Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - as Morrisons know. It's now trialling money-off coupons at some North East stores following Sainsbury's and Asda's move into the voucher market. Previously Morrisons has emphasised better value across its whole range of products. Why the change?
Coupon crazy?
"From a competitive point of view," Morrisons spokesperson Julian Bailey told AOL Money, "there was a lot of vouching going on [earlier in the year] and we preferred at the time to focus on lower prices. It doesn't mean we weren't doing it. But it would be wrong to say we don't use vouchers; we regularly distribute them to customers. It's part of the mix of promotions".However that statement goes against what Morrisons boss Dalton Philips recently said: "We would rather focus on value in store than customers having to be smart and find a voucher."
Cracking the code
Morrisons is coy on how a voucher roll-out might work. Sainsbury's voucher schemes is based on a brand-match with software comparing Sainsbury's prices on branded products to those of its rivals. It then produces a voucher that makes up for any price discrepancies.In other words, this allows Sainsbury's to say they're just as cheap on a range of well-known, branded goods. Own-label products aren't included and the system isn't used on-line.
Own-label limit
Given that many consumers are increasingly turning to own-label products - both Morrisons and Tesco revamped their Value ranges recently - some voucher schemes offer limited value to consumers. Shop with care.Tesco has also increasingly turned to vouchers, though its UK underlying sales, reported yesterday, were down 1.5% in the three months up to the end of May. Tesco shares have fallen 25% this year.
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Source: money.aol.co.uk
TOWIE gang out in force at wrap party - The Sun
Series five of the hit ITV2 reality show finished last month, but the cast were seen being reunited on Wednesday night in a one-off Marbella special.
Lydia Bright was spotted arriving at the bash sporting a new choppy bob and fringe.
Earlier the 21-year-old had tweeted: "Love my new hair, my hair guru did me well once again thank u @robertkirbyuk @sanrizzsalons rocking out the fringe at the Towie wrap party x."
Lydia, who wore an off-the-shoulder mustard yellow frock, also posed arm-in-arm with new boyfriend Tom Kilbey, 21.
And the blonde later tweeted a pic of herself with mum Debbie, who also attended the bash, with the caption: "Me and my beautiful mother at the Towie wrap party."
Joey Essex, 21, donned yet another daring outfit for the party, teaming a tiny pale blue jacket with a shirt and tie, jeans and brown boots.
But the discomfort of his super-tight blazer obviously didn't stop him from enjoying himself last night, he tweeted: "Towie wrap party = SICK."
And he later added: "Towie wrap party was fun. Nice to see everyone happy x."
Sam Faiers, also 21, arrived at the do with sister Billie.
The girls looked stunning as Sam matched an off-the-shoulder white top with a multi-coloured sequinned skirt and Billie, 22, flashed her ample cleavage in a clingy light green and gold-studded Lypsy dress.
Both sported skyscraper sling-back peep-toe heels to the do.
Sam later tweeted a snap of Billie pouting at the camera writing: "Aww @BillieFaiers."
The photo also showed off busty Billie's incredible assets.
This morning Billie tweeted: "Morning everyone :-) had a brilliant time at the wrap party last night .. For all those asking, my dress i wore was lypsy xx."
Boutique co-owner Sam also posted a pic of her kissing boyfriend Joey.
She captioned the cute snap: "Just got home from the wrap party .. A tad drunk ?? Great night x x."
Charlie King, 26, who was pictured hanging out with pals "Little Chris" Drake, 25, and Bobby-Cole Norris, 24, tweeted last night: "What a great evening with amazing people- night all Or good morning x."
Charlie and Little Chris went for a smart-casual look, teaming suit jackets with jeans.
While Bobby opted to go a little bit more upmarket in a bright blue suit.
Cara Kilbey posed for a pic with close friends Frankie Essex and Billi Mucklow.
But she revealed she wouldn't be hitting the booze with her castmates at the bash, she wrote: "Being a good girl tonight on the water... #oooOoooOooo #H20."
The girls, all 24, looked gorgeous in a series of glam frocks.
Gemma Collins, who stripped off to her swimsuit to tell love interest Arg "You ain't ever gonna get this candy" in The Only Way Is Marbs, missed the bash.
The 31-year-old tweeted: "Gutted to have missed the Towie wrap party tonight hope everyone had fun off to the airport soon xx."
Newly-engaged Mario Falcone and Lucy Mecklenburgh were also absent, as they are currently in Dubai.
Source: www.thesun.co.uk
Alleged hacker Ryan Cleary to be tried in UK not US - Daily Telegraph
American officials have demanded that he is tried in the US despite ongoing wrangling between legal and medical experts about whether or not the 46-year-old would pose a suicide risk.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, is expected to make a decision about whether to allow extradition by the end of July.
Cleary, the son of a college lecturer from Wickford, Essex, is alleged to have been a member of a hacking group called LulzSec and was charged with five offences under the Criminal Law Act and Computer Misuse Act, including an attack on the website of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
He is accused of conspiring with three others to create a remotely-controlled network of zombie computers, known as a "botnet", which crashes websites.
Miss Todner, who also represents McKinnon, said that the decision to prosecute him in the UK was the right one and proof that it could be done.
“Cleary has always co-operated with British police on the basis that he would not be extradited,” she said.
“It is the proper application of law and shows that it is possible to prosecute here, so why isn’t it the same for McKinnon?
“British police arrested and interviewed McKinnon but then just decided to hand it over to the US.”
Miss Todner said no decision had been made about whether Cleary would deny or accept the charges but said that if any application was made for his extradition it would be “fiercely” contested.
"Mr Cleary suffers from Asperger's syndrome and is on the autistic spectrum and extradition to the United States is totally undesirable,” she added.
A US embassy spokesman said: “The US is not making any request of the UK regarding Ryan Cleary’s extradition at this time.”
The spokesman added: "No legal medical documentation or evidence has been officially presented to us to suggest that Mr McKinnon has a medical condition that should be taken into consideration in our request for his extradition."
Janis Sharp, McKinnon's mother, insisted he had been subjected to tests by five separate medical experts, all of whom were "supposed to be independent" and whom had diagnosed Asperger's and that he was a suicide risk and was unfit to stand trial in the US.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Motorola Razr XT910 now at Asda with price undercut - Phones Review
If you’re in the market for a new Android smartphone then you might want to consider the Motorola RAZR XT910, an ultra-slim handset that has a lot going for it. This smartphone is currently available online from Asda with a big undercut on the price compared to both Argos and Currys.
The Motorola RAZR XT910 is a beautifully stylish smartphone at only 7.1mm thick and weighing only 127g and it has a super-strong Kevlar casing with splash-proof coating. Specs and features include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display with resolution of 960 x 540, 256ppi and Corning Gorilla Glass for extra protection, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD). There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and 1080p video capture plus a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.
Other inclusions are Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11b/g/n WiFi and one of the only drawbacks is that it runs on Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread rather than 4.0 ICS. The Motorola RAZR is currently being offered in white at a bargain price of £319 at direct.Asda.com here, which beats the price from both Currys and Argos by £100, that’s quite some difference. This unlocked price also means you can use it on any network.
It’s a great coup for Asda to be offering the RAZR for that price and David Fletcher, Asda’s mobile technology expert said, “We’re delighted to be able to offer this phone at such a great price. The Motorola Razr is a unique mobile which is amazingly compact yet practically bullet proof. It’s a strong addition to our range of cutting edge Smartphones.” Full dimensions of this white Motorola RAZR smartphone are 13cm x 6.8cm x 0.7cm and talktime is around 10 hours while standby time is up to 324 hours.
We’d like to know what you think of the Motorola RAZR and especially that bargain price of £319 unlocked at Asda Direct. Will you be treating yourself to this smartphone?
Source: www.phonesreview.co.uk
Asda Takes Lead With Extended Opening Hours on Olympic Sundays - Bloomberg
Asda, the U.K. grocery chain owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), plans to open for longer on Sundays during the London Olympics, taking the lead over competitors who aren’t convinced of the benefits of the eight-week opportunity.
Five Asda stores near the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, will open for 24 hours on eight Sundays starting July 22 after the government decided in March to lift restrictions during the period, which also includes the Paralympics. The chain’s other London outlets will open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on those days, while stores in the rest of England and Wales will stay open until 8 p.m., Asda spokeswoman Victoria Pourzand said.
Asda is the first of the four main U.K. supermarkets to say it will take advantage of relaxed Sunday opening rules during the games. U.K. laws typically restrict larger stores from opening for more than six hours. J Sainsbury Plc (SBRY), the U.K.’s third-largest supermarket chain, has said it doesn’t expect any pick-up in business other than in a small number of stores, and along with Tesco Plc (TSCO) and William Morrison Supermarkets Plc (MRW) is still considering whether to open stores for longer.
Asda’s decision will offer customers “greater flexibility in the way they shop” during the games, Pourzand said.
The number of tourists visiting the U.K. is expected to surge this summer, with about 1 million Olympic tickets being made available for overseas applicants. Marks & Spencer Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Marc Bolland has forecast the summer to be the retailer’s best ever as Britons celebrate the games.
Staff Expenses
Analysts such as Nomura’s Nick Coulter have cast doubt on the benefits of extending Sunday hours as retailers have to balance the costs of keeping stores open and additional staff expenses with potential sales increases.
Sainsbury CEO Justin King said this year that customers aren’t calling for stores to be open longer on Sundays during the games and he doesn’t believe the relaxation is “a big new story for sales.” Current Sunday restrictions are “a good British compromise,” he said, as it keeps Sunday special.
Sainsbury is liaising with the relevant authorities to ensure that customers can “shop as normal” during the Olympic period and has yet to make a decision on whether to extend hours, spokesman Tom Parker said by e-mail.
Tesco is considering how to balance the need to offer customers greater flexibility on Sundays during the Olympics with ensuring that workers have an opportunity to watch the action, spokeswoman Ruth McAllister said. The showcase men’s 100 meters final takes place on Sunday, Aug. 5.
Morrison is still considering where to extend Sunday hours and for how long, Retail Director Mark Harrison said.
Upscale chain Waitrose Ltd. has said most of its outlets will stay open for two hours longer.
“Some London-centric stores will benefit, but it’s not going to move the goalposts,” Nomura’s Coulter said. “One would think it’s just high-volume tourist destinations that will benefit. It’s designed to take advantage of London and even in London it will be very specific.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah Shannon in London at sshannon4@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Celeste Perri at cperri@bloomberg.net
Source: www.bloomberg.com
Ripley 'does not need an £8m bypass or new Morrisons superstore' - This is Derbyshire
A MULTI-MILLION pound bypass planned to ease traffic in Ripley has been branded an "unnecessary waste of money" by people who live in the town.
Plans to build the road have been revealed by Amber Valley Borough Council to combat a potential increase in congestion if permission is granted for a Morrisons supermarket to be built in Nottingham Road.
But locals have said the £8 million road is not needed.
Lesley Fenton, of Derby Road, Ripley, said: "I think it is totally unnecessary. There is a lot of traffic there but this is a huge amount of land they are taking up and it is a waste of money.
"This is only being planned because of the effect the supermarket will create but we don't need the supermarket in the first place."
Amber Valley Borough Council has signed an agreement to sell Morrisons seven acres of land off Nottingham Road.
The planning application for the design of the superstore will be submitted by developer Clowes Westerman, which is working with the authority to develop a "gateway" to the town which will also include new housing.
The creation of the 40,000 sq ft store, which would include car parking and a petrol station, would bring 350 jobs.
The new bypass would run along the north side of Codnor Gate industrial estate before rejoining the A610 at an as yet undecided location in either Codnor or Woodlinkin.
The council has said the entire project – including the development of the supermarket – is subject to planning permission being granted but Steve Freeborn, leader of Ripley Town Council, said the announcement of the ring road plans made that permission look like a "foregone conclusion".
He said: "I am very disappointed with the news. As it stands with these plans the bypass would not alleviate any traffic, it would simply move it from Nottingham Road to Codnor.
"The council is setting the situation up so that the planning permission is given for the Morrisons store."
Borough council leader Stuart Bradford said Derbyshire County Council had already approved the scheme in principle. "This road has been on the cards for 30 years and no one's achieved it – now it's almost within our grasp," he said.
"I think it should demonstrate to the populous at large that we are keen on recycling any receipt generated from the Morrisons proposal.
"It is all subject to planning approval but the intention is to put the thick end of £8 million into the scheme."
Source: www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk
Save £5 at Morrisons - The Sun
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Source: www.thesun.co.uk
Coryton closure: Unions urge MPs to meet at risk workers - BBC News
Union leaders have urged ministers to meet workers from the Coryton oil refinery in Essex, to explain why they have ruled out using state aid to save the plant from closure.
The government said it will not apply to Europe for permission to use state funds to keep the refinery open.
About 850 jobs are at risk after Coryton's parent company went bust.
Ministers said overcapacity in the refining industry meant it would not be sustainable to provide government help.
The Labour Party and unions have pressed ministers to consider putting up cash to keep the refinery - which supplies about 20% of south-east England's fuel - going until administrators can find a buyer.
The future of the Thames Estuary refinery has been in doubt since January, when its Swiss-based parent company, Petroplus, became insolvent.
An economic impact assessment report commissioned by Thurrock Council revealed the closure or change of use of the site would cost about £107m in costs such as materials, contractor payments, and wages.
'Devastating impact'Two weeks ago administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers said they had failed to find a buyer and operations would be run down.
Labour MPs and local Lib Dem MP Bob Russell tabled a Commons motion on Monday calling on the government to step in to allow the refinery to remain open until a buyer is found.
“Start Quote
End Quote Department for Energy and Climate ChangeIf Government did step in to help Coryton, this would be a short term fix, and it could potentially lead to job losses at other refineries”
They said the refinery was an important national infrastructure asset and that its closure would have "a devastating impact on the people of Essex" and risk making the UK more dependent on foreign fuel imports.
They have been calling on ministers to approach the European Commission to find out if short term state aid could be offered to the refinery.
Unite and the GMB unions have both condemned the government's decision.
Unite General Secretary Len McLuskey said the government's actions were "simply not good enough".
He added, "Last night, the Chancellor pledged to pump in at least £100bn into the banking system to boost lending... in an attempt to build a financial firewall against the situation in Greece.
"Yet, a similar request from Unite for state aid... to tide over Coryton until a viable buyer is found to take over the oil refinery is dismissed by ministers out-of-hand.
"[Energy Secretary] Ed Davey and his ministerial team should have the courage to... drive to Coryton to tell the workers why they have to lose their jobs, while bankers in the City scoop up outrageous and undeserved bonuses."
'Short term fix'But the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said that overcapacity in the refining industry and declining demand for petrol meant it would not be sustainable for the government to provide assistance even if the EU allowed it to do so.
A spokesman added: "If Government did step in to help Coryton, this would be a short term fix, and it could potentially lead to job losses at other refineries who would be at an unfair disadvantage to Coryton.
"This was a very difficult decision and it is particularly regrettable that people may lose their jobs.
"The closure of Coryton as a refinery should not have any impact on supply of fuel to London and the south east. There are many other supply points and operational refineries which can be used."
Some redundancies are expected next week. The government says this is regrettable, but it was working with local agencies and Jobcentres to help the refinery's skilled workforce find new positions.
About 100 workers protested at the site and in Corringham town centre on Monday.
A demonstration was also held on Thursday outside London's Royal Courts of Justice where Prime Minister David Cameron was giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry.
In February, a group of financiers agreed to pay to refine their own oil at the plant for three months, giving administrators more time to find a new buyer.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Morrisons West Watford development plan unveiled (From Watford Observer) - Watford Observer
Morrisons development plan for old Royal Mail depot, in Ascot Road, unveiled
6:33pm Friday 15th June 2012 in News By Mike Wright, Chief Reporter
Residents caught their first glimpse of what the West Watford Morrisons development, which promises to bring 300 new jobs to the area, could look like today.
The supermarket chain revealed its designs to turn the vacant Ascot Road Royal Mail Depot into a superstore with offices, houses, a hotel and a potential new school.
The proposals showed the supermarket on the southern end of the site, with the 450-space car park on the western side behind it.
North of the supermarket are two blocks of new houses and flats with a new school on the north western side of the site.
The Ascot Road side of the site is earmarked for a new hotel and new offices which are surrounded by trees.
The drawings were unveiled in a presentation inside the old depot this afternoon.
Richard Haynes, development executive for Morrisons, said: “This site has got massive potential for regeneration and is desperately in need of it, especially since the sorting office has closed.
“It will bring jobs back and make it a much more pleasant place for people to be.”
The move comes as Morrisons, which has most of its stores in the north of the country, is undertaking a push to expand its presence in the south.
The corporation secured a long lease on the Watford Borough Council-owned site a few months ago.
The regeneration scheme comes after it was announced a new Metropolitan Line tube station will be built nearby in Ascot Road as part of the Croxley Rail Link.
Since Morrisons acquired the Royal Mail depot it has fallen victim to vandals and break-ins, leaving the inside of the vast building strewn with rubbish and with windows smashed.
In recent weeks the company has hired security to protect the site.
The redevelopment plans are still at an early stage and could be altered, but Morrisons hope to have a formal planning application submitted by the summer.
If the plan is approved the company said the store could be open for Christmas 2013.
Early reaction to the scheme was largely positive, although residents voiced concerns that it could draw more traffic to West Watford’s already congested roads.
Jenny Thomas, from Cassiobury Park Avenue, welcomed the superstore but was concerned more homes could add more pressure to local services such as GP.
She said: “I think it is good, this site needs redevelopment and there is no supermarket on this side of West Watford.”
Another interested resident at today’s presentation was unemployed 50-year-old, David Tyarman, of Whippendell Road, who lost his job at Krispy Kreme doughnuts earlier this year.
He said had been interested to know when the store would be recruiting.
Mr Tyarman added: “It’s only around the corner. I will be able to do my shopping here as well.”
The presentation is open again tomorrow at the Royal Mail depot in Ascot Road between 10am to 4pm.
Source: www.watfordobserver.co.uk
Back in the manor: Mark Wright returns to the UK and heads straight to his favourite Essex haunt for a night out - Daily Mail
By Kirsty Mccormack and J J Anisiobi
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After a few weeks away lapping up the sunshine and filming his new reality TV show in Hollywood, California, Mark Wright has returned to British shores.
The dapper gent wasted no time in finding his feet and getting back to his old ways by heading straight to his favourite Essex nightclub, last night.
Following his night out, the 25-year-old looked in good shape as he appeared on This Morning, earlier today, and spoke about how his new holiday romance.
A bit of all Wright: Former TOWIE star Mark has returned to the UK and appeared on This Morning after partying last night in Essex
Mark dropped in to popular hangout Faces, in Essex, but didn't stay out too long because of his appearance on TV in the morning.
He tweeted: 'I'm being good. On the way home 2 my bed 4 the 1st time in 6weeks. Faces was great as per usual but I'm on this morning 2mo so have 2 b good.'
When he appeared on This Morning today, Mark spoke publicly for the first time about his relationship with Chelsea describing her as 'great'.
All dressed up: Mark looked dapper today but was more casual last night when he headed to Faces nightclub
He said: 'It's a difficult one because she's got so many commitments out there, but we met, we had fun, but it was never meant to be like that.
'She's great, we got on so well. We started out as friends but then it developed into something else.'
The thing that Mark liked about his new girlfriend the most was that she had no idea who he was or why he was famous.
He said: 'She liked me for me because she didn't have a clue who I was.'
Time to say goodbye: Mark Wright and Chelsea Rashoff say a tearful farewell at LAX airport yesterday
Mark hooked up with the U.S volleyball player while filming Mark Wright's Hollywood Nights, and the casual friendship developed into something more serious rather quickly.
The reality TV star was seen saying goodbye to Chelsea at LAX airport yesterday and looked very sad to be leaving her.
The ITV2 show didn't exactly receive great reviews when it aired for the first time last Sunday but viewers may be eager to tune in this weekend as the second episode will include how Mark and Chelsea first met.
Hard to let go: The former TOWIE star gave the 22-year-old a big hug and also kissed her
Their romance is clearly more than just an onscreen film, as the pair of them appeared to be tearful as they said farewell outside the airport terminal.
Outside LAX, Mark - who was wearing blue skinny jeans and a white T-shirt - was seen hugging Chelsea and kissing her as she flung her arms around his neck.
She was also wearing dark jeans and a white T-shirt and gazed at the Essex-born star as he prepared to catch his flight back to the UK.
The pair have obviously become quite close over the past six weeks, and perhaps Mark is considering letting Chelsea visit his hometown some time soon.
Confirmed couple? Chelsea tweeted this photo of her and Mark looking rather cosy recently
Svelte: Chelsea in her volleyball 'uniform' - a red bikini top and patterned blue bottoms
Roundup! Brown & Drake 'love fight', Kim on Oprah and much more...
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
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