Three quarters of customers ready to fly, says London City Airport June 18, 2020 Ahead of restarting services on 21 June, London City Airport has said that over three-quarters of its customers have said they are likely to travel when they are told it is safe to do so. An anonymous survey of over 4,700 of the airport’s customers showed that 78 per cent of respondents were either very [...]
Oriel College votes to take down Cecil Rhodes statue June 17, 2020 The governing body of Oriel College at Oxford University has tonight said that it has recommended that its statue of colonialist benefactor Cecil Rhodes be taken down. It also said that it would launch an inquiry into the issues surrounding the statue, which has been the subject of student protests for five years. In recent [...]
Exclusive: Westminster denies firms business rates relief for empty offices during lockdown June 17, 2020 Central London companies whose staff abandoned offices to work remotely during the coronavirus lockdown have been refused business rates relief, City A.M. can reveal. Westminster City Council has refused to grant the relief to office-based businesses such as accountants, law firms, and consultancies despite their workspaces remaining empty over the period. The move has sparked [...]
Exclusive: Government review delays announcement that pubs can reopen June 17, 2020 Downing Street’s plan to announce earlier this week that pubs and restaurants could open on 4 July was delayed by a government review, putting hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk. City A.M. understands that Covid-19 operating guidelines for England’s hospitality sector have been drawn up by the government and are ready to distribute. However, the [...]
G7 urges China to reconsider Hong Kong security law June 17, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has issued a statement alongside his counterparts in the G7 urging China not to impose a new national security law on Hong Kong. The statement called on the Chinese to reconsider their decision to implement the law, saying ministers were “gravely” concerned about it. The statement said: “The proposed national security [...]
Health minister admits NHS coronavirus app might not be ready before winter June 17, 2020 A government minister has admitted that the NHS’ contact-tracing coronavirus app might not be ready before the winter. Speaking to the parliamentary science and technology committee this afternoon, department of health minister Lord Bethell said the app was “no longer a priority”. In answer to questions about the app, Bethell said: “We are seeking to [...]
Half of businesses set to lay off staff once furlough ends June 17, 2020 More than half of all UK businesses will be forced to lay off staff within three months once the government’s furlough scheme ends, a new poll has revealed. According to YouGov data, 31 per cent of business leaders said a fifth or more of their staff could go, while 21 per cent said almost a [...]
US dashes hopes of global deal on digital tax June 17, 2020 US officials have reportedly suspended talks with European countries over plans for a global digital tax framework, and continue to threaten to impose sanctions should they go ahead with individual proposals. US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin last week told four European finance ministers that discussions had reached an “impasse”, in a letter seen by the [...]
Eurostar to roll out facial verification technology from next year June 17, 2020 Eurostar is set to roll out facial verification technology on services from London, meaning that passengers will be able to skip borders and ticket checks. The new technology, from biometric authentication firm iProov, will allow passengers to make entirely contactless journeys through the deployment of a facial biometric corridor at St Pancras station. The UK-based [...]
Outernet teams up with British lifestyle magazine GQ to launch new outdoor content June 17, 2020 Entertainment venue firm Outernet Global has teamed up with British magazine GQ as the two gear up for the launch of a new live entertainment space in London next year. Outernet London, set to launch in early 2021, will include a new 2,000 capacity live music venue, located on the corner of Oxford Street and [...]