UK watchdog ramps up pressure on tech giants as it sets one-year ultimatum October 19, 2020 The UK competition watchdog has urged the government to step up plans for a new digital regulator as it warned it is preparing to take action against tech giants such as Facebook and Google. Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said his organisation was “actively considering” potential enforcement cases in [...]
Firefighters tackle blaze at City office block October 19, 2020 More than two dozen firefighters are tackling a blaze at an office block in the heart of the City. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a building on Houndsditch near Aldgate Tube station this morning. The London Fire Brigade said it was alerted to the fire following reports of smoke billowing [...]
Half of UK financial services staff want shift to flexible working October 19, 2020 Half of Brits working in the financial services sector want to shift to a more flexible working model after the coronavirus pandemic ends, a new survey has revealed. The outbreak of Covid-19 has sparked a major change in working habits, as stay-at-home orders have fuelled a sharp rise in home working. A survey by KPMG [...]
Coronavirus: Finance chiefs do not expect recovery until next summer October 19, 2020 Finance bosses do not expect business demand to recover to pre-pandemic levels until next summer at the earliest as the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and the looming Brexit deadline continue to hit confidence. A survey by Deloitte revealed that more than two-thirds of chief financial officers do not expect demand for their own businesses to bounce [...]
London’s New Year’s Day Parade to broadcast live TV event October 19, 2020 Organisers of London’s New Year’s Day Parade are set to broadcast a live ‘welcome back’ event to viewers across the globe. Bosses behind the iconic annual event are in talks with Westminster City council to deliver static performance at two famous locations in the capital on 1 January 2021. While the event will be held [...]
London financial services jobs rise after Covid-19 crash October 19, 2020 The number of available jobs in London’s financial services sector jumped in the third quarter as confidence began to return to the capital. Finance job vacancies rose 53 per cent in the three months to the end of September when compared to the previous quarter, according to recruitment agency Morgan McKinley. For London workers changing [...]
Falling through the cracks: How Covid-19 has put London’s events sector on the brink October 19, 2020 Perched on the banks of Regent’s Canal, Kings Place is — in normal times — one of London’s most popular events venues. From conferences and concerts to dance workshops and comedy shows, the glass-fronted building has played host to an array of spectacles in recent years. But since the coronavirus lockdown descended in March, Kings [...]
French buyers top London prime property purchases as Chinese investment slips October 19, 2020 French buyers have jumped to the top of the rankings for property purchases in prime central London as international investors cash in on the weak pound. Property purchasers from France made up the largest group of buyers for prime spots in the capital in the first nine months of the year accounting for 11 per [...]
Tech Nation taps Boris Johnson’s brother to join board October 18, 2020 Tech Nation has hired Boris Johnson’s brother to join its board, becoming the entrepreneur body’s fifth new director in recent weeks. Jo Johnson, who was handed a peerage in July, will become a non-executive director at the government-funded organisation. Tech Nation chair Stephen Kelly said: “I’m pleased to welcome Jo Johnson onto the Tech Nation [...]
Retail mogul Mike Ashley makes fresh bid for Debenhams October 18, 2020 Sport Direct tycoon Mike Ashley has reportedly made a fresh bid for Debenhams, reviving his long-standing pursuit of the department store chain. The retail billionaire this month submitted an improved offer as the auction for Debenhams nears its final stages, the Sunday Times reported. Debenhams, which collapsed into administration in April, has hired Lazard to [...]