Monday 28 May 2012

NEWS FROM VOLVIC

VOLVIC JUICED GUARANTEES SUMMER IN LONDON

 


 


Listings Release 
Who: NEW Volvic Juiced 
What: Summer in a box in the heart of Covent Garden 
When: 26th and 27th May 2012 
Where: 38 Kings Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8JT 

The perfect summer’s day is served this May with the Volvic Juiced ‘summer in a box’ Bar 

Looking for the ultimate refreshing and tasty experience this summer? Well, look no further – your perfect summer’s day is coming to London this May. 

The Volvic Juiced Bar will bring the outdoors indoors, offering a full sensory experience that truly brings summer to the heart of Covent Garden. Created to provide a haven of tasty refreshment, delicious Volvic Juiced will flow freely, as you relax in deckchairs, feeling the warmth of the sun* on your face and the feeling of grass between your toes. Breathe deep the smell of summer whilst listening to the gentle hum of your favourite summer sounds. 

The bar has been designed by Volvic to celebrate the launch of its new Juiced drink, a thirst quenching beverage that offers the perfect balance of Volvic Natural Mineral Water and juice, for consumers who like their taste buds well and truly tickled! And it’s available in two tasty fruit flavours; Orchard Apple and Cloudy Lemon. 

Thirsty members of the public are invited to the Volvic Juiced Bar where they are guaranteed two days of unbridled refreshment as 38 King Street in London’s Covent Garden is transformed into an urban haven. 

Further still, there is the opportunity for you to pose for some juicy snaps in the bespoke Volvic Juiced photo booth and tag yourself, your friends and family in your pics on the Volvic Juiced Facebook page. Plus, there will be free WiFi available, giving you the chance to browse the web, catch up on emails, read your favourite blogs or even do some online shopping... all from the comfort of your deckchair. So, after a truly miserable and wet April, the Volvic Juiced Bar will guarantee you that much desired summertime experience, whatever the weather. 

The Volvic Juiced bar is open to the public on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May from 10am to 7pm at 38 Kings Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8JT. For further information please visit www.facebook.com/volvicUK


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For further information, please contact Alexia Scherer at Frank PR – 020 7693 6999 / alexiascherer@frankpr.it

*Not real sun!

Wednesday 16 May 2012

NEWS FROM PREMIER INN


PREMIER HIT FOR LEICESTER SQUARE
New hotel brings £12 million investment into the Capital City

Leicester Square is famous as the home of film and theatre and today sees a new addition to the Square, with the opening of the UK’s best value hotel chain [i]at number 1 Leicester Place.

Premier Inn’s brand new 83 bedroom hotel was officially opened today by Whitbread Chairman Anthony Habgood, Whitbread Managing Director Patrick Dempsey, and Minister of Tourism and Heritage, John Penrose MP.  The new hotel, which sees a £12 million investment into the London economy, is one of 20 hotels that will have opened by the end of 2013 across the city as part of a major expansion drive for the hotel chain.

Premier Inn Leicester Square has not only provided significant investment into the local economy but has also created 32 job opportunities for London residents ranging from reception to managerial roles, 50% of those employed have come from long term unemployed 18-24 year olds. 

Premier Inn is the UKs biggest hotel chain and is currently the largest provider of budget hotels within the M25 area with aims to increase its number of rooms by 50% and double its size in London by 2016.

Patrick Dempsey, Managing Director of Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, comments: “We are delighted to be opening a new Premier Inn in the heart of London, a short walk from many of the capitals most well known tourist attractions. Our exciting growth in London means that we can offer even more people a great night’s sleep in the best locations when visiting the capital and we look forward to opening more hotels in London over the coming year.”

John Penrose, Minister for Tourism and Heritage, comments: “Tourism is vital to the UK’s economy and growth and it will play a big role in our future success.  It is great to have been here today to officially open the new hotel in this brilliant location and to hear Premier Inn’s plans for further expansion. 

“The eyes of the world will be on London this summer and I can only commend Premier Inn’s contribution to making England the place to stay for both international and domestic travellers.”

The new hotel is also a leader in innovation with ‘floating’ bedrooms equipped with double soundproofing to ensure guests get a good night’s sleep despite being within walking distance of many popular theatres, shops and London tourist attractions.

Premier Inn offers all guests a no quibble ’Good Night Guarantee’ – which means if customers are not 100% satisfied with their stay they will get their money back.

Rooms are now available to book at www.premierinn.com each bedroom caters for up to two adults and two children (aged 15 and under) and includes an en-suite bathroom; a king size bed; remote control TV with Freeview; tea/coffee making facilities, and a spacious desk area with 30 minutes free WiFi Internet access. The hotel also offers the All You Can Eat ‘Premier Breakfast’ – the perfect way to start your day.

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For further information about Premier Inn, please e-mail Frank PR on premierinn@frankpr.it or call 020 7693 6999
Notes to editors:
Award-winning Premier Inn is the UK’s best value hotel brand with over 620 budget hotels and more than 47,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland.  Premier Inn bedrooms feature en-suite bathrooms, TV with Freeview, and 30 minutes Free 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 Abu Dhabi, Dubai and India. On a domestic front, Premier Inn aims to grow to 65,000 rooms in the next 5 years.

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

National Travel:
Independent
The Ties
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Daily Express
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Independent on Sunday
Guardian – Weekend
The People
The Observer
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Travel Trade:
Executive Traveller
Air & Business Travel News
Hotel Designs.net
Travel Daily
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Big Hospitality.co.uk
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Accommodation Management
Incentive Travel & Corporate Meetings
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London Travel and Business:
London Evening Standard
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*Best Value Hotels in the UK: Research conducted by YouGov found Premier Inn top in BrandIndex Value measure when reviewing all data between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011. All data was collected using an online survey and respondents were members of the YouGov panel. The 21,383 strong research sample for this study was sampled and weighted to a UK nationally representative 18+ adult profile. Fieldwork was conducted daily between 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011. The Value metric measures perception of the brand’s price –point value offering: Which of the following brands do you think represents GOOD/POOR VALUE FOR MONEY? By that, we don’t mean “cheap” or “expensive”, but that the brands offer a customer a lot in return for the price paid.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

NEWS FROM ONKEN




Get Set For a Low Fat Summer



Onken’s Natural Big Pot yogurt range is set for summer with the launch of the new Onken Low Fat Natural Set. Still packed full of the mild, thick, creamy flavour of the UK’s favourite Natural Set yogurt but now with only 1.5% fat, it’s a generous Big Pot of yogurt that’s completely guilt free.  Perfectly timed to get you in the mood for Summer, the new Low Fat Natural Set yogurt is a perfect accompaniment for fruit, granola or even added to your favourite curry recipes.
Whether you enjoy it on its own, pile it high with fresh fruit or dollop it on dinners, the one thing you can agree on is there will be no need for calorie counting. The mild thick and creamy flavour is a tasty addition to any meal and with its 450g Big Pot size there is plenty to go around for everyone to enjoy.

Available in Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Waitrose and all good Independent retailers from May, the new Onken Low Fat Natural set yogurt is a wonderful low fat alternative to an already delicious yogurt.



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For further information or images please contact Molly Sleigh or Lewis Davey
on 0207 693 6999 or e-mail:





Notes to editors: –
The Onken Low Fat Natural Set is available in Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Waitrose and all good Independent Retailers
RRP £1.15
For stockist details and to see Onken’s new, inspiring range of recipes visit www.onken.co.uk

NEWS FROM HOTELS.COM


C'est Combien?!
Paris named most expensive city for a Club Sandwich, according to the Hotels.com
Club Sandwich Index (CSI)

The world’s most romantic city, Paris, has been named the most expensive city in the world to order a Club Sandwich, according to research released today by Hotels.com. The classic chicken, bacon, egg, lettuce and mayo sandwich, available in hotels the world over, has been used as a measure of affordability by the hotel expert. The Club Sandwich Index (CSI) will give holiday-makers an indication of the costs associated with their holiday destination, using one of the most common items on any hotel menu around the world as a barometer.

The CSI average price has been calculated by taking the real prices paid by guests for a Club Sandwich in 30 hotels in the capital city of each country measured. In total Hotels.com surveyed the Club Sandwich prices in 750 hotels in the five, four and three star category across 26 countries.
In the French capital, the CSI showed prices ranged from an extraordinary £33.44 for a ‘Club’ in a five-star hotel to a more reasonable £13.72 in a two star establishment, with the Paris average cost of a Club coming in at £20.43. The second most expensive city was found to be the Swiss city Geneva, where the sandwich costs an average of £20.10, followed closely by £18.83 for a Club in Oslo.

The UK took tenth position with an average Club coming in at just under twelve pounds (£11.55) and the cheapest sandwich available for just £6.50. In Spain, a favourite with British holidaymakers, a Club cost an average of £10 exactly, whilst in India, New Delhi (the cheapest city of those surveyed) one would set you back just £5.91 on average.

Alison Couper from Hotels.com said; “When planning a trip away, many holidaymakers don’t always factor the everyday costs of items including food and drink into their decision making process. By providing people with a Club Sandwich Index it is the perfect way for holidaymakers to assess a destination’s real cost! Paris may well be the gastronomic capital of the world but at an average £20.43 per Club, travellers may be better off sticking to a Croque-Monsieur...”



The Hotels.com Club Sandwich Index (CSI):
Country / City
Average Club Sandwich Price (£)
France – Paris
£20.43
Switzerland - Geneva
£20.10
Norway – Oslo
£18.83
Japan – Tokyo
£17.07
Italy – Rome
£14.95
Finland – Helsinki
£13.99
Sweden - Stockholm
£13.67
Australia - Canberra
£12.20
Denmark - Copenhagen
£11.65
UK – London
£11.55
Hong Kong
£11.33
South Korea - Seoul
£11.15
Germany – Berlin
£10.97
Brazil – Brasília
£10.97
USA – New York
£10.45
Holland – Amsterdam
£10.27
Russia – Moscow
£10.11
Spain – Madrid
£10.00
Canada – Toronto
£9.91
Ireland – Dublin
£9.61
Singapore
£9.13
China – Beijing
£8.94
Colombia - Bogota
£8.70
Argentina - Buenos Aires
£6.61
Mexico - Mexico City
£6.29
India - New Delhi
£5.91



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

Editors Notes:

The Club Sandwich Index ‘average Club Sandwich price’ has been worked out as the average price of 30 Club Sandwiches as sold in 30 hotels in the Capital City of each country measured. The prices were taken from 10 Five Star, 10 Four Star, and 10 Three Star hotels from each city. In total 750 prices of a Club Sandwich were measured across 750 hotels, in 26 countries. Local currency was converted to GBP, exchange rate correct as of 25th April 2012.

About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking website with almost 149,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, negotiating the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. Regular customer e-newsletters provide exclusive offers and advance warning of up-coming sales. There are more than 6.5 million reviews on the site from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through its industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 65,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will refund the difference. Travellers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centres. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. For the last eight years, Hotels.com has published an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index which is now produced in 31 individual country editions www.hotelpriceindex.co.uk Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at facebook.com/hotelsdotcomuk, on Twitter at @HotelsdotcomUK and download the mobile app at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile. Hotels.com is part of Expedia Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world's best-known brands.

NEWS FROM BENNETTS


Treacherous Thursday!
Thursday is the most dangerous day to ride a motorbike


Thursday is the most dangerous day to ride a motorbike, according to annual claims data¹ from Bennetts, the UK’s No.1 Bike Insurance Specialist. With 28,333² accidents involving motorcycle riders occurring in the UK every year, the latest findings come on the back of the insurance provider’s current Government petition, campaigning to ensure compulsory bike-related questions are included in the driving test to help raise awareness of bikers on the road – www.bikerpetition.co.uk.

To date, prospective drivers can currently pass the driving test without answering a single question relating to motorbikes and bikers, who despite accounting for just 1% of road traffic, fall victim to over 20% of all fatalities³ on the roads.

Other findings from Bennetts annual claims data includes:
-          Friday follows Thursday as being the most dangerous day on the roads, with weekends being the safest time to slip into a pair of leathers
-          London proved to be the most dangerous area, with almost a quarter (22%) of all biking accidents occurring in the capital, with the biggest accident hotspots found on major roundabouts in Elephant & Castle (North) and Westway’s elevated inter-section in White City. Following London was Leicester (12%), Norwich (11%), Portsmouth (11%) and Bristol (9%)
-          Bikers named David are the most vulnerable on the road, accounting for 15% of total claims, followed by those called Paul (14%) and Andrew (11%)
-          Motorcyclists in their 40s are most susceptible to accidents, with over seven out of ten claims (71%) involving people aged between 41 and 48 years

Hannah Squirrell, Director of Marketing at Bennetts said, “With an average of 78 accidents involving motorcycles occurring in the UK every single day¹, our latest findings aim to make all road-users more aware of the presence and vulnerability of bikers on Britain’s roads. Currently, would-be motorists are able to take their driving test without seeing a single question relating to motorcyclists, and so we’ve registered a petition to challenge this and hopefully help improve road safety for all. As the casualty rate of motorcyclists is currently a staggering 61 times greater than that of motorists, something must be done to increase awareness of bikers.”

With over 35,000 signatures to date, the e-petition has already been backed by three of the most influential motorcycling organisations bodies; MCIA, MAG and the BMF, as well as celebrity bikers Suzi Perry, Matthew Pinsent, Iwan Thomas and Ray Quinn. Former Double World Superbike champion James Toseland, MotoGP star Cal Crutchlow and Moto2’s Scott Redding are also helping encourage signatures in a bid to reach 100,000 signatures which will then allow the petition to be raised in the House of Commons.

Adding industry support to the petition, Karen Cole, Director of Safety and Training for the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) said, “This is a very simple and sensible change that will make a difference.  Many road casualties could be avoided if drivers were more aware of motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users.  The addition of just one mandatory question in the Drivers Theory Test specifically about  motorcycles will force drivers to ‘think bike’ from a very early stage, encouraging good driving habits, which can only be a good thing for both drivers and riders.”

To find out more information about the Bennetts e-petition and sign up, log onto www.bikerpetition.co.uk or http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/26272

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1According to Bennetts 2011 claims data
²tDepartment for Transport data (2000 – 2010)
Based on MCIA collision data in Greater London (from 2008 – 2010)

For further information please contact:

Emma Pritchard or Sophie Smallwood at Frank PR on 020 7693 6999 or email bennetts@frankpr.it
Notes to editors

Bennetts is a trading name of BISL Limited, Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. Registered in England No. 3231094.
BISL Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

The expression Promoter refers to Bennetts which is a trading name of BISL Limited, registered in England under company number 03231094, whose registered office is at, Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. 

THE BACKGROUND TO BENNETTS 
·          Bennetts was established in Coventry by the Bennett family in 1930 to provide insurance services for the West Midlands.
·          In the early 1980’s Bennetts devised a number of specialist insurance schemes for all types of biker. These schemes are constantly reviewed to give bikers the exact cover they need.
·          In 2000 Bennetts was the first motorcycle insurance specialist to launch a quote and buy facility through its website, www.bennetts.co.uk.
·          In October 2001, the Bennetts brand was acquired by the BGL Group (formerly the Budget Group of Companies), through its purchase of the Dial Direct Group, a major UK car insurance intermediary.
o    The BGL Group was established in 1992, and has grown to be the UK’s third largest personal lines insurance intermediary, through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions.
o    The BGL Group now arranges and administers insurance for around 2.3 million customers with more than £600million GWP. It has contact centre operations in Peterborough, Coventry, Sunderland, and Cape Town, South Africa.  It currently employs over 2000 people and its head office is in Peterborough.
·          In January 2005, Bennetts signed the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the brand by becoming title sponsor of the 2005 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.  Bennetts continued its sponsorship of the British Superbike Championship in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
·          In June 2007, Bennetts became official series sponsor of the World Superbike Championship for the remainder of the 2007 championship and for the entire 2008 championship.
·          Bennetts has been personal sponsor of two-time World Superbike Champion James Toseland since July 2007.
·          Bennetts Ultimate Track Day was held at Donington Park in 2009 and at Cadwell Park in 2010.
·          In November 2011 independent brand tracking research identified Bennetts as the UK’s No.1 brand for bike insurance.
·          In 2011 Bennetts became personal sponsor of MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow and Moto2 rider Scott Redding.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

NEWS FROM BROADGATE



 ‘Egg-ceptional’ Omelette Unveiled at Broadgate

Broadgate creates the world’s most luxurious omelette for City of London workers  



The world’s most luxurious omelette has today been unveiled at Broadgate, City of London by chefs at Broadgate’s Piccolino restaurant.  The ‘cracking’ offering features a range of ‘egg-ceptional’ ingredients including the world’s finest cheese, Caciocavallo Podolico, taken from the Podolico cow which only provides milk in May and June, along with Colonna olive oil which is harvested and bottled on a 400 year old Tuscan estate.
Created by head chef, Enzo Buscema and costing an ‘eggs-treme’ £35, the aptly named ‘Eggs-change Square Omelette’ on sale to Broadgate City workers, is served with handpicked asparagus and drizzled with Canti prosecco to ‘egg-cite’ even the most discerning palate.
Having carefully blended hundreds of ingredients over a two month period, including the hero Tartufo truffle, sourced from Abruzzo, Italy and popular amongst the Italian Royal Family, Enzo’s final recipe includes:  
·         One duck egg from Sussex
·         Five sprinkles of gold dust
·         Five Porcini mushrooms from the Trentino Alpi
·         Seven shavings of Caciocavallo Podolico from Podolico
·         Five shavings of Tartufo Nero Truffles from Abruzzo
·         Five shavings of Testun Barolo cheese from Piemonte
·         Three stems of wild asparagus from Sicily
·         Three stems of Radicchio from Treviso
·         A drizzle of Colonna olive oil from Tuscany
·         A drizzle of Canti prosecco from Canti

Mark Evans, Estate Director at Broadgate said: “We’ve worked closely with Piccolino’s on the ‘Eggs-change Square’ omelette and are delighted with the result – a light but egg-cellent omelette which will tantalise the taste buds of everyone at Broadgate this Spring.”

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For further information please contact:

Tom Antoniw or Louisa Ham at Frank PR on 020 7693 6999 or email broadgate@frankpr.it
Notes to editor:
Situated in the heart of the City of London's Square Mile, Broadgate is much more than a geographical area.  It’s a dynamic, thriving business community, home to some of the world’s biggest corporations and top professional practices where over 30,000 people work each day.
There are five distinct areas that make up Broadgate; Broadgate Circle, Exchange Square, Broadgate Plaza, Finsbury Avenue Square and Bishopsgate.  The squares, terraces, colonnades and piazzas provide a perfect setting for people to meet, eat, talk, shop, enjoy the entertainment on offer or merely watch the world go by.
Broadgate houses an impressive collection of public art around the site including sculptures, paintings and water features from a number of major British and International artists. These works have helped create an identity for the estate that is imaginative, dynamic and challenging. There is a wide and varied selection of shops and restaurants, cafes and bars to cater for every need and every budget.
For more information on Broadgate visit http://www.broadgateinfo.net/