Minister under fire for Hong Kong trade trip May 9, 2023 A leading Hong Kong rights activist, exiled in London, has described the first visit of a UK minister to the territory since 2018 as “unimaginable”. Dominic Johnson, a business minister, was in Hong Kong this weekend “as part of [his] mission to promote the UK as a leading destination for investment and trade”. “Hong Kong [...]
City needs a whole ecosystem to attract the best and brightest May 9, 2023 Soft power success or waste of time and money? We’re more inclined to side with the Lord Mayor than some on Twitter when it comes to the weekend’s festivities. Clearly, the coronation was always going to kick off an almighty debate on the role of the Royal Family in the twenty-first century; but regardless of [...]
Bring me sunshine! Retailers hit by grim April weather as economy held back by the rain May 9, 2023 Retailers continued to be bruised by soaring inflation and poor weather conditions in April, as the sector holds out hope for summer to give a much needed boost in sales. Data by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed that while retail sales rose slightly over five per cent during the month, overall inflation meant that [...]
AI doing the work of over 200 people at Octopus, chief executive says May 8, 2023 Octopus Energy customers are more satisfied with AI bots answering their emails than humans, the energy provider’s chief executive revealed on Monday. Writing in the Times newspaper, the energy company’s chief executive, Greg Jackson, said the technology was doing the work of 250 people by answering customer emails and had received a 80 per cent [...]
Square Mile veteran set to chair medical cannabis company May 8, 2023 Kanabo Group, which creates medical cannabis, is set to announce on Tuesday that Ian Mattioli will become its new non-executive chairman.
UP THE JUNCTION: Why Clapham’s pubs seem to be recession-proof May 8, 2023 Few London neighbourhoods can stir up conversation like Clapham does. Known for its cringey nightclubs and spawning array of trendy coffee shops, the region has long served as a first home for junior account execs and recruiters arriving in the capital to begin their careers and get a taste of city life. It’s also got [...]
Butcher saved by former Asda boss resumes trade May 8, 2023 Farmison & Co will once again begin selling its upmarket meats this week as a consortium led by the former chief of Asda look to bring the embattled brand back to life, following its collapse and subsequent rescue deal last month. The luxury butcher, which trades to the likes of Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, [...]
Coronation Concert recap: The best moments from Sunday night May 7, 2023 Cheeky charm from Katy Perry, touching tributes from Prince William and a strong message about climate change – last night’s Coronation Concert was much-needed light relief After a tedious half hour introduction in which the most interesting part was learning that Olly Murs has surprisingly huge pecks, it was time for the show to begin. [...]
Coronation weekend: How to get around London, what roads are closed and are buses and trains working? May 5, 2023 Londoners have been warned the Coronation weekend will lead to numerous road closures in central London, with services likely to be “very busy”. Transport for London confirmed there are “no planned closures” of the London Underground network, but warned during the day on Saturday particularly at key interchanges it will be considerably busier than usual. [...]
Pound Sterling rises to highest level in almost a year as US dollar set for second straight week of decline May 5, 2023 Sterling rose to its highest level in almost a year, as the dollar was broadly softer against other major currencies on Friday. The pound continues to recover, while the banking sector woes added to talk of U.S. rate cuts later this year, ahead of the much-anticipated monthly U.S. jobs report just after midday (GMT). The dollar [...]