Germany’s Oktoberfest cancelled again due to Covid concerns May 4, 2021 The world’s largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, will not take place for a second year in a row due to coronavirus concerns, German authorities have said. Oktoberfest attracts around six million visitors to Munich every year, with many travelling from abroad. Revellers sit at long communal tables to drink beer, eat food, and listen to music. [...]
Oxford Nanopore raises £195m ahead of London listing May 4, 2021 Oxford Nanopore has raised £195m in fresh funding ahead of its planned IPO in London later this year, it said this morning. The company has helped to track coronavirus mutations in the past year, which has made it somewhat of a darling of UK genetics work. The Oxfordshire-based scale-up said £125m of investment came from [...]
Mayor of London election: Where do the major candidates stand on housing? May 4, 2021 With the 6 May mayor of London election now just weeks away, City A.M. is producing a four-piece series on where the four leading candidates stand on different issues. Today, we look at the housing policies of the candidates from Labour, the Conservatives, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats. Sadiq Khan The most high [...]
Travelodge to open 17 new hotels in 2021, creating 360 jobs May 4, 2021 Travelodge this morning announced that it will open 17 new hotels this year, creating 360 new jobs across its network. The new hotels mean that the firm will have a total of 597 venues across the UK, Ireland, and Spain. Two of the new hotels will be in London, with the rest spread around the [...]
Provident yet to decide on doorstep lending arm after shutdown reports May 4, 2021 Provident Financial today said it was undecided over whether to shut its doorstep lending business following media reports that the company was planning to close the unit. The company, which has been trying for years to turn around the division after a mishandled restructuring, said a review into the unit was nearing completion. The Mail [...]
Oneweb in talks to play role in new navigation system to rival GPS May 4, 2021 The government-backed satellite network Oneweb is reportedly in talks to build a UK navigation system in a bid to rival GPS. UK space officials are currently reviewing options for investment in position, navigation and timing (PNT) technology. The UK was forced out of the European Galileo satellite programme during Brexit negotiations so a new programme [...]
Uber inks deal with Arrival to build electric car for its drivers May 4, 2021 Uber has this morning announced a partnership with UK start-up Arrival to build electric taxis designed for its ride-hailing drivers. The car, which will enter production in the first quarter of 2023, will be designed in partnership with the ride-hailing giant’s drivers. The partnership is part of Uber’s push to eliminate emissions from all 45,000 [...]
Warren Buffett names Greg Abel as Berkshire Hathaway successor May 4, 2021 Investor Warren Buffett has said that vice-chairman Greg Abel will succeed him as chief executive when he steps down from the role. Buffett, 90, built Berkshire Hathaway from a failing textile maker into a $628bn investment giant. Despite the announcement, Buffet said that he has no plans to step down in the near future. “The [...]
Demand for vaping and vitamins sees Supreme revenues soar May 4, 2021 Manchester-based importer and manufacturer Supreme expects revenues to jump to £121m in the full year to March amid demand for its vaping and sports nutrition products. The Aim-listed company distributes to major discount retailers, grocers and wholesalers in a number of categories including vaping, nutrition, lighting, household and vitamins. Supreme began trading in London in [...]
There is a generation of small businesses hungry to reinvent the high street May 4, 2021 You’d be forgiven for thinking the story of our British high streets was all about the evacuation of large retailers. Debenhams, Mothercare, Topshop, Peacocks barely scratch the surface of the total exodus which has seen 11,000 shops close in just 12 months. Many have been quick to explain that the pandemic has simply accelerated an inevitable, crumbling demise. While our high streets might look bleak right now as larger companies withdraw, small businesses are [...]