A third of bosses think working from home has boosted productivity April 1, 2021 A third of UK employers have said that working from home has boosted the productivity of their employees, according to a study published today. The attitude towards remote working has grown more positive over the last year, as only 28 per cent of bosses supported the new work style in June, the Chartered Institute of [...]
UK PMIs: Manufacturing activity soars to decade high in March April 1, 2021 UK manufacturing activity grew sharply in March as business optimism hit a seven-year high and vaccine rollouts buoyed the industry, according to new data. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 58.9 per cent last month, marking the highest reading in just over a decade. The index leaped from last month’s 55.1 [...]
Time Out looks to raise £17m in upcoming fundraise April 1, 2021 Time Out is looking to raise £17m as part of an upcoming fundraise ahead of what it hopes will be a renaissance of culture and going out in the city. The publisher and markets owner will tap markets for £2m more than initially planned following strong demand from institutional investors. The £17m represents 17.1 [...]
Government’s ethnic minority adviser quits after race report April 1, 2021 The Prime Minister’s most senior adviser on ethnic minorities is set to step down from his role at Number 10, it has emerged. Samuel Kasumu will leave his post as special adviser for civil society and communities and May, Politico first revealed. In February, Kasumu wrote to the Boris Johnson saying he was considering leaving [...]
Heathrow boss urges UK to scrap quarantine for low-risk countries April 1, 2021 The chief executive of Heathrow Airport today said Britain should scrap quarantine requirements for passengers arriving from countries with low levels of Covid concerns. Currently, countries with the highest levels of Covid concerns must take tests before departure and upon arrival. They must quarantine in a government hotel for at least ten days, in what [...]
From coal to hydrogen: an old mode of transport that’s back in fashion April 1, 2021 | City Talk MyStory: In the second in a new series of stories about looking beyond profit, Schroders’ Nicholette MacDonald-Brown explains how French train manufacturer Alstom changed its spots. In the early twentieth century rail was a dirty business, burning coal and competing with other transport on the basis of speed, price and luxury. Pollution wasn’t a factor. [...]
Vaccine passports would go against ‘British instinct’, says Keir Starmer April 1, 2021 Vaccine passports for entry to pubs, bars and restaurants would go against the “British instinct”, Sir Keir Starmer has said. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the Labour leader said he would only decide his party’s official stance on the scheme once he had studied detailed proposals. “I think this is really difficult and [...]
Co-op bites back at shoplifters with GPS tracking on meat April 1, 2021 The Co-op has begun attaching GPS tracking tags on meat products in a trial to bite back at shoplifters this week. Clear plastic boxes with the tracking tech built-in have been put around meat products in stores across the UK. What triggered Co-op to place GPS tracking on their items is unknown, but it is [...]
SPAC phenomenon helps global M&A break $1 trillion barrier in first quarter April 1, 2021 It has been a flying start for global M&A this year with blank-cheque vehicles becoming one of the principal drivers of deal-making. Special acquisition companies – SPACs – have become the go-to option for firms looking to go public. For targets the vehicles are potentially an easier route to market than a traditional IPO. The [...]
Sportech’s losses deepen as Covid hits betting firm’s trading April 1, 2021 Gambling firm Sportech’s pre-tax loss deepened in 2020 as Covid restrictions on trading battered the company’s operations. Sportech’s adjusted pre-tax loss worsened to £5.2m from £2 in 2019, while revenues fell 41 per cent to £20m. Meanwhile, gross profit fell by more than 27 per cent to £34m in 2020. Richard McGuire, chief executive of [...]