Exclusive: Almost half of London SMEs planning to hire this year August 24, 2021 Just under half (42 per cent) of London SMEs plan to hire in the next 12 months. This is more than anywhere else in the country bar the North West (54 per cent), according to Barclaycard research. Firms are looking forward to a sales boost this weekend with one in 10 London businesses (11 per [...]
Home sales dropped 63 per cent in July August 24, 2021 Property transactions were 62.8 per cent lower in July compared with the previous month after the stepping down of the temporary stamp duty reduction. The provisional adjusted estimate of UK residential transactions for July was 73,740, up 4.2 per cent on July 2020, the latest data from HMRC has shown. There was a rush to [...]
Warm welcome: Airbnb to take in 20,000 Afghan refugees August 24, 2021 Holiday rental firm Airbnb has announced it will provide temporary housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees across the world. Details on how Airbnb hosts can support the initiative will be available “in the coming days,” the California-based company said. “As tens of thousands of Afghan refugees resettle around the world, where they stay will be the [...]
No milkshakes at McDonald’s as supply chain hit by lorry driver shortage August 24, 2021 McDonald’s has confirmed it has run out of milkshakes and bottled drinks at its UK venues amid a national shortage of delivery drivers. The fast food chain confirmed the products were unavailable at its 1,250 restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales due to supply chain challenges. “Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply [...]
Boots launches Deliveroo partnership from today August 24, 2021 Boots has announced it is exclusively partnering with Deliveroo to provide health and beauty products to consumers’ doors. The partnership will launch at 14 pilot stores across the country including in Edinburgh, London and Nottingham. Sales on the retailer’s website were up 85 per cent between 1 March 2020 and 1 March 2021 compared to [...]
Stabbed by syringes: retail workers call for tougher sentences for assault August 24, 2021 Ministers have been urged to introduce tougher sentences for people who assault supermarket workers in England and Wales. Calls from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) come as new legislation comes into force in Scotland that makes assaulting or abusing retail staff a standalone offence. The BRC has called on peers in the House of Lords [...]
Chinese Uber rival Didi suspends UK launch amid data crackdown August 24, 2021 Ride hailing platform Didi has called off plans to launch in continental Europe including in UK cities. The firm is consulting with staff working on its Western Europe roll out on assigning roles and potential redundancies, according to reports from the BBC and The Telegraph. Plans to launch in London, Sheffield and Salford have been [...]
Beer delivery strike suspended after fresh pay offer August 23, 2021 A nationwide strike by beer draymen has been suspended after an improved pay offer from GXO Logistics Drinks. Draymen – based at 26 sites across the country – will now vote on a pay offer instead of taking industrial action on Tuesday August 24 and Thursday September 2. Unite union has recommended the employees accept [...]
Appetite for deliveries continues despite lockdown easing August 23, 2021 Deliveries and takeaways continue making up a significant share of restaurant and pubs’ sales despite enthusiasm for the return of dining out. Delivery has maintained its 20.5 per cent share month-on-month while takeaway sales declined by 1.3 per cent in July, according to the CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker. Takeaways and deliveries accounted [...]
Government urged to cut National Insurance costs for small firms August 23, 2021 Small businesses have called on the Government to slash employer National Insurance contributions as firms face rising costs and labour shortage challenges. Just under two thirds (64 per cent) of respondents to the quarterly Full Small Business Index (SBI) report, said their operating costs had risen over the past year. The Federation of Small Businesses [...]
