Marks & Spencer is in a pay row with staff and could be axing 500 jobs. Is it time to split the retailer in two? September 5, 2016 Marks & Spencer’s famous adverts (“These are not just potatoes, these are pan-shaken ready-to-roast extra-crispy King Edward potatoes…”) may have stayed ripe for mockery for over a decade, but between our guffaws lies a reluctant acceptance that the branding is absolutely spot on. M&S food halls have been a roaring success, especially among the millions of Brits [...]
Peter Stringfellow on closing Angels, Theresa May, virtual reality clubs and setting up a lingerie range September 5, 2016 The floor of Peter Stringfellow’s office at Angels, his legendary Soho club, was strewn with packing boxes last week. In case anyone imagined his office to be an extension of the club – all leopard print, velvet and disco balls – it isn’t. It’s just a normal office. I visited him on Thursday; on Saturday, [...]
The City must build on its relationship with China to remain the world’s financial centre September 5, 2016 Each week seems to bring another vision of how our post-Brexit relationship with Europe might look. Is the EEA an option? What has to be done in order to secure access to the Single Market? As lord mayor of London, it is my responsibility to work with the government and other key institutions to ensure [...]
London mayor Sadiq Khan must axe “empty” Oxford Street buses to push ahead with pedestrianisation September 5, 2016 Plans to ban vehicles from Oxford Street must begin with a dramatic reduction in “empty” bus services through the crowded area, according to the London Assemby's transport committee. London mayor Sadiq Khan has made pedestrianisation of Oxford Street a key part of his mayoralty, and his hoping to complete the project by 2020. However, critics [...]
Watch live: Burning of a huge sculpture of London’s skyline to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London September 4, 2016 This week marks the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London – and to commemorate, the capital is burning a gigantic sculpture of 17th century London on the Thames. Because why not? The 120m sculpture, called London 1666, will be set alight this evening. And while the public will be able to watch as [...]
The Great Fire of London made the city an insurance hub – here’s what we need to do to maintain that status September 2, 2016 This week we’re marking the anniversary of one of London’s defining events: the Great Fire of London, which ravaged the city at the start of September 1666. It was started by nothing more than a fire from an overheated oven at a baker’s shop near London Bridge. The damage was immense. The Association of British [...]
The implications of the Great Fire live on in the City’s buildings even today September 1, 2016 Three hundred and fifty years ago today, a fire broke out at a bakery on Pudding Lane. The rest, as they say, is history. Starting on a Sunday, the Great Fire raged until the following Wednesday, having ripped through the dense wooden buildings of the time. It destroyed 80 per cent of the City, some [...]
Uber wins judicial review of English tests for drivers and other new rules September 1, 2016 Uber has succeeded in the first stage of its legal challenge against new rules on English language tests for drivers in London after the high court today approved a judicial review. The billion dollar startup argues the English exam, which it claims is tougher than the test for British citizenship, is discriminatory and contravenes the Equality Act. City A.M. exclusively revealed in August that [...]
Man arrested in connection to banker Oliver Dearlove’s murder September 1, 2016 Police investigating the death of banker Oliver Dearlove have arrested a man on suspicion of murder. The 31-year-old man was arrested this morning and is currently in custody at a south London police station. Thirty-year-old Dearlove, who was a relationship manager for Duncan Lawrie Private Bank and who was living with his girlfriend in Eltham, died in hospital after being assaulted [...]
The Govia Thameslink strike set for 7 September has been called off September 1, 2016 It looks like a 24-hour strike by Southern railway workers next Wednesday in a row over ticket office closures will not be going ahead. Rail union RMT confirmed today that it has suspended strike action involving Southern operator Govia Thameslink's station staff, scheduled for 7 September, after "significant progress" was made in talks held at ACAS yesterday. The union [...]