200,000 more people furloughed last month as 4.7m are still on the scheme March 25, 2021 Another 200,000 people were put on furlough for the first time last month as the government paid out nearly £4bn to cover wages. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said it had paid £57.7bn in furlough cash to around 11.4m people since the pandemic began. Around 4.7m people were still on furlough by the end of [...]
Free school meals provider Compass charts course to better margins after revenues sink March 25, 2021 Free school meals provider Compass charts course to better margins after revenues sink
Boohoo cuts ties with hundreds of suppliers following Leicester factory scandal March 25, 2021 Online fashion retailer Boohoo has cut ties with hundreds of suppliers as it seeks to improve conditions for factory workers. The e-commerce giant this morning announced it has “ceased doing business with a number of manufacturers who were unable to demonstrate the high standard of transparency required”. Boohoo published a list of its 78 approved [...]
Cineworld plunges to $3bn loss as screen closures continue March 25, 2021 Cineworld announced this morning that it has secured $213m (£155.6m) bond from investors to help with reopening costs as it revealed it plunged to a $3bn loss last year. The cinema chain posted a loss after tax of $2.65bn in the year ended 31 December, compared to profit of $180.3m in the previous year. Revenue [...]
Ten Entertainment chairman Nick Basing to depart tenpin bowling company in September March 25, 2021 Ten Entertainment chairman Nick Basing depart tenpin bowling company in September
Jackpotjoy-owner Gamesys agrees £2bn takeover deal with US casino owner Bally’s March 24, 2021 US casino owner Bally’s has agreed a takeover deal for Jackpotjoy-owner Gamesys in a move which could value the UK firm at more than £2bn. Shares in online gambling firm Gamesys soared after Bally’s told US investors it had agreed on key terms regarding a potential deal. Bally’s Corporation, which operates casinos and racetracks in [...]
All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers dealt bloody nose by investors over executive pay March 24, 2021 Mitchells & Butlers, the owner of All Bar One and Toby Carvery, has been dealt a blow by shareholders against executive pay plans and corporate governance. Nearly a fifth of investors – 17.5 per cent – opposed the pub chain’s remuneration policy at today’s annual general meeting. Meanwhile, around a quarter of shareholders opposed the [...]
Energy firms refusing to supply pubs during pandemic, trade body says March 24, 2021 The pub industry’s trade body has accused energy companies of refusing to supply venues with power – even where they are used as residential buildings. The British Beer & Pub Association today said a number of pubs across the UK had “experienced poor commercial behaviour” from utility firms that have refused to renew contracts or [...]
DIY retailer Wickes forecasts strong sales growth ahead of Travis Perkins demerger March 24, 2021 DIY chain Wickes, which is being demerged from building trade retailer Travis Perkins, today forecast strong full-year sales growth ahead of launching its public listing as a standalone firm. The home improvement sector has performed well during the pandemic as Britons have spent more time at home, have had fewer leisure options and have travelled [...]
John Lewis to permanently close eight stores, putting 1,465 jobs at risk March 24, 2021 John Lewis has announced it will not reopen eight stores after lockdown restrictions are eased, putting almost 1,500 jobs at risk. The retailer said the four department stores and four “At Home” branches are in locations that “can’t sustain a large store”, and will be permanently closed. It will enter into consultation with the 1,465 [...]