver –, Barry Keoghan –, “ Rebecca, ” “ Jude the, Alison Oliver, Venetia Catton, Barry Keoghan, Oliver Quick, Chiabella James, Oliver, Felix’s, Richard E, Grant’s, Sir James, Rosamund Pike’s, Elspeth, There’s, Venetia, Farleigh, “ Barry, hasn’t, she’s, “ I’m, isn’t, Woman’s, there’s Organizations: CNN, “, Oxford University, Oxford Locations: “, Australian, British, wardrobes

☆ Don Laughlin, Who Turned a Patch of Desert Into a Casino Mecca, Dies at 92
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Adam Nossiter | More About Adam Nossiter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The principal of the one-room schoolhouse he attended for high school was not amused. “He said to get out of the gambling business or get out of high school,” Mr. Laughlin told The Review-Journal. By 1954 he had saved enough to buy a restaurant in North Las Vegas, the 101 Club. But Mr. Laughlin was restless. He learned to fly — it became his passion — and began scouting the state for an alternative to Las Vegas.

Persons: Donald Joseph Laughlin, Raymond, Olive, Donald, “, ” Mr, Laughlin, ‘, — Locations: Laughlin, Owatonna, Minn, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, United States, North Las Vegas, Vegas, Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado

☆ Inside the implosion of dark kitchen startup Kbox Global, another pandemic-era boom beginning to bust
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In 2019, after years of investing in and setting up food and beverage brands internationally, she founded dark-kitchen startup Kbox from London. But two years after this funding, large for an early-stage European startup, Vellani exited the business suddenly, citing health issues. "You're only judged on food quality, but if the chef is doing 10 times the work for same money, then it's a fundamental problem." Both Uber Eats and Deliveroo, after an initial burst of interest, would eventually go on to cut back on virtual brands. In an email comment, Vellani acknowledged her lack of direct technical experience but said she sought to fix this through other C-suite hires.

Persons: Salima Vellani, Uber, Travis Kalanick, Vellani, Butler, CloudKitchens, Kbox, MrBeast Burger, YouTuber MrBeast, Jimmy Donaldson, Influencer Jimmy Donaldson, Burger, Brexit, Vellani didn't, Karim Vellani, Karim, Ben Schultz, Nick Holloway, I've Organizations: Balderton, Hoxton Ventures, Reef Technologies, Lean, Network, United, Advisory Locations: London, Saudi, Revolut, COVID, Kbox, Sydney

☆ $2 Million Homes in Pennsylvania, Montana and California
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Angela Serratore | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It is close to several museums, including Bucks County Civil War Museum and Library; Michener Art Museum, which has a sculpture garden; and Mercer Museum, which has a large collection of early American tools and vehicles. A SEPTA station is less than a mile away; from there, trains make the trip to Center City Philadelphia in about an hour and a half. Size: 3,908 square feetPrice per square foot: $512Indoors: A wrought-iron fence lined with neat hedges separates this property from the street. To the right is a family room with a fireplace that has a marble mantel. To the left is a living room connected to a dining room by a wide, column-flanked doorway.

Organizations: Bucks, Civil, Museum and Library, Michener Art Museum, Mercer Museum, SEPTA, Center City Philadelphia Locations: Doylestown, Pa, Hope, Trenton, N.J

☆ Apollo may get noodle LBO thrown back in its face
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The private equity firm has offered to buy Wagamama owner Restaurant Group (RTN.L) for 701 million pounds including debt. Restaurant Group is an obvious takeover target. And Restaurant Group itself reckons it can crank up its EBITDA margin by as much as 3.5 percentage points by 2026. Apollo could comfortably double its money, assuming it used debt of around 300 million pounds to buy the business, or 3 times 2024 EBITDA. The deal is being undertaken by a special purpose vehicle indirectly owned by Apollo Funds, managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management.

Persons: Andy Hornby, Frankie, Jefferies, John Wood, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Restaurant, Irenic Capital, Oasis Management, Apollo Group, Restaurant Group, Apollo Funds, Apollo Global Management, Thomson Locations: Britain

☆ Apollo to take Wagamama owner Restaurant Group private for $623 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Eva Mathews | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A sign of Wagamama restaurant is seen in London, Britain, October 5, 2020. Under the terms of the deal announced on Thursday, The Restaurant Group's (TRG) shareholders will get 65 pence in cash for each share held, a premium of about 34% to the stock's last closing price. Shares in the small cap constituent (.FTSC) jumped 37.1% to 66.5 pence, its highest percentage gain since April 2020. There has also been pressure from shareholders and activist investors Irenic Capital and Oasis Management in recent months to change management and improve profitability. Another analyst at Shore Capital said the offer price was "too low" given the company's efforts to improve margins and reduce leverage.

Persons: Hannah McKay, Ken Hanna, Benny's, Eva Mathews, Subhranshu Sahu, Elaine Hardcastle, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Apollo, Irenic Capital, Oasis Management, Cafe, Shore Capital, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, TRG, Cafe Rouge, Bengaluru

☆ 10 things I wish I knew before I moved from New York to London
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kim Davis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —It’s been nearly 20 years since I moved from New York to London. I don’t drink alcohol, so, when I first moved to the UK, I avoided the pubs for about a year. To my great surprise, I discovered that British pubs were nothing like I had imagined! “Yeah?” “Yeah!!!!! According to the UK Tea and Infusions Association, Brits drink over 100 million cups daily and 36 billion cups per year!

Persons: CNN — It’s, Leicester, Kim Davis, breathlessly, I’m, “, ”, I’ve, mickey ”, Sheldon Cooper, don’t, Hershey, et Walker, Eliza Doolittle, Little, it’s, Ariel, ” Don’t, There’s, Parinya, Abbott, Costello “ Who’s, Tummy, Mason, You’ll Organizations: CNN, Brit, British, Harrods, LIPTON Locations: New York, London, United States, United Kingdom, Yorkshire, Britain, Europe, “, America, York, Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon

☆ Biggest Irish TV audience of the year tuned in for win over South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

To put the figures into perspective, the All-Ireland Gaelic Football final - typically the country's biggest sporting event of the year - drew an average audience of 971,000. That year the biggest Irish audience tuned in for their side's quarter-final loss to New Zealand, with 776,000 watching. The consistent number one in Ireland's top TV audience list is The Late Late Toy Show, a special Christmas edition of a popular talk show. Last year's edition brought in over 1.5 million viewers, and it keeps the biggest sporting events off the top spot year after year. This could all change, however, depending on what happens in France at the World Cup in the coming weeks.

Persons: Trevor Stynes, Ken Ferris Organizations: South, Rugby, RTE, Ireland's, Springboks, Ireland Gaelic Football, Nations, Ireland, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, France, New

☆ Read the 16-page pitch deck that 'Million Dollar Listing' star Josh Flagg and his cofounders used to raise $1.7 million for their real estate media startup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Celebrity real estate agent Josh Flagg, media exec Griff O'Brien, and investor Andrew Shanfeld have teamed up to launch Estate Media, a personality-driven media company. Real estate has become a huge pop culture topic, aided by reality TV series like "Selling Sunset" and the "Million Dollar Listing" franchise. The company will offer content created with a network of real estate personalities who, Estate Media said, reach a collective 25 million followers. While the real estate industry has come down from its pandemic frenzy, O'Brien believes Estate Media can ride ups and downs in the market. Scroll down to see the deck Estate Media used to raise its seed round.

Persons: Josh Flagg, Griff O'Brien, Andrew Shanfeld, O'Brien, Flagg, Shanfeld, Jack Davis, Chip, Joanna Gaines —, There's, Margot Ettedgui, TikToker Aaron Grushow, Robert Rivani, Glennda Baker, Ricky Carruth, Adam Weitsman, Chris Heller, Rich Antoniello, Austin Rief, Devin Emery, Brian Goldsmith, Ricky Van Veen, Justin Killion, Spence Markel Organizations: Estate Media, Entertainment, Crypt, HGTV, Los Angeles, Estate, Ojo Labs, Complex Networks, Austin, Morning, Growth Partners, Powerhouse Capital, CollegeHumor

☆ ‘Unhappy Hour’: U.K. Pub Chains Adopt Surge Pricing for Pints
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Jenny Gross | More About Jenny Gross | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A pint of beer may cost more during peak hours at some pubs owned by Britain’s largest pub company, which has in recent weeks adopted surge pricing. About 800 of the 4,000 pubs owned by the company, Stonegate Group, are either using “dynamic pricing,” in which prices rise at times of increased demand, or may use it in the future to help cope with higher costs for staffing and licensing requirements, Maureen Heffernan, a spokeswoman for Stonegate, said on Tuesday. Stonegate owns the popular pub chains Slug & Lettuce and Craft Union. Ms. Heffernan said that the timing of surge pricing, in which a pint of beer would cost about 20 pence (25 cents) more, would vary by pub, but that generally prices would be higher on weekends and evenings. In July, the average price for a pint of draft lager was 4.31 pounds (about $5.37), up from £4 a year earlier, according to Britain’s Office for National Statistics.

Persons: Maureen Heffernan, Stonegate, Ms, Heffernan Organizations: Britain’s, Stonegate, Craft Union, National Statistics

☆ Wagamama owner Restaurant Group projects higher annual profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign of Wagamama restaurant is seen in London, Britain, October 5, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - Restaurant Group (RTN.L),the owner of Wagamama and Brunning & Price restaurants, said on Wednesday it expects annual profit to be higher after posting an increase in first-half earnings helped by more people dining at its joints. The group, which did not mention a range for its profit expectations for the year, said cost outlook for the medium term continued to improve. Analysts, on average, expected core profit to be about 77.5 million pounds for the year, according to company compiled consensus. Restaurant Group reported a 15% rise in adjusted core profit to 36.3 million pounds ($45.7 million) for the half-year ended July 2.

Persons: Hannah McKay, Radhika Anilkumar, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: REUTERS, Price, Restaurant Group, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Bengaluru

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