CityFibre announces 10,000 jobs boost to roll-out infrastructure June 11, 2020 CityFibre has today announced a 10,000 jobs boost as part of its efforts to upgrade the UK’s digital infrastructure to full fibre. The recruitment drive will target those now unemployed as a result of the pandemic and service-leavers. There will also be job opportunities for qualified and experienced telecoms workers. Jobs will be created within [...]
Ocado to raise £1 billion to match demand from Covid-19 crisis June 10, 2020 Ocado, the British online supermarket and technology group, plans to raise 1 billion pounds, giving it more firepower to capitalise on the rapid growth of the online grocery market triggered by the coronavirus crisis. The group said on Wednesday it would raise about 657 million pounds through an equity placing and retail offer and about [...]
Tony Danker replaces Dame Carolyn Fairbairn as new CBI director-general June 10, 2020 The CBI has reportedly picked a replacement for Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, who will step down as director-general at the end of the year. Sky News has reported that the business group has appointed Tony Danker as Dame Carolyn’s successor, and it is understood the CBI will issue a release later today. Danker is currently chief [...]
Pathologists warn UK coronavirus testing needs ‘urgent’ improvement June 10, 2020 Issues with the UK’s coronavirus testing system must be “urgently addressed”, the Royal College of Pathologists has warned. In an intervention reported by the Financial Times, the college said the government had relied on setting numerical targets rather than laying out a clinical strategy. The government has come under fire for its approach to coronavirus [...]
Coronavirus lockdown: England zoos and outdoor attractions reopened June 10, 2020 Zoos and outdoor attractions such as drive-in cinemas will be able to open in England from Monday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced today that the government would allow these businesses to open, with social distancing restrictions required. In the case of zoos, they will need to close all inside areas such as reptile houses and [...]
Boris OKs a bunk-up: Household ‘bubbles’ announced for people alone in lockdown June 10, 2020 Boris Johnson has announced that people living alone and single parents with children under 18 in England will be able to visit one other household and form “safety bubbles”. The new policy will allow people who live alone, or with children, to visit the other household in their bubble, with no social distancing required. The [...]
Just Eat Takeaway confirms ‘advanced talks’ to buy Grubhub June 10, 2020 Delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway today confirmed it is in advanced talks to buy Grubhub, in a bid to establish itself as a major rival to Uber in the US. Netherlands-based Just Eat Takeaway said it is “advanced discussions with Grubhub” for an all stock-purchase of the company. Grubhub, a US food delivery startup with [...]
APIs: the invisible wiring pivotal to digital transformation June 10, 2020 | City Talk Unless you work in a technology-focused business, or are particularly technology-minded, it’s unlikely that you will have heard of ‘Application Programming Interfaces’ – or APIs. But as companies, and daily life, become increasingly technology-based – a trend accelerated by coronavirus – and APIs themselves evolve, they are becoming more important to business success. For an [...]
Lockdown one week earlier ‘could have halved’ coronavirus death toll June 10, 2020 Imposing lockdown a week earlier could have cut the death toll “by at least half”, a former scientific adviser to the government has said. Addressing the Science and Technology Select Committee, Professor Neil Ferguson told MPs: “The epidemic was doubling every three to four days before lockdown interventions were introduced. So, had we introduced lockdown [...]
Which cafes and restaurants are reopening as the coronavirus lockdown lifts? June 10, 2020 After two months of coronavirus lockdown, Britain’s high streets are waking up again. From Pret to Pizza Express, cafes and restaurants across the country are working out how to restart their businesses. So what chains can customers expect to open up again on Monday, when so-called non-essential businesses are allowed to make their long-awaited return? [...]