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From 2019’s historic highs to the pandemic’s baptism by fire: How PVR Cinemas lived and learned
Whether in Nanded, Ujjain, Juhu or Koramangala, PVR Cinemas does not believe in cutting corners. The multiplex chain which has set the benchmark for quality shares secrets from its survival story
An aerial shot of’ business in 2019 would have looked spectacular. India’s largest multiplex chain had swelled to 800 screens. More than 100 million visitors had walked through its doors across the country that year. At least 10 million of them had picked up its Privilege membership card by then.
Jump cut to 2020, and PVR’s halls were suddenly deserted. It was shutters-down as the country went into lockdown. The F&B cash registers, which used to bring in 30% of its revenue, were empty. No business and, worse, no visibility on business. The chain went from being an industry darling to a question mark. Things stayed that way for months. If this had been a Hollywood western flick, there would be tumbleweeds rolling in the frame at this point.
When the dust finally settled and things came clearly into focus, it was March 2022. Cinemas were allowed to be 100% open. Some were eager to return to watching films outside, some still had concerns. Slowly but surely, PVR’s halls began filling up again. Food and beverages. A few months later, it merged with one of its biggest rivals INOX to create a robust balance sheet. The chain was back to opening new screens too.
It is early to declare a happy-ever-after for film exhibitors just yet. “The Spanish flu happened in the 1920s and cinemas survived for the next 100 years,” PVR chairman Ajay Bijli tells YourStory. Comparing 100 years of cinema to 11 months of post-Covid operations is like “comparing apples to pineapples”, he observes. What can be said is that the show is still going strong.
What can also be said is that PVR Cinemas has lived through the toughest times and learned important lessons.
Quality time at the movies
The story of PVR Cinemas begins in the 1970s, when Ajay Bijli’s father began running a theatre named Priya Cinemas in addition to the family’s transportation business. In the 1980s, the junior Bijli took the reins and following a joint venture with Australian cinema and theme park operator Village Roadshow, Priya Village Roadshow was born.
PVR Cinemas, which completed 25 years in 2022, ushered in the multiplex era into India after it opened the first ever multiplex in Saket, New Delhi. Ever since, Bijli has viewed his chain’s role as that of a pivotal carrier — “the conduit between the film-goer and the filmmaker.” The chain has become the world’s 5th largest.
From early on, PVR understood that film-going in India is an event. Uniquely, there is an interval here. The movies here are longer than international films. They are also more glamorous. The movie-goer’s enthusiasm matches the content produced in India – larger than life. People dress up, arrive in groups, and interact with the space beyond just going into the screening hall. They chat and buy more refreshments in the break.
On the other hand, international movie halls are designed such that you go in and buy a ticket, visit a concession stand to pick up some popcorn or a cola, and once you enter the screening area, you rarely come out. That is why the PVR chairman did not take cues from international exhibitors when he was looking for creative inspiration. He examined hospitality instead, including players such as Oberoi Hotels, Four Seasons, Emirates, Starbucks, etc.
Bijli wanted to do one thing and do it well: make the exhibition experience special. He wanted to bring cinema’s dreamy, make-believe quality inside and outside the hall. His chain was the first to introduce ordering and service at the seat, for example. “People should feel that this is something they won't get at home.” On-site hospitality became PVR’s hallmark.
The pandemic plot twists
All was well until Covid struck. When the venues were off limits, PVR’s singular attention to hospitality at the venue became redundant. “Our model was not adaptable,” recalls Bijli. “I didn’t even have home delivery or cloud kitchens. Because the restaurants did not have a QSR model, they had a bad time.”
Bijli adapted by launching packaged F&B products online and offline. The last 3 years have been life altering for me. How to look at the positive side of things. If I had gone too deep into the negativity - 18 months of complete shutdown, our format which had worked for the last 32 years but I didn't think too much. I kept reminding myself to count my blessings.
It took a village for the chain to find its feet again. Investors including Renuka Ramnath and Warburg Pincus were still willing to bet on it. It raised Rs 800 crore through QIP, and completed its Rs 300 crore rights issue during the period. Some of the developers helped the chain with rent relief. Some in the film fraternity such as Aditya Chopra supported exhibitors by holding on to his films till the cinemas reopened.
“The last three years have been life altering. We are fortunate to have survived this baptism by fire,” the chairman says.
Another thing happened during the pandemic. Viewers warmed up to watching content on OTT platforms. Several filmmakers are choosing an online release too. Begs the question — are theatres a fading phenomenon?
The cinema is not dead
Cinema halls will disappear from the face of the earth, Naseeruddin Shah said earlier this year, and OTT is the future. Bijli says it is impossible to make blanket predictions about the country. “As Amartya Sen said, what is true about India is also untrue.” As long as human behaviour is diverse, he reckons film exhibitors will survive. “You can cook at home or you can go out to eat. Kids today, who are the bulk of my market, cannot be at home. They want to get out so the food courts, restaurants are packed on the weekend."
He argues OTT and movie theatres will co-exist. “It is not an either/or scenario. We should always have multiple channels. That way the money flows back to filmmakers. So everybody’s free to do both things,” Bijli adds. “When you make something for OTT, or sell something to OTT, there's a cap on how much you can earn. With theatrical releases, there is no upper limit. That's a compelling reason for filmmakers to not let go of this channel,” Bijli explains.
OTT buyers tend to consider the budget of the film, and how much it can move the needle for them in terms of subscriptions, and pay a 10-20 premium on that. Meanwhile, with big screen releases, small to medium budget movies like Kantara or Kashmir Files have made over Rs 300 crores, and big films like Pathan have made more than Rs 600 crore.
Another indicator that multiplexes are here to stay is in the fact that organised retail infrastructure is growing rapidly. The two are joint at the hip. “We have almost 390 screens under fit out and planning right now. It's a problem of plenty for us,” Bijli notes, with a smile. “Customers are keen to go to an air conditioned environment where they can conveniently park their cars and eat and shop.”
Malls are being built everywhere, be it metros such as Delhi or Mumbai, or smaller towns such as Ajmer, Wapi, or Surat. Exhibitors are spoilt for choice.
Bringing back the full house
PVR has observed never-before peaks as the content game changes. OTT series have created a taste for edgy material. This has sent the film fraternity back to the drawing board, to figure out how to bring the same edginess to the big screen. Likewise, an appetite for southern Indian films developed across the country in lockdown.
South Indian films are now going for a pan-India treatment. Those films are faring above pre-pandemic levels already. Amid all this, Bollywood is collaborating with stars everywhere to broaden its appeal. “That is a big change in mindset,” says Bijli. It is good for business.
“We've never had KGF 2 type of numbers, we've never had RRR type of numbers. They were the best in their respective categories. In Hollywood, we’ve never had Avatar-type numbers. In Bollywood, we’ve never had Pathan-type numbers. Even Drishyam, a moderate budget film made 300 crore, and Gangubai with a female protagonist did amazing numbers.”
While the audience is passionate, it is also picky, he cautions. “When something doesn’t click, it really doesn’t.” The valleys are just as extreme. For Bijli’s chain, the main challenge is bringing back the 55-80+ age group, who have stopped going out in the last few years.
He remains optimistic about the future, especially after the PVR-INOX merger. “The exhibition sector will keep growing because of this. The balance sheets of both companies got completely hammered in the pandemic and one of the ways to survive and make the companies strong was to merge.You get more economies of scale on revenue and cost sides. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
He is also positive about India’s prospects. “This kind of supply and demand is not available anywhere else. My colleagues elsewhere in the world are very Hollywood dependent.” While others suffered when Hollywood took some of its content online, India had its own offerings to compensate for it. “If you get your product and price point right, sky’s the limit. Capital wants to come here. India still stands out as a land of opportunity.”


text: The Verge has come across a number of documents revealing early prototypes of both the iPhone and the iPad. And according to a court filing made ahead of the companies’ impending patent trial, set to kick off on Monday, some of Apple’s early iPhone prototypes were influenced by Sony designs, which, as you can see, bear a striking resemblance to the iPhone 4S. Other interesting documents reveal the many materials Apple experimented with as well as an iPad with a kickstand. Yes, a kickstand. For more photos, head over to The Verge.

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In today’s digital age, everyone is an influencer
Like it or not, social media has permeated our daily lives. Facebook alone can count 1.9 billion users on its platform -- and that staggering number rises every day. Whether it’s following your favorite celebrity’s daily musings, commenting on photos of your high school friend’s new baby or salivating over your cousin’s food photography, we spend most of our waking hours on social media. Over the past few years, some smart brands have caught on that social media plays a key role in process of making a purchase, whether it’s of a product or a business.
In current times, social media should be a key factor in a brand’s content strategy. Creating content that is shareable, regardless of where it is placed, is incredibly important. Plus, brands should be paying close attention to what their fans are saying and sharing about the brand.
Jack Monson, Director of Digital Strategy at Qiigo, a seasoned social media and marketing executive, believes that social media is the first place franchise candidates will look during the due diligence process.
“Social media has a bigger impact [in business] every day,” he said. “A lot of franchise brands believe that potential franchisees will go to a few specific websites and look at information that we’ve put together exactly how we want them to -- but the reality is, people just don’t do that.”
The days of brands creating carefully curated content for use in email newsletters or blogs are over. These days, franchise candidates have the world at their fingertips -- literally. They’re able to read reviews of individual locations, check out hundreds of local pages on Facebook and subscribe to Google Alerts to stay on top of a brand’s news -- in real time.
“When a candidate looks at a brand’s Facebook page, they’re looking at their own future. Social [media] is a place where you can paint a picture for a candidate of what their life is going to look like,” he said. “If they look at a corporate or franchisee’s Facebook page and the content hasn’t been updated in two years, it makes them wonder how their store would be marketed and what support they would receive from corporate.”
Outside of the brand’s social media pages, users are driving endless brand content through reviews, check-ins, sharing and tagging brands and more.
“Everyone is an influencer -- all they need is a social media account,” said Nick Powills, CEO of No Limit Agency. “We can post a status on Facebook and influence our friends. We can share news and influence our friends. Social media is an incredibly important tool when it comes to brand perception and franchise development.”
Monson adds that creating a solid online footprint doesn’t have to be a super complicated process.
“Just having well-managed social pages up and running is half the battle. Having old pages that aren’t updated looks sloppy and is a poor reflection of a brand. As a candidate, you have to look at that and ask yourself if you want to be a part of it,” he said.
Many franchise brands provide guidance and tools for franchisees to manage social media content at the local level. Others choose to keep social media on the corporate level and essentially do the work for them. For Monson, the former is the best way to maintain corporate brand standards while giving franchisees the freedom to add local flavor to the social pages.
“Social media is no different than anything else a franchisor does,” he said. “Brands need to develop a program that someone can follow and be successful. In some systems, this may entail giving them content and in others, it’s just advice. In either case, providing a playbook for social media is key.”
Most candidates are savvy enough to check out Facebook pages and read review sites like Yelp. Monson stresses the importance of reputation management as being an important piece of social media, perhaps even more so than proactive posting.
“Even the greatest store, restaurant or business is going to have at least a couple of bad reviews on Facebook, Google+, Yelp or any other site,” he said. “If those poor reviews aren’t being mitigated or handled and there aren’t enough good reviews being pushed out there to overshadow the bad, that is a really big hurdle for a candidate to get past.”
Monson suggests that candidates that are concerned about a specific area of a brand’s social media should dig in and ask for more information to determine if it’s a systemwide problem or if it’s specific to one unit.
When putting together a brand’s content strategy to appeal to prospective franchise candidates, social media should not be overlooked. To stand out from the pack in the crowded franchise industry, brands should prioritize both proactive social media content creation and reactive social media management.


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A development partnership agreement has been announced between 3D Control Systems, a San Francisco-based software company specializing in workflow management platforms for additive manufacturing, and PrintParts Inc., an AM technologies and services provider in New York City. The two companies will be combining PrintParts’ SmartParts authentication and traceability capabilities with 3D Control Systems’ workflow software.
The primary aim of this collaborative effort is to allow users to create an entirely traceable manufacturing process from start to finish. PrintParts and 3D Control Systems envision that this will not only improve the precision with which digital twin data is stored and analyzed; it will also make the benefits of storing that information more functional in the production process by integrating the data directly with the relevant physical parts.
Commenting on the collaboration, founder and CEO of PrintParts Robert Haleluk said, “we saw the need for traceability within additive as it continues to prove beneficial for production purposes, and additive MES companies such as 3D Control Systems are already providing end-users with the visibility and control they need to scale into production applications.” Adding to Halelu’s comments, CEO and co-founder of 3D Control Systems Michelle Bockman suggested that through this partnership “we expect to deliver more than an integration between companies, we start a new path in AM history with a real solution helping real people.”
Integration has always been fundamental to 3D printing, and it’s becoming a more significant consideration than ever, both in shaping the major moves made by key companies, as well as in trying to gauge the trajectory of where the industry as a whole is headed in the near future. Generally, this isn’t a unique attribute of 3D printing compared to the contemporary global business environment at large; in a more specific sense, however, the rate at which it’s happening compared to the age of the field itself is quite striking.
When looking at integration in other industries, usually in the form of mergers and acquisitions between enormous multinational corporations, it tends to be a symptom of stagnation, an attempt at monopolistic control, or simply a way to maximize profit. For instance, hearing about a company “streamlining” its operations is usually a euphemism for its downsizing plans (itself, a euphemism for firing lots of people).
On the other hand, the type of integration that currently exists in the 3D printing industry is forward-looking: it seems to be happening as a proactive measure to prevent the kind of waste characteristic of enormous industrial operations from ever overtaking the sector rather than a corrective implemented after-the-fact. Whether such integration is happening in terms of combining software platforms with proprietary hardware solutions, or the joining together of various companies for specific efforts, or even integrating entire supply chains, symbiosis is clearly becoming a critical factor all across the board in 3D printing. This will continue to be more crucial going forward for all companies and institutions involved if additive manufacturing is to fulfill its promise of providing a more sustainable version of industrialization.
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The UK government is set to announce its Autumn Statement around midday today, with Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, expected to outline fiscal policies to ‘get Britain growing’.
Fiscal policies will, inevitably, have an impact on the UK’s fintech, financial services and payments landscape. One particular policy that is widely reported in UK media is that of tax cuts – but Alastair Douglas, TotallyMoney CEO, doesn’t think the average consumer will see the benefit of these due to fiscal drag.
It is anticipated that Hunt will cut National Insurance by 1% while business rates are also expected to be slashed in a bid to grow the economy.
“In the past two years, record levels of inflation have driven up the cost of a pint of milk by 44%, while the government froze the personal tax allowance at £12,570,” Douglas remarked.
“This has meant that as businesses provided staff with the financial support the government didn’t, wage rises walked millions of workers into paying more tax — a majority of whom were already some of the UK’s lowest earners.
“And although the government is claiming victory in the fight against the cost of living, households up and down the country are unlikely to agree when on Thursday morning, Ofgem tells us to prepare for another energy price hike this January.
“So while these so-called tax cuts might make the headlines, they won’t be doing much to heat struggling households, or fill empty stomachs this Christmas. Jeremy Hunt may have claimed the economy has ‘turned a very big corner’ — but is the government just going round the houses?”
So going beyond the Autumn statement’s impact on the man on the street and looking more at the macroeconomic picture, what could Chancellor Hunt’s potential measures pose for the UK’s financial industry?
‘Levelling up’ the British economy has been one of the big buzzwords of the Conservative government since the 2019 General Election win, with much of this approach focusing on developing the UK’s regions, such as the now stripped-back HS2 rail project.
However, part of this has seen the government detail ambitions for the UK to become a leader in fintech and payments. Ben Ruffels, VP of Public Policy at real-time payments provider Volt, believes that today’s statement poses a ‘huge opportunity for the British government to spark the next wave of innovation in financial services’.
“Setting out an ambitious vision for the future of open banking and retail payments would put wind in the sails of UK fintechs like Volt, who are already transforming how money moves,” he explained.
“To take real-time open banking payments to the next level, and turbocharge their adoption by merchants and their customers, we urgently need the UK’s Joint Regulatory Oversight Committee (JROC) to clarify how our open banking ecosystem will be overseen during the next phase of its evolution.
“Any future framework needs to protect the world-leading open banking ecosystem we’ve built and unleash the market-led collaboration between banks and fintechs that will catapult it forward.
“One area where this collaboration could bring major benefits for businesses and their customers is Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs). This model of open banking payments could support a range of new payment use cases: one-click checkout, subscriptions and in-app payments are all on the table. A clear plan to unlock this potential will move us much closer to building propositions that truly rival the global card networks.”
As mentioned above, boosting the UK’s fintech sector has been a government goal since 2021, when Rishi Sunak – who at the time held the role of Chancellor, prior to his ascent to PM after the downfall of Liz Truss last year – explained the ambition at that year’s Fintech Week.
At the time, Sunak emphasised a need for the FCA’s ‘scale box’ and the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology to boost growth, for greater digitisation of UK finance via a central bank digital currency taskforce and support for technology and infrastructure, and lastly plans for reform of capital markets.
Since assuming leadership of the Conservative Party last year, Sunak’s government has also restructured the government to reflect his tech ambitions, creating the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Ruffels is hopeful that today’s statement will show that the government remains committed to these plans and to investing in and enhancing the UK’s fintech and payments sector.
He continued: “Beyond open banking, we’re seeing innovation in the world of digital assets and a possible digital pound on the horizon. This all points to a more diverse and complex payments landscape. That’s why the Future of Payments Review, expected alongside the Statement, should recommend an overarching payments strategy for the UK.
“A shared roadmap for the future will help our payments landscape evolve more coherently. If we can follow a course that avoids siloed payment methods, drives competition and captures synergies, payment innovation is more likely to deliver real-world benefits for consumers and businesses.
“We’ll be watching the Autumn Statement closely, and hope it will be the catalyst for even more open banking innovation, and radically improved payment services.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is expected to announce the Autumn Statement early this afternoon – stay tuned to Payment Expert for all subsequent updates.


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The 18th International Hotel Investment Forum
The 18th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) took place at the Hotel InterContinental Berlin, Germany, from 2. – 4. March 2015. Over 2,000 delegates from across 70 countries have gathered for the largest and most senior event for the hospitality industry. The programme began with welcome remarks from Kerry Gumas, President & Chief Executive Officer, Questex and Jonathan Worsley Chairman, Bench Events, Board Member, STR Global. Gumas thanked the diverse delegation for their attendance as well as the sponsors and advisory board for their continued support. Worsley welcomed delegates who were new to the event and also those who were amongst the 300 who attended the inaugural event 18 years ago.
The conference programme started with A Bird’s Eye View looking at the global and European investment landscape. Elizabeth Winkle, Managing Director, STR Global presented with notable points being that Europe had seen 18 months of consecutive RevPAR growth and demand in Europe was back to that seen in the early 2000s. The capital markets perspective was provided by Roy H. March, Chief Executive Officer, Eastdil Secured. Chris Day, Managing Director, Christie + Co concluded with a positive speech which noted that European yields are still very attractive and there are “no signs that hotel transactions will lessen across the whole of 2015”. He expects to see a rise in secondary transaction markets and observed that lower oil prices will boost travel and tourism. The session concluded with Day saying “hotels continue to offer great value and very solid investment returns for innovative buyers”.
Next on stage in the Potsdam Ballroom was Riding the Investment Cycle hosted by Simon M Johnson, Specialist Markets, CBRE, in discussion with Andreas Loecher, Union Investment Real Estate, Puneet Chhatwal, Chief Executive Officer, Steigenberger Hotel Group, Federico J. González Tejera, Chief Executive Officer, NH Hotel Group and Dr. Edward O. Wojakovski, Chief Executive Officer, Tonstate. Johnson began the session by asking each of the participants “how’s business”? Loecher responded by saying they were quite active with 12 hotels acquired over the last 2 years and he sees the current level of activity continuing as “8 out of 9 funds are interested in hotel real estate assets”. Wojakovski response was slightly more guarded and he said “business is neither good nor bad, but challenging and unpredictable”. Johnson asked the panel whether they were finding opportunities to buy to which Wojakovski responded that the current environment is both a good time to buy and also a good time to sell and this rarely happens in the hospitality industry. On the subject of branding the panel were largely in agreement that brands did add value to properties. Wojakovski stated that “a brand is a good instrument to fill a (bed)room particularly for what is a generic product”. Johnson then asked the panel how they generated their business to which Chhatwal replied that “if used wisely, OTAs add considerable value to companies of our size”, but that it remains “a challenge to get the cost of distribution under control”. González said that the industry was “too obsessed with OTAs” and he preferred to view it as direct vs indirect business. From that perspective he was happy to announce that NH get more than 50% of business directly.
The first day concluded with the much anticipated panel Colliding Megatrends: Innovation, Disruption and Sharing – The Challenge of Change which was chaired by Michael Hirst, Consultant, CBRE Hotels. First to the stage was Leo Johnson, Partner, PwC; Author of Turnaround Challenge: Business and the City of the Future. Johnson focused on how we should use technology to create real connectedness and that this connection should be real and not virtual. He also highlighted the significant opportunity for the sector to provide local knowledge to guests. “local knowledge is really prized” and “there is huge economic potential in exploring ways in which to deliver this”. He encouraged us all to “make the real more fun than the virtual”. Dr. Graeme R. Codrington, International Director, TomorrowTodayGlobal followed with a look into the future. He began with the startling statistic that there are over 400,000 people in the world who are currently over 100 years old and this figure is only going to increase. Increased longevity is a considerable factor when looking at future proofing business as it not only impacts guests but also employees. He also noted that if you were born in the 1990s there is an 80% chance that you will live through three centuries.
Codrington talked at length about the availability of being connected and that, with the development of cheap smart phones and free Wi-Fi as standard, connectivity was not reserved for the rich but available to everyone. He believes we are entering a golden age of technology and we need to consider how we respond. Firstly to change the way we think and unlearn the existing beliefs that shape our system. Secondly to “sort out our technology” by which he pointed to the fact that approximately 70% of senior executives don’t have personal social media accounts and this indicated a serious lack of engaging with technology. Thirdly he encouraged us all to experiment more and finally to deal with the limiting orthodoxies that we are surrounded by. Vivek Badrinath, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Marketing, Digital, Distribution & IT for Accor talked to Michael Hirst about the digital changes the brand are embracing. Badrinath has a budget of $225m for investment in digital developments for Accor. Hirst asked whether Badrinath considered the sharing economy a friend or a foe? He replied “it is an inspiration and a flashlight on things that are changing”. The final speaker in this session was Chip Conley, Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy, Airbnb. Conley owns 18 hotels but sees himself as a student rather than an hotelier or technologist. He says that Airbnb are focusing on localisation and experience and that he has tried to bring inconsistency to the company. Hirst asked whether Airbnb was a hospitality or technology company. Conley replied that he wanted to take the tech company that it originally was and turn it into a hospitality company. 20 million people used Airbnb during 2014 and Conley sees the company as facilitating travel, especially in the developing world where, for example, a hotel stay for a family of five would be unaffordable and impractical but staying together in an apartment makes travel and adventure accessible. He said that the empty nesters are their fastest growing segment as couples find themselves with two or three spare bedrooms and want to experience “kitchen table diplomacy”. His philosophy is to “stay humble, stay curious and continue to learn”. Hirst then brought the speakers back to the stage for a few concluding questions including the speakers key message to the hotel investment audience. Badrinath reassured them that Accor were embracing the coming digital changes and had $225m to invest in innovative technology. Conley asked the audience to consider whether they were transactional or legacy investors. On the future of the hotel industry, Johnson said “the small can become the massive small” and Codrington said that organisations needed both depth and breadth to be successful. He advised that a “mix and match of skills” was preferable and warned against boards of directors with 30 years’ experience all in the same industry. Hirst concluded by asking them where they would like to be. Codrington replied that his ideal was a “personalised world with as much access and connection and disconnection as I want”. On whether investing in hotels was a sound business decision, Conley said that “there is always going to be a place in the world for hotels. I would continue to invest in hotels but only those who are smart about investing in technology”. Jonathan Worsley took to the stage to thank all the speakers and Michael Hirst for his in-depth preparation and excellent moderating and commented that he believed “the session was the best we’ve ever had”.
A new report by Grant Thornton finds that the hotel industry lags behind others in adopting technology to meet customer demand. It means hotels are now playing catch up, and must put mobile technology at the centre of their customer experience to compete in the ‘sharing economy’ where services such as AirBnB are challenging the traditional business model. However, Grant Thornton cautions against de-humanising the hotel experience, stressing the importance of balancing technology with the customer touch people still value.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) announced the signing of three Holiday Inn® brand family hotels in Germany. IHG signed management agreements for Holiday Inn Express® Berlin – Alexanderplatz and Holiday Inn Express® Munich – City West with UBM, and a franchise agreement for Holiday Inn® Essen – City Rathaus with Tristar Management GmbH. IHG also opened Holiday Inn® Frankfurt – Alte Oper yesterday under a management agreement with UBM.
The first day of the 18th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) closed with the opening night reception at the Intercontinental Berlin.
The second day of the 18th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), opened with President & Chief Executive Officer, Questex, Kerry Gumas presenting Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) with a cheque as part of Questex’s long standing support of the school. André Witschi, President of the Board of Governors at EHL accepted the cheque on behalf of the institute.
The Economic Overview presented by Andrew Kenningham from Capital Economics discussed the global and European markets. The key points from this session included the warning that one of the main risks to the Eurozone was deflation as this would make paying down debt harder, especially in an area which currently has a large amount of debt. He spoke of the growth in the BRIC emerging economies and how the rapid growth in China, which was mostly supported through huge lending, has stabilised slightly to a more sustainable level.
The presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award was made by Ömer Isvan, President, Servotel to Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and Chief Executive Office of Starwood Capital Group. During the interview which followed the presentation, Sternlicht said: “I love the hotel industry because people are involved. There is creativity and it’s a team effort and you are always trying to surprise the guest. At the end of the day, it’s all about people”. Sternlicht feels like the industry is in an exciting place, “a golden era” and enjoys staying in independent hotels. He believes there are still many opportunities available and to optimise these, you need to appeal to a demographic and there are many demographics that are not currently represented by the existing hotel brands.
This was followed by the presentation of the Young Leader Award to Greg Bows, Founder and Managing Director of African Impact. The award was presented to Bows by Chad Crandell, President of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) who said that “this year’s nominations were nothing short of spectacular”. Bows was described by his sponsor at African Impact as “someone who provides truly unique and mind blowing experiences”.
The ever popular CEOS’ panel concluded the general sessions for the morning. Chaired by Arthur de Haast, Global Chairman Hotels & Hospitality Group, JLL, in discussion with Sébastien Bazin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Accor; Stephen P. Joyce, President & Chief Executive Officer, Choice Hotels International; David Kong, President & Chief Executive Officer, Best Western International; Gerald Lawless, President & Group Chief Executive Officer, Jumeirah Group and Arne M. Sorenson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International, Inc. Notable points from this session included consensus amongst all participants that 2015 looked optimistic for the industry globally with lower oil prices and interest rates contributing to this. Lawless commented that Jumeirah are trading at between 82-85% occupancy on an annualised basis in Dubai and have average rate of upwards of $600. The company is looking at growing from 82,000 keys to 150,000 in 2020. When considering China and the 300,000 of the global 1.3 million rooms in the development pipeline coming from there, Bazin believes that the partnership recently agreed with Accor, Huazhu and China Lodging will be the key to their success in the region. “I don’t believe in competing with the Chinese operators. You need to be there, you need to be visible so the decision is to partner and then you must decide who to partner with”. Kong strongly believes that “people are looking for experience when they travel” and being able to provide this is a significant part of success. Looking at technology, Sorenson feels strongly that it is important that people get value from booking directly with them and referenced the recent move to provide free Wi-Fi to all Marriott members when they book directly. Lawless said if “technology is not helping to personalise the customer experience, it is not working”. He said that converting the 10 million hits on the Jumeirah website last year into as many direct booking guests as possible was one of the company’s priorities. Finally when asked whether Airbnb was impacting the sector, Joyce said that they were big with millennials and “that is something the hotel business should be looking at as it is very relevant for our customer set”.
News from the event included Choice Hotels announcing an agreement with SiteMinder, the leading cloud platform for hotel distribution, which will assist international hotels with managing their online distribution. The agreement will allow Choice’s international properties the unique ability to manage their entire room inventory from one central system.
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) announced that the EHL Foundation has set up a holding company to optimize its operations and hence meet the demands of the global hospitality markets. “EHL SA” is fully owned by the EHL Foundation and will manage EHL’s entire portfolio of activities, organized into several specialized business units.
Qbic Hotels announced plans for aggressive expansion in 2015/16. The group intends to spread its acquisition net into Europe, with hot-spots including the likes of Edinburgh, Paris, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Dublin and a second hotel in Amsterdam. In addition, they will continue to seek new opportunities in London.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) announced at IHIF the signing of a multiple development agreement (MDA) with Interstar to develop 10 hotels by 2019. The first hotel under the agreement to be signed is Holiday Inn® Frankfurt – Airport. IHG’s growth strategy continues to gain momentum in Germany with over 85 hotels currently either open or planned under MDA agreements.
The second day of the 18th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) closed with the evening reception at TIPI am Kanzleramt.
The final day of the 18th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), took a new format this year with the introduction of new In-The-Round sessions. These were introduced following suggestions from the IHIF Advisory Board to facilitate more intimate and informative discussion platforms on specialist subject areas. Each session was guided by an industry expert who prepared information in advance to share with delegates to enable a worthwhile and useful conversation. The sessions covered a wide range of topics including assessing the reliability of hotel valuations, crisis management, the sharing economy, technology and improving RevPAR among others. The In-The-Round sessions also provided an opportunity for an in-depth focus on specific geographical areas and the hospitality and investment status within those countries. These included Italy, The Maldives, Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, Morocco, Brazil, Ecuador and Macedonia.
The closing lunch provided an opportunity for Kerry Gumas, President & Chief Executive Officer, Questex, to thank all delegates for their attendance and the sponsors for their support. He also thanked his colleagues at Questex, specifically Event Director, Tess Pearson, for their dedication to organising a hugely successful event.
News from the final day of the event includes InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) announcing at IHIF the signing of Holiday Inn Express® Cologne – City Centre under a multiple development agreement with Foremost Hospitality. Located in the heart of Cologne’s city centre, the 323-room hotel will join Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam Arena Tours in first place as the largest Holiday Inn Express hotel in Europe. The hotel will open during quarter one of 2017. Foremost currently have 16 IHG hotels open or under development in Germany.
HVS released two reports to coincide with IHIF. The first, their annual European Hotel Transactions report, saw European hotel transaction volumes rise to a total of €14.4 billion, an increase of 86% on 2013. This is a record figure since the onset of the financial crisis. The 2015 European Hotel Valuation Index saw Europe’s hotels witness their fifth consecutive year of value growth last year, with properties in the UK and Southern Europe seeing some of the biggest gains.
Foncière des Régions announced the acquisition of 22 B&B hotels in Germany totalling €128 million. The group also announced a €400 million investment target for 2015.


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Just over two years ago, the Pee Dee Food Hub in Marion County, South Carolina got started under the name of Agriporium. While the mission remains largely the same, putting produce from the farm directly on the tables of consumers, the methods have evolved. Director Jody Martin:
“There’s a lot of things happening. We kind of reorganized things last year under the banner of the Pee Dee Food Hub, a lot of directions, we kind of had to tweak some things, but we got through our first year, along with a storm thrown in there as well.
“And we’ve kicked off our second year of delivering product to our customer base, we got started back in April, which was very interesting this year, because you know what happened back in March with some very cold weather, but that’s farming for you. We’ve had to make some adjustments and tweaks to make things work with limited product with a lot of our product damaged by the freeze. But, we’re on the move and we’re servicing a lot of different customers in different markets.”
The original plan was to supply restaurants on South Carolina’s Grand Strand with fresh fruit and vegetables. Martin says that plan has evolved as well:
“We’ve had to make adjustment to try to find the right customers that were really looking for local, fresh product. So, we’re working with several different markets, one of them is farm-to-restaurant, and then farm-to-grocery, farm-to-workplace, working on some things on farm-to-institutions.
“The restaurant business is a tight business because of the small amount of volume for the higher end restaurants that really appreciate our products, but we’re working with some restaurants in Florence and Hartsville with plants of going into a specific area of the Grand Strand in the near future.”
How the food hub works with farmers has changed a little bit too, from the original model explains Martin:
“We work with those farmers and we work that crop plan in advance. We work closely with Tony Melton with Clemson Extension Service, and others to make sure that that is done properly. We work with a group of growers that have come to us, and we’ve been able to connect with that have to follow food safety guidelines, of course, and grower guidelines, we have to be very specific and have to be, as everybody in the food industry in these areas.
So, we’ve kind of worked with a group of farmers to spread our risk, and our variety of product, and it’s given us an opportunity to keep that moving. But, when the weather changes things get tight, we just have to adapt and adjust accordingly.”
We’ll visit further with Pee Dee Food Hub’s Director, Jody Martin tomorrow on Inside Agriculture on plans for the future. To learn more visit peedeefoodhub dot com.


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BOSTON - An Illinois-based gas distributor has warned officials in at least 12 states that some propane deliveries may have lacked enough of a chemical that gives a distinctive smell to the normally odorless gas, enabling homeowners to detect possible leaks.
Aux Sable Liquid Products said in a letter to public safety officials dated Sept. 8 and obtained by The Associated Press that the odorant is typically added at its Morris plant.
A company spokesman on Thursday confirmed the contents of the letter. He said the company was alerted to the potential problem by a customer who delivers the gas to smaller distribution centers.
"We were made aware that there were possibly some retail deliveries that were not sufficiently odorized," said Aux Sable spokesman Scott Seibert. He said the company is currently reviewing its propane odorization system.
The company said the propane could have been shipped to Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia and Vermont.
In the letter, Aux Sable said it has ceased shipments from the Illinois plant while it investigates. The company has alerted the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission and local fire marshals and attorneys general in each of the states.
The company said it's working to ensure all future propane deliveries are tested.
The decision by Aux Sable to suspend shipments follows an investigation by the Massachusetts attorney general's office into a fatal explosion in July at a condominium development in Norfolk, Mass.
The state fire marshal found a propane leak caused the blast that killed a construction worker. Other workers said they did not smell a leak. The propane was delivered to the site from a facility in Westfield, Mass.


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Hollywood Sensation Jewelry is starting 2022 with a bang. The online jewelry store that offers high-quality products has launched tennis bracelets for women.
The high-quality tennis bracelets for women are part of the fine jewelry collection that Hollywood Sensation has been providing over the years. The said fashion jewelry online store has been in operation since 2012, providing beautiful and responsibly-sourced jewelry that creates a red carpet sensation without the red carpet price.
According to Mary Hood, the founder and CEO of Hollywood Sensation Jewelry, the products come in a wide variety, namely Cubic Zirconia tennis bracelet, tennis bracelet women, silver tennis bracelet, and white gold tennis bracelet.
While inviting customers to sample their latest fine jewelry, Hollywood Sensation Jewelry’s founder and CEO said they have one simple mission: to inspire and share their happiness through beauty and great fashion. It is for this reason why they are offering cutting-edge style from the red carpet.
Shop with confidence
Their no-questions-asked return policy means customers can invest in affordable luxury tennis bracelets for women with confidence! Top-rated service and delivery to the doorstep seal the deal. Their runway-inspired collections and state-of-the-art packaging make women feel confident, inspired, and beautiful with pieces that never go out of style.
Hollywood Sensation jewelry serves more than one purpose, with a portion of all proceeds assigned to the Elton John Aids Foundation.
“Join the Hollywood Sensation Jewelry family and invest in sensational red carpet jewelry… without red carpet prices!” said the CEO.
The tennis bracelets for women are available at their e-commerce store using the link:
About Hollywood Sensation Jewelry
Hollywood Sensation Jewelry is an online jewelry store that offers beautiful and responsibly-sourced jewelry that creates a red carpet sensation without the red carpet price. The brand provides high-quality jewelry so every woman can feel confident, inspired, and empowered. Founded by Mary Hood in 2012, Hollywood Sensation has grown to be a nationally recognized brand featured on television shows like The Talk, The Real, Hollywood Live Today, and QVC. The brand has been empowering women, from the workplace to the red carpet, all while giving back to charity. Hollywood Sensation Jewelry is for every woman, delivering sophisticated quality and timeless designs.


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If you want to be a responsible traveller in 2020, do the world a favour and avoid places like Angkor Wat, Barcelona and Bali.
The concept of old, forgotten purchases lingering in closets could soon be a thing of the past. It seems that 2019 is the year that fashion rental went mainstream.
To help travellers and ease the process of hunting for accommodation, SGI Vacation Club Berhad (SGI VC) is offering a week-based vacation club programme and services.


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Twitter says it was just an accident that caused the microblogging giant to let advertisers use private information to better target their marketing materials at users.
The social networking giant on Tuesday admitted to an “error” that let advertisers have access to the private information customers had given Twitter in order to place additional security protections on their accounts.
“We recently discovered that when you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes (for example, two-factor authentication) this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes, specifically in our Tailored Audiences and Partner Audiences advertising system,” Twitter said.
“When an advertiser uploaded their marketing list, we may have matched people on Twitter to their list based on the email or phone number the Twitter account holder provided for safety and security purposes. This was an error and we apologize.”
Twitter assures users that no “personal” information was shared, though we’re not sure what Twitter would consider “personal information” if your phone number and email address do not meet the bar.


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Jersey City grocery stores to set hours just for senior, disabled and pregnant shoppers
Grocery stores in Jersey City will allocate shopping time specifically for elderly, disabled and pregnant shoppers every morning, the city's mayor said, as supermarkets continue to be flooded with concerned residents amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Mayor Steven Fulop tweeted plans on Monday to set aside hours for those who may be more vulnerable in the midst of the outbreak, which will allocate two hours, from 9 to 11 a.m., for the shoppers who would benefit from less crowded grocery stores.
Fulop said that the rule will apply to grocery stores that have three or more cash registers and will begin on Tuesday morning.
"The stores have been receptive," Fulop tweeted, "as this needs to be an effort where we all work together. These are the most vulnerable residents and crowded supermarkets are a challenge for these residents."
Story continues below the gallery.
Supermarkets across the country are seeing thousands of people clear the shelves of essential items, especially toilet paper and water.
The head of New Jersey’s largest supermarket association said Sunday that her members were having trouble meeting the unprecedented demand.
“Many food retailers are pulling from the same suppliers, so there is a strain to the food system,” said Linda M. Doherty, president and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council. “Local grocers are replenishing stock now."
On Monday Fulop announced that non-emergency medical offices in Jersey City, along with bars, gyms and other businesses will close.
Anthony Zurita is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.org Twitter: @AnthonyRZurita


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— Temporary shutters: Contigo is closed on Saturday and Monday, May 7 and 9, but the patio restaurant is throwing an anniversary party that Saturday. Veracruz All Natural's Cesar Chavez truck will close just for the day on Saturday, May 7.
— Tennis pro Andy Roddick and model/actress Brooklyn Decker sang their praises of Uchiko and chef/owner Tyson Cole to Austin Monthly, along with other places: Josephine House, Jeffrey's, Tacodeli, Maudie's, and, for some reason Austin Burrito Company.
— Statesman writer Michael Barnes leapt back into Austin in the 1970s, including mentions of Cisco’s, Threadgill's, Liberty Lunch, Fonda San Miguel, Thundercloud Subs, and others.
— Austin Business Journal put together a handy map breaking down how much less booze downtown bars sold this year during SXSW compared to last year's sales, which isn't pretty.
— Blue Bell accidentally filled Cookie's 'n Cream ice cream into Rocky Road cartons and had to recall those products. This isn't as bad as the whole listeria outbreak the ice cream production faced.
— InStyle called out Hopdoddy Burger Bar as one of the best burgers in America, with milkshakes "to-die-for."
— East Austin dive bar King Bee is looking to hire more staffers.
— Thrillist tracked the next big barbecue spots of the country, including Austin's Smokey Denmark, led by pitmaster and sausage genius Keenan Goldis.
Update, 11:20 a.m.: This post was clarified to reflect Austin Business Journal's map data.


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Earlier this month, reports suggested Sprint and T-Mobile had once again resumed merger talks, and now it appears the two U.S. carriers may be close to inking a deal.
According to Reuters, Sprint and T-Mobile have "made progress" negotiating merger terms and are aiming to complete deal talks as soon as next week.
T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom and Sprint parent company SoftBank are said to be discussing an agreement that would "dictate how they exercise voting control over the combined company."
This could allow Deutsche Telekom to consolidate the combined company on its books, even if it does not have a majority stake in the combined company, one of the sources added. Deutsche Telekom owns more than 63 percent of T-mobile, while SoftBank owns 84.7 percent of Sprint.
Previous merger talks between Sprint and T-Mobile failed after the two companies were unable to reach "mutually agreeable terms." Sprint parent company SoftBank was said to be unsatisfied with the deal because of ownership terms, with SoftBank concerned about losing control of the combined company after Deutsche Telekom requested a controlling stake.
If T-Mobile and Sprint are able to establish a satisfactory deal, the combined company would have more than 100 million customers.
Sources that spoke to Reuters said there is "no certainty" a deal will be reached, given the dissolution of the previous merger talks.


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What they're doing: When the Shinaults went into business for themselves in the late '80s, they hoped that doing so would help them to send their two kids to college and retire comfortably. But Ron also wanted more growth than he had in his job doing logistics for a medical manufacturer. "My fast track had reached its slowdown mode," he says.
Starting Cosh Healthcare, which sells medical and lab equipment to universities and government agencies, involved risks: Ron quit his job, and they took out a second mortgage. But they hedged those bets by moving from Chicago to cheaper Atlanta; Karen kept her sales job at AT&T for a while, and Ron delayed taking a salary until the business got on its feet.
Thanks to their derring-do, they've sent their kids to college without debt and saved vigorously for retirement (more, Karen notes, than they could have in the corporate world). Building a profitable business, they say, is as simple as meeting buyers' needs. "If you do that part right, the millions will come," adds Ron.
How you can get to a million with a business: There is something to the idea that successful business owners can get to $1 million faster than Joe Corporate can.
Although just 12% of U.S. households own businesses, they represent 37% of those in the highest decile for income, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation found; their median net worth was $497,000, vs. $42,000 for non-business owners.
On the other hand, government data show that only 51% of businesses with employees that started in 2000 survived at least five years. To be the success story, focus on ideas that ...
1. ... have low overhead. Your best bets in midlife are businesses that don't require big investments of time or money, says Len Schlesinger, president of Babson College, a top-ranked school for entrepreneurship: "Age 59 is not the time to take 35% of your net worth and put it into a restaurant."
2. ... are scale-able. Since the real money comes from selling business, look for an idea with big growth potential -- meaning it could be expanded or cloned -- that can go on without your future involvement, says Carol Roth, author of The Entrepreneur Equation.


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By: Matt Rego
Cyberonics, Inc. announced today that it has inked a merger deal with Sorin worth $3.3 billion. Cyberonics reported third quarter earnings today and took the opportunity to announce its merger deal. The company was estimated by analysts to report earnings per share of $0.57, on revenue of $72.09 million. Cyberonics reported actual earnings per share of $0.59, on revenue of $72.07 million. While the medical devices company slightly missed on revenue estimates, income from operations showed growth of 12% year over year. As a result from the earnings release and merger announcement, Cyberonics is currently rallying over 20%. Sorin is up over 34% on the merger news. The new company is said to be moving its headquarters to London and will have a market cap of around $3 billion in the medical devices industry.
New company will face a lower tax bill in London
Despite continued efforts by President Obama to crack down on corporations moving their headquarters to other countries in seek of lower tax bills, the Texas-based Cyberonics and Italy-based Sorin will step up shop in London. Cyberonics executives quickly noted that the movement to London was for purely driven by “strategic interests rather than tax advantages”. However, the United Kingdom has a current corporate tax rate of 21%, compared to the US’s 35%, which will certainly help the new corporate entity, which has not yet been named, pay lower tax bill. Andre-Michel Ballester, the current CEO of Sorin is said to become the CEO of the new merged company. Current Cyberonics CEO, Dan Moore will take a non-executive chairman position in the new company.
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Cyberonics-Sorin company will have more vast international reach
Cyberonics specializes in medical equipment that treats epilepsy and sleep apnea, while Sorin specializes in medical devices that help treat heart diseases and conditions, two very prevalent health issues around the world. The new company will now have operations in over 100 countries and employment of 4,500 workers, which vastly improves outlook for new company.
Dan Moore, a non-executive chairman of the new merged company said the new company will have greater international exposure and diversification, allowing for greater earnings potential and growth. Mr. Moore also made an emphasis that the new entity will continue to focus on shareholder value.
Overall, the second largest US and European corporate deal of 2015 will bring a significant advantage to both companies, as far as growth and earnings potential is concerned. Both Sorin and Cyberonics have had success in their perspective niches, but the new diversified company will bring greater opportunity to shareholders and to the bottom line of the new company.


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"One of the exciting things about the local food movement is that many people in it are beginning to experience a level of community they never experienced in their lives... People who connect in to this local food revolution are finding that there's a growing community here and being part of that community means something. And it is this growing community of eaters, focused on local food, that we want to reach with this magazine. This magazine is for them."
Local Food Shift Magazine is a new quarterly publication, both in print and online, covering and catalyzing the local food revolution in Colorado. Colorado creatives are contributing top-quality content on the "awakening Colorado foodshed and its shift from a globalized industrial food system to a localized regional food supply chain." Local Food Shift's first issue comes out in September 2015.
Michael Brownlee is Co-Publisher and Co-Editor of Local Food Shift Magazine, along with his partner Lynette Marie Hanthorn. Michael has "long been a catalyst in the process of food localization, working to ignite, inspire, guide, and empower those who are facing the challenges and opportunities of localizing our food supply and forging a new and restorative way for humanity to feed itself." Let's get behind Local Food Shift and help them reach 80,000 readers and more!
- IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN -
- LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE -
– THANKS FOR LISTENING –


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Dynamic, divisive and occasionally downright dangerous -- the tech world in 2015 has given us plenty to enjoy, and plenty to think about. From hacking scandals that rocked our notions of online security to 4K and space-flight firsts -- hit Play to see the moments that defined tech in 2015.
In our video look back at the year, you'll hear about the greatest gadgets of the last 12 months, including long-awaited devices like the Apple Watch, and emerging technologies such as virtual reality. Ponder the implications of Windows 10's launch and Nintendo's tough year, and reminisce about a date that's been in the calendar of every geek since the late '80s.
From the cinematic spectacle of Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs movie to our closest look at Pluto, the tech community this year has had plenty to think about. We strongly suspect that 2016 has even more surprises in store, so check out the video above, then let us know what you want to see next year in the comments below.


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Tailored Brands, the owner of Men Wearhouse and Jos A. Bank, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, becoming the latest US retail casualty of the pandemic.
Tailored Brands said in a statement that it voluntary filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday in the US Bankruptcy Court in Houston due to "the unprecedented impact of COVID-19."
The company expects its four retail brands to continue to operate during the restructuring process, and said it has reached an agreement with lenders to reduce debt by $630 million.
This follows Tailored Brands decision on July 21 to eliminate about 20% of its corporate workforce and close up to 500 stores as it deals with a "challenging retail environment."
Lord and Taylor also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday, according to court documents.


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Gipsy Hill Brewing Co has opened its crowdfunding campaign to the public as it seeks to become a carbon neutral brewery without offsets.
The campaign, on Seedrs, looks to fund the overhauling of key areas of the brewery’s infrastructure to help it achieve its big sustainability target.
“This summer we released what we believe to be the world’s first carbon-negative beers without using offsets — the culmination of a project that lasted 24 months,” says the brewer in its pitch.
“We believe that we can become the world’s first carbon-negative brewery without offsets — truly sustainable and regenerative brewing from the heart of London.
“Strong sustainability credentials will soon be table stakes for any large FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) deals, and we believe that by making us the most sustainable brewing business in the world, we are increasing our potential for the growth of the business.”


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Bauer Media UK unveils entertainment and lifestyle content hub led by Jo Parkerson
Bauer Media UK has announced that it is to launch a new entertainment and lifestyle content hub with the aim of sharing the content from all its platforms, including heat, Kiss, Empire, Magic, Closer, Planet Rock, In:Demand and Grazia.
Jo Parkerson, currently Global Radio’s head of artist liaison and showbusiness editor, is set to join Bauer Media UK as entertainment and lifestyle content director.
Parkerson will lead the hub to capture, distribute and share content from across the group, with the aim of this resulting in engaging and exclusive content.
Paul Keenan, chief executive at Bauer Media UK, said: “Bauer Media’s strategy focuses on delighting our 20 million consumers week in, week out. This new hub puts our engaging content at the heart of our offering, and ensures that consumers of our world-famous brands will have 24/7 access to the best news and exclusives from around the world, across multiple platforms.”
Parkerson will begin her role on 2 April.


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The House passed on Wednesday HB 7071, a set of tax reduction provisions, including time-limited sales tax exemptions for sporting events, back-to-school items, hand tools, diapers and other items. This sets the stage for talks with the Senate on the Legislative Assembly’s final tax measure.
Although the GOP-controlled House’s tax cut plans typically include deep corporate tax cuts that typically elicit opposition from some Democrats, this year’s version also included enough measures aimed at consumers to win over all Democrats when the bill passed unanimously.
The bill, for example, provides a one-year moratorium on sales taxes on diapers, under a bill sponsored by Rep. Anna Eskamanian Orlando Democrat, who said it would help low-income families.
“We have families across America who just can’t afford diapers,” Eskamani said.
State economists predict parents will save $35 million during the one-year diaper sales tax holiday and $74.6 million from the one-year sales tax holiday on infant and toddler clothing also included in the bill.
Sales taxes on appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and water heaters will also be exempt for one year, as will impact-resistant windows, doors and garage doors for two years.
The bill also includes a sales tax exemption on children’s books for three months in the summer; a “Tool Time” sales tax exemption on hand tools, power tools and other items from September 3-9; a suspension of the “Freedom Week” sales tax from July 1-7 on tickets to sporting events, movies, museums, state parks, ballets, gym memberships as well as outdoor recreation equipment and pool supplies; and a traditional back-to-school sales tax holiday on clothing, school supplies and personal computers worth less than $1,500.
“Today we passed our strongest tax package ever that will put more money back in the pockets of hard-working Floridians,” the House Speaker said. Chris Sprows, a Republican from Palm Harbor, in a released statement. “We’ve extended existing tax breaks like the popular Freedom Week, Hurricane Preparedness and Back-to-School Holidays, and we’ve introduced new tax breaks to ensure that everyone who lives, works and pays taxes in Florida is the beneficiary of these vacation taxes at a time when daily costs are rising rapidly due to inflation.
Democrats, however, are wary of how the bill could change after talks with the Senate in the final days of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end on March 11.
“I’m just asking that the House hold the line so that we don’t have as big of a corporate tax cut as the Senate did,” the rep said. Angie Nixona Democrat from Jacksonville.


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Indian Cryptocurrency Exchange WazirX Announces A Marketplace For NFTs
WazirX, a cryptocurrency exchange, has announced a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens or NFTs.
The company, in a release, said, using the marketplace, Indian artists can auction their digital assets such as art pieces, videos, programs, audio files, and even tweets.
NFT is an acronym for a non-fungible token and is a unique cryptocurrency-based token that is ‘non-fungible. This means it can not be replaced by another ‘identical’ item, and its copies cannot be created following the purchase, making it a unique asset for buyers.
Talking about the development, Nischal Shetty, Founder of WazirX, said,
“It will truly transform the market in our rapidly digitizing world with a growing interest in NFT across the globe. Both digital creators and collectors stand to benefit from the WazirX NFT marketplace. As of now, we are working around certain nitty-gritty to make NFTs more lucrative for our customers.”
The company said it will not charge its customers for creating and listing NFTs on the platform. However, since NFTs are built on blockchains that allow smart contracts, users will have to pay a ‘gas fee’ to the miners in their respective cryptocurrencies. But to make it cost-effective for artists and creators, WazirX is currently working towards nullifying this cost.
Need legal assistance for your startup? Just contact us.


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The amount of Britons responding to adverts with text message codes is growing, highlighting the growing importance of SMS as a marketing tool, new research has shown.
UK response rates to SMS codes stands at 18.5 per cent in the M:Metrics study, beating countries like the US and Germany, which have response rates as low as 3.4 per cent.
Commenting on the importance of these findings to marketers, Will Hodgman, CEO of M:Metrics, said: “The growing adoption of major brands using SMS and the substantial consumer response rates indicate a couple of important trends: mobile as a commercial medium is on steroids; and multimedia convergence is real.”
Television was five times more successful a driver of SMS responses as either radio or magazines, the survey found, with chances to win prizes driving up responses.
Yet while M:Metrics claims that SMS marketing is a booming sector, with over a third of British mobile users having received a text advert, the firm expects the sector to receive even more attention in the future.
“It will not be long before brand advertisers supersede the mobile operators,” predicts Mr Hodgman.


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‘Hamba ngesandla sokunxele!’ Nissan and TBWA’s Zulu-language Waze wins at Loeries
Agency 'hacks' Waze to create a series of 41 key voice-assisted navigation commands in Zulu
How does a car manufacturer hack an internationally popular navigation app to provide a previously unconsidered SA market with unique tech aimed at keeping them safe on the road?
Enter Nissan Shwii — a downloadable series of Zulu-language audio commands compatible for use on the Waze navigation platform.
Waze is used by more than 800,000 drivers in SA, or 100,000 daily, and offers real-time traffic reports and optimal route selections in 98 language options — including Arabic, Mandarin, “Boy Band” and “Batman”.
Zulu, though the most widely spoken language in SA (by 20.6% of the population), is not on offer.
“We wanted to change that in a way that would place the Nissan brand in culture and unlock potent value for them,” says Carl Willoughby, creative lead on the project and executive creative director at TBWA\Hunt Lascaris, an agency known for its disruptive work.
“Nissan is renowned for its intelligent mobility that helps drivers navigate obstacles on the road with confidence so they can react accordingly and in time. Our hack does the same thing, but in Zulu, to help our local drivers avoid danger without the need to first translate.”
Shwii started with TBWA\Hunt Lascaris hacking the “personal voice recorder” feature on Waze to create a series of 41 key voice-assist navigation commands in Zulu. This resulted in a shareable link accessed via the Waze app from which users can download Zulu commands in male or female voice options.
Tessa Cooke, general manager for marketing communications at Nissan SA, says: “Shwii is an extension of what our brand stands for. Not only does it drive innovation and the functional use of technology, but it also has local relevance, leveraging the vibrancy of SA’s cultures in a disruptive way.
“This is a testament to our brand ethos of ‘innovation that excites’, and we can’t wait for what the future holds, including the rollout of other language options on Shwii.”
Last week, Nissan Shwii and the associated campaign won TBWA\Hunt Lascaris its second radio and audio Grand Prix in two years at the prestigious South African Loerie Awards.
Willoughby says: “Shwii has been two years in the making, and we couldn’t be more excited about the work or our Loeries win. We pride ourselves in bringing relatable, culturally relevant and brave campaigns to life.
“It costs $75,000 [about R1.1m] to add a new voice to Waze; we made it happen for under $5,000, which wouldn’t have been possible without the commitment of our phenomenal team including Sanele Ngubane from Samish, Thule Ngcese and Louis Enslin from Produce Sound.”
TBWA\Hunt Lascaris business director Mike Di Terlizzi says: “While we work on a global piece of business, we are always conscious, along with Nissan SA, of our duty to create communication that resonates with our diverse local audience.
“Our Loeries win proves that being given the opportunity to be creative and innovative by a trusting client leads to market-leading work that is in line with themes seen in this year’s radio and audio category at the Cannes awards.”
The Nissan Shwii campaign was also awarded two gold craft Loeries for direction and sound design; a silver award for the use of tech in audio; and a bronze award in the media innovation category.
Datsun, Nissan’s entry-level sister brand, also won a campaign silver in the online film category.
This article was paid for by TBWA\Hunt Lascaris.
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Magician Ben Robinson, on a nationwide tour promoting his new book trilogy, will make an appearance at the Thatcher-Young Mansion in Logan, Utah next Monday. Limted to just 50 seats, tickets just $10. Here's a link to the press release with more details:
Discuss the latest news and rumors in the magic world.
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WHITEHORSE, YK – Winterlong Brewing has announced details of the new and returning beers that will be released in coming weeks, including the following:
- New batches of “crowd favourites” Easy Listening ESB, Sullen Riot Rye Pale Ale, and HazySexyCool NEIPA are all due out before the end of September.
- Main fall seasonal Log Splitter Smoked Porter will return in mid-October, and will be available through to late winter.
- Sundown Dunkelweizen will be replacing the recently finished High Noon Hefeweizen as a draught-only offering starting later this month.
- Barrel-aged barley wine Tragic Vision will be out in early October.
- Rye Coffee Porter will be released in time for the Yukon Beer Festival in mid-October.
For more details on all of these beers, as well as expansion plans and other developments at the brewery, see the full announcement on the Winterlong website.


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The Agilyx begins commercial polystyrene recycling operations at their Tigard, Oregon. The opening of the plant was celebrated in the presence of high dignitaries that included Agilyx strategic partners in the new plastics circular economy, local government representatives, representatives from American Chemistry Council (ACC) and Americas Styrenics LLC (AmSty). The opening ceremony will include weeklong activities.
Mike Levy, senior director of ACC’s Plastics Foodservice Packaging Group, said, “Agilyx is an innovator in finding new ways to capture and convert used plastics into valuable products. Delivery of a polystyrene-to styrene oil/monomer solution is a major step toward greater sustainability and circularity.” Senior Manager for Sustainability and Innovation at AmSty, Jon Timbers, congratulated Agilyx on taking the linear process of plastics consumption and bending the line to close it into a loop – the new circular plastics economy. In addition, Bob Terry, Washington County Commission Chair, and Jason Snider, President of the Tigard City Council, joined Mike Levy in congratulating Agilyx on the start of commercial operations and the major innovation.
Oregan plant will have recycling capacity up to 10 tons per day of previously unrecoverable polystyrene waste to produce high-quality styrene oil. The plant is the first commercial-scale closed-loop chemical recycling process for polystyrene in the world, that will be used by styrene manufacturers AmSty and INEOS Styrolution for processing for manufacturing consumer goods.
Agilyx Agilyx, an environmental technology and development company, located in Tigard, Oregon, extracts value from difficult-to-recycle mixed waste plastic streams. Developing the first system capable of recycling polystyrene (foam cups, packaging materials, and Styrofoam) into styrene monomer, and commercializing the technology, Agilyx is collaborating with waste service providers, municipalities, refiners, and private and public enterprises to develop closed-loop industrial solutions.


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Traditionally, Victoria Beckham’s family sits front row at her runways during London Fashion Week. But as this year looked a little different, they were not only VIPs, but also the Bottom Feeders Miami Baseball T-Shirt What’s more,I will buy this sole guests at Beckham’s new spring 2021 collection. She marked the occasion with a new family portrait, which she posted to Instagram shortly after her line was released this morning. “My favourite (and only) guests this season!,” the designer wrote in the image caption. “Love you all so much.”
The new photo features her husband, David Beckham, and three of the Bottom Feeders Miami Baseball T-Shirt What’s more,I will buy this four children they share together: Romeo, Cruz, and Harper. Missing in the photo was Beckham’s son Brooklyn and his fiancée, Nicola Peltz. (“We missed you,” Beckham wrote of the absent couple.) The family gathering was, unsurprisingly, very fashion-forward given the occasion: With the exception of Harper in a printed purple dress, the whole clan opted for sleek black-and-white looks. But it wasn’t matchy-matchy, per se.


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Innovators in drinks dispense, Brewfitt Limited, has launched a new, non-alcoholic drink offering Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz. The product follows a growing partnership between the Yorkshire-based company and Lancashire’s Mr Fitzpatrick’s Botanical Cordials.
Taking inspiration from gin craze, Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz is set to revolutionise the non-alcoholic drinks market in the HORECA industry by providing a premium alternative to ordinary, run of the mill soft drinks.
Brewfitt’s Aqua3 water filtration and dispense system works alongside the unique flavours of Mr Fitzpatrick’s botanical cordials, allowing establishments to boost their non-alcoholic drink offering with over 20 exciting new flavours.
The cordial range includes no-added sugar flavours such as lemon, cucumber and mint, roots and spices including popular flavours such as root beer and dandelion and burdock, and fruits and flowers such as elderflower and apple, amongst many others.
The eccentric brand pays homage to the temperance era and showmanship with bartenders encouraged to follow ‘The Drill’ drink making process. Creating an experience for the customer and elevating the overall product to create a familiar brand for businesses.
Using the signature Aqua3 system, still or sparkling wonder water is dispensed through the Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz ceramic font and infuses with rich cordial flavours to create a unique beverage, different from regular cordials and squashes.
The product has already been trialled in several Huddersfield locations such as The Three Acres, Emley and the Manor House, Lindley as well as The Chaser Inn, located in Tonbridge, Kent. The establishments have had an overwhelming positive response, with the bars already seeing brand loyalty and popularity on the rise.
“Mr Fitz Aqua Spritz is a refreshing product for the hospitality industry that allows pubs, bars and restaurants an opportunity to truly diversify their non-alcoholic range and entice customers with the exciting new experience through ‘The Drill’ drink making process,” commented Curtis Paxman, Managing Director of Brewfitt. “We have already experienced great success with the initial trials, with venues experiencing an uplift of consumption of their non-alcoholic range.”


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Europe’s economy is starting to follow the familiar script of lagging its international peers when recovering from a crisis.
The euro-area economy is poised to shrink again at the start of this year as the resurgent pandemic plunges the region into a double-dip recession.
Europe ’s economy, freshly battered by coronavirus restrictions, is facing a sluggish recovery next year that leaves it open to rising company failures...
Judging by its largest banks , you’d hardly know Europe was in the grip of a worsening pandemic .
Reykjavik Global Forum's Women Leaders address the world's business and governments to rethink leadership in the context of equality between woman and men.


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OAKLAND (CBS/AP) — Pandora, which is facing increasing competition from Apple Music, Spotify and other music streaming services, says it named co-founder Tim Westergren as CEO.
Westergren is replacing Brian McAndrews, who is leaving the company, Pandora said. McAndrews has been CEO for less than three years.READ MORE: Golden Gate Bridge's Wind-Whipped Annoying Hum Echoes Through Neighborhoods
Shares of Oakland-based Pandora Media Inc. fell about 9 percent to $9.94 in morning trading Monday.READ MORE: Woman Killed In Cupertino Late Night Suspected DUI Crash
Westergren co-founded the Internet radio company 16 years ago. He previously served as CEO of Pandora from 2002 to 2004.MORE NEWS: San Jose Firefighters Make Quick Work Of Containing 10-Acre Brushfire
© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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In what’s likely a happy surprise for backers of the sandbox MMORPG Fractured, the next round of alpha testing is going to introduce a whole lot more features than what was originally planned. Hurray for efficiency!
So just what’s new this round of alpha? A wide variety of social features like parties, guilds, and land ownership will be available to test, as well as a new starting area to ease fresh arrivals into the mechanics of the game, a number of new abilities for several classes and some new critters to test them out on (for science), and a new stealth mechanics that lets players be sneaky, provided they don’t run out of time on a countdown timer for being discovered when near enemies.
This next alpha build will be available for a minimum of two weeks starting on Wednesday, March 25th. As before, this alpha is only available to those who’ve bought in to Fractured with a Legend founder’s pack. If you’re among those supporters, the announcement post has details on these new features and a number of other changes.


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The European Commission’s (EU) announcement of its final decision to approve British Airways and American Airlines' alliance drew immediate fire from Sir Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic, who called the decision anticompetitive. Branson, a persistent critic of the alliance that links AA, BA and Iberia, said he remains resolute in his belief that consumers will lose out as a result of the deal.
"We have fought this monster monopoly for the past thirteen years and are still resolute in our belief that this decision is shameful and consumers will suffer greatly as a result of this deal. The European Commission has let consumers down by agreeing to paltry remedies which are wholly inadequate," Branson said. "Luckily for the competition authorities, Virgin Atlantic will continue to compete to win passenger and corporate business despite this massively uneven playing field which we are forced to compete on."
"The final decision and remedies package remains woefully inadequate,” Virgin said in a statement. "The many shortcomings include too few slot remedies, no requirement for competitors to take up the remedies which means BA/AA can proceed regardless of whether competition is in place and slots which are only available on a limited-duration lease-hold basis thereby disincentivizing new entry. All of these factors combined mean that the remedies are unable to address the competitive harm caused by a combined BA/AA."
The key points of Virgin Atlantic's opposition to the proposed merger include: BA/AA will use their exemption from competition laws and their overwhelming dominance to destroy competition; raise prices and reduce choice; and that BA/AA will have a monopoly or be dominant on some of the busiest and most profitable routes between the U.S. and London’s Heathrow.
Virgin also argues that Heathrow Airport is unique in Europe. "Unlike other European hubs Heathrow is virtually full preventing competitors from challenging the dominance of BA and AA," Virgin said in a statement. "BA/AA would have 47 percent of slots at Heathrow. The airline with the next biggest slot holding is Lufthansa and bmi with 14.2 percent. Virgin Atlantic currently holds 3 percent."


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Almond farmer Dennis Serpa is trading in his chemical pesticides for a cheaper and slightly odd solution - compost tea.
STOCKTON - Almond farmer Dennis Serpa is trading in his chemical pesticides for a cheaper and slightly odd solution - compost tea.
But the switch is not just about money. Serpa is worried about the environmental costs of pesticides, too.
"They don't know the long-term effects these things are having, and you can't see it, because it's below ground," he said.
The concern is over pyrethroids, a type of pesticide found in dozens of farm and home products. Over the past decade, pyrethroids - derived from the nectar of chrysanthemums - replaced an entire generation of pesticides that were found dangerous to humans.
State and federal agencies view pyrethroids as less toxic to humans than the old stuff. But pyrethroids are still deadly, according to recent studies. When they drain into waterways, they kill off tiny animals that normally are eaten by fish, disrupting the food chain.
"As we began to develop more data, we began to see an increase that concerned us," California Department of Pesticide Regulation spokesman Glenn Brank said. "Even though we're talking about small aquatic organisms, there is an effect."
Many common household pest-control products contain pyrethroids, including Raid, Ortho Ant-B-Gon, Bonide and Pounce. When it's flushed down drains or washed off lawns in the rain, the stuff can get into waterways.
Brank said his department has begun an internal re-evaluation of pyrethroids and may ask pesticide manufacturers for more information about their products.
Officials should go a step further and find out how much of the stuff is leaking into waterways, said Bill Jennings, chairman of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
Along with other environmentalists, Jennings spent years battling more-dangerous pesticides known as organophosphates, which kill fish. Pesticides such as diazinon, malathion and sevin are organophosphates.
But pyrethroids could cause even more environmental damage than their predecessors, he said.
Two years ago, a study by two university professors found toxic levels of pyrethroids in a majority of samples taken from 42 California rivers and streams. In most cases, there was enough pesticide to kill small, shrimplike animals called amphipods, which serve as food for fish.
A follow-up study funded by state water officials last year found the same problem in urban streams, a sign that pyrethroids' enormous popularity in home and garden products could be hurting the environment, too.
Pyrethroids aren't totally safe for humans. Inhaled, they trigger coughing, shortness of breath and chest pains. Skin contact can bring rashes or blisters.
Long-term effects in people include lower sperm counts, tremors and thyroid problems.
In the agriculture industry, pyrethroids became popular when farmers began phasing out organophosphates about 10 years ago, University of California farm adviser Mick Canevari said.
Some farm experts are recommending that farmers use less pyrethroids and instead use more environmentally friendly tools, such as insect releases - bringing beneficial insects that don't hurt crops in to battle harmful ones.
"We're suggesting that you don't treat with pyrethroids if you have a good ratio of good insects to bad insects," Canevari said. "We encourage (using) good insects to do more of the work."
Denair farmer Sherman Boone doesn't use pyrethroids anymore. But he wouldn't rule it out if a really bad pest problem hit his almond trees.
Right now he uses a mix of organic and traditional farming methods. He sets bug traps in his fields and uses the bug-vs.-bug method.
"I'm not interested in organic," Boone said. "But I am interested in a halfway, medium approach."
Contact reporter Warren Lutz at (209) 546-8295 or firstname.lastname@example.org


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New Delhi: Growth of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp. Ltd. (IRCTC) depends on continued support of its parent, the Indian Railways, according to the draft prospectus of the subsidiary's initial public offering.
IRCTC is wholly owned by the Centre and comes under the administrative control of Indian Railways. It earns a fee on every train ticket it sells online and manages the catering of the food served in trains. It plans to launch its initial public offering (IPO) on 30 September.
The proposed IPO is expected to see the government sell stake worth ₹635-645 crore through an offer for sale. The government aims to offload 20.16 million shares in IRCTC via the IPO. The government’s stake will come down to a little over 87% after the stake sale. The company will not raise any fresh money. IRCTC, after discussion with merchant bankers, has set the price band for its IPO at ₹315-320 per share.
The company’s business and revenue is heavily dependent on railway ministry’s policies. For instance, if the government orders the national transporter to offer discount to passengers on tickets or remove any levy, it will impact IRCTC’s revenue.
Currently, IRCTC is the sole provider of online railway ticketing, catering and packaged drinking water services. While Indian railways’ latest plan to rope in private players to run trains, which will cater to the larger idea of providing world-class service to passengers, it will also create competition for IRCTC, which in turn may impact the company’s revenue.
IRCTC’s plan to launch the IPO comes immediately after a sharp turnaround in Indian stock markets after the government cut corporate tax on Friday.
Several firms had seen IPO approvals lapse in the past few months because of volatile stock markets as a result of slowing economic growth, the US-China global trade war and rising crude prices.
IRCTC’s business is divided into four segments—internet ticketing, catering, sale of packaged drinking water under the ‘Rail Neer’ brand, and travel and tourism. Its sales rose 25% to ₹1,899 crore and profit 23.5% to ₹272.5 crore in fiscal 2019 over the previous year, its draft red herring prospectus filed with regulators in August said.


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Acreage Cannabis wanted to air a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl, a move that costs a reported $5M for the spot on CBS. But the network rejected the ad. Acreage uploaded the commercial to YouTube for everyone to see.
The content of the ad itself is quite tame, showing how cannabis can be used to treat a myriad of issues from seizures to opioid dependency. Guessing how many advertisers are in line for coveted airtime during the Super Bowl, it was an easy decision for CBS to decline the ad and the controversy that comes with cannabis.
ThinkProgress.org evaluated the commercials that have been rejected from airing on the Super Bowl in the past and put them into two categories: ads that intentionally cross the line in hopes of generating buzz as a rejected ad, and ads that focus on a controversial topic that TV networks don't want to create the appearance of supporting or rejecting.
Although national acceptance of medical and recreational marijuana use has risen in recent years, the ad rejection is a sign that it has not quite reached mainstream acceptance.


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New Era announced as the Official Headwear Supplier for The Hundred, helping to take cricket to new and younger audiences.
The new three-year partnership with New Era, which is renowned for its long-standing associations with some of the world’s most exciting and watched sports, including the MLB, NFL and NBA, will be creating a bespoke collection of headwear for all eight city-based teams taking part in The Hundred.
Set to be available for fans from May on the New Era website and selected retailers, the iconic headwear brand’s collection for The Hundred will feature a variety of different headwear styles in team colours, including the 9FIFTY (Stretch-Snap), 9FORTY (Adjustable), 39THIRTY (Flexible Fit) and a new Sun Hat Silhouette.
Rob Calder, commercial director of The Hundred, said: “We’re hugely excited to be announcing our game-changing new headwear partnership with New Era. The Hundred will offer the very best in world-class cricket, and following the amazing summer of action we’ve just had, we are thrilled that this iconic brand shares our vision for the game.”
Paul Gils, Vice President EMEA at New Era added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with The Hundred on such an exciting project. Our three-year partnership will introduce our consumers to a new line of headwear and a new competition. Our company was founded with the intention of revolutionising headwear, so we are really excited to be a part of this new tournament, which is set to change the way we think about cricket.”
The Hundred – which launches in July 2020 – is set to provide sports fans with an exciting new 100-ball format featuring world-class players from England and around the world in men’s and women’s competitions.
The five-week tournament will be played at the height of summer and feature eight city-based teams from Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Southampton and two in London (based at Lord’s and The Oval). It will be screened live by Sky Sports and the BBC.
Fans can register their interest in tickets and information via thehundred.com
The Collection will be available from May in-store and online at neweracap.co.uk