Britain’s self-employed deserve more from their government June 1, 2020 Hastily written notes grimly announcing temporary closures have hung in the windows of small businesses across the country since lockdown begin. Since the shutters went down on our high streets, the self-employed have faced mounting worry. Those who strike out on their own – to start a business or work freelance – take a brave [...]
High tech the solution for the returning High Street May 29, 2020 With Number 10 announcing that retailers can begin to re-open from June 15th, all eyes turn to the fortunes of the businesses which make up Britain’s high streets and bring colour to our communities. After three months of closure for most of these retailers, the news will provoke a mixture of reactions. Most are desperate [...]
London must square the circle to deliver a sustainable transport network May 28, 2020 Transport for London’s (TfL) funding, both in the short and long-term, was a thorny issue even before the pandemic set the scene for an eruption of the tensions between central and London governments. While keeping the system afloat is rightly the focus of debate – and will be again when the temporary solution expires in [...]
Theatre needs its own ‘Project Restage’ May 28, 2020 Sian Hansen is Chief Operating Officer of C|T Group and sits on the board of the Almeida Theatre in Islington There is nothing to match the communal experience of watching a live performance in a renowned venue. It drives culture and brings society together whether that be live sport, music or theatre. At this time [...]
The UK’s long road to Covid-19 recovery May 27, 2020 As the discussion on how the UK navigates its post-lockdown journey continues, it is becoming increasingly clear that the road ahead remains fraught with uncertainty. There is a huge series of steps the government and organisations of all sizes must negotiate before reaching even a sense of life before Covid-19. Assessing the modelling of roadmaps [...]
Crisis is a chance for us to reset our air quality for good May 27, 2020 Air quality in London, the UK and indeed the whole world has improved significantly in a matter of weeks due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions being put in place. New data now shows nitrogen dioxide levels have reduced by around 35% in the Square Mile since the beginning of lockdown, when compared to the average reading [...]
Shakespeare: Will Hill could be first past the post once lockdown lifts May 27, 2020 Businesses that rely on sports for a large percentage of their revenue have suffered particularly during two months of nationwide lockdown, with no sign of sports returning to pre-lockdown levels anytime soon. Gambling firms have consequently seen customer bases diminish during the last few months, as seen by William Hill, who released a statement reporting [...]
Office Politics: How will independent consulting change post-Covid? May 27, 2020 The coronavirus crisis has permanently changed the way we work, showing that remote working is now an increasingly viable solution. As the world learns to adapt to a post-covid working world independent consultants are well placed to support this. When the gig economy is mentioned, Uber and Deliveroo are often the first names that come [...]
Covid crisis has exposed the Scottish nationalists once again May 27, 2020 In London, the Covid virus is disappearing rapidly. Hospital trusts are increasingly reporting days with no new cases at all. During the crisis, there has been a proliferation of home-made signs in rural locations telling city dwellers, with varying degrees of politeness, to turn back and go home. Will we now see messages at junctions [...]
CBILs failings are leading us to catastrophe May 26, 2020 Ranald Macdonald is a restaurateur and Managing Director of Boisdale Group The UK is sleepwalking into a financial disaster of biblical proportions that will exacerbate the economic effects of Covid many times over. Other leading nations, like Germany, the US and France, will avoid this calamity as they have been far more successful in ensuring [...]