All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers falls to £121m loss during lockdown July 2, 2020 All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers said it sank to a £121m pre-tax loss in its half-year ending in April due to lockdown, it said today. The owner of more than 1,700 pubs, bars and restaurants around the UK, Mitchells & Butlers was forced to close all its outlets when lockdown began on 23 [...]
The City View: Matthew Elliott on why the mood music points to a Brexit deal July 2, 2020 In this episode Christian is joined by Matthew Elliott, a veteran political campaigner, having been CEO of two successful referendum campaigns – NOtoAV in 2011 and Vote Leave in 2016. He also founded the TaxPayers’ Alliance, Big Brother Watch, Business for Britain and Brexit Central. He has been described by the New Statesman as “one of the [...]
FCA extends credit card payment freeze until October July 1, 2020 A credit card payments freeze could be extended for another three months for customers still suffering from the economic impact of coronavirus, the financial watchdog said today. After imposing a three-month pause on repayments for those struggling amid the fallout of the pandemic on the economy, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said firms must [...]
UK house prices fall for first time since 2012 amid coronavirus July 1, 2020 UK house prices posted an annual fall for the first time since 2012 in June amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Nationwide’s index today. Growth turned negative last month with prices slipping 0.1 per cent year on year, following a 1.8 per cent climb in May, Nationwide said. Its data showed UK house prices also [...]
Upper Crust owner SSP to slash 5,000 jobs as coronavirus knocks travel sector July 1, 2020 Upper Crust owner SSP has announced up to 5,000 job cuts as it attempts to survive a sector-wide coronavirus downturn in the travel industry. The job cuts will largely affect SSP’s UK head office and UK operations, the company said today, at a cost of between £8m and £10m. SSP said coronavirus has forced it [...]
UK coronavirus death toll nears 55,000 June 30, 2020 The United Kingdom’s coronavirus death toll has hit 54,872, according to a tally of official data that shows the UK is one of the world’s worst hit geographies. England and Wales have now recorded 49,371 coronavirus deaths from the start of the pandemic to 19 June, Office for National Statistics data has showed. England saw 47,127 [...]
UK GDP suffers largest fall since 1979 in first quarter of 2020 June 30, 2020 UK GDP slumped by 2.2 per cent in a coronavirus-ravaged first quarter of 2020, its worst slump since 1979, data confirmed today. The figure was slightly higher than the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) initial estimate of the pandemic hit. It initially measured a two per cent fall. The drop revealed today is the worst [...]
Six killed in Pakistan Stock Exchange attack June 29, 2020 Gunmen have attacked the Pakistan Stock Exchange building in the city of Karachi, police said today, with four assailants reportedly killed. The attackers used grenades and guns in their assault, according to local media. Pakistan’s stock exchange in Karachi is in a high security zone and also hosts many private banks’ head offices. “Four attackers [...]
Tony Pidgley, self-made co-founder of FTSE 100 homebuilder Berkeley, dies at 72 June 27, 2020 British homebuilder Berkeley Group has said its chairman and co-founder, Tony Pidgley, died suddenly on Friday, aged 72. “He died of a stroke, he was working yesterday and went to (the) hospital last night and then sadly passed away earlier today,” a company spokesman told Reuters. Pidgley helped set up Berkeley Group in 1976 and [...]
UK coronavirus deaths jump by 186 to hit 43,414 June 26, 2020 UK coronavirus deaths increased by 186 overnight days before England is set to ease its lockdown, official data showed today. That took the official UK death toll to 43,414, according to Department of Health data. However, including suspected cases, UK coronavirus deaths are believed to have exceeded 50,000. Today’s figure is the third day running [...]
