Pfizer to slash ‘few hundred’ sales jobs as doctors opt for virtual meetings January 11, 2022 Pfizer has revealed plans to slash its US sales team as it anticipates healthcare providers will opt for virtual meetings above in-person interactions. The vaccine-maker did not state how many sales roles it was planning to cut, however, a source familiar with the matter told the Reuters news agency that a few hundred jobs would [...]
Households in colder parts of country could receive heating support boost January 11, 2022 Families in colder areas of the country may receive more government financial support for heating costs this winter. The Treasury is reportedly mulling giving more cash to areas that are forced to use heating more, as energy bills have skyrocketed in recent months. The idea is being considered ahead of a package of measures to [...]
Renters rush back to capital as available properties drop off market January 11, 2022 Prime London boroughs have seen huge reductions in available rental stock as pandemic uncertainty subsidies for renters. In the final quarter of 2021, London rental stock had fallen to its lowest level since the end of 2019, just before the pandemic hit, according to data from central London estate agency, Bective. It comes as renters [...]
Pret sales lag behind pre-Covid levels as office workers slowly return to desks after Omicron fears January 11, 2022 Workers have been slow to return to the Square Mile this year, Pret’s coffee and sandwich sales reveal. Transaction volumes in the City of London and Canary Wharf districts were more than one third down on pre-pandemic levels last week. Bloomberg’s Pret Index laid bare the impact of Covid guidance introduced at the end of [...]
Lingerie tycoon Baroness Mone sued for unlimited damages after reports of racist remarks January 11, 2022 Millionaire lingerie tycoon Baroness Michelle Mone is being sued for unlimited damages after allegations of racist remarks. Financial consultant Richard Lynton-Jones has filed a writ against the retail tycoon in London’s High Court, claiming Mone sent him racist WhatsApp messages. Lynton-Jones, who has Indian heritage, claimed that Mone sent him a message calling him “a [...]
Shoppers spend £14bn on Christmas categories as supermarket sales growth exceeds forecasts January 11, 2022 Shoppers dashed to supermarkets to make last-minute Christmas purchases as weekly sales growth peaked in the week ending 25 December. Brits splashed out £14bn on Christmas products over the three month festive period, according to data from NielsenIQ. Sales growth for the period surpassed initial forecasts from NielsenIQ analysts, who predicted sales would grow to [...]
Central London continues to feel impact of Plan B measures January 10, 2022 Central London has suffered another blow to its recovery as shoppers stay away from the city’s retail hotspots. Footfall in the West End and other areas dropped by more than a quarter (25.6 per cent) last week compared to the week before. “With employees continuing to work from home the drop in footfall in Central [...]
Elephant and Castle redevelopment to progress to second phase after loan win January 10, 2022 The redevelopment of the former Elephant and Castle shopping centre has been given a boost after the securing of a development loan. Build-to-rent developer Get Living has acquired £365m from Starwood Capital, The Times reported. This will enable the second phase of the redevelopment, which is set to create 485 homes and a new campus [...]
Housebuilders’ share prices plunge as government cracks down on cladding crisis January 10, 2022 Homebuilders’ share prices tumbled on Monday as the government said it was prepared to force developers to pay for the removal of dangerous cladding. Housing minister Michael Gove has handed builders a March deadline to agree a plan to protect leaseholders who cannot sell their homes due to their fire defects. Leaseholders have called on [...]
Online firms lead UK listing boom for retailers January 10, 2022 An online shopping boom has led to a rise in the number of retailers listing on the UK stock market this year. Some 10 retailers floated this year – including furniture-seller Made and greetings card firm Moonpig – compared to just three in the past three years. Eight out of ten firms were online firms, [...]