English football clubs ‘will not be allowed to go bust’ due to Covid-19 October 14, 2020 Clubs in the English Football League (EFL) will not be allowed to go bust as a result of the coronavirus crisis, a senior government minister has said. Oliver Dowden, secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, said he had received assurances from both the EFL and the Premier League that they had the [...]
Nightclub owner Deltic seeks buyer as Covid-19 dances up a storm October 14, 2020 The UK’s largest nightclub operator has kicked off an urgent hunt for fresh funding as it faces potential collapse due to the coronavirus pandemic. Deltic Group, which owns brands including Pryzm and Atik, has hired accountancy firm BDO to explore options for the company, including finding new investors. Founded in 2011, Deltic employs 2,000 people [...]
Learning the hard way: Why do things keep going wrong for Pearson? October 14, 2020 John Fallon, longstanding chief executive of Pearson, will step down next week after nearly eight years at the helm. The education boss today signed off with a mixed set of results for the first nine months of the year, as a surge in demand for online learning helped to offset sliding sales. The figures summed [...]
Amazon to escape UK tech tax as global crackdown falters October 14, 2020 Amazon is facing fresh scrutiny over its tax liabilities after it emerged the tech giant will not be affected by the government’s landmark digital services tax. In April ministers unveiled the new tax — which charges a two per cent levy on the revenue of internet companies — saying it would ensure companies contribute their [...]
Swipe card: Social media accounts for quarter of all online purchases October 14, 2020 Almost a quarter of all online purchases are now made through social media, new data has revealed, as more and more people use their favourite messaging platforms for shopping. Research by Visa showed almost a fifth of Brits use social apps to shop, while one in 10 has made a purchase this way since the [...]
UK tech visa applications hit record high despite Covid-19 October 13, 2020 The number of applications for the UK’s Tech Nation visa rose to its highest level on record last month as the thriving sector shrugged off the impact of coronavirus. Applications for the visa, which grants employees and founders in the tech sector the right to work in the UK for up to five years, hit [...]
Hackney Council hit by ‘serious’ cyber attack October 13, 2020 Hackney Council has been hit by a major cyber attack that is affecting many of its services and IT services. The council has called in experts from the National Cyber Security Centre, as well as the Ministry of Housing and local government to investigate the incident. It is unclear which services have been affected, and [...]
Facebook donates £1m to Bletchley Park after Covid-19 hit October 13, 2020 Facebook has donated £1m to Bletchley Park to help the World War Two code-breaking hub survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The social media platform described Bletchley Park as “one of the UK’s national treasures” and said its donation aimed to help keep it open to the world. During the Second World War Bletchley [...]
Music royalties firm Round Hill plots London listing October 13, 2020 Music royalties firm Round Hill today said it is planning to raise $375m (£288m) through a listing on the London Stock Exchange. Guernsey-based Round Hill Music Royalty Fund said it was targeting annual returns of between nine and 11 per cent through its investment in music intellectual property. Founded in 2010, Round Hill is an [...]
Sketch: How to communicate effectively (according to the UK government) October 12, 2020 As the government unveils its latest lockdown restrictions through Twitter, James Warrington imagines comms discussions in the heart of Westminster At a time of national crisis, it’s crucial to communicate effectively. Can you imagine if, at the height of a pandemic, the public didn’t know what was going on? Unthinkable, I know, but it’s a [...]
