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Burton unveils the perfect black suit

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:34:02 GMT

Burton was set the challenge by the owner of the brand, Sir Philip Green to design the perfect single breasted black suit for the autumn/winter 2010 season. Each suit, as well as the accompanying formal white shirt, was given the brief to look great on any of their customers but without the bespoke Saville Row price tag.

With Burton's renowned heritage for tailoring dating back to 1903, Sir Philip automatically thought the brand would be able to crack this suiting conundrum. Over the years Burton has achieved such accolades as producing uniforms for British troops in both World War I & II, creating the demob suit (leading to the company coining the phrase "the full Monty") and suiting and booting the winning England World Cup team in 1966.

Additionally, Burton has dressed such diverse celebrities as Vinnie Jones, Sean Connery, Joe Cole, Bobby Moore and Steve Jones, all of whom know the power of a well cut suit.

Although a hard task to crack, the team have achieved what can only be described as producing a suit which looks great on any man.

The perfect black suits come in four styles, with two slim and two tailored fits creating a clean and masculine silhouette for autumn/winter 2010. This, coupled with the fabric choice of black mohair, as well as the varied lapel widths including a slim and wide peak and a notch lapel, ensure that every man can wear the look this season.

About Burton:
Burton was originally founded in 1903 under the name The Cross-Tailoring Company. It quickly became popular and expanded into hundreds of outlets and factories across the United Kingdom. Today, it is a staple on most high streets and a popular retailer for mens fashion including gifts for men, casual clothing and men's t-shirts, mens shirts and men's suits, men's shoes and jeans.

Customers can also shop online from the Burton.co.uk website which offers free returns in-store or by post and fast delivery to their home. The site features a useful size guide to ensure customers can get the correct fit for all items. They can also sign up for the Burton newsletter, which offers all the latest style updates, exclusive discounts and competitions.

Stockist number: 0845 121 4514

npower reveals Billericay is home to Britain’s oldest boiler

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:38:44 GMT

npower hometeam's nationwide search for Britain's oldest boiler has come to an end with Colin Sadler from Billericay being revealed as the owner of the oldest boiler in the country.

While the floppy disk, the video cassette and Bananarama have all been and gone, Colin Sadler’s boiler has been quietly ticking along at his home in Essex since 1968 and is still going strong.

Colin had never given his boiler a second thought, until his wife Sue read in his local paper that npower hometeam was on the search for Britain's oldest system. It was then that he thought his old Crane Caviller boiler, that has been in his home since him and his wife moved in 28 years ago, may stand a chance.

Since the Government's boiler scrappage scheme launched in January, npower hometeam, which installs, services and repairs boilers, has overseen the replacement of hundreds of old, inefficient boilers across the country. Inspired by these discoveries, the company launched a nationwide hunt to find the oldest boiler and, out of over 100 entries, Colin's system was confirmed as the oldest.

He will now receive £3,000 towards a new A-rated energy efficient boiler and installation.

Colin commented: "When my wife and I moved into our home in 1982, the seller warned us the boiler was quite old, but we decided to keep it as it was in good working order. It wasn't until an engineer recently told us he was reticent to service it because it was so old that we thought it might be about time to have a new one.

"That said, when I entered it into the competition I certainly didn't think it would be the oldest one they'd find. It's done us proud for many years, but we’re looking forward to get a new energy efficient boiler, as I think this one has earned its retirement."

Richard Cotton, head of sales for npower hometeam, commented: "Colin's boiler is a great example of some of the antique systems entered in to our competition. It's a surprise to see a system still working after more than 40 years.

"But as with many older boilers, Colin’s system is no longer in production, which can make it difficult to service as parts are no longer available. And the boiler itself is very inefficient compared to modern boilers which could save hundreds of pounds in heating bills.

"We're pleased to be able to provide Colin with help towards installing a new energy efficient boiler which will make a big difference to his energy bills and carbon footprint.

For customers who want to protect their current gas boiler, npower has a pioneering new boiler care service called npower hometeam 50. It offers boiler care including an annual boiler service usually worth £74 and repairs.

For more details of npower hometeam’s new boiler installations or hometeam 50 visit www.npower.com/hometeam

Notes to editors:
npower hometeam installs, services and repairs boilers, in addition to offering a wide variety of heating cover options.

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.

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.

Saxo Bank releases new monthly equity research on value stocks in tradingfloor.com

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:50:43 GMT

Saxo Bank, the specialist in online trading and investment, has launched a new monthly equity research publication entitled "Global Value Equity Strategy" focused on highlighting the most undervalued stocks from around the world. It will appear each month on the Equities section of www.tradingfloor.com.

The "Global Value Equity Strategy" will highlight a value portfolio on 30 of the most undervalued stocks from around the world according to a proprietary equity screening model. Each issue of the publication will included back testing results and performance evaluation of the live portfolio.

"One of the many advantages of such a value strategy is that the investment horizon is longer, usually one year or more, eliminating short-term volatility currently prevalent in equity markets," said Christian Blaabjerg, chief equity strategist at Saxo Bank. "Equity related investment letters are widely distributed on the Internet nowadays. Few of them, however, focus on undervalued securities."

The "Global Value Equity Strategy" report includes a brief introduction to value stocks, how to recognize them and why investing in them is likely to generate superior returns compared to widely used benchmarks. The phrases "growth stocks" and "value stocks" appear fairly often in financial reports and publications and the "Global Value Equity Strategy" explains that a growth stock is a company, often large and well-known, which has generated high and stable earnings growth over a longer period of time. Investors tend to value such stocks higher as they extrapolate historical growth into the future. The problem is that only few stocks are able to maintain such earnings growth for a long time and competition typically results in a slowdown, eroding margins and market share for growth companies. This seems to explain why they tend to be inferior investments.

In backtesting from the start of 2006, the Saxo Bank Global Value Equity Strategy outperformed its benchmark index by far in 15 out of 18 quarters, even when dividends are excluded.

About Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank is an online trading and investment specialist, enabling clients to trade Forex, CFDs, Stocks / Equities, Futures, Options and other derivatives via SaxoWebTrader and SaxoTrader, the leading online trading platforms. SaxoTrader is available directly through Saxo Bank or through one of the Bank’s global partners. White label is a significant business area for Saxo Bank, and involves customised and branding the Bank’s online trading platform for other financial institutions and brokers. Saxo Bank has more than 120 white label clients and boasts thousands of clients in over 180 countries. Saxo Bank is headquartered in Copenhagen with offices in Australia, China, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and the United Arab Emirates.

Rezidor open the Radisson Blu Resort Split in Croatia

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:07:37 GMT

The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened the Radisson Blu Resort Split in Croatia, a luxurious hotel right on the Adriatic coast with panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea and the island Brac.

After an extensive renovation and reconstruction, the former and legendary "Hotel Split" with a history of nearly 50 years offers 240 stylish guest rooms including 2 Presidential suites.

"We are delighted to add a further outstanding first class hotel to our Croatian portfolio. Rezidor aims to grow its young and successful resort business further and Croatia as an emerging holiday destination in Europe offers not only beautiful landscapes but also the needed infrastructure and manpower," said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.

The Radisson Blu Resort Split is located only 15 minutes walk away from the historic city centre and is located beside a wonderful pristine beach with the Adriatic Sea just steps away. It is a unique combination of a city hotel and a sea resort and is headed by General Manager Maik Schaefer, a German national. Whether guests choose the classical, yet modern Economy Rooms or the Standard- and Deluxe Rooms or the suites with their ultra-stylish, light and airy design, the majority of rooms offer breathtaking sea views. Higher room categories also feature extras such as balconies, Nespresso machines, bathrobes and slippers. The Presidential suites comprise of 260 m² each, 3 bedrooms, a private terrace with Jacuzzi and an outdoor sauna.

Two restaurants, a bar and a Lobby Lounge can also be found at the luxury hotel in Split. "The Fig Leaf" restaurant serves Radisson Blu's signature "super breakfast" and international buffets with an abundant choice of Mediterranean and Continental specialties as well as live cooking stations and a wonderful terrace towards the sea. "The Caper", a grill restaurant in a modern and sleek environment, combines grilled cuts, delicious fish and selected wines from Croatia and all around the world. "The Door" bar adds a modern twist to a list of international and award-winning cocktails, and the Lobby Lounge offers a cosy atmosphere and is a perfect meeting place.

Besides access to a private beach with sun beds, separate plateau and bar service, the hotel in Split also comprises an indoor and outdoor pool, a fitness centre and an exclusive Anne Sémonin Spa with 8 treatment rooms, whirlpool, sauna and steam baths. Within the hotel grounds, an international casino will be housed, and for those who wish to combine business and leisure, the hotel offers 7 meeting rooms and a banquet hall, all equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

About The Rezidor Hotel Group
The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of more than 400 hotels in operation and under development including hotels in London, hotels in Paris and hotels in Rome, with more than 86,300 rooms in over 60 countries.

Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plusSM loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Under a worldwide licence agreement with the iconic Italian fashion house Missoni, Rezidor also operates and develops the new lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni.

In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson Companies is the main shareholder.

The Corporate Office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium.

Stars play gigs in an Oxfam shop to launch the UK’s biggest ever charity music festival

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:00:09 GMT

A diverse range of the biggest names in music, including pop princesses Diana Vickers and Gabriella Cilmi, Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell, and Britpop legends The Charlatans will perform their most unusual shows to date - inside an Oxfam shop.

A London Oxfam shop will stage a series of exclusive, intimate performances, among the books, clothing and charity gifts on the shop floor itself to launch the charity’s month-long Oxjam music festival.

The confirmed lineup so far, with more to be added, is:

Monday 27 September: The Charlatans (plus special guest Tom Furse from The Horrors), dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip plus more TBC. Hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens.

Tuesday 28 September: Diana Vickers, Gabriella Cilmi, Pearl & The Puppets

Wednesday 29 September: Johnny Borrell plus more TBC

Thursday 30 September: Four Tet plus more TBC

The Oxfam shop in London, whose location remains a secret until the week of the gigs, will become an Oxjam shop for the week, selling the best second-hand music in the city during the day. During the evening, it will be converted into a gig venue, playing host to these intimate performances in front of a just a handful of fans lucky enough to get their hands on a ticket.

Tickets to the shows will be limited to less than 200 per night, and will go on sale from 9.00am on Thursday 2 September exclusively from www.wegottickets.com/oxjam. Tickets for these exclusive one-off performances cost £25 and all profits go to Oxfam’s lifesaving work around the world.

Former X-Factor star Diana Vickers, who headlines Tuesday night’s Oxfam shop show, said:

“Oxfam shops have always been one of my favourite places to hunt for a bargain, so to be performing in one will be a thrill for me. The best thing, though, is that everyone who takes part - from singers like me to musicians, promoters and audience members - is the real star of Oxjam. It’s exciting to think that anyone can get involved and every single gig will help to raise loads of money to change lives around the world.”

Tim Burgess, who will be performing Charlatans classics on the opening night, added:

“We’ve been playing shows for twenty years now, but performing in an Oxfam shop has to go down as the most unusual venue we’ve ever played. I’ve been buying music from Oxfam shops for years, so it’s great to be able to take our music onto the shop floor and kick off a whole month of great music with a global impact.”

Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell, whose new band performs on Wednesday night, said:

“Playing intimate shows up close to the audience is very important to me, and to do it in an Oxfam shop will be very special. Our gig is only the beginning of a movement of thousands of gigs, club nights and events right across the country, all raising money to fight poverty. ”

The charity shop gigs officially launch the Oxjam month of music, which runs through the whole of October. During October, more than 950 venues, 2,000 volunteers, 6,000 bands and musicians and 135,000 audience members will enable Oxjam to raise £500,000 to help Oxfam fight poverty. Oxjam is a festival with a difference: thousands of fundraising music events are put on by ordinary people - from large-scale festivals to local sponsored busks - making it the biggest line-up of any music festival in the UK.

The highlight of the month-long festival will be the Oxjam Takeover, a series of city-wide mini-festivals taking place in 31 locations across the UK, from Aberdeen to Bournemouth, on the weekend of 23 and 24 October. During a single weekend, around 3,000 musicians will perform to an audience of more than 35,000, all raising money to help Oxfam fight poverty worldwide.

Faithless will perform at one of the highlights of the volunteer-organised events, with a special show on 1 October at the Coronet in London, supported by a stellar cast of dance music stars.

Previous artists who have performed the Oxfam shop gigs in the last couple of years include Jarvis Cocker, Fatboy Slim, Editors, The Kooks, Hot Chip, Jamelia, VV Brown and Basement Jaxx.

Since 2006, more than 36,000 musicians have played to an audience of over 750,000 people at almost 3,000 Oxjam events, raising in excess of £1.2 million to fight poverty around the world. Oxjam 2010 is expected to take the total past £1.5 million, enough to buy safe water for 1.6 million people, 750,000 bags of seeds or 60,000 goats.

To find out what Oxjam events are going on in your area this October, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam or call .

-Ends-
Notes to editors

Oxjam Takeover events take place on 23 & 24 October in the following locations:

Aberdeen, Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brecon, Brighton, Bristol, Canterbury, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Guildford, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London (Brixton, Leadenhall Market, Brick Lane, Kilburn, Kingston), Manchester, Neath, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton, Stirling, Stoke-on-Trent and Wiltshire.

* More than 600 Oxfam shops across the country sell second-hand music - double the total number of independent record shops in the UK*.
* Oxfam shops sell around £6 million of music every year, which equates to around 1.8 million CDs and records every year, all donated by the British public. The largest single donation was of 4,000 vinyl albums to an Oxfam shop in Devon in 2008.
* Oxfam has been one of the lead charities at Glastonbury since 1993, raising £2.7 million through stewarding the festival and signing up more than 400,000 people in support of its campaigns at the festival. Oxfam works at seventeen music festivals across the summer, stewarding, campaigning and selling festival fashion.

For more information, please visit www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam

IGO-POST aims to reward brand loyalty with the launch of IGO-POINTS

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:03:25 GMT

IGO-POST, a European market leader in the production and supply of promotional products to corporate clients across all sectors, has announced the launch of IGO-POINTS, a long-term loyalty programme, recognising the company’s ongoing commitment to rewarding customer loyalty.

Moving away from the traditional short-term incentives used more widely in the promotional products industry, IGO-POINTS is designed to ensure that long-term customer loyalty is rewarded at all levels, from large corporate clients to smaller customers with a lower average spend.

IGO-POINTS enables customers to earn points for every order made, which can then be redeemed against a wide range of gifts including top brand electronics, branded luggage, perfumes, domestic appliances, toys, games consoles, food and beverages. Customers will be able to earn points for orders with or without print, placed both on and offline.

The IGO-POINTS programme is being rolled out across 12 countries from September 2010, in partnership with Sparco International, an emerging loyalty programme specialist and commercial distributor of A-brands, consumer electronics and luxury goods.

In line with IGO-POST’s continuing development of its online services, UK customers will be able to log-in, monitor points, build wish lists and select gifts via a dedicated online portal. Customers will also be able to link to the portal via their existing online account.

With the organisation having been founded in December 1945, the new loyalty scheme is launched as part of the company’s 65th anniversary celebrations.

Sam Davies, IGO-POST’s UK General Manager said: "This year marks a significant landmark for the organisation and we wanted to ensure that our customers are part of the celebrations. Without our loyal customer base, our considerable growth and development into a European market leader would not have been possible” he continued “The IGO-POINTS programme is an industry first and rewards customers, both small and large, for their commitment to IGO-POST."

IGO-POST has confirmed that customers not wishing to opt-in to the loyalty programme will still be able to take advantage of the company’s existing discount scheme, which provides scaled discounts based on the value of each order placed.

From September, the IGO-POINTS programme will be publicised online via the company’s promotional products website and through their 74th major catalogue release, the IGO-POST Collection 2010/2011. The 343 page catalogue will not only launch the new loyalty programme, but will also see the introduction of more than 100 new promotional products to the market, including international Christmas hampers and a range of branded Jamie Oliver products.

About IGO-POST
Founded in 1945, IGO-POST specialises in the production and supply of printed promotional products and business gifts to corporate clients across all sectors, from major market leading companies to schools and charities. The company is a leader in the European market with a team of over 500 staff spanning 12 countries. As a family-owned business IGO-POST has an on-going commitment to a range of charities, through significant annual donations.

The company offers a range of over 1000 promotional products via mail order and online, with products delivered from stock. IGO-POST boasts the largest printing facility in the industry with an area of 2,100 m², more than forty specialist printing machines and a modern logistics centre with an area of 12,000 m².

Hotels.com guest reviews reveal increase in airport hotel popularity

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:37:30 GMT

Hotels.com has revealed an increase in approval ratings for airport hotels.

According to guest reviews collated by the accommodation provider, staying at an airport has gone from bleak to chic with the introduction of luxe amenities and convenient time and money saving services that rival more expensive city-centered hotels. It's a fact that airport hotels have always given travelers the ease and convenience of being as close as possible to their gate the night before a trip, and are also known as a place to crash in between bad weather and "technical difficulties". Hotels.com's guest reviews show airport hotels have surprisingly exceeded expectations and have made travelers reconsider staying at airport hotels.

"Travellers today are highly influenced by the opinions of others," commented Hotels.com Director of Public Relations, Taylor L. Cole, APR. "Many of our 1 million guest reviews are showing an increase in the approval rating for airport hotels which indicates that more often airport hotels are meeting and exceeding the needs of busy business and leisure travelers who expect savings, amenities and the convenience of an airport location."

Staying at the airport costs on average 42 per cent* less than staying at a centrally-located downtown property. Business travelers looking to save money during these difficult economic times can trim costs by utilizing airport accommodations versus more expensive downtown hotels. Many airport hotels aim to save money for the business traveler as well as the leisure traveler by offering complimentary Wi-Fi and hot breakfast.

Additionally, many airport hotels are conveniently located within major cities, with easy access via subway, bus, shuttle or light-rail. For instance, Boston's Logan International Airport is a short ride to the world-famous Faneuil Hall Marketplace shopping and entertainment district. Many hotels in this area average $250-$400 per night. With rates as low as $119, the AAA Four Diamond Hilton Boston Logan Airport boasts its own skywalk that links guests to the airports terminals where Boston’s public transportation can be accessed. Hilton Boston Logan Airport’s Cafe Presto prepares travel-ready meals and is conveniently located in the lobby for guests in a hurry and in need of something on the go. A Hotels.com guest reviewer said: "Great place to stay, easy access to transportation. We were able to either take the shuttle or walk across the skywalk to the airport where we could hop on the Silver Line and then connect to whatever train line we wanted."

Hotels.com makes it easy for travellers to choose an airport hotel. Customers can visit the Hotels.com homepage and use the 'Where are you going?' box to search by city/destination or airport code. Users can then add travel dates, the number of rooms required, view pictures of hotels and read guest reviews from real travellers.

Notes to Editors:
*based on airport hotels averaged at $75.50 per night and downtown hotels averaged at $130.80 per night on random dates. Prices/rates are subject to availability. See site for details.

About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering more than 85,000 properties in over 60 countries including New York hotels, Vegas hotels, hotels in Chicago and hotels in Orlando. Hotels.com is the smarter way to book travel by offering welcomerewards, an industry leading loyalty rewards program; the real opinions of other travelers captured in over 1.5 million Guest Reviews and; a Price Match Guarantee, so that those booking with Hotels.com can be assured they are getting the best deal, either online or by speaking directly to a travel expert at 1-800-2-HOTELS 24 hours a day. For more information, please visit hotels.com. Hotels.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE). Please visit the Hotels.com Travel Smart Blog for consumer and business travel information. Follow Hotels.com on Twitter via twitter.com/hotelsdotcom, on Facebook at facebook.com/hotelsdotcom and take a VirtualVacation at virtualvacay.com.

Memega celebrates Eid

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:43:04 GMT

MeMega, a technology specialist based in Saudi Arabia, is launching a range of special offers during the Muslim festival of 'Eid'.

In order to promote the idea of gift giving among those celebrating the festival, MeMega has announced a range of special offers on cutting edge technological items that make ideal gifts for friends and family. Notable offers that will apply during Eid include 20% off all PC games and selected PS3, Xbox 360 titles, 10% off the Sony Vaio all in one desktop computer and an iPad bundle featuring a 64G Wifi iPad, an iPad case, headphones and power adapter. Customers who purchase an Acer Predator gaming PC will also receive a free Dell widescreen monitor.

John Hinde, Operations Director at MeMega said: "Eid is a time for celebration, spending time with loved ones and gift giving. MeMega's promotions for Eid across our amazing range of electrical and home entertainment products provide the perfect gift ideas."

Other offers available during the festival include a free copy of Wii Sports Resort available to customers who buy a Wii console with Wii Sports and free copies of 'Alan Wake' for shoppers who purchase an Xbox 360 Elite and gaming chair.

As well as items on special offer, MeMega stocks a huge range of home entertainment products and consumer electronics including laptops, audio equipment and accessories.

About MeMega:
MeMega.com is Saudi Arabia's leading specialist electrical and technology retailer providing the latest technology products, such as gaming laptops and home entertainment systems, to customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It was one of the first technology specialists in the region and it enjoys an ongoing reputation for delivering high-quality, customer-focused products and services. MeMega has introduced a number of unique products into the region, including next-generation interactive gaming technologies.

PruHealth set to grow following approval of Standard Life healthcare acquisition

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:00:21 GMT

PruHealth has become a competitor of scale in the UK Private Medical Insurance (PMI) market following the completion of the acquisition of Standard Life Healthcare by Discovery Holdings* of South Africa.

The acquisition opens a new chapter in PruHealth's development, boosting cover to 700,000 lives and market share to 11 per cent, demonstrating its commitment to the UK market and making it the fourth largest PMI provider in the UK.

Neville Koopowitz, previously CEO of Discovery Health, has been appointed CEO of PruHealth, and has transferred to London. Herschel Mayers continues as the CEO of PruProtect.

This transaction provides PruHealth with a significantly strengthened competitive position in the UK PMI market. The business will draw on its combined core strengths in product innovation, wellness and service delivery to offer one of the broadest and most flexible health insurance plans and product ranges in the market.

Full integration will roll out over the coming months. A product suite building on the best of the current PruHealth range and the range previously offered by Standard Life Healthcare is scheduled to be launched later this year.

Until then, PruHealth will continue to sell and service the entire product range of both businesses. There will be no changes to broker arrangements during this time, ensuring continuity and certainty is maintained:
- Existing policies will not change
- Broker and customer service will be provided in exactly the same way as before the acquisition
- Account management and sales support structures across PruHealth and products previously offered by Standard Life Healthcare remain as they were
- Customers will be contacted and made aware of any planned changes when their policies are due for renewal

Neville Koopowitz, CEO of PruHealth, said: "We are proud to be able to bring to clients both the award-winning product innovation and the excellent service history of two leading PMI businesses, and are excited about the opportunity to further develop our presence in the UK market.

"We are working hard to bring clients a new product suite, building on PruHealth’s wellness expertise and Standard Life Healthcare’s emphasis on outstanding service and comprehensive coverage."

For previous Standard Life Healthcare policies a transitional brand which refers to 'PruHealth Previously Standard Life Healthcare' will be used during the integration process to ensure a smooth migration.

Neville Koopowitz, CEO of PruHealth, continues: "Our vision is to be the best health insurer in the UK and to excel at everything we do. The combined business will result in a complementary product range and assets in distribution and service as well as scale in negotiations to benefit clients."

"Brokers are core to our strategy and we are firmly committed to this channel and plan to make further investment in broker distribution going forward."

Advisers and their clients who visit the Standard Life website will be automatically redirected to www.welcometopruhealth.co.uk for information on Standard Life Healthcare

- Ends -

Notes to editors:
* Discovery has confirmed the transfer of ownership of Standard Life Healthcare, a subsidiary of the Standard Life Group, to Prudential Health Holdings Limited following approval by the Financial Services Authority and South African Reserve Bank.

Discovery is now a 75 per cent shareholder in the Prudential Health Holdings Limited joint venture with Prudential Assurance Company of the UK comprising two brands, PruHealth and PruProtect

About PruHealth
PruHealth was launched into the UK market in October 2004 as a joint venture between Discovery and UK insurer, Prudential, in response to a growing need for consumer-directed private medical insurance products.

PruHealth received several industry awards, including the Most Trusted PMI Provider at the 2009 Moneywise Awards, the Best PMI Provider at the 2009 Moneyfacts Awards and the award for the Best Use of Marketing to Intermediaries for 2009 at the Health Insurance Awards.

Today, Pru insurance covers 700,000 lives.

Tim Cordon joins Guoman Hotels to head up the Cumberland

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:23:23 GMT

Guoman Hotels has announced the appointment of Tim Cordon as general manager of The Cumberland hotel with immediate effect.

Dynamic, passionate and forward thinking, Cordon comes on board with Guoman to further establish the iconic, contemporary, highly design-led, Oxford Street Hotel property as a unique, leading destination in central London.

With a successful ten-year track record in developing flagship properties within the Radisson SAS portfolio, including the leading Radisson Blu Portman Square. Cordon will employ his proven expertise to drive forward the hotel's wide-ranging appeal and continually enhance The Cumberland guest experience in its entirety; delivered from the many bedrooms and ample meetings & events space, to the hotel's late-night destination venue, Carbon.

The appointment sees the property's former general manager Stuart Chappell heading across to Beijing with the group where he will oversee Guoman Hotels' second international hotel opening.

Heiko Figge, managing director, Guoman & Thistle Hotels explained: "Guoman Hotels has warmly welcomed Tim to our group – we are truly delighted and incredibly excited to have this high calibre of hotelier spearheading the future of this multi-faceted property. Tim's blatant passion and energy that he guarantees to bring to this role will no doubt ensure The Cumberland retains its positing as an international, inspirational, experience-led hotel."

Due to open in 2011, Guoman Hotels' Beijing property comes hot on the heels of the luxurious five star Shanghai hotel which opened in June, further cementing the group's ambitious expansion plans.

Inspired by cutting edge design, The Cumberland captures the imagination with its vibrant and creative environment. The 1,019 bedroom hotel near Buckingham Palace, includes a range of suites and apartments and provides an ideal location to explore the capital.

The Cumberland's guests can indulge in Michelin-starred Gary Rhodes' Rhodes W1 restaurant, as well as the Rhodes W1 Brasserie and Patron Bar.

-Ends-

Notes to editor

About Guoman Hotels
Guoman Hotel Management Limited operates two hotel brands within the UK market; Guoman Hotels, an exclusive collection of deluxe hotels located in central London and Thistle Hotels, a chain of quality full service hotels in the UK's major cities.

Guoman Hotels in the UK consists of four landmark properties with its Strand hotel - the Charing Cross, The Cumberland Hotel near Hyde Park, The Royal Horseguards Hotel near Westminster and The Tower. Whilst each hotel in the portfolio is different with its own unique identity and style, each provides the very highest levels of comfort and service to its guests.

In 2010, Guoman Hotels launched internationally, with its new property opening in Shanghai – with a property in Beijing to follow in 2011. In the UK, The Grosvenor Victoria property will join the collection in the near future.

Guoman Hotel Management Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GuocoLeisure Ltd, part of the Hong Leong Group which has hospitality and leisure businesses across the globe with hotels in Europe, USA, Australasia and Asia.

LV= reports kids come first as parents increase 'back to school' spending to £709 million

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:27:56 GMT

LV='s new Cost of a Child study has found that parents will spend £709 million* on 'back to school' basics including uniforms, stationery, sportswear and winter coats as parents prepare to kit their children out for the start of the new school year. This is equivalent to parents spending an average of £122 on their children. This rises to £139 for secondary school aged children, compared to £96 for infants. Parents living in London spend the most preparing for their kids to go back to school at £158 on average.

Despite many families continuing to feel the squeeze in the current economic climate, 46% of parents expect to spend a greater amount this year on 'back to school' items than last year. When asked to consider the financial pressures of kitting their kids out for school, 48% said they are feeling the strain of having to spend 'excessive amounts', rising to 64% among parents in the North East.

54% parents are considering using low cost suppliers for back to school items, such as supermarkets to buy basics like uniform and stationery, and 23% are considering second hand items, including hand-me-downs and goods from charity shops or eBay. This rises to 70% and 41% respectively for families in the South East.

Mark Jones, LV= head of protection, said: "It is surprising that many parents are responding to increased money pressure this year by spending more on back to school basics; clearly kids come first despite the downturn. And it's even more surprising that many parents are spending more despite looking at ways to be frugal and economise, by purchasing from cheaper suppliers such as their local supermarket or eBay."

The annual LV= Cost of a Child study shows that parents are now likely to have to shell out more than £201,000 on raising a child from birth to the age of 21**. This equates to £9,610 a year, £800 a month or £26 a day. Education (not including private school fees) remains the second biggest expenditure behind childcare, costing parents £52,881 over a child's lifetime - an increase of 4% on last year.

Mark Jones continued: "£122 is a lot of money for parents to spend kitting kids out to go back to school, and that's just one small part of the expense of raising a family. So it is important that parents try to look beyond the short term and ensure they have suitable budgets and long term financial plans in place. Whilst it may seem that cancelling insurance policies or protection plans is a good way of stretching the family budget, it's really important to keep the bigger picture in mind.

- Ends -

Notes to editors
* Research carried out online from 6-10 of August 2010 by Opinium Research on behalf of LV=. Sample size 2,013 adults, with 404 of those respondents with children aged between 5 and 16.
Please contact LV= for further details.
** Calculations by the Centre for Economics and Business Research for LV=, January 2010
**** Research carried out online from 26 January - 1 February 2010 by Opinium research on behalf of LV=. Total sample size was 3,953 adults over the age of 18 years.

About LV=
LV= is a registered trademark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies.

LV= offer a range of insurance products including house insurance, motor insurance, life insurance, pet insurance and over 50 life insurance.

LV= employs around 4,000 people, serves over 3.8m customers and members, and manages around £9.5bn on their behalf. We are also the UK's largest friendly society and a leading mutual financial services provider.

LVFS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, register number 110035. LVFS is a member of the ABI, the AFM and ILAG. Registered address: County Gates, Bournemouth BH1 2NF.

Digital arts festival NEoN to host first solo UK exhibition by Akinori Oishi

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:24:00 GMT

Digital arts festival, North East of North, NEoN, announces the first ever solo UK exhibition by critically-acclaimed Japanese artist Akinori Oishi. Oishi’s exhibition will showcase his talents for graphic art through multimedia by focusing upon and interpreting the theme of this year’s NEoN, ‘character’.

Chair of the NEoN organising group and Cultural Projects officer for the University of Abertay, Donna Holford-Lovell welcomes the forthcoming exhibition by award-winning artist Akinori Oishi.

“I met Akinori in New York at the Pictoplasma Contemporary Character Festival 2008. I was so inspired by his passion and commitment that I have been waiting for the ideal opportunity to commission new work by Akinori and to have him speak in the UK. NEoN has provided that opportunity and it is an honour to finally work with him,” said Holford-Lovell.

The exhibition promises to give audiences an insight into Oishi’s interpretation of the concept of ‘Character’ through his use of drawing and typographic language. His stylistic approach expresses an infinity as the self-confessed ‘Drawaholic’ immerses himself in a landscape of images without boundaries; it is this interpretation which is sure to inspire the audience. The realization of the highly anticipated Oishi exhibition by NEoN has been financially supported by The Japan Foundation to promote the creative industries within Japan.

Akinori Oishi is thrilled to have the opportunity of exhibiting his work at this year’s NEoN festival taking place in Dundee 8-14 November, 2010. He stated,

“I’m excited to experience how the art scene is in the UK and how British people are thinking about digital media at the NEoN festival. The most interesting thing about participating in a festival is communicating with friendly people and native audiences.”

Oishi began his career by studying Fine Arts at the Kyoto City University of Art before honing his drawing skills and developing the interactive nature of his graphic art through multimedia at the International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences, IAMAS, Japan. Oishi has since received international critical acclaim for his work including the MILIA, International Multimedia Fair award in France in 2001, working with French creative design studio Team cHmAn, and subsequent invitations to teach and guest-lecture at the Tama Art University in Tokyo and the Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne, ECAL in Switzerland respectively. Particularly relevant to this year’s NEoN festival, is Oishi’s previous collaboration with Pictoplasma, a relationship which produced creative and interactive art installations which pushed the dimensional boundaries of what is considered virtual and ‘real’ imagery.

The exhibition by Akinori Oishi is set to be one of the highlights of the digital arts festival NEoN which will showcase both international and local artists and the manner in which they choose to interpret this year’s theme through various media.

For further information and programme of events visit http://www.northeastofnorth.com/

To view further examples of Akinori Oishi’s work visit http://aki-air.com/

Ends

Contact:

Helen Reid
Revolver PR
E: helen@revolver-pr.co.uk
T: 0845 130 8992

Donna Holford-Lovell
NEoN chair of organising committee
E: d.holford-lovell@abertay.ac.uk

Notes to Editors:

The Akinori Oishi exhibition will run November 12, 2010 – January 28, 2011 at the Hannah Maclure Centre in Dundee. Opening hours of the Hannah Maclure centre are 9.30am to 4.45pm, Monday to Friday.

North East of North (NEoN) is an international digital arts festival featuring moving image, performance, music and technology driven arts. The over arching curatorial theme for 2010 is Character: evaluating the abstracted or physical agent in a work of art; investigation of the fictional or psychological systems; observation of the unit of information, symbol, sound or written language.

Through this focused dimension NEoN intends to explore the notion of collaboration between visual art, information communication, media production and gaming that will expand digital development and knowledge. (www.northeastofnorth.com)

NEoN was created by Interactive Tayside (www.interactivetayside.com).
Interactive Tayside is a partnership between public, private and academic sectors to develop and promote Tayside's digital media industry.

NEoN is sponsored by: Angus & Dundee City Council, Event Scotland, National Lottery Awards for All, The Japan Foundation, Creative City Challenge, Scottish Enterprise & the North Sea Screen Partnership

Partners include: Interactive Tayside, Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre (DCA), Dundee City Council, The University of Abertay, Dundee College, Hungy Boy, Realtime Worlds, Revolver PR, Red Pepper Events, Simultaneita & Insight Innovations

The International App Conference & AppJam (www.appjam.eu) are funded by the Interreg Creative City Challenge (www.creative-city-challenge.net). The AppCon has been created by Dundee College and is supported by partners including: Cobra Mobile, Denki, Digital Goldfish, Dynamo Games, Electric Tophat, Lynda.com, One Thumb Mobile, Realtime Worlds, Revolver PR, Sooper Double D, Tag Games, Waracle & YoYo Games.

IGO-POST Ltd announces the publication of its latest catalogue

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:41:21 GMT

IGO-POST has announced the publication of its latest catalogue coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the company and featuring 1000 promotional items.

IGO-POST is a market leader in the promotional merchandise and business gifts markets, trading in over 10 countries across Europe. Established in 1945 in the Netherlands, IGO-POST has grown from selling stationery from the back of a van to an international organisation of more than 500 employees.

Releasing two catalogues per year, in the Spring and the Autumn, the '2010/2011 collection' is the latest addition to the company’s collection. As a celebration of this success, the company is mailing the catalogue to more businesses than ever before, in tandem with other new and customer focused marketing initiatives.

"This is a huge year for our organisation - a celebration of 65 years trading to coincide with the launch of our best catalogue yet," said Sam Davies, General Manager of IGO-POST. "We are featuring over 100 new items to sit alongside old favourites, innovative gift ideas and a brand new selection of promotional Christmas Hampers."

In terms of product scope the loyal IGO-POST customers will find their favorites are still there – also all the standard items within the industry are also present including promotional pens and branded umbrellas. The new catalogue also features a wide range of innovative and thought provoking ideas to make promotional marketing campaigns more unique. The catalogue is divided into ten product groups, which should enable customers to find what they are looking for easily and help them to effectively plan their promotional campaign without spending too long searching for the right product.

The latest collection also see IGO-POST team up with a number of leading brands, including Jamie Oliver, Mag-Lite torches, Cross, Papermate, Parker and Waterman pens, 3M Post-it notes, Samsonite, Senz umbrellas and Victorinox.

With 80% of the whole assortment in the catalogue it is likely a customer will find what they are looking for however, if they can't, the full range can be seen on IGO-POST's new site which is easy to navigate and allows users to obtain quotes and order online. If the customer would prefer to speak to someone personally however, every organisation will be given a dedicated account manager.

"We realise that every customer will want a specific approach," Sam Davies continued. "If they do not want a catalogue and want to manage everything online or over the phone then of course we have the infrastructure to handle this. We are a flexible and approachable organisation, who pride ourselves on our levels of customer service."

Since IGO-POST produced its first catalogue it has become a leader in the promotional merchandise industry, with thousands of customers not only in the UK but around the world. And all of them can share in these celebrations - initially they will receive the catalogue through the post, however they will also notice a new website, loyalty plan and discount scheme which they can all benefit from.

Escapade reveals villains outselling heroes

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:03:47 GMT

Escapade has revealed that its villain fancy dress costumes outsell their heroic counterparts almost completely across the board.

Escapade Fancy Dress was carrying out its yearly audit when it discovered that its villain costumes were outselling its hero fancy dress outfits. The real shock came with the discovery of The Queen of Hearts costume from the film Alice in Wonderland being purchased 50% more often than the Alice costumes were.

This rule is also true for Batman who is out sold by his arch nemesis the Joker by 10%, Even the pinnacle of evil, the Devil, outsells Jesus by almost 30%.

Nicholas Williams, Marketing Manager at Escapade, believes that the reason that villains outsell heroes may be down to breaking the rules. He said: "People are drawn to the glamour behind villains. While the hero lives by the rules the villain is allowed unreserved free expression."

The one hero and villain duo that the rule doesn't seem to apply to is He-Man and his arch rival Skeletor, with He-Man costumes selling almost 60% more than those of his nemesis.

About Escapade:
Escapade has been established for more than 28 years having been founded in 1982. Escapade has thousands of specialist fancy dress costumes and accessories including new 2010 season Halloween fancy dress costumes, with a wide variety of Halloween masks, make-up, jewellery and novelty products. Escapade also provides unique ladies fancy dress costumes such as Maternity costumes, TV and film outfits, including the Harry Potter fancy dress costume such as the Joker costume, and football superhero costumes.

Over its 28 years in business Escapade has built up an enviable client list - supplying to retail customers, businesses, schools, charities and many TV companies including BBC, CBBC, Walt Disney, MTV, Nickelodeon and Channel 4. Escapade costumes have helped to provide many iconic moments including the "House of Fun" video by Madness and Comic Relief's Celebrity Apprentice which were filmed at Escapade's Camden store. Many Escapade fancy dress costumes were also used in the popular TV series "Trigger Happy TV" starring Dom Joly and the store was featured on Gok Wan's "How to look Good Naked".

Debenhams announces chandelier sales soaring despite recession

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:37:59 GMT

High street store Debenhams have revealed that home owners, eager to lift the gloom of the recession, have created the most unlikely shopping boom of all time - highly ornate chandeliers.

Once the preserve of the rich and well-to-do, demand for the big, ever more elaborate, multi-bulb light fittings has been soaring ever since the first financial tremor hit the stock markets two years ago.

Sales have increased with every successive bit of bad news, to reach an all time high this week, says Debenhams. Customer demand for this type of home lighting has led the store to significantly expand its offer and make the full range available to buy online at Debenhams.com.

Debenhams spokesman Ed Watson said: "While economists are searching desperately for light at the end of the tunnel, home owners are opting for more certainty by putting huge lights into the ceiling over their heads.

"Dark days may lie ahead for the economy, but in front rooms all over the nation, things have never looked brighter."

Elaborate creations in gold and silver with dozens of reflective crystals and up to 12 bulbs are now common place in even the most modest terrace house, Debenhams revealed.

The most popular designs are miniature sized versions of some of the greatest chandeliers found in stately homes across the country, as not everyone may have the space to accommodate one of the larger models.

Many chandeliers are up to three feet wide, and almost as deep, with a series of elegantly curved arms, with the assembly secured to the ceiling by a gold heavy duty fixing chain.

Some designs break with tradition, opting instead for a Modernist approach, using highly polish chrome and simple straight lines to mimic the appearance of a chic boutique hotel lobby.

Other styles use stark black metal and rugged construction to create the impression of a medieval banqueting hall.

The cost of a chandelier can be anything from £34 for basic model, to almost £300 for the top of the range, which features more sophisticated designs.

Said Debenhams Ed Watson: "Chandeliers are now so popular that you're just a likely to find one in a two-up-two-down in Bognor as you are in Buckingham Palace.

"The smaller sizes of the chandeliers mean the style is more Louis Walsh than Louis the XIV, but the longing for a little bit of opulence in these tough times is clear."

About Debenhams
Debenhams is a leading department stores group, and has a strong presence in key product categories including women's fashion - such as black dresses, evening dresses, women's shoes, bikinis, jeans, make-up, health and beauty, accessories, perfume, lingerie, wedding attire including bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses - men's clothing, home ware and children's wear with a number of Debenhams deals also on offer.

NEoN's first public debate to discuss 'Digital Dundee'.

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:34:43 GMT

The first of digital arts festival NEoN's public debates will take place this evening, Tuesday 31st August in the Dundee City Council conference rooms, City Square, Dundee at 6 p.m. The debate will be chaired by Paul Carroll of Dundee City Council. Carroll will be joined by a panel of experts to direct the discussion surrounding the pertinent local issue of ‘Digital Dundee.’

"Dundee has so far met the challenge of adapting to the internet age and built an international reputation as Digital Dundee. Tonight's debate will ask the question how can we build on that for the future." informed Carroll.

The objective of the debate is to consider the concept of ‘Digital Dundee’ and to identify ways in which the city can harness e-technology to improve leisure, business processes and increase their competitive advantage.The debate panel will consist of experts concerned with the digital industry, including Gameelah Ghafoor, Global Project Manager for Communications and Security at NCR, Clive Gileman, Director at the DCA, Colin Anderson, Managing Director of Denki and Doug Tonner, Client Director at BT Scotland. The panel will introduce a variety of topics to the discussion including - does Dundee need a digital strategy? should it continue to develop organically? ; and, what would a world class broadband wireless technical infrastructure do for the city?

The NEoN public debate, discussing the topic of ‘Digital Dundee’ is particularly relevant this year with the city having been given the accolade of one of the ‘Top 7 Cities’ by the think tank, Intelligent Community Forum. The think tank recognizes international communities which create prosperity, stability and cultural meaning in a world which is increasingly reliant upon digital media and dependent upon the development of communications. This evening’s debate will address the issues surrounding the importance of digital to the future of the community of Dundee.

The debate will take place this evening, Tuesday 31st August, at Dundee City Council conference rooms at City Square, Dundee, 6 - 8pm. Seating will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Visit http://www.northeastofnorth.com/2010/06/neon-debate/ for further information on this evening's debate.

For all of the latest news and updates to the programme, visit www.northeastofnorth.com To get involved with the NEoN community, join www.northeastofnorth.ning.com or follow us on Twitter: @weareneon.

Ends

Contact

Helen Reid
Revolver PR
E: helen@revolver-pr.co.uk
T: 0845 130 8992

Brian Baglow
Revolver PR
E: brian@revolver-pr.co.uk
M: +44 (0) 7747 792247

Notes to editors:

North East Of North (NEoN) is an international digital arts festival featuring moving image, performance, music and technology driven arts. The over arching curatorial theme for 2010 is Character: evaluating the abstracted or physical agent in a work of art; investigation of the fictional or psychological systems; observation of the unit of information, symbol, sound or written language. Through this focused dimension NEoN intends to explore the notion of collaboration between visual art, information communication, media production and gaming that will expand digital development and knowledge. (www.northeastofnorth.com)

Dundee shows its character in NEoN

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:34:34 GMT

Following the success of last year, international digital arts festival North East of North, NEoN, returns to Dundee this November with over a month of various exciting and inspiring events and exhibitions, all focused on this year's theme of 'character'.

The new programme is set to showcase each element of digital art innovation; everything from design and art exhibitions, sound and moving image installations, digital animation to music performances. In addition to the displays of digital art, festival goers will be able to attend and take part in the extensive programme of salons, workshops, design competitions, and debates. The festival week will culminate in an entertaining digital music and arts event taking place in a multi-story car park in Dundee city centre.

Donna Holford-Lovell, Chair of the NEoN organising group, said, “It's incredibly exciting to be involved with this year's North East of North festival. Last year's event set the bar very high, with some inspirational speakers and guests. This year we have moved up several gears, to create something wholly new which incorporates even more content and a much wider variety of topics. The theme for 2010 is 'character' – exploring the abstracted or physical agent in a work of art; investigation of the fictional or psychological systems; observation of the unit of information, symbol, sound or written language. Within that remit we have some truly captivating speakers and events we hope to tell the world about very shortly.”

In the run up to and during the festival, a series of public debates, salons and workshops have been planned. The discussions will explore aspects of the digital world and the topical issues faced by creators and indeed consumers of the new generation of digital content. From digital Dundee to technology and the museum, the debates will take place in various venues across the city.

The University of Abertay will host a series of debates and sessions in its new Centre of Excellence on November 11 and 12. Experts from every corner of the digital world will present and chair discussions covering a range of diverse issues currently affecting the digital community. In addition, a range of workshops and hands-on sessions will give participants the chance to find out more about the latest software and technologies from many of the world's leading digital companies.

Dundee will be the home of a brand new conference and 'AppJam' during November 8 - 10. Focusing on the creation of Applications (Apps) for mass-market platforms such as the iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Facebook, the AppCon will bring together speakers from many of the world's largest mobile and online companies for three days. The AppJam, a 48 hour development competition is set to produce some exciting innovations in App design and production, challenging teams to create a new and original App in only two days.

In addition to the exhibitions, debates and workshops, both the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre and Hannah Maclure Centre are planning themed movie-screenings to run across the week of NEoN to compliment the concept of the festival.

Many of the NEoN events including the salons, debates and AppJam are free of charge. Tickets for the NEoN conference, App Conference and AppJam are available for purchase now. Visit http://www.northeastofnorth.com/tickets/ https://reg.istrations.com/delegate/events/DNDNEON2010 for an events programme in brief, and ticket information and purchasing.

The full line-up of speakers, participants, sponsors, events, movies, parties and venues will all be announced over the next several weeks.

For all of the latest news and updates to the programme, visit www.northeastofnorth.com To get involved with the NEoN community, join www.northeastofnorth.ning.com or follow us on Twitter: @weareneon.

ENDS

Contact:

Brian Baglow

Revolver PR

E: brian@revolver-pr.co.uk

M: +44 (0) 7747 792247

Helen Reid

Revolver PR

E: helen@revolver-pr.co.uk

T: 0845 130 8992

Notes to editors:

NEoN was created by Interactive Tayside (www.interactivetayside.com).

Interactive Tayside is a partnership between public, private and academic sectors to develop and promote Tayside's digital media industry.

Superbreak report surge in demand for rail theatre break packages

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:52:17 GMT

Superbreak, the theatre break specialist, has reported a sharp increase in the number of rail inclusive theatre breaks being booked, on the run up to the busiest theatre season of the year.

The Yorkshire based tour operator has secured a number of budget and top price theatre tickets for a host of musicals and performances in London's West End as the autumn season approaches. What sets Superbreak apart from its competition is the ability for customers to tailor-make their breaks by adding a return rail journey from most UK mainline stations, including Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds, into London. As with all theatre break packages, customers have a choice of over 250 hotels spanning the capital city, including many in and around Theatreland itself.

Popular theatre shows for autumn 2010 so far include 'Wicked' and 'Dirty Dancing', with 'The Lion King' proving a hot favourite for families during the October half term break. The relationship with rail providers allows Superbreak the ability to offer one night theatre breaks to see 'Oliver!', standard return rail travel with East Coast Rail and overnight accommodation at the 3-star Royal National Hotel from just £129pp.

Superbreak has a long standing reputation for selling rail inclusive breaks. Last year, over 200,000 passengers booked a London theatre break with the tour operator and chose to add a rail journey to their booking. The ability to custom-make a theatre break to include a hotel stay, theatre tickets and return rail travel, allows customers both the choice and flexibility no matter what the budget.

Will Dunnett, Director of Marketing at Superbreak, commented: "Rail inclusive breaks continue to be a mainstay of the Superbreak programme and are proving to be a big hit with customers heading to the capital on a theatre break. The ability to select your hotel, length of stay, theatre tickets and rail travel allows us to offer our customers the very best in value and choice."

About Superbreak:
Superbreak is the internet division of Superbreak Mini Holidays Limited, the market leader for short breaks and hotels throughout the UK. Superbreak is part of Holiday Break plc. Based in York, England, Superbreak specialises in booking cheap weekend breaks in 2-5 star hotel accommodation throughout Britain for the leisure traveller. Superbreak holds allocations of rooms at all hotels and can make bookings up to and on the day of departure.

With 5000 plus hotel partners in worldwide locations from Aberdeen to Abu Dhabi, from London to Lourdes and with great availability and rates for theatre breaks, events at the O2 Arena, various popular attractions and national and international rail partners, Superbreak can offer an outstanding depth and breadth of UK and Overseas short break products including Manchester hotels.

Prudential reveals 1 in 3 UK couples know nothing about their partner's finances

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:11:49 GMT

Prudential has revealed new research that shows UK couples could be risking poverty in old age because they are failing to talk to one another about financial planning for their retirement.

The study found that nearly a third of couples (32 per cent) aged 40 and above but not yet retired* say they don't know or understand the details of their partner's retirement savings, with more than a fifth (22 per cent) saying they have never talked to their partner about financial planning for retirement.

The findings from new research commissioned by Prudential reveal that women are even less likely than men to discuss financial planning for retirement with partners, with almost a quarter of women (24 per cent) saying they have never discussed this, compared to almost one in five men (19 per cent).

And a further 12 per cent of women and 11 per cent of men say they know nothing about their spouse or partner’s finances - and they're not really interested. This lack of interest could be compounding low levels of financial awareness.

To help people prepare for their retirement, Prudential has produced a decade-by-decade guide to the conversations couples need to have at pru.co.uk/couplesconversations. Suggested subjects include making a will, discussing pensions and how much to save, talking about when to retire, working out retirement income, reviewing total savings, researching annuity options and when to buy, checking National Insurance contributions, talking about housing options, leaving an inheritance, and agreeing on long term care.

Andy Brown, investments director at Prudential, said: "It is incredible that so many people do not know the details of their partner's retirement savings. Essentially, this could mean millions of UK adults are banking on hope as their core retirement strategy and are approaching what is arguably the most important financial decision without a full understanding of their household financial situation.

"It's astonishing that one in 10 men and women say they're not interested in their partner's retirement savings arrangements. Firstly, couples should strive to have open conversations with one another but they also should aim to be constructive and use these conversations to begin laying the foundations for their retirement planning. The reason this is so important is because the longer retirement planning goes unresolved the harder it is for couples later in life to try and get a decent financial retirement plan in place."

When asked about their spouse or partner's finances, those in the North admitted to having the lowest levels of awareness or understanding while those in the South East and East Midlands claimed to have a much better grasp.

Affluence plays a critical part in the extent to which couples talk to each other. Almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of those surveyed who said they had discussed financial planning for retirement with their partners within the past year have a household income of more than £70,000 per annum while half (50 per cent) of those surveyed have a household income of less than £20,000 per year.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:
*Survey conducted by Research Plus between 6–14 July 2010 among 1,172 UK adults aged 40+ currently living with their spouse or partner. The research used an online methodology.

About Prudential:
"Prudential" is a trading name of The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, which is registered in England and Wales. This name is also used by other companies within the Prudential Group, which between them provide a range of financial products including annuities, life assurance, bonds, pensions, investments, a tax calculator and pension guide. Registered Office at Laurence Pountney Hill, London EC4R 0HH. Registered number 15454. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Thistle named first hotel group to achieve full Hospitality Assured accreditation

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:24:08 GMT

Thistle has announced it is the first hotel group to be acknowledged with full Hospitality Assured accreditation throughout its entire portfolio having surpassed the strict assessment criteria within all of its hotels across the UK, a quarter of which achieving the highly-regarded 'world class' status .

Measuring the quality and service of customer facing businesses specifically within the leisure and tourism industry, the Hospitality Assured accreditation is recognition of the group's high standards across its portfolio of excellently-located properties.

Created by the industry's professional body, the Institute of Hospitality, the Hospitality Assured mark of approval takes into account the unique characteristics of the industry. It is measured by independent, experienced quality assessors who critically analysed each of Thistle’s individual properties against ten customer-related steps, including: customer research, operational planning, standards of performance, training, development and customer satisfaction improvement.

These ten steps are broken down into 49 criteria that explored how Thistle's customer experience is devised, implemented, delivered and improved upon. In order to achieve accreditation, each of Thistle's hotels had to score at least 60% overall and a minimum of 50% for each step. The group greatly exceeded this standard, with a quarter of its properties marked with the Institute’s exceptional 'world class' grading by achieving a score of 70% or higher.

Ann Corrigan, Managing Director of Hospitality Assured commented: "The Hospitality Assured standard demands high quality standards and strong evidence of customer satisfaction, making it no mean feat for businesses across the industry. Thistle has demonstrated that it’s a serious competitor within the hotel sector - setting its sights high, developing its teams accordingly and putting its entire portfolio of hotels completely to the test. The group achieved resounding success and we’re delighted to be confidently marking them as a hotel group that offers excellent customer care as standard."

Heiko Figge, Managing Director, Guoman & Thistle Hotels added: "This is an outstanding achievement for Thistle and we are delighted to become the first hotel group to be wholly awarded the Hospitality Assured accreditation.

"As our dedication to our guests is integral to all we do, this is such valuable industry recognition for the group. The accreditation provides us with a great tool to ensure our guests are in very safe hands when they stay with us; they can rely on our consistently high standards. The Institute’s approval in this way guarantees our customer-service and care is exceptional every time, throughout all of our UK hotels."

Thistle is currently well underway with its significant refurbishment project, investing £100million to transform its portfolio into modernised, individual properties with a fresh, contemporary look and feel.

- Ends -

About Thistle
Thistle Hotels is part of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited which operates hotels throughout the UK. Thistle has 33 hotels across the country including Exeter hotels, Poole hotels and Inverness hotels. Thistle also offers a number of hotels in superb city centre locations, including eleven in central London such as Westminster Hotels and hotels near Marble Arch. With a selection of restaurants and a choice of excellent health and leisure facilities, Thistle has something to offer everyone.

Thistle Hotels is the first hotel group to achieve Hospitality Assured accreditation, across its entire UK portfolio. Created by the Institute of Hospitality, the Hospitality Assured standard measures the quality within customer facing businesses across the hospitality, tourism and leisure industry.