'Incredible' number of journeys on Hereford's free green Zipper buses
A council spokesperson said a typical month saw more than 15,000 journeys made by passengers – with October being the best month recorded so far, with more than 17,000 journeys."These incredible figures reflect the increasing popularity of the Zipper bus," they said.They claimed journey numbers were steadily trending upwards, and said the town's Asda supermarket was the most popular bus stop, with the train station second and Maylord Orchards third busiest.
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Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
Iceland under pressure as supermarket price war intensifies
Rapid growth at Iceland has ground to a halt as the frozen food chain comes under mounting pressure in the face of an intensifying supermarket price war. The retailer has told bondholders that underlying profits rose just 0.6pc to £317.6m in the year to the end of March, compared to a 24pc jump the prior year. Revenues were largely flat at £4.2bn over the year, although its 2024 financial year – when sales jumped 6.6pc – was boosted by an additional trading week. Stripping these figures out, sales were up 3pc this year on prior year. The slowdown is understood to have come as Iceland pushes to keep prices lower as supermarkets battle to attract and retain shoppers. Earlier this year, Asda kicked off a price war in an attempt to stem years of declines. Its new chairman, Allan Leighton, has vowed to use a 'war chest' to fund price cuts, improve availability of products and refresh tired stores. The company said this would mean profits would take a 'material hit'. Tesco responded by saying its profits would fall as much as 14pc this year with plans to invest £400m in price cuts. To avoid losing shoppers to rivals, Iceland has been stepping up its programme of multibuy promotions, where customers can buy bundles of products for less than if they bought them separately. This meant that while the number of items it sold last year increased by 5.3pc, it did not see an rise in the value of its sales. Credit rating agency, Fitch, said shoppers continued to turn to Iceland for value 'despite heightened competition'. Its market share has remained flat at between 2.3pc and 2.4pc over the past five years. Fitch added: 'We expect Iceland's product offering to remain competitive for UK food consumers with weaker spending power.' However, the credit ratings agency raised concerns over Iceland's profitability, suggesting the supermarket chain would have to invest in price cuts this year at a time when it is battling higher costs. It said the supermarket, which employs more than 30,000 people, would face 'momentary profit pressure', publishing forecasts suggesting underlying profits could dip this year. Fitch said: 'The company, along with other UK-based retailers, will be hit by the rise in National Insurance and minimum living wage contributions from [this year], which we estimate will result in an additional cost of £50m.' Iceland chairman, Richard Walker, said earlier this year the National Insurance raid had 'added greatly to the cost of business', ranking the Labour government a 'six out of 10' for its performance in office. It followed earlier efforts to downplay the hit. Last year, after Rachel Reeves's Budget, Mr Walker said companies should stop 'wallowing' and 'complaining' about the tax raid. Mr Walker, who had been a donor to the Tory party before switching allegiance to Labour, said last December: 'The Government isn't going to change its mind. It was a tough Budget, but we adapt.' The expected profit crunch comes after Iceland's chief executive, Tarsem Dhaliwal, in April said the company was bracing for surging food costs. Speaking to industry publication. The Grocer, Mr Dhaliwal said his biggest concern was rising prices being imposed by its suppliers. He said: 'The reality is that we have to be conscious of the fact our suppliers are going to pass the costs onto us, literally straight away. We can't absorb all that, I don't think any retailer can, so there's going to be food inflation.' At the time, Mr Dhaliwal said that Iceland would be battling to 'remain competitive', adding: 'Consumers might end up with less items in their basket, still spending £10 but on less items.' Already, food inflation is running at around 4pc, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium, with increases in the price of staples such as meat and tea fuelling the higher level.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
I tried instant coffee from Asda, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and more - £2.30 one was just as good as Nescafé
From Asda and Tesco to Waitrose and M&S, our coffee lover tried to find a supermarket brand that matched up to Nescafé and Kenco - here is how they ranked against the leading names As someone who's never tried supermarket instant coffees, I was intrigued to see how they'd stack up against big names like Nescafé and Kenco. There's something special about a fresh brew made with rich, aromatic coffee beans and a good dollop of milk. But shelling out for three or four Costa coffees a week is starting to make a noticeable dent in my finances. In an effort to cut costs, I've decided to explore the world of instant coffee, taking in both leading brands and supermarket own labels. To keep things fair, I chose similar types of instant coffees - all promising rich and smooth flavours - and added the same amount of coffee and milk as I usually do. If I were to go for an instant coffee, it would typically be Nescafé, and I've rarely strayed from that. As the kettle started to boil, I was keen to get this taste test underway, reports the Express. 1. Asda The Asda coffee didn't exactly get us off to a flying start. The aroma upon opening the pack left a lot to be desired, but the sight of large chunks of freeze-dried coffee gave me hope that less might deliver more in terms of strength. Sadly, I was wrong. While it provides a reasonably smooth sip, if you're looking for a hearty kick of strong coffee, Asda's Just Essential Instant Coffee, priced at £1.08, doesn't quite deliver. Rating: 4.5/10 2. Morrisons Morrisons ' own-brand Savers Instant Coffee, coming in at a mere £1.15, is not one I'd readily recommend. On first whiff, it was practically odourless, and the faint smell it did release was oddly chemical. Rating: 3/10 3. Tesco Tesco's own £1.15 coffee didn't fare much better, emitting an aroma that seemed to confuse chemicals with coffee – hardly the best start. The scent all but disappeared once hot water hit the cup, and the granules dissolved at breakneck speed, faster than most I've sampled. The taste was on the bitter side, but it wasn't entirely terrible. Rating: 4/10 4. Lidl Lidl's Bellarom Rich Roast instant coffee, priced at £1.79, is marketed as a "full flavoured instant coffee" with a four out of five strength rating – a statement I found quite optimistic. Opening the jar revealed little to no aroma, and the coffee it produced was notably weak. It was a relief not to encounter any bitterness, but the coffee flavour was so subtle it was more like a lukewarm, milky drink. Even after mixing two level teaspoons with hot water and adding milk, the flavour failed to make an impression. Rating: 4.5/10 5. Aldi Aldi's Alcafe Rich Roast coffee, which costs £1.99, caught me off guard with its unexpectedly sweet smell, which didn't quite match up with its description. The flavour was mild and smooth, not quite hitting the mark of a top-notch coffee, but it was still somewhat pleasant. Rating: 6/10 6. Sainsbury's This £2.30 coffee from Sainsbury's was delightfully fragrant from the get-go, a characteristic not many others could claim. The coffee took its time to dissolve in water, but delivered a smooth blend with a pleasing coffee hit. You could easily mistake it for Nescafé just by the taste. Score: 8.5/10 7. M&S Upon brewing a cup of M&S ' Rich and Smooth coffee, I noticed it was free of stray granules, much like Aldi's offering, and had a gentle, smooth profile. However, it didn't quite deliver the caffeine kick I was after-- but at a modest £1.20, I can't grumble too much. Score: 6/10 8. Waitrose This Waitrose blend boasted a chocolatey aroma with a bitter end note, while undissolved granules lingered at the bottom of my mug. Despite its sweet scent, this £1.65 coffee left a harsh, bitter aftertaste. Score: 3/10 9. Kenco Expecting this coffee to be a top contender, given the brand's popularity and its £7.75 price tag, I was surprised when it failed to impress me. The coffee was smooth but had a very subtle aroma and flavour. Score: 6.5/10 10. Nescafé The Nescafé original instant coffee is a familiar favourite. It was pleasant and smooth and - in simple terms - you get what you pay for: a decent brew. However, in the current climate, £7.25 a jar is not something that many can justify on a stretched budget. Rating: 8/10 Verdict When it comes to flavour, both Sainsbury's and Nescafé hit the mark, but Sainsbury's had a slight advantage for me, considering its cost. The coffee boasted a truly smooth texture and was generally quite pleasing to the palate. I wouldn't think twice about grabbing another jar on my next shop.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Bradford teenager has been flying planes long before driving cars
A Bradford teenager has gained a private pilot's licence at just 17 years old and has dreams of becoming a commercial Mohammad started lessons at Sherburn Aero Club near Leeds on his 15th birthday, long before he could legally drive a car. Now he can fly solo and also carry passengers in a light aircraft. "I love every single thing about flying," Mustafa said. "The increased workload in the aircraft just relaxes your mind and makes you focused on just flying. "So anything else that you were thinking about gets left outside the aircraft."Training to gain a licence costs £13,000, which often excludes younger pilots, but Mustafa's family helped with the fees."A lot of people are surprised that I am only 17 years old and I've actually been flying planes for a lot longer than I've been driving cars," he added. His brother, Sohail Mohammad, believes he could be a trailblazer when he begins his career with an airline in the future."He has made us all really proud," he is in the middle of studying for his A Levels but is also continuing to take his aviation exams. He hopes to start training as a commercial pilot when he turns 21."I wanted to inspire young people because being a pilot is seen as quite an old person's job, but it is also suitable for young people, which is what I wanted to show the world."His instructor, Alastair Breckon, said: "He's been a joy and is a joy to teach and he soaks up the information. "He actually makes my job easy. "Going forward, I hope he invites me on board his 737 when he is the pilot of a holiday jet out to the Greek Islands. I think that would be wonderful closure." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
