Morrisons’ supermarkets enjoy first growth in five years to drive sales higher

Business correspondent(es/wp):
MORRISONS’ nascent recovery under new chief executive David Potts gained further momentum today after sales grew at bricks-and-mortar stores for the first time in five years.
Half-year sales at supermarkets were up by 0.3% on a like-for-like basis, the first black ink since 2011. Total like-for-like sales, excluding fuel and VAT, were up 1.4%. Morrisons has now recorded three consecutive quarters of growth after reporting 2% growth in the quarter to the end of July.
“It’s good news for all stakeholders but this is the start of the journey and we are in the foothills so I wouldn’t be calling the turn just yet,” Potts said.
Since taking over 18 months ago Potts has been trying to reverse a tide, which saw the group post  15 consecutive quarters of falling sales before a turnaround in the final quarter of last year.
Online growth has been the engine in recent quarters due to tie-ups with the likes of Ocado and Amazon, but that gap is closing thanks to a greater focus on boosting staff morale in-store.

It is spending millions on new uniforms and a laundry service for its army of butchers, bakers and fishmongers so they don’t have to wash their own overalls at home.
“This has been a team effort and a lot less to do with me and more to do with the team. It’s a beautiful company really and our staff have played an absolute blinder,” he added.

Man and woman shot dead in East Finchley north London

crime reporter(wp/es):
A man and a woman were found shot dead this morning at a flat in north London.
Both were pronounced dead at the scene after police were called to a block of flats on Elmhurst Crescent in East Finchley at around 6:25am.
An investigation has now been launched by the Met police.
A Met police spokesman said: "Police were called by London Ambulance Service at approximately 06.25hrs on Thursday, 15 September to reports of two people injured at an address in Elmshurst Crescent, N2.

"Officers attended and found two people - a man and a woman - suffering gunshot injuries.
"Both were pronounced dead at the scene."
The Homicide and Major Crime Command has been called in.no arrest have been made.

One nearby resident, Lizzy Holgrove, described the "crazy" events in a series of tweets.
She wrote at 7am: "Something absolutely nuts going down on my road. Road blocked off, 20 police cars, 8 ambulances and police talking about shots fired.
 "...keep hearing more sirens heading this way. Everyone I've heard walking past is talking about it being a shooting," she added.

Tube Workers on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines are due to start a 24-hour stoppage from 9pm tonight

staff reporter(wp/es):
More than 600,000 Tube commuters face travel chaos with train drivers on two lines set to walk out in a dispute dubbed the toilet break strike.
Workers on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines are due to start a 24-hour stoppage from 9pm tonight, claiming their toilet breaks are being timed by stopwatch.
There will be no trains running on the Hammersmith & City line, while the Circle line will have far fewer trains than usual.
A spokesman for the RMT union, which ordered the strike, said: “The dispute is over heavy handed and aggressive management, including putting staff toilet breaks on a stopwatch and flagrant disregard for agreed policies and procedures.”
The stoppage comes after managers reportedly noticed a minority of drivers were spending so long in the toilets - allegedly to avoid work - that their train has had to be cancelled or a new driver found.

Only around 50 of 260 drivers are believed to have voted for the strike action, with the dispute said to be centered on the Edgware Rd and Hammersmith depots.
Peace talks to try and avert the strike broke down late yesterday at Acas, the conciliation service.
Behind the scenes efforts were being made today to try and get the walkout called off but there were no scheduled talks planned.
Services on other Tube lines will not be affected but are also expected to be far busier.
Transport for London (TfL), which is putting on extra buses, warned that some roads in west and central London could also carry more traffic that usual as commuters use alternative routes.

Passengers face more problems all weekend with the two lines closed between Hammersmith and Edgware Road due to engineering work.
Train drivers belonging to the rival union Aslef are not involved but some could refuse to cross RMT picket lines.
Steve White, operations director for London Underground, said: “If the strike goes ahead customers are advised to check our real-time travel information.


“All other Tube lines and TfL services will be operating as normal and we’ll be making sure that everyone has the information they need to re-plan their journeys is necessary.”
Of the “stopwatch” claim, a TfL spokesperson said: “We would refute that. Our staff are able to take reasonable toilet breaks.”
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “This dispute is about the basic issues of protecting working conditions of our members and defending agreements from attempts to drive a coach and horses through them.”