Franco Manca owner on a bargain hunt despite revenue hit December 18, 2020 Restaurant group Fulham Shore is on a bargain hunt for expansion sites despite a 44 per cent fall in revenues in the six months to September. The group, which operates more than fifty Franco Manca pizza restaurants and 19 The Real Greek outlets, saw revenues fall from £36m in 2019 to £19.9m as lockdowns took [...]
Retail sales dip in November as lockdowns bite December 18, 2020 Retail sales remained above their pre-pandemic levels in November despite a month-on-month fall, new figures reveal. The closely watched retail sales figures from the Office for National Statistics show a 3.8 per cent drop in November compared to October, with many stores particularly in England forced to close for much of the month. Online retailing [...]
Consumer confidence jumps on back of vaccine news December 18, 2020 An influential survey into consumer confidence saw a significant spike on the back of positive Covid-19 vaccine news, but there remains some way to go before confidence returns to the wider economy. The Gfk Consumer Confidence tracker saw a 7-point jump in its overall index, to -26 in December from -33 the month previously, still [...]
As we look back on 2020, what can we learn from this unprecedented year? December 18, 2020 The end of any year is traditionally a time of reflection. It’s a chance to take stock and look back on the past 12 months: the successes, the lessons, and the opportunities for improvement. And while other traditions like the office Christmas party have been replaced by virtual events, taking time to step back and [...]
Time’s Up on financial silence: How to break the taboo on female investing December 18, 2020 The past few years have seen the overdue crumbling of long-held taboos that women have had to endure for decades. First, movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp exposed the magnitude of the sexual violence faced by women. Then #MeTooPay uncovered discrepancies in salaries that have fueled the fight for pay equality. And after November’s election, [...]
Selling off museum pieces to save jobs should not be a taboo — especially during a pandemic December 18, 2020 When a group of Royal Academy of Arts grandees recently suggested selling one of the institution’s masterpieces, it caused quite a stir. This was not just any artwork: it was Michelangelo’s Taddei Tondo, a great unfinished masterpiece that is considered among the Academy’s crown jewels. The proposal — auction it off for more than £100m [...]
Corporate philotimy: The big new concept in responsible capitalism December 18, 2020 Capitalism — like most isms — has many faces. In the eighteenth century, it produced the military-political piracy of the East India Company, and in the twenty-first, the philanthropy of the $47bn Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It has the capacity for profoundly significant choices. Economies are capitalist if they are dominated by private capital [...]
Global emissions cuts needed on ‘unprecedented scale’ to reach Paris Climate target December 18, 2020 If the world is to reach the Paris Climate Agreement’s target of a global temperature increase of no more than 1.5°C, we need to cut emissions five times more quickly than the current rate. This is according to PwC’s Net Zero Economy Index, which delivers a stark message to businesses and governments. The index shows [...]
Nation of beer drinkers: Brits spend extra £2.1bn on booze in lockdown December 18, 2020 Booze-drinking Brits spent an extra £2.1bn on alcoholic beverages this year as they stocked up on lager, wine and spirits while pubs were closed during lockdown. Despite its name, Corona was one of the lager brands to toast the largest growth, with sales up £68m compared to last year. Lager was the fastest growing drink [...]
Brexit talks in a ‘serious situation’ ahead of deadline December 17, 2020 Downing Street has said Brexit trade talks are in a “serious situation” following a call with the European Commission president. Following the call a Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister underlined that the negotiations were now in a serious situation. Time was very short and it now looked very likely that agreement would not [...]
