Consumer spending grew in April as high streets and hospitality reopened May 11, 2021 Consumer spending was up 0.4 per cent higher last month than in April 2019, as Brits rushed out to take advantage of the easing of lockdown restrictions. Last month the first major move away from a full lockdown took place, with shoppers finally allowed to visit non-essential retail stores, and hospitality venues – so long [...]
Exclusive: Quarter of UK businesses to close or downsize offices as UK embraces hybrid working May 10, 2021 More than a quarter (26%) of UK businesses will either close, downsize or consolidate their offices in the coming months, as companies move to hybrid working models. More than half (53%) of businesses plan to offer more flexible or remote working policies, while 30 per cent are expecting employees in the office between one and [...]
SoftBank subsidiary takes $2.33bn stake in The Hut Group May 10, 2021 SB Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group, has partnered with The Hut Group, in a deal that will see it take a stake worth a total $2.33bn in the online retailer. The deal will see SBM will take a 19.9 per cent stake in THG’s Ingenuity business, a subsidiary business and tech [...]
Facebook to remove anti-vaxxer groups and pages May 10, 2021 Facebook will remove groups and pages that discourage vaccines for Covid-19 and other diseases, after conspiracy theories about vaccines have boomed in recent months. Speaking on the BBC News World Service’s podcast The Anti-Vax Files, Steve Hatch, Facebook vice president for Northern Europe, they the social network had a responsibility to ensure people were seeing [...]
Lockdown roadmap: What can you do from 17 May? May 10, 2021 From 17 May people in England will take a big step away from harsh lockdown restrictions; but what exactly will be allowed from next Monday? Today the Prime Minister confirmed that England would proceed to step three of his roadmap for lifting lockdown from 17 May. The decision comes as the UK’s Covid alert level [...]
Boris: London will ‘bustle’ again as lockdown ends and remote working era fades May 10, 2021 Boris: London will 'bustle' again as lockdown ends and remote working era fades
Hugging to be allowed as lockdown restrictions ease from 17 May May 10, 2021 Further easing of coronavirus restrictions will go ahead as planned on 17 May, meaning people will be able to meet indoors for the first time in months. The government said the UK has met all requirements necessary to continue to ease lockdown measures next week, gradually bringing more normality to everyday life. The changes will [...]
Ruth Davidson in for £85,000 payday as she joins Royal London board as non-executive director May 10, 2021 Ruth Davidson, former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, will join Royal London’s board as a non-executive director from 8 June 2021. Davidson will be paid £75,000 per annum for board work, plus another £10,000 for committee work, though in 2021 her fees will be pro-rata for a partial year’s work. Royal London estimates Davidson [...]
Rain dampens high street recovery as footfall drops 4.1 per cent May 10, 2021 Footfall in UK retail destinations fell 4.1 per cent last week from the week before, as wind and rain persuaded shoppers to stay home for another week. The number of high street shoppers fell 6.6 per cent last week, according to the latest data from retail insight company Springboard, while footfall in shopping centres and [...]
Union steps in as £360m pension row at FirstGroup escalates May 10, 2021 Union Unite has spoken out against FirstGroup’s biggest investor, which wants to see proceeds for a recent sale at First Group given to shareholders, rather than used to plug the company’s pension deficit. FirstGroup recently sold its US division First Bus for £3.3bn to EQT Infrastructure, a year after putting the business up for sale. [...]
