From the modern Babylon to the city of canals: Eurostar goes to Amsterdam August 26, 2020 From October this year, passengers will be able to take the Eurostar from St Pancras right into the heart of Amsterdam, the great Gothic Revival Station Centraal on Stationsplein. It’s an eye-catching headline, and one which conjures up images of connectivity, of grand continental train journeys, comfort, ease and relaxation. It’s true that the London-Amsterdam [...]
Brits more hesitant to return to the office than European neighbours August 25, 2020 UK workers are more reluctant to return to the office than people from other large economies, according to a new survey. The analysis, completed by US staffing firm ManpowerGroup, showed that 73 per cent of UK workers showed a “negative sentiment” about returning to work. This compares to 59 per cent in France, 66 per [...]
Four-in-10 Londoners expect pay rise in next 12 months despite coronavirus recession August 25, 2020 Four in 10 Londoners expect a pay rise in the 12 months despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy. A survey by job board CV Library found 43.8 per cent of Londoners expected a pay bump in the next year. According to CV Library data, salaries in London increased two per cent [...]
Downing Street refuses to call for Londoners to go back to work August 24, 2020 Downing Street has refused to call for more people to return to their offices, despite increasing fears that decreased foot traffic in central London will cripple the economy. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said today that it was up to individual employers to decide whether to bring back employees, while also refusing to say if [...]
The City’s partnerships abroad will help drive the Covid recovery — whatever its shape August 24, 2020 There has been much debate in recent weeks as to what the Covid-19 recovery will look like. But whether the shape is V, U, W, or even a “Nike swoosh”, one thing that will be integral to any economic rebound is international trade. In normal circumstances, I would visit over 20 countries during the year [...]
Crossrail opening delayed until 2022 and extra £1.1bn needed to finish project August 21, 2020 The opening of London’s new Crossrail underground line has been delayed until 2022 and an extra £1.1bn is needed to complete the project, Crossrail Ltd said today. Crossrail said the central section of the Elizabeth Line between Paddington and Abbey Wood will be ready to open in the first half of 2022. Crossrail has faced [...]
Offices should be a ‘safe haven’ for suffering staff August 21, 2020 Offices across London are slowly beginning to reopen again after Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave firms “more discretion” from August to bring staff back in after lockdown. One such company is engineering consultancy Arup, which houses half of its 6,000 UK staff in its headquarters on Fitzroy Street in Bloomsbury. Tim Chapman, the firm’s London [...]
Tower of London ravens flee to find food as visitor numbers fall August 20, 2020 Ravens at the Tower of London are fleeing to look for food due to sluggish visitor numbers at the tourist attraction. According to legend, if six ravens permanently abandon the tower, which houses the Crown Jewels, the kingdom, the crown and the building will fall. The attraction closed on March 20 ahead of the UK’s [...]
London’s grip on clearing continues as Frankfurt’s progress slows August 20, 2020 Deutsche Boerse’s Eurex Clearing said its euro clearing division had grown less quickly than expected, demonstrating that London will remain the centre of the industry for some time after Brexit. Eurex said it accounted for €19 trillion (£17 trillion) of the enormous €100 trillion notional outstanding value in euro interest rate derivatives and forward contracts. [...]
Self-isolating workers need more financial support, says Sadiq Khan August 20, 2020 The Mayor of London has urged the government to provide more financial support for employees who are required to self-isolate. Sadiq Khan has today written to the Chancellor and Health secretary calling for a further package to support workers and the businesses that employ them, should they have to quarantine. He raised concerns that the [...]