Friday 18 November 2011

NEWS FROM PREMIER INN

BRITS WORRY THEIR WEEKENDS ARE BECOMING WASHOUTS
New research reveals Brits are not making enough of their weekends

With Brits having just two days a week to rest up after five long days at work, new research out today [18th November 2011] reveals that 70% of us confess to worrying we are ‘wasting’ our weekends by choosing to have lie ins and lazy mornings.

The research, carried out by the UK’s biggest hotel chain, Premier Inn, showed that millions of Brits are still relaxing in their pyjamas at midday on a Saturday, despite the average wake up time being 8.37am, with only one in ten of us getting up straight away.

With the working week being longer and more stressful than ever, when it comes to the weekend it takes an average of 23 minutes to get out of bed and until 10am to open the curtains, with 51% of Brits hitting the snooze button rather than getting up to enjoy the day ahead.

The Premier Inn research asked 3000 UK adults about their weekend behaviour and showed that whilst most of us indulge in a lazy morning, 41% would like to do more at a weekend and a third of us admit to feeling jealous of colleagues who talk about their fun-packed weekend on a Monday morning.

Claire Haigh from Premier Inn, which commissioned the study, said: “It’s important to enjoy quality time away and a change of scenery and a few days away can make a big difference.

Recharging the batteries is important so getting away from the stresses and strains of work is vital so we want to encourage Brits to enjoy a lie in but make the most of their weekend once they are up and about.

We are rewarding our customers with a fantastic offer of a free nights stay when they stay at a Premier Inn on three separate occasions. With over 600 Premier Inn hotels across the UK the benefits of a free night’s stay means that customers can enjoy a good night’s sleep without breaking the bank.

It’s natural that we take our foot off the pedal at the weekend after having worked hard all week.”
The nationwide survey of adults highlighted that a third of the nation feel ‘shattered’ from work and other weekday duties, which was the main reason cited for not making more of the weekend. Those who do muster up the time to get things done said their weekends are swallowed up by household chores and preparing for the week ahead, with little time to chill out and enjoy the time off work.

Premier Inn offers all guests the unique ’Good Night Guarantee’ – which means if you are not 100% satisfied with your stay you will get a full refund.

To find out more go to www.greatnightgiveaway.com.


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For further information please contact the Premier Inn team on 020 7693 6999 or email premierinn@frankpr.it

The research was carried out by One Poll amongst 3000 UK adults in November 2011

Premier Inn was voted Hotel Chain of the Year at the British Travel Awards 2010 and 2011

NOTES TO EDITORS
Premier Inn
Award-winning Premier Inn is the UK’s biggest hotel brand with over 600 budget hotels and more than 46,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland. Premier Inn bedrooms feature en-suite bathrooms, TV with Freeview, and WiFi internet access. All Premier Inns feature a bar and restaurant; situated inside the hotel or adjacent, offering a wide range of food choices.

Premier Inn is open in Dubai and India. On a domestic front, Premier Inn aims to be the largest provider of budget hotels in London (within the M25) by 2012.

Premier Inn is currently offering rooms for just £29 (restrictions apply). Visit www.premierinn.com for full terms and conditions.

Premier Inn supports WaterAid, the international charity whose mission is to overcome poverty by enabling the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. To date Premier Inn has raised £1m for the charity.

NEWS FROM HOTELS.COM

Parlay voo onglaze?
Brits ‘terribles’ at foreign languages, with 19% unable to even translate "bonjour"

While everyone loves going on holiday, research by Hotels.com today reveals that this does not 'translate' for Brits into an ability to understand and speak the local language. Shockingly 64% of us are completely unable to say anything in a foreign tongue, and only a third (34%) of us are willing to give the lingo a go when abroad. Even simple words such as "bonjour" and “goedemorgen” failed to register, with 19% and 63% of us respectively unable to translate “good morning” in French and Dutch.

Despite French, German and Spanish being on the National Curriculum, only 13%, 8% and 6% of Brits respectively consider themselves able to speak the language. Of those in this category, 25% can ask a limited range of everyday questions, 21% can just say “hello” and “goodbye” and a strange 2% claim that they can understand everything that is said to them, but are unable to say anything back.

The majority of Brits (61%) rarely or never try to speak a foreign language, with reasons for their lack of effort being put down to simply not being bothered (16%), being too embarrassed they will make a mistake (35%) or simply assuming that everyone can speak English (23%).

Surprisingly 47% of 18-24 year olds reported that they haven’t spoken the foreign language they learnt at school, since they left. Conversely, those aged over 55 were most likely to try and speak the country’s local language when on holiday, with 45% of respondents claiming to very often or always try.

Putting pints before their Ps & Qs, more people (43%) were able to translate “a beer please” in Spanish (“una cerveza por favor”) than were able to correctly translate “thank you” in Portuguese (“prego”) 29%.

Kate Hopcraft, from Hotels.com, said: “The results of our study seem to put British holiday makers to shame, with even languages typically learnt at school such as German, French and Spanish having incredibly low levels of comprehension. Brits often have a negative image abroad when it comes to languages and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be anything we'll be saying auf wiedersehen to anytime soon.”

Percentage of Brits who could correctly translate these common foreign phrases:

Bonjour 81%
Una cerveza por favor 43%
Prego 29%
Ja 57%
Danke schoen 57%
Goedemorgen 37%
Buenas Noches 56%

For more information, please call:
Freyja Phillips at Frank PR on 020 7693 6999 or email hotels.com@frankpr.it
Or Kate Hopcraft, khopcraft@hotels.com, 020 7019 2165


Notes to Editors
The research was carried out between 12.10.2011 - 14.10.2011
Sample: 2,000 UK adults

About Hotels.com
As part of the Expedia group which operates in all major markets, Hotels.com offers almost 140,000 quality hotels, B&Bs and serviced apartments worldwide. If a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry negotiating the best rates for its customers, plus there are more than 2.5 million reviews from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers make an informed choice when booking. Travellers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centres in England. During 2011, Hotels.com launched a specially-designed app for the iPad and several smart phone apps, all available to download for free. These allow users to search and book more than 20,000 last minute deals from around the world. Available in more than 30 languages, the apps also allow users to sort and filter hotels, browse user reviews plus find last minute hotel deals close to their location. Hotels.com has recently launched its Welcome Rewards customer loyalty programme worldwide, where customers can earn a free night for every ten nights stayed (subject to Welcome Rewards terms and conditions as set out at www.hotels.com .

NEWS FROM FOXY BINGO



FOXY LAUNCHES CELEB CALENDAR
Foxy Bingo enlists a host of TV’s top stars from Nanny Pat to Alex Reid to feature in his 2012 calendar

Foxy, bingo’s biggest bachelor and face of FoxyBingo.com, has teamed up with a host of celebs to launch his calendar for 2012. Stars of ‘The Only Way is Essex’ Maria Fowler and Nanny Pat, cage fighter Alex Reid, and the cast of Geordie Shore join Foxy in recreating various iconic images for the aptly named ‘Foxy And His Famous Friends’ calendar. The calendar is available exclusively through FoxyBingo.com.

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Cliff Richard, Kylie Minogue and Cheryl Cole, Foxy is the latest in a long line of beloved showbiz personalities to launch his own official calendar. In January, Foxy will be king of the world as he embraces Maria Fowler on the bow of the Titanic. Come spring, the cast of Geordie shore join Foxy suspended on a girder above the New York sky line and in May, Foxy fans will be treated to the sight of their favourite Essex gran, Nanny Pat, posing over a subway grate as Marilyn Monroe. Alex Reid also stands alongside Foxy and dons an afro wig as the pair give their take on ‘Pulp Fiction’.

Foxy said, “Shooting this calendar has been the most fun I’ve ever had. I’ve been covered in clay with Maria, put an afro wig on Alex Reid and I’ve seen further up Nanny Pat’s skirt than I care to mention. I texted Mark Wright and said, ‘I’ve got your Nan here looking foxy dressed as Marilyn.’ He wasn’t impressed. But she’s a lovely lady and I know all the Foxy fans out there will love the pictures as much as I do.”

Foxy Bingo is the most popular online bingo site in the UK with over one million people registered to play and chat together. ‘Foxy’s Famous Friends Calendar’ is available exclusively at FoxyBingo.com from Friday 18th November 2011.

ENDS


For more information please contact Katie Bawler or Paul Goodman on
020 7693 6999 / foxy@frankpr.it


Notes to editors

Shot List:
January: Foxy and Maria Fowler embrace on the Titanic
February: Foxy enjoys a date with a mystery beauty
March: Foxy and the Geordie Shore cast share a ‘high tea’
April: Foxy in his golfing gear
May: Foxy and Nanny Pat in ‘The Seven Year Itch’
June: Foxy and Alex Reid in ‘Pulp Fiction’
July: Foxy stretches in his gym gear
August: Foxy and Maria Fowler at the pottery wheel
September: Foxy at his grand piano
October: Foxy loses out to Alex Reid
November: Foxy lounging in his bachelor pad
December: Foxy and Nanny Pat celebrate V-J Day

About Foxy Bingo:
Foxy Bingo launched in 2005 and is now one of the biggest names in UK bingo with more than 40 game rooms to play in. Cards start from just 1p and a whopping £6,000,000 is given away each month. Foxy Bingo players can enjoy a range of instant win games with progressive jackpots up to £50,000.
About bwin.party:
bwin.party digital entertainment plc is the world’s largest listed online gaming company. The Company was formed from the merger of bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and PartyGaming Plc on 31 March 2011. Incorporated and licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, the Group has over 3,100 employees in offices in Europe, India, Israel and the US and generated total pro forma revenues of €724.1m and pro forma Clean EBITDA of €193.7m in 2009. bwin.party is also licensed in Alderney, France and Italy and commands leading market positions in each of our four key product verticals: online sports betting, poker, casino and bingo with some of the world’s biggest online gaming brands including bwin, PartyPoker, PartyCasino and Foxy Bingo. At the heart of our business, our proprietary software, online gaming platforms and a strong portfolio of games collectively differentiate our customer offer compared with our competitors.

Thursday 10 November 2011

NEWS FROM OCADO

Grocery pioneer Ocado is continuing its mission to deliver ‘on the go’ shopping to the masses by launching the UK’s first ever transactional supermarket app on BlackBerry.

A staggering 18.6 per cent of all Ocado checkouts are now attributable to mobile devices , little more than two years on from the arrival of an Ocado On The Go shopping app to Apple’s iPhone. Ocado, the first supermarket in the world to sell over iPhone, has since expanded its popular m-commerce platform to Android handsets and the iPad; and now extends it even further to BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 handsets.

BlackBerry is a logical progression for the online grocer, given its reputation as the businessperson’s mobile of choice. Recent Ocado analysis of food shopping habits has found that orders made using the Ocado On The Go app are highest during peak travel times , in turn suggesting that mobile shoppers regularly use the daily commute to place their weekly shop. According to October 2011 data from Canalys, BlackBerry was the number one selling Smartphone in the UK .

Launched this week, the Ocado On The Go app for BlackBerry is both touch-screen and roller-ball enabled, and offers a specially-designed interface compatible with over 30 different models and handsets. Upgrades, including barcode scanning and delivery slot syncing with phone calendars, will be implemented in the coming weeks.

Ocado’s move onto BlackBerry coincides with a progression onto Windows Phone 7 handsets, a platform given added momentum by Nokia’s deal with Microsoft to use its operating system in place of Symbian. Both apps will provide customers with great value – across Ocado’s entire 21,000-product catalogue - and basket-filling flexibility around the clock, whether price matching on thousands of Tesco products on the commute to work or finalising Christmas plans at the school gates.

Interestingly, further sales data has revealed that Ocado On The Go customers have a different palate to those who place their orders via Ocado.com. While webshop users stock up on indulgent treats such as home baking products, wine and butter , , those using the app tend to prefer healthier ingredients with fresh fruit, veg, fruit juice and salads top buys .

Jason Gissing, co-founder of Ocado, comments: “Ocado is proud to be a major innovator when it comes to mobile commerce.

“Ocado On The Go is the first BlackBerry app in the UK to support supermarket shopping and the app’s arrival on to Windows Phone 7 will widen our reach even further, which is hugely exciting.

“Busy workers and casual mobile users alike can now find everything they need to ensure their households run smoothly; over 21,000 great value and quality products in their pocket.”

Available to customers today, find Ocado On The Go for BlackBerry by visiting the BlackBerry App World through your handset; the Ocado On The Go app for Windows Phone 7 is available from the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Monday 7 November 2011

NEWS FROM OCADO


Window Shopping...
Online supermarket Ocado hits the high street with pioneering new ‘shop’



November 04, 2011 OCADO, the award-winning online supermarket, has moved from computer screens to shop windows by taking residence on the high street this month with an innovative experiment in virtual shopping at Bristol’s Cabot Circus. It follows the arrival of Ocado’s great value, great quality delivery service to Bristol (and parts of South Wales and the South West) in March.

Live between November 4 and 10, Ocado’s integrated window display will let Bristolians purchase all their grocery essentials, and a few indulgent treats, on their mobile phones; all to be delivered direct to their kitchen table.

Ocado’s virtual shopping wall will offer household essentials ranging from tea bags and toilet rolls to pasta and potatoes – branded goods and quality Waitrose products alongside those from its fast-growing Ocado range; not to mention tasty treats from Ocado’s newly-stocked Reflets de France and Daylesford Organic ranges.

The Ocado virtual store at Unit 16 of Cabot Circus, between Ernest Jones and Wallis on Concorde Street, will be accessible 24 hours a day with customers able to shop in a few easy steps:

1. If you don’t have it already, download the Ocado On The Go app from the App Store or Android Market
2. Open the app and press the barcode symbol in the top right of your screen
3. Hold the camera screen over the barcode of a product until it recognises it
4. When the product appears on your screen, press ‘add’ to put it in your basket
5. Keep on shopping and then check out!

The online supermarket first hit the high street this August at the One New Change shopping centre in central London. It was the first time that Ocado, a strictly online business, had migrated from the internet to bricks and mortar. However, being a leader in online grocery retail - introducing the world’s first supermarket shopping mobile application on iPhone in 2009 and now, this month, launching onto Blackberry and Windows Phone 7 handsets - the company stuck to its digital technology roots with a distinctive spin on the future of high street shopping.

As of this October, mobile devices were used in a staggering 18.6 per cent of Ocado checkouts; an ever-increasing number of customers now regularly shop via the award-winning Ocado On The Go app.

Jason Gissing, Ocado co-founder, said: “Taking the virtual window shopping experience to Bristol is a natural move for Ocado, following a successful trial of this bold venture in London.

“Bristol is the perfect choice because, as of March, we started making our first deliveries here, and to people in the surrounding areas. The response since we arrived has been great. We hope that our loyal customers, and a few new faces, are just as excited to browse our innovative shop front, as we were to create it.”

Head down to Cabot Circus, Bristol from November 4 until the end of the week geared with your mobile phone to trial this unique window shopping experience.

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For further information contact:

Estelle Boon, Frank PR Tel: 020 7693 6959 Email: estelleboon@frankpr.it
Francesca Hall, Frank PR Tel: 020 7693 6983 Email: francescahall@frankpr.it
Rochelle Collison, Frank PR Tel: 020 7693 7496 Email: rochellecollison@frankpr.it

Notes to Editors:

About Ocado:
Ocado (www.ocado.com) was established in 2000, started trading in 2002 and is now one of Britain’s leading online supermarkets. Ocado operates a centralised distribution model which means that it does not rely upon a network of stores from which to service customers – orders are fulfilled at a unique, high-automated Customer Fulfilment Centre in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, before being loaded onto delivery vans making local routes, or transported by HGV to vans stationed at a network of regional UK distribution spokes. Ocado delivers over 21,000 product lines including Waitrose goods and a growing Ocado own-label range. Last October it was named World E-tailer of the Year at the prestigious World Retail Awards and, earlier this year, won Consumer Initiative of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards for its popular mobile commerce platform.

NEWS FROM SODASTREAM

SodaStream Sparkles with New Naturals Range

New range of ‘better for you’ flavours for the whole family

Everyone knows the importance of natural goodness in your family’s diet but it doesn’t have to be boring, as SodaStream have proven with their brand new range of all-natural flavours.

The Sparkling Naturals range is available in three flavours; Lemon & Lime, Blackcurrant & Pear and Pink Grapefruit, with a sub-range of Sparkling Naturals for Kids also available in three flavours; Apple, Strawberry, and Orange & Peach. All six are free from artificial flavours and made from all-natural ingredients and bursting with flavour, enabling fizzy families to create their own delicious sparkling drinks at home with water straight from the tap.

Each of the Naturals flavours will be available in 750ml bottles priced at £3.99, which creates six litres of sparkling soft drink, offering a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly alternative to other carbonated soft drinks. Plus, kids will love being able to create their own fruity flavours, whilst having some fizzy kitchen fun!

This ‘better for you’ range has no artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners, simply using cane sugar and natural fruit juices to create the great taste. Parents can rest assured that this fruit fun is also providing sparkling goodness, as the Sparkling Naturals for Kids range gives 100% RDA of Vitamin C per serving.

SodaStream also helps to reduce bottle waste; its reusable carbonating bottle lasts up to three years and is estimated to save 2000 bottles. There are also fewer empty bottles or cans to discard or recycle and less energy wasted by transporting billions of litres of ready-to-drink soft drinks. This enables families to practice ‘precycling’ - reducing waste before recycling is necessary.

Each Sodastream drinksmaker also comes with a full CO2 gas cylinder and a one-off ‘user licence’ entitling you to use the cylinder throughout the life of your Sodastream. When the gas in the cylinder is used up, you just exchange the empty cylinder for a full one, paying only the cost of the gas refill.


So with this new range of great-tasting fruity flavours for your SodaStream, why not stock up on Naturals and start having some ‘good for you’ family fun in the kitchen!

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Notes to Editors:

Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic products will be exclusively stocking the Naturals Kids range in their Kensington store until the end of October. Both the adult and kids’ ranges will be rolling out to other key retailers towards the end of the year and are also available from SodaStream online.

SodaStream drinksmakers, and gas are available from John Lewis, Selfridges, Comet, Argos, Robert Dyas, Lakeland, Harvey Nichols, The Range, Maplin, Curry’s Megastores and selected Sainsbury, Asda and Homebase stores. SodaStream drinksmakers cost from £49.99 and 500 ml flavour concentrates from £3.29.

The 750 ml bottles of Naturals flavour syrups are available in Blackcurrant & Pear, Lemon & Lime, and Pink Grapefruit, priced at £3.99 each

The 750 ml bottles of Kids Naturals flavour syrups are available in Apple, Orange & Peach, and Strawberry, priced at £3.99 each

About SodaStream:

SodaStream manufactures home beverage carbonation systems, which enable consumers to easily transform ordinary tap water instantly into carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. Soda makers offer a highly differentiated and innovative solution to consumers of bottled and canned carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. Our products are environmentally friendly, cost effective, promote health and wellness, and are customizable and fun to use. In addition, our products offer convenience by eliminating the need to carry bottles home from the supermarket, to store bottles at home or to regularly dispose of empty bottles. Our products are available at more than 40,000 retail stores in 41 countries around the world.

Gas refills & cylinders:

SodaStream drinks makers work by dispensing CO2 from a gas cylinder in the back of the drinks maker, into fresh tap water to make your sparkling drinks. When you buy your SodaStream drinks maker, a full CO2 gas cylinder is included under licence, entitling you to use the cylinder with your SodaStream. When the gas in the cylinder is used up, you exchange the empty cylinder for a full one, paying only the cost of the gas refill. You can exchange your empty cylinder for a new one either in store or through our direct delivery system. For full details on the gas exchange process, see http://www.sodastream.co.uk/gbretail/Exchang-Programme.aspx