Adbreaks during an outbreak: How to advertise during coronavirus lockdown March 23, 2020 After a week in which the coronavirus outbreak has turned life on its head for everyone in the UK, companies are having to learn quickly about how best to operate over the coming months. Some, like toilet roll manufacturers, find themselves in prime position to both help society and make huge steps forward commercially from [...]
Stagecoach and Go-Ahead scrap dividends over coronavirus March 23, 2020 Stagecoach has issued a coronavirus profit warning today as both it and Go-Ahead scrapped their dividends as travel restrictions bite. The operator warned it will now miss its target for adjusted earnings per share for the 12 months to the start of May. “The quickly developing Covid-19 situation means we no longer expect to achieve [...]
Ted Baker completes London HQ sale to British Airways pension fund March 23, 2020 Ted Baker has agreed terms for the sale of its London headquarters, the Ugly Brown Building, with a British Airways Pension Trustees unit. Following the announcement of a strategic asset review in December, Ted Baker has today exchanged contracts with British Airways’ pension fund and the deal, worth £78.8m, is expected to be completed in [...]
Government launches £330bn coronavirus business loan scheme March 23, 2020 The government has launched the first stage of a £330bn loan guarantee scheme for businesses, to help small and medium-sized firms borrow up to £5m to help them weather the impact of coronavirus. “Any viable business” with a turnover of up to £45m will be able to apply to banks for an 12-month interest-free loan, [...]
Coronavirus: Government temporarily suspends rail franchise agreements March 23, 2020 The Department of Transport is taking emergency measures to help the rail network survive a 70 per cent drop in passenger numbers as coronavirus prevents travel across the UK. Rail franchise agreements have been suspended temporarily to avoid collapse, and the government will instead pay train companies a small fee to keep operating some services. [...]
Pearson issues 2020 profit warning on coronavirus closures March 23, 2020 Education publisher Pearson today issued a profit warning for 2020 and paused a £350m share buyback as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The firm, already suffering from a difficult transition from print to digital, warned it expects a “negative impact” on 2020 profit from closing its testing centres. The postponement of US state exam [...]
Coronavirus: PM to rush emergency legislation through the Commons March 23, 2020 The Prime Minister is hoping to rush sweeping new coronavirus legislation through the House of Commons, as the country faces the prospect of a lockdown. MPs will return to the Commons today to debate the government’s emergency coronavirus bill, which was set out last week. Under the proposals, which would be time-limited for two years, [...]
DEBATE: Should government pay wages to workers affected by coronavirus? March 23, 2020 Should the government pay wages to workers whose incomes have been affected by the coronavirus crisis? YES – Sam Bowman, director of competition policy at the International Centre for Law & Economics. This is a very unusual recession. It is self-inflicted, and will hit highly productive and less productive businesses alike. To allow them to [...]
Heed Churchill’s words to the nation: Stand firm and carry on March 23, 2020 “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” These words, often attributed to Britain’s then wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, are emblematic of his call to never, never, never give up. Today, the world is living through a new hell, fighting a silent invader which moves remorselessly on, ripping through societies, undoing markets, and overturning seemingly [...]
The fundamental strengths of London will help us to recover, as we have done before March 23, 2020 In times of crisis such as these, we often see the very best in one another. This is being vividly demonstrated across the City by the spirit of community, resilience and support which is so evident as we respond together to the threat of Covid-19. We have seen difficult times before and have come through [...]