The Business Matrix: Saturday 4 January 2014

Hailo app grabs £20m in cab fares

Londoners booked almost £20m worth of fares for black cabs through the smartphone app Hailo during its first year in business, its accounts reveal. The London app, which lets users book nearby taxis, had a loss of £1.3m.

Festive cheer for a former Dragon

Former TV Dragon Theo Paphitis’s retail empire saw festive sales up at all three chains he owns. They rose by 1.7 per cent at Rymans in the eight weeks to Christmas Eve, 5.2 per cent at Robert Dyas and 20.2 per cent at lingerie chain Boux Avenue.

Talbot stands down at Johnson

Johnson Services’ executive chairman John Talbot, 64, is to stand down in April. He will be replaced at the dry cleaning and uniform-washing business as chief executive by Chris Sander. Johnson also said its annual profits should hit expectations.

Confident builders in hiring spree

Builders are in the middle of their longest hiring spree since 2008 as confidence returns to the sector, according to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply. Construction firms have taken on staff for seven months in a row.