A cure for laptop shoulder

For some reason, hotel chains feel obliged to produce surveys on all sorts of bizarre subjects. The latest is Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, part of InterContinental Hotels Group, which has found that 63 per cent of laptop users “suffer from severe pain and discomfort while travelling on business”. It seems that three

quarters of people carry their laptops in the wrong type of bag, so, to help its guests to overcome the pain, the chain has come up with an exercise guide. It has even found a physiotherapist to identify the condition, which has been dubbed “laptop shoulder”. There is already BlackBerry thumb. Whatever next? Mobile Phone ear?

Pink elephant on parade

A couple of years ago, Bill Rolfe, a former marketing director at the Unwins off-licence chain, launched a Portuguese rosé wine called Pink Elephant, developed specifically to be drunk with Thai and Indian food (and jolly drinkable it is, too). Now 10 International, Mr Rolfe's company, is about to ship its first batch of Pink Elephant to Thailand, where the national symbol is, appropriately, the elephant.

All change in restructuring

Unemployment may be on the rise, but there is one sector that seems to be on the up: corporate restructuring. In the past few days, Christie & Co, the property specialist, has moved Steve Rodell from its corporate hotel team to head up a newly created bank support and business recovery division. Meanwhile, Conrad Bigham, a partner at Cushman & Wakefield Hospitality and a founder member of the International Hospitality Strategy Forum, has left to revive his own debt advisory and turnaround business. He first launched the business, Conrad Bigham Ltd, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the last big shock to hit the leisure industry.

Game of will they, won't they

The new guessing game that everyone in the City is playing is: will they or won't they pay a dividend? Among pub companies, Enterprise Inns is continuing to pay a dividend - at least for now - but Punch Taverns and Mitchells & Butlers have scrapped payouts to pay down debt. Things could get more interesting this week. Greene King is expected to maintain its interim dividend tomorrow, but what will Marston's do on Friday?

businessfeatures@thetimes.co.uk

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