CBILS application process ‘soul destroying’, says director of film industry business April 23, 2020 The process of applying to the lenders administering the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme (CBILS) has been “soul destroying,” the director of a small film industry business has said. Diane Nyiry of Devon-based Cine Power International told City A.M.: “I have been shocked at the way the banks have been behaving, they haven’t been very [...]
Pressure grows from backbench Tory MPs to ease coronavirus lockdown April 23, 2020 Backbench Conservative MPs have begun to speak out about the length of the UK’s coronavirus lockdown, warning that prolonged social distancing measures will have irreparable damage on the economy. Several Tory MPs raised concerns about the prolonged lockdown in a Westminster select committee hearing this morning, with one warning that many businesses are “on the [...]
Green light for £250m Netflix and Amazon film studio complex in Kent April 23, 2020 Developers have been given the green light to build a £250m film complex in Kent to provide much-needed studio space for streaming giants such as Netflix (NFLX) and Amazon (AMZN). Local councillors last night approved plans for Ashford International Film Studios, which will boast 240,000 square feet of production space. Derelict railway works The complex, [...]
Coronavirus loans double to £2.8bn but only half are approved April 23, 2020 Banks have approved less than half of applications for coronavirus loans, as industry figures warn firms risk missing out. Loans for businesses increased £1.45bn in the week from 14 April to 21 April. It brings total lending under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to £2.8bn, according to UK Finance data. Over 9,000 loans [...]
Blackmore Bond topples into administration owing £45m April 23, 2020 Mini-bond investment firm Blackmore Bond has collapsed into administration. The joint administrators, Geoff Bouchier and Benjamin Wiles of Duff & Phelps, were appointed yesterday. Blackmore was founded in Manchester in 2016. It issued mini-bonds to retail investors with a minimum investment of £5,000. The company used the money to invest in a portfolio of property [...]
UK to raise £225bn from bond sales to fund coronavirus measures April 23, 2020 The UK government is planning a huge increase in bond sales to fund its economic response to the coronavirus, selling roughly four times as much debt over the next three months than originally planned in the March Budget. The Treasury said it will try to raise £180bn from investors in the bond markets over the [...]
Hipgnosis takes majority stake in Mark Ronson’s publishing catalogue April 23, 2020 Music royalties investment firm Hipgnosis today said it has acquired the majority of the publishing catalogue of prolific songwriter and producer Mark Ronson. Hipgnosis has taken control of 70 per cent of the 315-song portfolio, which includes more than 83 number one hits and two songs that have been streamed more than 1bn times on [...]
Robbie Gibb consortium wins last-minute bid for Jewish Chronicle after dramatic row April 23, 2020 A consortium led by former Downing Street spin doctor Robbie Gibb is set to take control of the Jewish Chronicle after its dramatic last-minute bid for the collapsed newspaper was accepted. The London weekly last week announced it was seeking a creditors’ voluntary liquidation alongside the Jewish News, with which it had agreed to merge. [...]
Coronavirus: Meggitt to cut 1,800 jobs due to global aviation shutdown April 23, 2020 British defence contractor Meggitt will cut 1,800 jobs as the firm embarks on a major cost-cutting programme to cope with the shutdown of the global aviation market. The cuts, which represent 15 per cent of the engineer’s workforce, are part of a number of measures to be implemented in order to reduce expenditure by £400-£450m [...]
Taylor Wimpey plans to start reopening construction sites next month April 23, 2020 Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has announced plans to reopen the majority of its construction sites in England and Wales at the start of May. Taylor Wimpey will be the first major housebuilder to reopen sites after weeks of lockdown. The firm said site management teams will return on 4 May, with the first subcontractors returning on [...]