in brief

Men at work

The Millennium Gloucester Hotel London Kensington has spent more than £2m upgrading 98 of its 256 club rooms into Millennium Business Club rooms. The rooms, for business travellers, have been redecorated and now include workstations, printers, faxes, laptops, and phone modem sockets.

Regent's Park revamp

The four-star London Marriott Hotel Regent's Park has completed a £15m refurbishment programme, the largest project ever in a UK Marriott, which has transformed its lobby, 303 bedrooms, meeting rooms, landscaping and underground car park. New restaurants include the Mediterrano brasserie and Chats Café Bar.

Free fruit for health

More than 80,000 children in 510 schools are being given a free piece of fruit each school day in a Government drive to improve health and reduce heart disease, cancer and asthma. The pilot scheme started last week in 25 of the poorest areas in London, and will be extended to all four- to six-year-olds by 2004.

Going down well

Madisons Coffee has cut its prices by an average of 7% after three years of no rises. It says the cost of a 12oz cappuccino has fallen from £1.65 to £1.49. The cuts come against a background of criticism of coffee shop prices.

Sweet sixteenth

Wine bar chain Jamies will open in London's Poland Street next week, the 16th site for the group, all of them in London. The next opening will be in May at Canary Wharf.