Coaches have played a vital role in 2020 and now that sport is returning we need them even more December 2, 2020 Sport and physical activity have never been more important to society and many of the UK’s 3m coaches have proved instrumental in helping communities stay connected and active this year, even in full lockdown. We have seen real recognition that high-quality physical activity is absolutely central to the mental and physical well-being of the nation. [...]
Third time’s a charm: Tui gets new €1.8bn bailout from German government December 2, 2020 Tui has today received a third bailout from the German government, meaning that federal authorities have now shelled out €4.8bn on the travel firm. The Anglo-German giant said in a statement that it had secured an additional €1.8bn from authorities to see it through the pandemic. The funding will comprise €1.3bn from state rescue fund [...]
Sir Philip Green’s wife brings forward £50m payment to Arcadia’s pension pot December 2, 2020 Tina Green, the ultimate owner of collapsed retail chain Arcadia, has announced she will bring forward a £50m payment owed to the company’s pension scheme. Last year Monaco-based Tina Green, who is married to Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green, agreed to pay £100m into the company’s pension pot as part of a restructuring plan agreed [...]
Pearson taps former British diplomat for new consumer push December 2, 2020 Pearson today said it has hired a former British diplomat as its chief strategy officer as the education group pushes ahead with a new strategy of targeting consumers directly. The FTSE 100 firm said Mike Howells will be tasked with strengthening its relationships with learning institutions. The appointment is the latest move by new boss [...]
Private equity gets creative as it sits on record dry powder pile December 2, 2020 Private equity firms are having to get creative and look to new asset classes as they sit on record levels of dry powder. In the face of unprecedented market volatility GPs initially turned their attention to portfolio companies in the outbreak of the pandemic. But now fund managers are sitting on approximately $1.7 trillion of [...]
Bentley has hired cargo jets to fly car parts to UK to avoid Brexit border logjams December 2, 2020 Luxury car maker Bentley has hired five cargo jets to fly car parts back to the UK in case of disruption to cross-border customs flows when the Brexit transition period ends. Chief executive Adrian Hallmark said the aircraft were one of a number of precautions the firm had take ahead of 1 January. “We have [...]
EU regulators to clear London Stock Exchange’s $27bn Refinitiv deal December 2, 2020 EU competition regulators are reportedly set to clear London Stock Exchange’s $27bn (£20.3bn) takeover of Refinitiv. LSE last month offered to provide rivals with access to clearing and data for 10 years as part of its bid to win over antitrust authorities. It came as part of a package submitted to the European Commission that [...]
FTSE inches higher after Pfizer vaccine approval but Wall Street slips December 2, 2020 The FTSE 100 inched higher today as the UK became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/Biontech coronavirus vaccine for use. Having opened in the red, London’s premier index was up 0.5 per cent in the early afternoon, with the FTSE 250 of mid-cap firms down 0.3 per cent. Analysts said that [...]
Debenhams website crashes as bargain hunters swoop on collapsed department store December 2, 2020 Debenhams’ website has crashed as bargain hunters swooped to snap up discounted items after the department store collapsed yesterday. Customers are being placed in a virtual queue while the retailer deals with a surge in demand. However the website has crashed several times after being overwhelmed by shoppers. Administrators announced yesterday that Debenhams will close [...]
Square Mile comes back to life as second lockdown ends December 2, 2020 As London emerges from the second lockdown there are tentative signs that life is returning to the City. London today entered Tier 2, representing a slight easing of lockdown restrictions, just as news of the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine approval landed in the Square Mile. City leaders breathe a sigh of relief Gyms, barbers and beauty salons [...]
