In administration

[Dr Zoidberg]

1 minute ago, shyVRS245 said:

Why didn't Richard Branson swoop in and buy the company cheaply then?Perhaps like the Government he knew they were beyond saving like Woolworths.

 

I don't know. Why don't you ask him.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, shyVRS245 said:

Why didn't Richard Branson swoop in and buy the company cheaply then?

Cos he makes enough money from your three non EU foreign holidays, don't he!

[shyVRS245]

12 hours ago, Fin69 said:

Cos he makes enough money from your three non EU foreign holidays, don't he!

Only ever been on 1 Virgin Atlantic flight and it had an 11 hour delay so no thanks. That was a very long day leaving home at 02:30 to catch a 07:00 Gatwick flight that took off at 18;30 and landed at 05:30 Miami local time. Never again with Virgin and that was in December 1991 so I have a very long memory.🐌

[PetrolDave]

4 hours ago, shyVRS245 said:

Only ever been on 1 Virgin Atlantic flight and it had an 11 hour delay so no thanks. That was a very long day leaving home at 02:30 to catch a 07:00 Gatwick flight that took off at 18;30 and landed at 05:30 Miami local time. Never again with Virgin and that was in December 1991 so I have a very long memory.🐌

I've flown Virgin Atlantic twice this year and had no delays (last flight we landed an hour early) also been happy with the on-flight service so would be happy to fly with them again - especially as it was £200 per person cheaper than BA.

[@Lee]

Fifteen hours to get from LHR to Miami? What did you take; A Shorts Sunderland flying boat?
Current flight times are ~ 9 1/2 hours. i.e you leave LHR at 18:30 (13:30 in Miami) and arrive at 23:00 local (04:00 UK)

[Guest BigJase88]

2 hours ago, Lee_Esq said:

Fifteen hours to get from LHR to Miami? What did you take; A Shorts Sunderland flying boat?
Current flight times are ~ 9 1/2 hours. i.e you leave LHR at 18:30 (13:30 in Miami) and arrive at 23:00 local (04:00 UK)

No like lee_esq to be up on the facts

[shyVRS245]

2 hours ago, Lee_Esq said:

Fifteen hours to get from LHR to Miami? What did you take; A Shorts Sunderland flying boat?
Current flight times are ~ 9 1/2 hours. i.e you leave LHR at 18:30 (13:30 in Miami) and arrive at 23:00 local (04:00 UK)

Sorry we arrived 00:30 local Miami time which was 05;30 UK time. I was half dead by the time we collected the hire car and drove the short distance to our Hotel in Miami. Thanks for pointing out my error.

[Dr Zoidberg]

6 hours ago, PetrolDave said:

I've flown Virgin Atlantic twice this year and had no delays (last flight we landed an hour early) also been happy with the on-flight service so would be happy to fly with them again - especially as it was £200 per person cheaper than BA.

 

The Virgin Premium Economy flight I took to Washington DC a few years back was absolutely superb. A significant step up in comfort and space from the other times I flew long haul, and the food and drink was plentiful and delicious. It wasn't significantly more expensive than normal flights either.

[moley]

France's second largest airline Aigle Azure and Adria airways in Slovenia both went bust this week. Ryanair boss Michael O'leary reckons that Norwegian Air will be next. 

[mac11irl]

In better news, Harland and Wolfe were bought and 79 jobs there are secure again.

 

 

 

For a while at least..

 

 

Edit:

Just reread the news article fully and the new owners have stated their intention to expand the business into new sectors with plans to grow the workforce potentially into the hundreds over the next 5yrs.

Rare good news story !

Edited 2 October, 2019 by mac11irl
More info available

[mac11irl]

Wrightbus in Nor'n Iron went into administration, but apparently have 4 companies interested in a buy out to save the company.

 

Looking hopeful..

[gadgetman]

Next on the ropes is Pizza Express. Apparently close to tipping. 

 

Each store (they have 500 I'm reading) has at least £1.6m of debt. 

[Guest]

Can only remember using them once,  and it was not a pleasant experience; poor service,  poor quality food (IIRC we sent one of our courses back for being undercooked) and expensive compared to Pizza Hut and F&B.

 

We only chose there as it was the only one with tables available,  after experiencing all of the above,  I quickly discovered why! 

[KenONeill]

I've never had a bad meal in Pizza Express, Queen Street, Glasgow. By contrast I've had fat dripping out of every Pizza Hut pizza I've had, and feel that F&B is expensive with mediocre service and food.

[Wet Kipper]

We're in Pizza Express quite often - in comparison to where else we eat out - but never without some sort of special offer or discount voucher.

Edited 7 October, 2019 by Wet Kipper

[skomaz]

Last time I was in Pizza Express it certainly wasn't in any way 'express'...   in fact it was so slow we nearly walked and have refused to go back since...   maybe that's part of their woes as I've heard similar stories from others??

[Dr Zoidberg]

I’ve never had a problem with the a Pizza Express restaurants I use, though I’ll admit to only using them when I have offers for cheaper food or free Prosecco. 
 

I can’t see how they’ll come back from that level of debt. 

[gadgetman]

5 minutes ago, Dr Zoidberg said:

I can’t see how they’ll come back from that level of debt. 

The 'debt' though is owed to the parent company 

[KenONeill]

12 hours ago, Dr Zoidberg said:

Pizza Express 

I can’t see how they’ll come back from that level of debt. 

 

12 hours ago, gadgetman said:

The 'debt' though is owed to the parent company 

Franchise start-up debt then?

[dg360]

Where is the parent based? I do hope this "debt" isn't a way to funnel profits out of the UK without paying tax....

[CWARD]

3 hours ago, KenONeill said:

 

Franchise start-up debt then?

 

That would be a debt then, money owed to Pizza Express. 

 

Pizza Express don't operate on franchises either

Edited 8 October, 2019 by CWARD

[moley]

2 hours ago, dg360 said:

Where is the parent based? I do hope this "debt" isn't a way to funnel profits out of the UK without paying tax....

Chinese venture capitalists Hony Capital own them. The cost of servicing the debt out weights the operating profit.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49957551

[Ootohere]

I was in a Pizza Express once with people and the girl that started serving us was not able to keep doing it as she was in tears.

Another party that was hers to serve did a runner and she said she had to pay, but Pizza Express i read said not so, only errors had to be paid for.

What an employer, all heart.

[Guest]

They ate not the only ones to do this;

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/31/restaurant-chains-force-waiting-staff-to-give-up-tips

 

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/4516554/trnsmt-workers-tip-dispute/

 

Some restaurant chains contract staff to a certain number of hours,  if their shift takes them over the contracted hours, they work the remainder for free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gadgetman]

5 hours ago, Roottootemoot said:

Another party that was hers to serve did a runner and she said she had to pay, but Pizza Express i read said not so, only errors had to be paid for.

Quite common practice in hospitality. 

 

However many firms no longer follow this historic practice any more