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House of Fraser launches Desigual collection online

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:03:43 GMT

House of Fraser has introduced the new Desigual menswear and Desigual childrenswear collections to its online range.

The new Desigual menswear collection highlights prints and materials, with pieces inspired by neo-hippie and artisan styling as seen in rural floral themes, Russian iconography and American country.

The Desigual childrenswear range which is only available through the House of Fraser website includes the Diverdelink, Rocky Cupcake and Sauvage trends for girls. These offer young girls a variety of fun, fresh and sassy clothing for Spring/Summer 2010. Diverdelink highlights doodles, sketches, slogans and graffiti for girls of real character and abounding energy. The Rocky Cupcake trend creates a sweet, 'girly' look with pastel colours and polka dots. The Sauvage collection focuses on grown-up, clean-cut designs for the 'fashion-conscious' girl in mind. Dresses, bows, sequins and flowers can also be found on the girls' clothes within the Desigual collection. Desigual clothes are suitable for girls of all ages and for any occasion.

Desigual Spring/Summer 2010 also includes a Beach Bum trend for boys who dream of breaking all the moulds in the surfing world. The 'beach boy' look inspired by Hawaii 5-0 includes floral shirts and stained faded T-shirts. City Craft is a trend for the laid-back urbanite. Soft and neutral colours lead the trend for this season's boyswear collection, to be accessorised with belts and mesh caps.

Established in 1985, Desigual is well renowned for its daring and bold attitude. The brand is reflected through a cocktail of colours within its eclectic Desigual womenswear collection, menswear including Desigual shirts and childrenswear. Desigual can be purchased online and in store, however the menswear and childrenswear collections by Desigual are only available for House of Fraser online shoppers at houseoffraser.co.uk.

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Notes to Editors:

About House of Fraser
House of Fraser is a department store group with 61 enviable locations across the UK and Ireland and a fully transactional website. As one of the best known names on the high street, House of Fraser has presented customers with an unrivalled nationwide department store for more than 160 years. The company was acquired by the Highland consortium in November 2006 marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in its history. The group has annual sales in excess of £1.25bn and employs 6,500 House of Fraser staff and 10,000 concession staff through 5 million sq ft of selling space.

Rackspace ranked top IT services employer in The Best Places to Work Awards

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:01:06 GMT

Rackspace, the world’s leader in the hosting and cloud computing industry has announced that it has been voted as the overall 30th best place to work in the UK and once again the highest ranking IT Services company, in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best Companies Awards. Commended for its continued focus on employee engagement, Rackspace has ranked as one of the top ten companies for people, who love what they do, believe in the company and its future and deliver a great service.

Rackspace Hosting UK has, for the third year running, been featured in the top tier of the Sunday Times Best Employer Awards. The Awards, which are based on employee interviews, indicate that Rackspace has created a fun and caring environment that helps nurture and grow individual talent.

The Sunday Times noted that 89 percent of Rackspace employees who responded to the survey were excited about where the company is going, with 79 percent saying their work is great for their personal growth and 95 per cent stating that they are proud to work for the organisation.

Brian Thomson, EMEA Managing Director at Rackspace, commented: “We are very proud of all the progress we have made in our business over the last year and what is truly pleasing is that as the company has grown our ‘Rackers’ continue to feel valued in their roles.

“We are thrilled to see that our employees love what they do and are excited at where the business is going. Our continued success is without doubt because of our Racker’s tireless dedication to Fanatical Support and the passion they show every single day.”

Rackspace is one of the UK’s most successful and fastest growing providers of IT hosting services. It has consistently been recognised for its excellence as an IT employer, with a number of accolades, most recently being one of only14 companies to receive a Laureate award from the Financial Times for being one of the best places to work in the UK and Europe 2009.

About Rackspace Hosting
Rackspace Hosting is the world’s leader in the hosting and cloud computing industry and has been ranked in Financial Times Top 50 Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom for the past five years. Rackspace provides its customers with Fanatical Support by delivering a portfolio of hosted IT services with Managed Hosting including dedicated servers, Cloud Hosting and even private cloud for increased security and support, as well as Email and Apps.

Warner Leisure Hotels crown first official Strictly Come Dancing break winners

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:40:05 GMT

Warner Leisure Hotels has announced that a couple from Abingdon has been crowned the winners of its first official Strictly Come Dancing holiday breaks.

Amanda McCabe and Julian Siret were presented with an engraved glass glitter ball trophy by stars of the BBC TV show Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova after winning the final of the event held at the Warner Leisure Hotels' Cricket St Thomas hotel in Somerset.

The couple, who began dancing only three years ago, won over the audience of more than 400 guests by performing an "absolutely superb" waltz to the song "To You I'm Born Again". Referring to the difference in height between 6ft 3ins Julian and Amanda, 5ft 2ins, Darren praised the couple for "going out there and moving beautifully".

He added: "It is really refreshing to see some real quality dancing, and great movement."

Fellow judge Ryan McShane, who provided dance instruction during the three-night UK Breaks at the Cricket St Thomas hotel near Chard, said: "That was absolutely superb. This couple have a height difference but I just think you moved so well together."

Lilia, also a judge, commended the couple for their "great achievement" and "very neat" footwork.

The victory, in which they beat eight other couples in a vote by the audience, was all the more remarkable after their first entry in a competition two years ago ended in calamity. Amanda told the audience how they had entered a contest at another Warner Leisure Hotel. When it came to the event nerves got the better of her and she froze on the dance floor and couldn't dance. She said: "We didn't come on the Cricket St Thomas break intending to enter the competition. But then we thought we'd give it a go. I can't believe we won the final, but this time I didn't feel nervous and really enjoyed it."

Julian, an engineer, won a number of dancing medals in his youth, but it was only the hit BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing that got them out on the dance floor. Since then they have been on 19 dance breaks with Warner Leisure Hotels and perfect the routines they have learned by regularly hiring a hall near their home in Abingdon to practice with some fellow enthusiasts. "Everything we have learned from dancing is from Warners," said Amanda.

Now the couple will have the honour of presenting the winning trophy on the next Strictly Come Dancing holiday break later this month.

Warner Leisure Hotels has teamed up with BBC Worldwide to offer the official Strictly dancing breaks at five beautiful, historic UK Hotels. During the short breaks guests have the chance to meet and greet their favorite Strictly stars from Anton Du Beke to Vincent Simone.

Fans can also try on or even hire costumes worn by the professional dancers in the show and join in more than a dozen dance classes taught by professional dancers. Amanda admitted that one of the attractions was putting on nice dresses - in contrast to her job running her own gardening business.

About Warner Leisure Hotels:
Warner Leisure Hotels is part of Bourne Leisure Ltd who own Haven Holidays and Butlins Resorts and were awarded Best UK Operator 2009 by Travel Trade Gazette.

Warner Leisure Hotels offer 'adult only' leisure breaks at seven country and six coastal locations and include three four star properties, listed historic buildings and coastal resort villages.

Bruntwood reports 2009 results

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:31:01 GMT

North of England commercial property company Bruntwood has filed its latest set of accounts for the financial year 2009, reporting an increase in turnover of 11.5% to £97m and operating profit of 9.5% to £12.6m.

Chris Oglesby, Bruntwood’s chief executive, said: "Against a very difficult economic backdrop, I am proud of the way our team at Bruntwood have, once again, responded in delivering another very good set of results. Property values may have fallen in response to the investment market but the underlying fundamentals in our business continue to improve, as evidenced by the 9.5% increase in profit before tax up to £12.6m."

Further to a full revaluation of the portfolio by Knight Frank in September 2009, Bruntwood’s fixed assets now stand at £912m. This figure is down seven per cent on last year and is the first time in the company’s 30 year history it has seen a reduction in its property values.

Chris Oglesby said: "Whilst a drop in our property values was not unexpected, our conservative approach to valuations at the top of the market has meant they have held up exceptionally well. Our September year end was at, what we believe, to be the bottom of the market. Since then, there has been a considerable rally in property values and I am confident we will see the value of Bruntwood’s portfolio grow again in our 2010 financial year. That said, more important to us as a business is income, the true value that we are creating via the lettings we achieve. In this respect, the business remains incredibly healthy with rental income being 216% of our interest costs.

"Our performance through the economic downturn, allied to the feedback we get from our customers and business partners, reinforces our belief that we have a great business model and a great team. 2010 is likely to be a year when Bruntwood start to invest again in expansion and we look forward to the year confident and enthusiastic with, as ever, our customers at the heart of everything we do.”

About Bruntwood
Bruntwood is a privately owned commercial property company with more than 30 years experience of providing great offices. Bruntwood owns more than 90 office buildings in Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. They provide office space, serviced offices, virtual offices, from one desk for one month, to entire office buildings for 25 years. Bruntwood also offers retail space and meeting rooms to hire within its buildings. The essential elements of the Bruntwood promise are to provide a wide choice of offices, commercial flexibility, world class customer service and long-term value for money.

Each year Bruntwood donates at least 10% of its annual profits to arts, civic and charitable causes and takes every opportunity to involve its customers.

H.Samuel announces a charity drive

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:12:10 GMT

H.Samuel has announced a drive to support charity in 2010. The UK's favourite high street jeweller kicked off the year by selling Valentine's beads by Truth to raise money for the Variety Club Children's Charity. It followed this with a jewellery cleaning service in return for donations to help raise money for Haiti through UNICEF.

H.Samuel will continue raising money for the Variety Club Children's Charity throughout the year with more promotions and tie-ins, in-store and online. As the UK's most popular high street jeweller, with outlets throughout the UK and a retail website, H.Samuel is perfectly placed to promote the Variety Club and offer real and valuable support. The Variety Club is a family oriented charity with a wide appeal which mirrors the appeal and customer base of the famous high street jeweller.

2009 saw The Variety Club celebrate its 60th year of bringing hope, independence and freedom to children throughout the UK. Over the past 60 years The Variety Club has raised over £200 million and helped more than a million young people. With the help of companies like H.Samuel, 2010 should be an even better year.

The Variety Club is one of the country's most famous and popular organisations. With a history stretching back to the Golden Age of British entertainment, the Variety Club has provided Sunshine Coaches, Easy Rider electric wheelchairs, once-in-a-life-time outings, equipment for children's hospitals and support for youth groups. Staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the Variety Club is always keen for large and popular brands such as H.Samuel to offer support.

As well as these more well known initiatives, the Variety Club also concentrates on giving help where help is needed, and making the small changes which make a huge difference to the lives of children and young people across the country. These include providing practical solutions to allow sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and young people across the UK to reach their full potential.

About H.Samuel
H.Samuel is the nation’s favourite High Street Jeweller with over 350 stores and a retail website at www.hsamuel.co.uk. Featuring an incredible range of branded watches, H.Samuel also has a stunning range of jewellery, collectibles and gifts for all occasions, offering something for every taste and style. H.Samuel is part of the Signet Group, the world’s largest speciality retail jeweller.

All proceeds are paid to Variety Club Events Ltd which pays all its taxable profits to The Variety Club Children's charity, a charity registered in England & Wales (No. 209259) and Scotland (No. SCO038505)

LV= to open new offices in Huddersfield

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:18:46 GMT

LV=, insurance, pensions and investments group, has announced that it is opening new offices in Huddersfield. This is in addition to LV=’s road rescue company, Britannia Rescue, which is already based in Huddersfield town centre, employing around 100 people.

The new LV= offices will be in Folly Hall and are scheduled to open in July 2010. This will also become the new home to Britannia Rescue, which will be moving from its current offices in Station Buildings, where it has been based for over 20 years. Having celebrated its 25th year of operation in Huddersfield last year, Britannia Rescue has reached capacity at Station Buildings and needs to move to enable the business to expand further.

As well as the Britannia Rescue management team, LV= will open a new 24-hour call centre in Folly Hall to deal with both calls from LV= car insurance customers who have been involved in an accident, and Britannia Rescue breakdown calls. The 24-hour service will also be expanded to LV= home insurance customers during 2010 and the new office is set to become the company’s primary 24-hour call centre.

The new jobs there will be advertised later in the year and will include customer service advisor roles, team leader positions and management opportunities.

LV= is a leading mutual financial group with over 3.6 million members and customers. The company offers a wide range of financial products including insurance, pensions and investments.

The new LV= office at Folly Hall will have the capacity for around 175 people. It is located 10 minutes from the station in a Grade II listed building which has been renovated as part of the regeneration of Huddersfield’s Waterfront Quarter.

Simon Stevens, general manager of LV=’s Huddersfield operation, said: “We are delighted to be expanding in the town. Huddersfield has been a fantastic base for our Britannia Rescue business and with our positive experience here we are confident that Huddersfield will also be a great location for part of the LV= car insurance claims operation.

“We are committed to Huddersfield and to providing new jobs in the area. LV= is a fast-growing general insurer and when many other financial companies are making redundancies we are actually expanding. This means that not only is there the opportunity for local people to join us, but there are also great career prospects and the chance to move up in the company.”

Cllr Mehboob Khan, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “It is excellent news that such a well known and respected company is investing in our area. We have a good relationship with LV= through their Britannia Rescue operation which has been based in the two for many years and we are delighted they have chosen to expand their operation in Huddersfield and create jobs for local people. Working with Kirklees businesses, from small traders to larger organisations, is one of the many ways in which the council continues to tackle the problems caused by the recession."

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, said: “The fact that LV= is expanding in Huddersfield is an excellent omen. Increasingly Huddersfield is being seen as an exceptional place to live and work, and in which to find talented and hardworking employees. The Folly Hall scheme adds to the innovative regeneration of our waterfront development and I hope that LV= and the town prosper together.”

Notes to editors:

About LV=
LV= employs more than 3,800 people, serves more than 3.6 million customers and members. LV= is also the UK’s largest friendly society (Association of Friendly Societies Yearbook 2006/2007, total net assets) and a leading mutual financial services provider.

Britannia Rescue is the UK’s fourth largest road rescue organisation and is part of the LV= group of companies. Britannia Rescue‘s network has over 3,000 breakdown professionals nationwide and average response time is under 40 minutes.

NS&I finds Brits not serious about saving until 25

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:17:05 GMT

The latest NS&I (National Savings and Investments) survey release has shown that the average age for Britons to start saving seriously is 25 years-old. More than a fifth (22%) of the population said they didn't start setting money aside in earnest until they were past their 30th birthday, while more than 13% fail to seriously save until they are 40 years or older. 15% confessed that they had actually never saved at all.

The NS&I study into savings habits also explored what kick starts savings behaviour. Surprisingly, holidays and other short-term outgoings get most women (67%) in Britain saving, with planning for the future a secondary thought. In contrast, more men (60%) think about longer-term events, such as saving for their wedding, starting a family or buying a house.

Additionally, reading stories about how others, without savings, have suffered in an emergency encouraged a third of Britons to start saving for the first time (33%), with a similar number (31%) confessing that it was when they suffered a financial shock personally that they began their savings habit and 39% citied they saw their parents worrying about money and wanted to save to have peace of mind. 14% said they began saving to pay for further education.

As well as looking at what makes people start setting money aside, the research looked into how life experiences affect attitudes to saving. Almost a quarter (24%) wished that they had saved more in the last 18 months' to deal with the recent economic turbulence and 32% wished they had started saving much earlier in life than they did.

John Prout, NS&I's savings spokesperson, explained: "It's great to see that most Britons started to save seriously in their mid-twenties. And for those who have not yet developed the habit it is not too late to start. However it is important to not just see savings as a reaction to major events. Our research shows that 32% of savers say that they have saved in the past but have not managed to continue putting money away."

With the end of the tax year approaching, NS&I is urging people to use the opportunity to take a fresh look at their finances and learn from their past regrets. John Prout continued; "We're urging Britons to review their future financial needs and to develop the habit of saving."

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Notes to Editors
*The survey, which questioned people about their financial habits, was carried about by TNS in January 2010 among 1004 GB adults aged 16+.

About NS&I
NS&I is one of the UK's largest financial providers with almost 27 million customers and over £95 billion invested. It is best known for Premium Bonds, but also offers Inflation-Beating Savings accounts, ISA and Cash ISA accounts, Guaranteed Equity Bonds and Children's Bonus Bonds in its range. All products offer 100% security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.

NS&I products are available over the telephone, internet, post and by standing order. They are also available through a network of Post Office(R) branches, and our product range guide is available in over 400 WHSmith high street stores.

House of Fraser online launches Testbed for women

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:40:08 GMT

House of Fraser, the premium department store, has launched a new area called Testbed on its website to trial five new niche brands dedicated to women's fashion.

Very by Vero Moda, Paul & Joe Sister, Selected Femme, Almost Famous and Pink Soda are all featured in the new Testbed section of the House of Fraser site. The collection features beautiful tops and dresses to complement the premium denim department. This season's trends highlight pastel shades, feminine looks and delicate fabrics, all of which are visible through the brands within the Testbed area.

Almost Famous is a British brand established in 2002 and based in the heart of London's Fitzrovia. Its womenswear collection takes inspiration from style icons of the past, giving the collection a vintage feel. Almost Famous offers unique wearable designs for day to evening and its signature style is eclectic with great attention to detail.

Pink Soda is a sophisticated contemporary brand for the glamorous modern woman. The collection is made up of bead embellished dresses, tops and jersey pieces which are designed to flatter. This brand offers basic essentials that can be worn as stand alone pieces or alongside its denim collection to create a unique look.

If customers are looking for a cosmopolitan contemporary look that oozes confidence and individuality, then Selected Femme is the brand for them as it allows women to create their own personal style. The style is feminine, cool and chic with an edge. The brand cleverly combines the art of classic tailoring with an informal feminine look that can take wearers effortlessly from day to evening.

Very by Vero Moda is a premium and directional diffusion range from the Vero Moda family.
The trend-led very by vero moda label uses luxurious fabrics such as soft silks, lambswool and leathers with the focus on directional yet accessible fashion. It offers timeless pieces that embody sophistication combined with a nod to catwalk trends. Ultra-feminine tops are paired with clean, sleek tailoring and skinny pants are worn with cool T-shirts.

Launched in 2006, Paul & Joe's Sister is the chic younger diffusion line of Paul & Joe. Named after creator Sophie Albou's two sons, this label embodies her own style; quirky and bubbly with retro characteristics, using strong kitsch prints to depict her own love of travel. The range includes beautiful flamboyantly printed tunics and silk shirt dresses, cute embellished tops and luxurious knitwear.

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About House of Fraser
House of Fraser is a department store group with 61 enviable locations across the UK and Ireland and a fully transactional website. As one of the best known names on the high street, House of Fraser has presented customers with an unrivalled nationwide department store for more than 160 years. The company was acquired by the Highland consortium in November 2006 marking the beginning an exciting new chapter in its history. The group has annual sales in excess of £1.25bn and employs 6,500 House of Fraser staff and 10,000 concession staff through 5 million sq ft of selling space.

Experian partners with HypoVereinsbank to provide SEPA Data Conversion services

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:48:11 GMT

Experian, the global information services company, has announced that it has partnered with HypoVereinsbank (HVB), one of the largest commercial banks in Germany, to provide the bank and its corporate customers with a data validation and conversion service to aid compliance with the latest SEPA (Single Euro Payment Area) standards. HVB is part of the UniCredit Group, the 10th largest European financial institution.

To make payments to and from all 31 countries participating in the SEPA scheme, banks and their corporate customers must supply a valid IBAN (International Bank Account Number) and BIC (Bank Identifier Code). Currently, the data held by HVB’s customers is in a domestic format and will need converting to the new, SEPA-compliant format.

Experian will check, validate and convert existing domestic BBANs (Basic Bank Account Numbers) to the required BIC and IBAN standard in bulk. This will enable HVB’s customers to avoid rejection or failed payments, thereby reducing transaction costs and improving straight through processing of payment instructions. In addition, the bank’s customers will also be able to identify invalid records that require further or correct information to be obtained or verified, including invalid account numbers and closed bank branches.

Markus Straussfeld, head of international cash management sales at HVB, said: "We want to ensure the transition to SEPA is as smooth as possible for our customers and Experian’s systems help them to overcome the hurdle of not always having the appropriate data at hand to efficiently make SEPA transactions. As organisations within the Eurozone face the prospect of contacting potentially millions of customers for SEPA payments, we have turned to Experian Payments as an expert with a proven track record in data validation and conversion. As a result, we are in a position to support our customers in areas outside of our core competences, offering them additional services from trusted partners."

Jonathan Williams, Director of Strategic Development at Experian Payments, added: "Corporates may not realise that they, not the banks, are responsible for their BIC and IBAN conversion. However, this is hugely expensive and virtually impossible. Our partnership with HVB is enabling a growing number of the world’s largest businesses to make SEPA payments efficiently and cost-effectively while, at the same time, helping the bank to provide an additional service to its customers."

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About Experian Payments:
Experian Payments develops global strategic payment software solutions and services to meet the requirements of the world’s leading banks and corporate organisations. Focussing on the specific challenges of data validation and payment processing, Experian Payments’ platform-independent solutions help organisations control costs, reduce risks and improve customer service through the minimisation of payment errors. Experian Payments has over 1,000 customers across all sectors of industry and commerce. Experian Payments is a division of Experian

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2009 was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil.

About HypoVereinsbank
HypoVereinsbank is one of the largest private banks in Germany with around 26,000 employees, 680 branch offices and over four million customers. It is a member of the UniCredit Group, which is the leading player in the economic area of Italy, Germany, Austria, and Central and Eastern Europe with over 170,000 employees, 9,000 branches and more than 40 million customers.

NS&I reports savings levels drop this winter

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:52:13 GMT

NS&I's Savings latest survey has found that this winter, the amount of money the population is saving has decreased to its lowest level for over two years. On average, the British public is now setting aside 6.25% of their monthly take-home income. This figure has fallen consistently since this time last year (6.48%), and is at its lowest level since summer 2007 (6.22%).

In pounds, average savings have fallen from £90.12 twelve months ago, winter 2008/09, to £81.94. In addition the average income has fallen to £1310, from £1384 last quarter and at its lowest level since Spring 2008 (£1306).

Examining savings attitudes across the country, savers in East Anglia and the West Midlands recorded positive savings behaviour, managing to set aside more money as a percentage of their income than other areas. East Anglian savers were highest at 7.77% (6.01% in winter 2008/09) with the West Midlands at 6.50% (5.89% in winter 2008/09). In Greater London the average amount saved per person fell below £100 for the first time in almost two years. On average people in London are now saving £99.45 per month.

Tim Mack, Senior Savings Spokesman, NS&I said: "With the new financial year approaching, now is a good time for people to take a closer look at their finances and set themselves savings goals for the year ahead."

Fewer people say they are regularly making regular savings money this quarter. Over the past five years, this figure has fluctuated between 47% and 55%, but this winter it has fallen to 44%, one of the lowest ever recorded levels*.

The amount of money regular savers set aside each month has fallen below £200 for the first time in over a year to £195.08.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
The Savings Survey (Previously the Quarterly Savings Survey) was conducted by TNS, amongst 3003 GB adults aged 16+ between 4 December 2009 and 7 February 2010.
* The lowest ever recorded figure for this savings index was 43% in winter 2006/07.

About NS&I
NS&I is one of the UK's largest financial providers with almost 27 million customers and over £95 billion invested. It is best known for Premium Bonds, but also offers Inflation-Beating savings accounts, Guaranteed Equity Bonds and Children's Bonus Bonds in its range, as well as ISAs and Cash ISAs. All products offer 100% security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.

NS&I products are available over the telephone, internet, post and by standing order. They are also available through a network of Post Office branches, and our product range guide is available in over 300 WHSmith high street stores.

Bigmouthmedia warns online retailers set to face raft of new challenges

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:56:52 GMT

Bigmouthmedia is to warn online retailers that they must prepare to meet the challenge of the most competitive market conditions the sector has ever faced.

Bigmouthmedia senior retail strategist Finlay Clark will tell an invited audience of senior executives at the 2nd Annual bigmouthmedia Retail Summit this month that UK retailers are set to face fresh challenges as ecommerce consumer habits keep evolving rapidly. According to Clark, retailers face multiple opportunities and challenges posed by a shifting approach to the market, a raft of new technological developments and the entry of new players from overseas will have a major impact upon the sector in the coming months.

"With increased competition coming from various angles, retailers are about to face some of the biggest challenges in their history. Big overseas competitors are coming to the UK knowing consumers are sophisticated online shoppers, and the likes of Best Buy will be aiming to make its mark on an increasingly competitive consumer electronics market in 2010. Similarly, in fashion we have seen a shift with the likes of Ebay become clothes shopping destinations in their own right, whilst Amazon has allowed big high street brands to retail on their own platform," said Clark.

"Nowadays independent fashion designers are launching exclusive collections on Ebay - far removed from the second hand and grey market sales that they made their name on - and in many ways they’re now a direct competitor to the retailers themselves."

Clark will be joined by a panel of industry-leading online retail experts speaking on a range of themes including current consumer trends, cross channel shopping habits, the shape of UK internet advertising and the impact of social technologies upon web retailing.

Taking the podium at the Bigmouthmedia Retail Summit will be Benjamin Ensor, VP research director at Forrester Research, Google Retail Industry Leader Peter Fitzgerald and Tony Stockil, CEO of Javelin Group. Hitwise research director Robin Goad and Enders Analysis Founder Claire Enders will also join Clark on the rostrum.

In a presentation designed to identify the 10 key events set to hit Ecommerce over the course of the next two years, Clark will also highlight the challenge presented by the growth of online applications. Although a relatively new phenomenon, he predicts that retailers will be forced to place increasing focus upon keeping up with rapidly developing new marketing technologies.

"Some of the best content in the future will be delivered through applications like those found in Apple's iPhone Apps Store. Retailers are only beginning to get to grips with the value of applications at the moment, and ensuring that theirs stands out and can be found easily by consumers will be a crucial challenge over the next few years," said Clark.

"We'll also see a lot more made of mobile marketing, which is only just beginning to make an impact upon retail, and expect there to be much greater correlation with the way retailers are able to market to consumers based on location-aware technology. Operators like Debenhams are already experimenting with such systems, but we are likely to see rapid developments in the field over the next 24 months."

The bigmouthmedia Retail Summit takes place in London on March 25th and is a free event aimed at senior marketing and ecommerce executives. Places are limited, but those wishing to attend can register at http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/signup for an invitation.

About bigmouthmedia
Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe's largest independent digital marketing agency. With a team of over 200 staff located across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents, the company maximises exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated digital marketing channels: Search engine optimisation, PPC, Online Media Planning, affiliate marketing, Social Networking, Brand Monitoring, Online PR and Web Analytics. Bigmouthmedia also provides up to date daily digital marketing news to ensure clients are fully informed and aware of all industry developments.

Access Legal from Shoosmiths hooks up with biker group

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:28:32 GMT

Access Legal from Shoosmiths is to help the 50,000-strong Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) become the UK's leading consumer organisation for bikers, as the consumer legal services provider announces it has teamed-up with MAG to offer free legal advice to its members.

Comprising volunteers, MAG lobbies to protect motorcycling from legislation it believes threatens riders' pleasure; while its charitable arm - The MAG Foundation - promotes motorcycling through research, representation and collaboration.

Access legal from Shoosmiths is providing a dedicated 24/7 legal helpline to MAG members, their friends and family, offering free legal advice on a range of issues, including road traffic accidents.

Then, for every personal injury instruction received via MAG, Access Legal from Shoosmiths will donate £100 to the Foundation, while £50 will be donated for conveyancing instructions, £25 for motor defence, and £15 for wills.

Partner and head of consumer services at Access Legal, Judith Dorkins said: "Not only are we boosting funds for a worthwhile cause, we're also helping MAG members pursue their rights, have easy access to justice, understand the legal process, and make informed decisions.

"It's great example of our commitment to investing in the community."

MAG general secretary Nich Brown said: "MAG members know their right to ride is one of the most important things in life. Every day we're asked for advice on how to fight injustices by riders who've had a raw deal. This partnership means our members can quickly find expert legal advice of all kinds whenever they need it."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About Access Legal
Access Legal from Shoosmiths is the new consumer brand of top 30 national law firm Shoosmiths. From offices in Basingstoke, Birmingham, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Nottingham, Reading and Southampton, Access Legal from Shoosmiths offers more than 100 legal services to individuals and their families, whether they are buying a house, suffered from a motorbike accident, claiming compensation for an injury or writing a will. Services have been grouped under seven headings: conveyancing; employment law; legal disputes; medical negligence; motoring law; personal injury; and wills, family and wealth. Access Legal from Shoosmiths makes it easier for people to get specialist advice from legal professionals. Shoosmiths has more than 150 years' experience and advises household name corporate clients.

Door2Tour.com revs up for the 2010 F1 Grand Prix season

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:55:58 GMT

Door2Tour.com, the online coach holidays website, has announced the release of its latest coach tour offers covering the 2010 Grand Prix season.

The new range of tours covers the entire 19-race season, which kicks-off in Bahrain on 14th March and finishes in Abu Dhabi on 14 November.

Packages include tickets as well as travel and accommodation, making them the easiest way to get the chance to experience one of the most hotly anticipated Grand Prix seasons.

Adam Handy, General Manager of Door2Tour, said: "With this year's Grand Prix season being billed as one of the most exciting of all, demand means that booking tickets and accommodation independently could be costly."

With the return of Michael Schumacher Door2Tour is anticipating demand for tickets to soar this season, along with hotel prices. The demand for tickets by F1 fans across Britain is also expected to skyrocket, especially for the British Grand Prix, thanks to the epic battle expected between World Champion, Jensen Button, and ex-World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who will both be racing for MacLaren this year.

Adam concluded, "As one of the only coach websites to offer such a comprehensive range of Grand Prix packages, with a number of departures across a handful tour operators, Door2Tour customers can book safe in the knowledge that they're being offered the best choice at great prices - with no added hassle."

Door2Tour.com is a specialist in coach holidays, event and Europe tour packages, and the latest range of Grand Prix tour packages includes travel, transfers, ticket and accommodation, all with nationwide pickup points.

About Door2Tour.com:
Door2Tour.com is a consolidation of tour operators creating a diverse choice of UK and worldwide touring holidays, events packages, theatre break , cruises and holidays by air to many exciting destinations. All have live availability and offer the customer the opportunity to book online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Door2Tour.com touring and coach holiday booking and reference service offers over 30,000 tour choices from hundreds of regional UK departure points with some operators picking up passengers from their door. Door2Tour work in partnership with some of the biggest operators including Newmarket Holidays.

Door2Tour.com is a comprehensive guide and a reference point with 1,000+ pages of content and more than 6,000 images and this content is growing on a daily basis. Door2Tour.com uses the Internet to attract new customers to the coach tourism industry, delivering the next generation of coach tour passengers.

PR contact:
Rachel Jones
14 New Hythe Lane
Larkfield
Aylesford
Kent
ME20 6AB
UK
01732 879138
www.door2tour.com

House of Fraser introduces Kenneth Cole New York Women's Footwear collection

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:49:06 GMT

House of Fraser in-store and online has launched the new women's footwear range from Kenneth Cole New York, in addition to the menswear and womenswear lines. The full Kenneth Cole New York assortment now available at House of Fraser includes women's footwear, handbags, and jewellery and men's tailored clothing, outerwear, bags, luggage, small leather goods, belts and jewellery,

The Kenneth Cole New York shoe collection boasts an exclusive patented cushioning system, called 925 Technology, which offers comfort and style for women who love fashion.

Kenneth Cole New York has introduced 925 Technology into the entire women's footwear collection - from pointy toe flats and motorcycle boots to strappy stilettos and evening heeled styles.

Women will no longer need two different pairs of shoes to address the need for comfortable 'wear to work' styles and 'wear in the office' heels. Kenneth Cole shoes can be worn from day to evening without having to worry about soles of the feet getting sore. It's truly the movement to support movement and, in turn, the effort to save the soles of shoe lovers across the world.

Each 925 Technology foot bed has two layers of PORON(R) foam: one is a shock absorber; the other is memory foam that moulds to the shape of the foot, becoming even more comfortable with each step. A unique flaxseed pillow is embedded in the arch cradles of the shoes, which supports the foot, while a soft rubber sole enhances flexibility. The shoes are finely constructed with supple sheepskin lining that allows feet to breathe a welcome sigh of relief. In addition to this, all high heel styles have an impact resistant nylon heel lift - ideal for running through the streets or rushing from meeting to meeting.

This feel-good technology will revolutionise the fashion shoe industry by providing the most comfortable shoes for fashion conscious women.

ENDS

The company was acquired by the Highland consortium in November 2006 marking the beginning an exciting new chapter in its history. The group has annual sales in excess of £1.25bn and employs 6,500 House of Fraser staff and 10,000 concession staff through 5 million sq ft of selling space. Kenneth Cole accessories and the Kenneth Cole Menswear collection are available through House of Fraser online.

Revolver PR urges caution over use of Twitter for Digital PR

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:44:29 GMT

Revolver PR has urged brands to adopt a more informed, moderate approach to the use of social media tools for Digital PR.

With enthusiasm for the social media phenomenon reaching epic proportions, Revolver PR has noticed a growing tendency for organisations keen to initiate online PR strategies to set up accounts on platforms like Twitter without considering the potential implications for their profile. The digitally-enabled public relations consultancy says that while online networking platforms can provide companies with a powerful toolkit for buzz monitoring and promotions, campaigns that use such channels inappropriately are a waste of time and resources.

"Too many PR practitioners seem to be in a panic over social media and are responding by rushing to set up client accounts on Twitter, Facebook and any other service they find vaguely recognisable. These are powerful tools and many of our clients do use them to great effect, but they are not a universal public relations panacea and simply will not work for every company," said Revolver PR Managing Director Iain Bruce.

"If there's a natural home for a corporate Twitter account it's with the client services department, where they need to make themselves immediately and easily available to customers. The case for marcoms involvement is less clear. Quite apart from the obvious potential dangers of getting into live, two-way and very public discussions with members of the public, the fact remains that for many business sectors these networks are simply not the right place to push sales."

Irrespective of the particular platform, Revolver PR's approach is to plan Digital PR strategies using a blend of key press and public relations skills. The agency's team are experts in both the traditional press and online media, and ensure that all print and broadcast activity is accompanied by an appropriate multi-platform digital strategy tailored to meet each campaign's individual goals and target audience.

"Digital PR is not about promising prizes to the person who retweets your promotional link the most or commanding junior account executives to beg people to sign up to Facebook fan pages. It's about using tried and tested press techniques, modifying them where necessary, and using a blend of analysis and strategy to promote them across the channels appropriate to their target audience," added Bruce.

About Revolver PR
Revolver PR is Scotland's leading digitally-enabled PR consultancy and is geared to deliver results across the print, broadcast & digital media. Combining key press and public relations consultancy skills with leading-edge understanding of Digital PR, internet news distribution, social media, events PR and video marketing, the agency offers a full range of corporate communications services designed to deliver twice the value of traditional PR.
http://revolver-pr.co.uk

Wyndham appoints Line Digital as EMEA digital partner

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:43:35 GMT

Wyndham Hotel Group has appointed award-winning Line as its key digital agency in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

One of the world's largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Hotel Group selected Line to provide technical, creative and strategic support on three continents following a multi-agency pitch. Responsible for managing the world-renowned corporation's digital direct response projects, Line is also providing site updates across a portfolio of famous brands that includes Wyndham, Ramada and Days Inn.

"Like many global players, Wyndham faced the challenge of trying to enhance its online brand presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We're delighted to be working across these regions to define a new, consistent and engaging experience for the company’s customers across all its key brands, and will be implementing a number of exciting new projects over the course of 2010," said Ross Laurie, Managing Director at Line

Charged with the ongoing creation of direct response assets, over the next two years, Line will develop a series of online tools designed to help improve user experience and increase sales, including integration of hotel availability and information for the Days Inn chain into Google Maps. In addition to handling the migration of the Italian, German and Austrian Ramada sites to the company’s core TeamSite platform, the creative digital agency will also work collaboratively with both Wyndham's technology team and the Group's Hong Kong-based APAC agency.

"The scope and breadth of our online activities continues to grow. We were looking for an experienced creative and strategic agency to provide practical support and advice as the company continues to develop its digital presence. Line's winning reputation and extensive market experience made them the natural choice for the job," said Andrew Dufty, Wyndham Hotel Group Vice President International Marketing.

About Line
Line is a digital agency. They help clients profit through digital channels. Insightful, knowledgeable and creative; that’s Line. A digital agency that works alongside clients to deliver success for both, they use sophisticated internet-based marketing techniques to offer accountability and results, delivering innovative easy-to-manage technology and award-winning design. The results are there for all to see. http://www.line.uk.com

About Wyndham Hotel Group
Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), encompasses more than 7,100 hotels and 597,000 rooms in 67 countries under the hotel brands: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate® by Wyndham, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inns & Suites®, Hawthorn Suites® by Wyndham, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and Knights Inn®.

All hotels are independently owned and operated excluding certain Wyndham and international Ramada hotels which are managed by our affiliate or through a joint venture partner. Wyndham Hotel Group is based in Parsippany, N.J. Additional information is available at http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com

npower survey indicates World Cup in 2018 would boost UK businesses

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:52:41 GMT

Businesses would benefit from a £3.2 billion cash bonanza and morale would be boosted with a World Cup in England in 2018, according to a major survey of bosses.

The findings were revealed in new research undertaken by energy firm npower, which the England 2018 Bid team announced today as an Official Sponsor of England's World Cup Bid.

More than 82% of bosses polled believe a World Cup would be great for business, with 55% saying it will deliver major financial benefit, while 63% say it would boost morale.

England 2018 states that the tournament could bring a £3.2 billion cash injection to England, with much of this likely to benefit small businesses such as pubs, hotels, restaurants and retailers. FIFA will make the decision on which county hosts the 2018 World Cup in December 2010.

npower is now calling on its customers to get behind the bid and pledge their support for a World Cup in England in 2018. It also plans to combine football with footprint by helping businesses in the bid's 12 host cities cut their energy use and carbon footprint..

Giuseppe Di Vita, managing director of npower retail markets, said: "We're absolutely delighted to be supporting the bid to stage the World Cup in England and excited by what a successful bid would mean for the country. We work with all of our customers to help them improve energy efficiency and many of our business customers have realised savings of thousands of pounds off their bills. Bringing the 2018 World Cup to England is another way of boosting businesses' bottom lines.

"There's sure to be huge excitement around England's chances in South Africa this year, but even that would be eclipsed by the excitement of supporting the team on home soil. As official 2018 bid sponsors, we’ll be doing everything we can to help this happen and make sure businesses get the most out of a successful bid."

The npower survey also showed that Wayne Rooney is the favourite of England's young players to captain the 2018 squad - 67% believe he will be captain, with Theo Walcott backed by 17%, James Milner 10% and Aaron Lennon 6%.

England 2018 Chief Executive Andy Anson said: "The support of npower is extremely important in our bid to host the 2018 World Cup and we're delighted that they've joined the team. With hundreds of thousands of business customers across the country npower is sure to play a vital role in marketing the bid and building home support. Businesses small and large are essential in staging a successful event and we hope the business community will get behind us and back the bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018."

ENDS

About npower:
-npower is one of the top energy suppliers to the UK business market, serving over 238,000 small to medium sized enterprise sites and around 17,000 industrial and commercial customers, with over 100,000 sites
-npower is dedicated to helping UK businesses use energy more efficiently and therefore spend less money on their bills. We aim to have a positive impact on the communities we serve and reduce our customers’ carbon footprint whilst always improving our service to our customers.
-npower supplies green energy to Wembley Stadium and the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.
-npower specialises in risk management solutions, including market-leading flexible energy purchasing, energy efficiency, and broader energy management functions, tailored to every size of business.
-For major energy users, npower offers multi-utility management consultancy to enable organisations to improve efficiencies right across the procurement/consumption chain.
-npower customers include BT, Wembley Stadium plc, AstraZeneca and Sainsbury’s.

British Airways announces tie-up with Meridiana and adds Florence route to network

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:41:18 GMT

British Airways and Meridiana-Eurofly have announced a new codesharing agreement on Meridiana's services between London Gatwick and Florence. The agreement allows passengers to buy a BA ticket on ba.com for direct flights to Florence from Gatwick, benefiting from BA fares and pre- and post flight BA customer service.

The new agreement came into place February 10, 2010 on Meridiana's double daily service from Gatwick South Terminal to Florence. British Airways customers will benefit from a two class A319 aircraft on this route offering both Business (Electa Club) & Economy seating options.

Gavin Halliday, area general manager for Europe, said, "Tuscany has long been a favourite destination for our customers and we already operate two flights a day from London to Pisa, increasing to three flights a day during the summer season. Tying up with Meridiana increases our capacity into this very popular holiday region and we are very pleased to be able to offer our customers a wider choice of flights."

Giuseppe Russo, Executive VP Commercial Meridiana-Eurofly, said: "We started cooperating with British Airways several years ago on the Milan Linate-London Heathrow route and this new agreement on our Florence-Gatwick flights should further strengthen our relationship with British Airways, now and in the future".

British Airways also offers a range of hotels in Florence, from 2* budget hotels for the price-conscious through to the magnificent 18th century palace 5* Grand Hotel Florence overlooking a beautiful historical square by the Arno River, or for the design conscious, there is the 4* Una Vittoria. Car rental in Florence is available through Avis and provides customer with the perfect tool for their driving holiday around Tuscany.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

About British Airways:
British Airways plc offers a wide range of worldwide destinations - including holidays in Italy, flights, hotels, car rental and experiences. Save time and money with ba.com when booking ATOL protected holiday packages. Passengers are offered added peace of mind to their holiday plans and the security of travelling with British Airways. British Airways plc constantly seeks to exceed customers' expectations, both in terms of the value for money and quality of the service provided.

Barclaycard Freedom scheme customers to receive boost from npower

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:51:12 GMT

Barclaycard Freedom customers are being provided with the chance to boost their accounts by up to £160 of Reward Money in a year, thanks to npower's new reward offer launch.

The reward, the first in the scheme to be paid regardless of the amount the customer spends on their card, is recorded in £s not points, and can be spent by customers immediately with tens of thousands of participating retailers across the UK.

Barclaycard Freedom, which launches in March, offers the concept of a rewards programme to many small and medium retailers for the first time. In addition to encompassing household names, including npower, over 30,000 retail outlets have been invited to be part of the scheme at launch. On average there will be 200 retailers within a five mile radius of where a Barclaycard cardholder lives and many more retailers are expected to join in the coming months.

Celebrating the partnership, npower is also doubling its sign-up incentive to £60* of Reward Money for Barclaycard Freedom customers transferring their gas and electricity to npower before May 17th 2010. Along with the £100 annual loyalty payment for both new and existing npower customers paying by monthly direct debit for both fuels, Barclaycard Freedom holders could earn enough in a year to buy a meal out for the entire family, special treat for someone or have a shopping spree online, simply by choosing npower as their gas and electricity supplier.

Giuseppe Di Vita, Managing Director of npower Retail Markets, commented: "Our customers have told us that they would like more freedom of choice in the way that they are rewarded for joining and staying with npower. Participating in the Barclaycard Freedom scheme enables us to give our customers the choice of up to 30,000 retailers to redeem their Reward Money. Our customers will benefit from a straightforward, simple and transparent way to get more value for their money."

Sarah Newman, Managing Director of Barclaycard Freedom, commented: "Barclaycard Freedom incorporates all of the best elements of a rewards scheme with no vouchers or coupons to collect and no points to calculate - the rewards are quite simply in pounds and pence. Offers like npower’s - the first of its kind in the Barclaycard Freedom scheme - give customers a new way that they can build up their reward balance. We hope that customers enjoy spending their Reward Money."

Notes to editors:
* Standard incentive offer for Barclaycard Freedom customers signing up to npower for both electricity and gas is £30 (£15 per fuel). Offer has been doubled to £60 (£30 per fuel) for a limited period from 17 March - 17 May 2010.

-Ends-

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global Retail Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues charge and credit cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Key facts published in February 2010;
number of UK customers: 10.4m
number of international customers: 10.8m
number of retailer/merchant relationships: 87,000

About npower
npower has 6.6 million residential gas and electricity accounts throughout the UK. npower is a market leader in renewable energy. npower juice matches green energy primarily from off-shore wind farms for juice customers at no extra cost. Join the energy industry discussion on npower's interactive debating website the brighter energy debate where you can post your questions, views and comments

Premier Inn acquires property adjacent to the Olympic Stadium

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:05:04 GMT

Premier Inn, owned by Whitbread PLC, the UK's largest hotel and restaurant group, has announced its latest site acquisition for a new 267-bedroom budget hotel at Stratford, located adjacent to the Olympic Stadium, investing some £25m and creating approximately 90 jobs.

The hotel will also be the closest hotel to the new Stratford International station which opened in December 2009. Stratford Premier Inn will be one of the best connected hotels in the country - only minutes from central London on the new high-speed rail service and just over two hours to Paris on the Eurostar. The acquisition also ensures Whitbread will be an early investor in the Stratford regeneration project which will see the creation of a vibrant new business centre for London.

Since the start of 2009, Premier Inn has extended its position as London's leading budget hotel operator with 13 new locations at sites ranging from Greenwich to Islington. The new hotels are predominately leasehold with a total value of £160m. The site in Stratford plus the other new locations will all be open and trading by summer 2012, boosting Premier Inn's total number of bedrooms by 2,324. In total, Premier Inn will have 8,374 rooms across 59 hotels in London by 2012.

Whitbread is expecting to create almost 1,000 new Premier Inn jobs in London between now and summer 2012.

Alan Parker, Chief Executive of Whitbread PLC, said: "Securing this first-class location adjacent to the Olympic Stadium is a great result for us. With our expansion over the next two years Premier Inn will have an unrivalled presence across London with more bedrooms in more locations than any other hotel operator."

John Burton, Director of Westfield Stratford City, where the hotel will be based, said: "Premier Inn is a fantastic addition to the scheme. The hotel will be in a prestigious location adjacent to the International Station. Westfield Stratford City has unrivalled connectivity and the opportunities that offers in terms of catchment are unparalleled. Westfield Stratford City will be projected onto a world stage during the Olympic Games in 2012 and we are creating a new metropolitan hub which will transform east London for the wider community, prompting increased investment and business activity in the area for years to come."

-ends-

Notes to Editors:
Award winning Premier Inn, is the UK's biggest and fastest-growing hotel brand with over 580 budget hotels and more than 40,000 rooms across the UK. Rooms are available from just £29. Premier Inn bedrooms feature an en-suite bathroom, TV, and internet access for business guests. Premier Inn offers customers a 'Good Night Guarantee' of a good quality room, comfortable surroundings and friendly service, which is unique amongst Britain’s leading hotel chains.

In 2008 Premier Inn launched in Dubai and in 2009 opened in India. On a domestic front, Premier Inn is set to be the largest provider of budget hotels in London by the 2012 Olympics.