Eurozone business activity shrinks sharply in January as lockdowns batter services January 22, 2021 Economic activity in the eurozone has plummeted in January as lockdown measures hit the bloc’s dominant service industry, a survey showed today. IHS Markit’s guide to economic health fell further below the 50 mark to 47.5 in January, a further dip from December’s 49.1. Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, believes a double-dip [...]
John Lewis repays government loan after strong festive period January 22, 2021 John Lewis has announced it will pay back its £300m government loan almost two months early after a better-than-expected festive period. The John Lewis Partnership announced it would pay back £300m of the government’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility which was due to be repaid in March of this year. Under the CCFF, the Bank of [...]
UK retail sales stage tentative recovery over Christmas January 22, 2021 Retail sales made a tentative recovery over the Christmas period as the UK emerged from its second national lockdown. Retail sales volumes rose 0.3 per cent in December following a 4.1 per cent fall in November as the country moved into the more relaxed tier restrictions. It is 2.7 per cent higher than February’s pre-lockdown [...]
More than 150 London pubs, bars and restaurants closed permanently last year January 22, 2021 More than 150 London pubs, bars and restaurants closed permanently last year, the latest figures showed as the coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the sector. The number of licensed premises in the capital in December shrunk 4.5 per cent compared to the previous year. That represented a drop from 3,460 venues to 3,303 [...]
Art Fund unveils new grants as museums fight for survival January 22, 2021 Creative charity Art Fund has announced a further tranche of emergency funding for UK museums amid concerns the latest lockdown could put venues out of business. The charity today said it was committing an extra £750,000 in grants, taking its total Covid-19 response fund to £2.25m. Recipients of the latest support include the Cinema Museum [...]
Victoria Beckham’s fashion label may need cash injection to stay afloat January 21, 2021 The future of Victoria Beckham’s eponymous fashion and beauty line could be at risk after directors raised doubts over its ability to continue as a going concern without additional funding. The Beckham’s own a majority stake in the firm, meaning there is a “reasonable expectation” that the celebrity couple will provide a cash injection to [...]
Glastonbury Festival cancelled for second year running due to coronavirus January 21, 2021 Glastonbury has been cancelled for the second year running due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers confirmed today. The iconic music festival was scrapped last year due to the outbreak of Covid-19, with tickets automatically rolled over to 2021. But this year’s event will also not go ahead due to continued restrictions in place to halt [...]
Landlord New River bucks trend to collect majority of retail rents January 21, 2021 Commercial landlord New River has bucked the high street trend and collected the majority of rent due in December due to the high number of essential retail tenants in its property portfolio. The real estate investment trust (REIT) said it had received 70 per cent of retail rents due for the fourth quarter, with 10 [...]
Ten Entertainment revenue slumps amid Covid ‘confusion’ January 21, 2021 Bowling alley chain Ten Entertainment today forecast a sharp decline in revenue for the full year as coronavirus lockdowns and confusion over changing restrictions battered sales. The London-listed firm said it expected total sales to fall 60 per cent to £36.3m in 2020 after its venues were forced to close for roughly half the year. [...]
Pets at Home sales surge as animal ownership soars January 21, 2021 Pets at Home has reported an 18 per cent leap in revenue to £302m for the third quarter of 2020. The UK’s leading pet care firm showed a strong performance despite coronavirus lockdowns effecting store openings on both a regional and national level. Trading built momentum over the festive period, with like-for-like sales seeing a [...]