Last orders: London resilient against Covid pub disappearances September 10, 2021 London saw the fewest number of pubs disappear for good since the first national lockdown, compared to other areas. The capital city fared better than other regions in England and Wales, losing a total of just 27 pubs since the pandemic began some eighteen months ago. The fall represents pubs either demolished or converted into [...]
Food sector boss warns of permanent shortages in restaurants and shops September 10, 2021 Shoppers in the UK should expect permanent shortages of products now, according to a food and drink industry leader. The food and drink sector was short of around half a million workers, CEO of the Food & Drink Federation, Ian Wright, told the Institute for Government’s panel on supply chain disruption. The nation would not [...]
Dominic Raab: 13 Britons onboard first international civilian flight out of Kabul September 9, 2021 Thirteen British citizens were among those on the first international civilian flight out of Afghanistan since US troops left, the Foreign Office has said. The Qatar Airways flight landed in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday, with some 113 passengers onboard, according to Reuters. A second flight is due in Doha on Friday. Foreign Secretary [...]
High street bosses call on government to close ‘vindictive’ rent debt loophole September 9, 2021 Retail and hospitality bosses have criticised the government for not banning a loophole used by landlords to chase commercial tenants for unpaid rent. Industry representatives said new measures left a vindictive loophole in protections for commercial tenants. The groups welcomed news that protection from statutory demands leading to winding up petitions will be extended to [...]
Facebook and Ray-Ban launch smart glasses September 9, 2021 Facebook and Ray-Ban have launched smart glasses called Ray-Ban Stories that work with an app. The brands announced there would be three different models, five colours and a variety of lenses, including prescription. The glasses retail for £299 in the UK. A bespoke app called Facebook View will enable users to downlink images and videos [...]
Biden to announce all federal workers must be vaccinated September 9, 2021 US President Joe Biden is set to require all federal employees and government contractors to be vaccinated against coronavirus. Biden will sign an executive order on Thursday that will require federal workers to receive jabs against Covid-19, a source briefed on the matter told news agency Reuters. The Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans [...]
Ikea set to take on Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street September 9, 2021 Ikea has reportedly agreed a deal to take on Topshop’s flagship store on Oxford Street for around £385m. The furniture conglomerate has also bought the 73,000 sq ft NikeTown and a 4,700 sq ft Vans shop, adjacent to the Topshop store, according to real estate publication React News. Ikea is thought to be planning a [...]
Home sales drop for second month in a row September 9, 2021 Home sales have fallen for a second month in a row as fewer homeowners are listing their properties for sale. The pace of house price growth is just starting to ease as the government’s stamp duty holiday is tapered out, according to the RICS UK Residential Market Survey for August 2021. New buyer enquiries dropped [...]
Boris Johnson: ‘Concerning’ number of unvaccinated Covid patients in hospital September 8, 2021 The Prime Minister has said he is concerned by the number of unvaccinated people being hospitalised with coronavirus. Three quarters of those hospitalised had not had a Covid jab, Boris Johnson told the BBC, in an interview at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. Johnson’s message to the unvaccinated was “come on now,” as he urged people [...]
Government wins vote on National Insurance hike September 8, 2021 The Prime Minister has won a vote to raise National Insurance for workers and employers to fund NHS and social care costs. The government won the vote by 319 to 248 votes after Boris Johnson said the 1.25 percentage point increase would raise £12bn a year. Opposition MPs criticised the government for breaking a manifesto [...]
