Latest news with #MarkCoulter
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Channel 4 fans all have the same complaint just MINUTES into Britain's Most Expensive Houses
Channel 4 fans have all made the same complaint just minutes into the latest episode of Britain's Most Expensive Houses. The property show takes viewers behind the scenes of some of the most incredible houses on the market, as top estate agents try to find them high-end buyers. Last night's instalment, the second episode of the third series, focussed on Ormiston Castle in the Scottish village of Kirknewton, West Lothian. The 19th-century estate - which boasts six bedrooms, 15 acres of land, a pub, tennis court, cinema room and equestrian centre - had just undergone an eye-watering £3.7million renovation. But viewers were ultimately unimpressed by the property's new ultra-modern look, taking to X to blast the historic building's jarring makeover, the Express reports. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. One said: 'The interior of that Scottish castle is awful. Completely wrong for the style of house.' Another agreed: 'Complete disaster. Architecturally and financially.' Owner Juliette Bentley bought the castle, built in 1851, for £1.65million, setting herself a budget of £350,000 to renovate it - though she ended up spending more than ten times this. On the programme, Juliette, along with estate agent Mark Coulter, invited top property journalist Kirsty McLuckie to spend the night at the house and write about her experience - such was their confidence in the property. But like sceptical Channel 4 viewers who blasted the property online, Kirsty was left dumbstruck by her stay there, calling Juliette's overspend 'eye-watering'. Examples of her lavish spending included some Venetian Murano glass chandeliers, costing a whopping £100,000 each. Kirsty commented on the light fixtures: 'It probably would look great in a hotel but not sure it looks great in a castle.' The property also boasted a secret panic room, concealed behind what looks like a bookcase but is actually a heavy duty door. Viewers took to X to blast the historic building's jarring makeover Behind it is a secret staircase, leading to another military-grade door - offering a kind of refuge if any trouble ever arises. Estate agent Mark explained: 'Behind you is an iPad and you're completely secure. You can phone the police and control the whole house.' These kinds of rooms are sometimes used by celebrities or those who require an extra layer of security. But the high-end security feature failed to impress Kirsty: 'I was slightly confused by the stairs and the sort of panic room. 'It's kind of panic stairs rather than a panic room.' She added: 'I think I prefer the idea of escaping from boring guests, rather than masked intruders!' Owner Juliette has previously admitted to The Times she is 'making no money out of it': 'But it's mega inside. 'It's like a brand new house but with all original features and it operates really smart. 'My bills are actually less than my friend's house down the road because we made it so energy efficient.' And there were parts of the interior that did appeal to Kirsty, such as the 'principal suite', which spanned an entire wing of the house and included a marble bathroom, dressing room and private living room. She was also impressed by the after-dinner entertainment space, which includes a bar and cinema room, dubbing it 'bonkers'. Ormiston Castle, just a half an hour drive from Edinburgh, is billed on its listing as offering buyers the chance to purchase their 'very own Balmoral Castle '. The property was previously listed in November 2023 and came on the market again in April 2025. It comes after another popular property show also took us inside an impressive mansion - where the renovation work similarly did not go exactly to plan. A couple who bought a Bulgarian mansion revealed on A New Life In The Sun: Where Are They Now they realised soon after they had made a huge mistake. Ellie and Gary, from Nottingham, featured on a recent episode of the Channel 4 show that catches up with buyers who have previously appeared on A New Life In The Sun. The pair had purchased a ten-bedroom home for £13,000 with the intention to run it as a bed and breakfast. Though they quickly attracted bookings, Ellie and Gary were hit with problems relating to the plot of land next door they had bought for Linda, Ellie's mother. The couple wanted to build a prefab bungalow on the plot but had to work their way through lots of red tape before they could begin. Ellie explained: 'We started the mum's house process a year ago in January. We got the wrong type of planning permission, which we didn't know.' 'Bulgaria has a lot of bureaucracy and everything has got to be stamped,' Gary added. Ellie explained: 'First we had to get documents from the electric company saying they'll supply electric, then we had to get another document saying they would do the work, and then another one when it's signed off.' Gary, frustrated, added: 'Look at it! Everything gets stamped, signed, stamped. There must be 50 different things.' But luckily, the flat pack nature of the property meant it could be constructed relatively quickly once the paperwork was sorted. Soon, Linda was ready to move in, after a year of living with her daughter and son-in-law.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Inside incredible panic room hidden behind two bookcases in £3.8 million Scottish castle as it goes on the market
An incredible 19th century castle is on the market for £3.8million - and, alongside an equestrian centre, tennis court and full Scottish pub, comes complete with an ultra-secure 'panic room'. Ormiston Castle in West Lothian is a mere half an hour drive from Edinburgh, making it the perfect location for a luxury commute into the city. Set in 15 acres of prime countryside, the newly renovated six-bedroom property offers the potential buyer the chance to purchase their 'very own Balmoral Castle '. The castle is shown on tonight's episode of Britain's Most Expensive Houses on Channel 4, where viewers are given an inside look at the country's 'super-prime' property market, which is 'the envy of the entire world'. During the episode, real estate guru Mark Coulter gave journalist Kirsty McLuckie and her friend Pam an exclusive look inside the castle. But after gushing over the glamorous renovations and period features, there was one bizarre room that left Kirsty and Pam baffled. During the tour, Mark explained that one of the many bookcases was in fact a cunningly disguised heavy duty door, revealing a secret staircase, which led to another military-grade door. Taking Kirsty and Pam up the stairs, he revealed that the castle has a secret safe haven - or 'panic room' - if ever any trouble arose. 'This is a panic room,' Mark explained. 'This looks like a bookcase, but actually is a door. 'Behind you is an iPad, and you're completely secure. You can phone the police, and control the whole house.' A panic room is a secret room where people can go to protect themselves if there's danger in the building. They are sometimes used by celebrities, or those who require an extra layer of security. However, the two visitors were left baffled and didn't seem completely onboard. Kirsty admitted: 'I was slightly confused by the stairs and the sort of panic room. It's kind of panic stairs, rather than a panic room.' She joked: 'I think I prefer the idea of escaping from boring guests, rather than masked intruders!' They were significantly more impressed when they were taken into the home's 'principle suite' taking up a whole wing of the house and including a living room, dressing room and marble bathroom. For after dinner entertainment, the property also boasts its own bar and cinema room, which an astonished Kirsty dubbed 'bonkers'. No details had been spared, with the 15 acres of grounds recently benefitting from £150,000 worth of new planting and high-spec security cameras. In their rooms, Kirsty and Pam were able to open their wardrobes to see the castle's turrets. The next morning, they spoke to current owner Juliet Bentley, who had purchased the property back in 2020 for £1.65million. She explained that though she'd given herself a £350,000 budget for renovations, she had ended up spending a whopping £3.7million. But, she explained, it was exactly the result she wanted, even installing glass chandeliers from Venice's Murano costing £100,000 apiece. She previously told The Times: 'I'm making no money out of it. I literally spent £3.7million renovating it. But it's mega inside. 'It's like a brand new house but with all original features, and it operates really smart. 'My bills are actually less than my friend's house down the road because we made it so energy efficient.' The property was previously listed in November 2023, and came on the market once more in April 2025. Last week, viewers were taken inside a London penthouse dubbed one of Britain's most expensive properties, on sale for eye-watering £80million. The five-bedroom apartment is nestled in the heart of Knightsbridge, often described as 'the playground for the rich', and is a stone's throw away from the luxurious department store, Harrods. The almost 9,500 sq foot property boasts a sauna with a television, two reception rooms, a roof terrace with undisrupted views of Hyde Park and a 10m pool. Estate agent Josh Marks has been involved in selling multi-million pound properties before, but to date, this is the highest priced property in his work portfolio - and he has six months to find a buyer. Speaking on the show, Josh said: 'Everyone around the world wants to own a piece of London and the first postcode they come to is Knightsbridge. You've got some of the most expensive properties in the world.' The complex, called Knightsbridge Apartments, was built 20 years ago by Hong Kong billionaire Samuel Tak Lee who saw the value in London real estate. But despite all these elegant features and the hefty price, an international buying agent admitted that it is likely this will sit empty most of the time, as a billionaire's second home.
West Australian
07-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Temple & Webster says US-China trade war ‘net positive' for online furniture retailer
Temple & Webster says the trade standoff between the Trump administration and China has been a 'net positive' for the online furniture retailer as it posts a jump in revenue. Temple & Webster shares were 88¢ higher at $18.11 just before 11am on Wednesday after the company said it also expected its full-year earnings margin to be at the top end of guidance of between one per cent and 3 per cent. In a trading update, the retailer said growth accelerated over the half, with revenue up 18 per cent between January 1 and May 5 compared with the same time last year. Since March 1, revenue has grown 23 per cent. Its growing home improvement category — which includes bathroom and kitchen fixtures, wallpaper and ceiling fans — continued to outperform, with half-to-date revenue up 42 per cent. Temple & Webster chief executive Mark Coulter said its ability to grow market share was achieved amid persistent cost-of-living pressures, cyclone Alfred on the east coast, a Federal election and broader global uncertainty. 'Our focus this half has been to ensure we have the right products, price points and promotions to drive engagement and conversion, a strategy which is clearly resonating with our customers,' he said. He added the US-China tariff war so far had been a net positive for the business, most directly felt through lower inbound shipping rates of about 20 per cent. The Sydney-based company sells more than 200,000 products — ranging from furniture, homewares and home renovation — and operates a drop-ship model where suppliers ship directly to customers. Its suppliers are located in China, as well as Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. 'If these deflationary effects continue, combined with some of the macro tailwinds we are seeing (such as reducing interest rates and stimulatory Australian Government policies around housing), we should see market conditions improve further,' Mr Coulter said. US and Chinese officials are set to start talks this week to try to deescalate the trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Beijing slapped the US with a 125 per cent tariff after President Donald Trump imposed new import taxes on Chinese goods of up to 145 per cent. Earlier this week, plus-size women's fashion retailer City Chic said it had the option to pull the plug on its US operations if talks between the US and China failed to resolve the trade war.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Temple & Webster Group Ltd (TPLWF) (H1 2025) Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue and ...
Revenue: $314 million, up 24% year-on-year. Market Share: Increased to 2.9% in the furniture and homewares market. EBITDA Margin: 4.2%, up over 120 basis points from H1 '24. Free Cash Flow: $33 million, up 61% year-on-year. Cash Balance: $139 million with no debt. Active Customers: 1.2 million, up 22%. Conversion Rate: 3.1%, higher than during COVID years. Exclusive Products Revenue: 45% of total revenue. Home Improvement Category Revenue: $20 million, up 41% year-on-year. Trade and Commercial Sales: $24 million, up 10% year-on-year. Delivered Margin: $102 million, up 26% year-on-year, with an improvement from 31.8% to 32.4% of revenue. Operating Cash Flow: $35 million, up 60% from H1 '24. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with TPLWF. Release Date: February 12, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Revenue grew 24% year-on-year to $314 million, driven by both growth in new customers and higher average order values. Temple & Webster Group Ltd (TPLWF) achieved a record 1.2 million active customers, up 22% from the previous period. The company generated $33 million in free cash flow for the half, with a closing cash balance of $139 million and no debt. Revenue from exclusive products grew to 45% of total revenue, with 78% of the top 500 products being exclusive to Temple & Webster Group Ltd (TPLWF). AI integration has led to significant cost efficiencies, with over 60% of customer support interactions handled by AI, halving customer care costs in two years. The B2B division, trade and commercial, is facing significant headwinds due to macroeconomic factors and a downturn in the office market. The 12-month marketing ROI was lower than historical levels due to increased investment in brand building and performance channels. Increased promotional activity slightly offset the positives, impacting margins despite strong supplier support. There is a noted elevation in warehousing costs as inventory increases with higher revenue and private label penetration. The company reiterated its EBITDA margin guidance of 1% to 3% for the full year, indicating potential pressure on margins in the second half. Q: Can you provide more color on the 16% revenue growth during the January-February period? Was there a specific factor driving this growth? A: Mark Coulter, CEO: The growth aligns with our internal expectations despite the challenging retail environment. Consumers remain promotionally sensitive, and we saw strong performance during promotional periods like Black Friday. We have built margin flexibility, allowing us to leverage promotional and marketing strategies effectively. Q: How are you managing the increased marketing costs, and what impact does this have on margins? A: Mark Coulter, CEO: We are investing in both brand building and performance channels, which has increased marketing costs. Despite this, our customers remain profitable on their first order, and we delivered a record 4.2% EBITDA margin for the half. We are using our margin flexibility to drive customer acquisition and growth. Q: Can you explain the rationale behind reiterating the 1% to 3% EBITDA margin guidance for the full year, given the strong first-half performance? A: Cameron Barnsley, CFO: The strong first-half margin provides us flexibility to accelerate growth in the second half through tactical use of price promotions and marketing. This is a typical profile for our business, with higher margins in the first half and some annualization of fixed costs expected in the second half. Q: How is the exclusive and private label product strategy impacting margins and product range? A: Mark Coulter, CEO: Exclusive and private label products offer higher margins due to less competition. We are growing into this strategy by encouraging suppliers to provide exclusivity, which benefits both parties. This approach does not limit our range but enhances our competitive advantage as we scale. Q: What are the strategic priorities for AI in improving conversion and cost efficiencies? A: Mark Coulter, CEO: We are focusing on AI-driven personalized sorting to enhance conversion rates. This involves tailoring the order of products for individual customers, which should improve the shopping experience and drive sales. We have already seen significant cost savings in customer care through AI. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
