Next and Frankie & Benny’s bosses under fire for hefty pay packets May 16, 2022 Frankie & Benny’s and Next bosses are under fire for hefty bonuses after both companies received government support during coronavirus measures. Next chief Simon Wolfson took home almost £4.4m last year, up 50 per cent on the year before, including an annual bonus worth 100 per cent of his basic salary. Meanwhile, Andy Hornby, chief [...]
Sadiq Khan could be leading the way in deserting the foolish war on drugs May 16, 2022 Those who like to think they take the long view of history will tell you that the “war on drugs” started in 1971, when Richard Nixon declared illegal narcotics to be public enemy number one. Yet its lineage extended far further back than that: in the US, Congress banned alcohol for nearly 15 years from [...]
Nightclubs warn of ‘tragedy’ without government intervention into bouncer shortage May 16, 2022 Nightclubs have warned of a “tragedy where lives are lost” unless the government intervenes to ameliorate a shortage of bouncers. Late-night venues are “running out of time” as a busy summer season approaches, bosses at the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and UK Door Security Association cautioned. Nightclubs are eagerly awaiting their first full summer [...]
We must take responsibility and encourage equity of progression in financial services May 16, 2022 We live in an uneven – some might say unfair – society where equity of progression has been long out of reach for those who need it most. In last week’s Queen’s Speech, the government outlined steps to address this – including the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, as well as related legislation to quash [...]
Business rates row set for crunch tribunal decision this week May 16, 2022 Businesses facing hefty business rates bills are set for a court showdown over the Government’s decision to strip them of their right to appeal their property taxes in a series of major cases this week. The Valuation Tribunal, an independent judicial body, will hear a series of 26 test cases on May 18 from occupiers [...]
Women ‘driven out of the workforce’ by pricey childcare costs May 16, 2022 Pricey childcare is exacerbating the country’s gender pay gap and driving women out of the workforce, according to a London thinktank. Ministers have been urged to take further action to provide cheaper childcare, by The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) in a new paper today. Some 30 per cent of two-earner household incomes is dished [...]
Nailed on: Screwfix to open 80 stores in expansion May 16, 2022 Home improvement business Screwfix is to create 800 retail jobs by January as part of plans to open 80 new shops across the UK and Ireland. The retailer’s sales were boosted during the pandemic as locked-down Britons hired tradespeople to spruce up their properties and gardens. Screwfix and B&Q owner Kingfisher enjoyed profits of more [...]
Bank of England independence must remain no matter the political weather May 16, 2022 When Gordon Brown summoned then-governor of the Bank of England Eddie George to his office at the Treasury in 1997, the man in charge at Threadneedle Street was accompanied by a young civil servant – one Andrew Bailey. At that meeting, George – and presumably Bailey – were surprised to be told that the newly [...]
London’s housing supply is not fit for purpose, and we need a bit of bravery to fix it May 16, 2022 The housing market in London is extremely hard to navigate. Students looking for a flat to rent with two or three friends often have to give up on the idea of a living room for reasons of price. Older couples who might want to relocate after the kids have moved out often don’t, because there’s [...]
Working from home may lead to lazy lifestyle that is as risky as smoking May 16, 2022 Working from home may contribute to a lazy lifestyle that is as much of a health risk as smoking, reveals new research published today. One in five people working from home exercise less often due to not commuting to the office, according to Bupa. An uptick in remote working since the pandemic is entrenching more [...]
