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Money blog: Bar charges tourists £690 for two drinks; savers get rare opportunity – but it could be the last hurrah | UK News
Hawksmoor seeks funding | Major bank strikes £150 million deal | Rent hits record high | Higher welfare standards for hens
Hawksmoor is reportedly looking at financing options which could value the steak restaurant chain at around £100 million.
Investment bank Stephens has been hired to manage the deal, which is currently looking for expansion opportunities outside the UK.
Hawksmoor currently has three restaurants outside the UK, located in New York, Chicago and Dublin. It has 10 other locations, including seven in London.
Private equity firm Graphite Capital owns 51% of Hawksmoor. Should new investment come in, co-founders Will Beckett and Huw Got are expected to retain their minority stake and continue to run the business.
Beckett said: “We have a great relationship with Graphite and together we are getting to know the US investment community more deeply. As this continues, an opportunity may arise that we want to explore together.”
The Co-operative Bank is withdrawing its relocation agreement this week, leaving people with just a few days to get £150 for free.
New customers, who switch using the CASS system, can get a £75 advance when opening a standard current account or an Everyday Extra account.
They can then receive £15 a month for five months if they also open a Regular Savings account.
Anyone making the switch will receive the initial £75 within seven days of meeting all qualifying criteria.
This includes setting up two direct debits, depositing at least £1,000, making a minimum of 10 card transactions and registering for online or mobile banking.
All of these tasks must be completed within 30 days of moving.
To qualify for the extra £75, you need to open a Regular Savings account before the last day of the month you receive the free cash boost and deposit £50.
Offer must be withdrawn by Friday, July 5th.
The average monthly rent charged outside London hit a record £1,316according to Rightmove.
The new record in Britain means average advertised rents outside the capital are around 7% higher than a year ago, the property website found.
London has the highest rental prices in the country, averaging £2,652 per month.
The South East has the second highest figure at £1,836, which is a 6% increase on last year.
The cheapest region is the North East, which typically costs £894 per month.
Rightmove has called on the next government to speed up housebuilding and encourage landlords to invest in more homes for tenants.
A low-cost supermarket chain has announced higher welfare standards for your chickens.
Aldi said it will introduce enhanced stocking density requirements for its fresh chicken suppliers, meaning birds will have 20% more space than the industry standard.
The extra space will allow the chickens to engage in “natural behaviors” such as stretching their wings, dust bathing and roaming, he said.
“Animal welfare is of paramount importance to us,” said Aldi’s managing director of buying, Julie Ashfield.
“We are already one of the largest suppliers of responsibly reared chicken in the UK and have been working hard with our suppliers to reduce stocking densities and help us further improve the living conditions of these animals.”
The move is expected to be completed by October 2024.