Food

The Co-op Group, Britain's biggest mutual, is to hold a crunch board meeting next week amid pressure to follow rival supermarkets' example and repay £80m of state funding handed to it during the pandemic. Sky News has learnt that directors of the groceries-to-funeralcare provider - headed by chairman Allan Leighton - will meet next Tuesday to debate whether to repay the funding it received in the form of business rates relief and furlough payments. People close to the situation said the Co-op's boardroom had seen "robust dialogue" over the issue, with some directors keen to repay the funding in full. Although the board is not yet technically split on the question of handing the money back because a vote has yet to take place, sources said "deep divisions" were expected to be exposed next week. The decision is expected to be made public in the group's annual results announcement early next month. Advertisement The issue has become an acute one for the … [Read more...] about Co-op Group faces crunch board meeting over £80m state funding repayment

ANT and Dec have revealed they fear their virtual Saturday Night Takeaway audience will try get their attention live on-air by flashing their "private parts". The pair, both 45, triumphantly returned to the small screen last month with a new series of their beloved show, which featured a virtual wall of viewers in place of a studio audience due to the ongoing pandemic. And now the presenting duo have admitted that the best way to get their attention during the show is by being "happy and smiley" - and not by doing anything explicit. Speaking to TV Times, Ant said of their new virtual audience: "It just means that when we used to run into the audience, now we have to run to a virtual screen instead and we can virtual high five. "The best way to get our attention is to look happy and smiley. "The worst way is private parts. We don't wanna see any of that on Saturday night TV – we'll leave that to Stephen Mulhern!" Dec added: "It's a bit more difficult to see the … [Read more...] about Ant and Dec fear fans will flash privates in virtual Saturday Night Takeaway audience

PIERS Morgan and Susanna Reid couldn't stop laughing as they admired their perm makeovers from The Sun on Good Morning Britain today. We revealed how the pair and other famous faces would look with the frizzy 'do following news that the '80s look was making a comeback. Susanna giggled: "We've had our hair done in The Sun!" Flashing today's spread, Piers chuckled: "I don't even know what it's about; you look like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. "And I look like Starsky in Starsky and Hutch meets Tommy Ball!" His co-host explained: "Apparently it's because Cara Delevingne has had a perm, so why not do us a perm?" As a photo of Cara's look showed on screen, neither star was impressed - with Susanna commenting that her tresses were only "beachy waves". Piers agreed: "That's not a perm, that's just slightly wavy, curly hair - whereas we've got the full perm! "It's good, I like that." He also approved of Dr Hilary Jones with a perm, laughing: "You look like … [Read more...] about Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid can’t stop laughing as they admire their perm makeovers from The Sun on GMB

ANYONE who’s ever planned a wedding will know that budgets are very important - and for this bride it’s the lower the better. Cabin crew Stephanie, from Texas, is engaged to fiance Jimmy, and she will stop at nothing to make sure she gets the best price for her wedding. Stephanie, who appears on TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates, is not just tight when it comes to her wedding, with the bride-to-be living a very frugal lifestyle. She says: “My mother used to say, make sure you turn off the light before you leave the room and of course nobody pays attention to that until you start paying the bill.” But Stephanie takes it one step further, turning off her circuit breaker every time she leaves the house. Working as cabin crew, Stephanie lives off what she considers are the perks of the job. “When the passengers leave the plane I check to look for meals left behind by a pilot or a passenger,” she says. “The food is perishable items, they’re going to throw it away if I don’t … [Read more...] about I want my wedding to be as cheap as possible, my ring came from lost property and I’m getting wed in a baggage unit

Amazon has opened its first contactless grocery store in the UK today where shoppers can pick up their goods and leave without having to visit a till. The Amazon Fresh store in Ealing, west London , is only available to those signed up to Amazon’s Prime subscription service, and customers must scan in a code on their phone to gain entry. Once inside, shoppers can pick up the goods they want without scanning them or visiting a till as motion sensors, cameras and other technology monitor the goods chosen. The bill is automatically charged to shoppers’ Prime account when they leave the store. While customers won’t need to interact with a member of staff, Amazon says workers will be on site to handle queries, restock shelves and prepare food. The store will stock about 10,000 grocery products from well-known brands, its own By Amazon grocery range, as well as items from its retail partners Morrisons and Booths. The 2,500 sq ft store will also be a place to pick up or return … [Read more...] about Amazon Fresh opens first ’till-less’ grocery store in UK