Suburban takeover: Pret sets out plans for more than 200 new shops – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 Sandwich chain Pret a Manger has announced plans to open more than 200 UK shops in the next two years, as it aims to become more than a “white collar worker’s staple”. The business hopes to double its size within five years, with a £100m net investment by JAB and Pret founder Sinclair Beecham to [...]
West Midlands’ transport system will follow London’s lead – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 While Westminster was abuzz with all the reshuffle gossip last week, my eyes were immediately drawn to the renewed focus on the levelling up agenda. With a new high-profile cabinet minister in place and a re-named department, it is clear the Prime Minister is intent on delivering the vision he laid out in his speech [...]
Editorial: Transport for London needs a funding model fit for a modern capital September 22, 2021 On the tube, mind the gap is supposed to be a cautionary warning for absent-minded tourists. Alas over the course of the pandemic it’s become something rather more serious – a constant, if pithy, reminder of the black hole at the heart of Transport for London’s finances. London is a great global city, but the [...]
Whitehall needs to butt out of businesses’ rules on home working – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 Good news, British workers! If you want to work flexibly, by adjusting your hours or working from home, then a consultation document due to be published on Thursday may give you the right to request it from day one. If an employer dares deny it, they’ll need to explain why and suggest an alternative working [...]
Opinion-in-brief: Cyber crime is here to stay, we need to fight back September 22, 2021 There is a rising tide of cybercrime in the Big Data world. This year’s London Tech Week should be an opportunity to bolster our digital technologies, making them more secure for the future. Cyber crime is becoming the biggest cyber threat facing the UK. Also known as ransomware, it is malicious software that uses encryption [...]
Not going anywhere: Home Office delays decision on extradition of Mike Lynch to US September 22, 2021 The Government has delayed its decision on extraditing technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch, who is facing fraud charges in the US., the Home Office confirmed to City A.M. this afternoon. A decision on the billionaire was expected this week but a Home Office spokesperson said it has been granted a seven-day extension. Some back benchers have [...]
Mind the funding gap: Can the TfL boss secure London’s Tube network’s future? September 21, 2021 It’s only September, but one date is very much etched in the mind of Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner Andy Byford: 11 December. That’s when TfL’s latest £1bn funding package runs out, the third short-term deal the government has bestowed on the capital’s transport network, despite repeated pleas for a multi-year settlement instead. And although [...]
US government imposes sanctions on crypto exchange September 21, 2021 The US government has imposed sanctions on a cryptocurrency exchange for the first time ever in a bid to clamp down on ransomware attacks. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has decided to blacklist the SUEX exchange over its alleged role in facilitating transactions for ransomware attackers. Analysis of the Russian exchanges’ [...]
UK courts charge a third man over salisbury Novichok poisoning September 21, 2021 British police have confirmed a third Russian man has been charged with the 2018 Novichok murder attempt on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Detectives have accused Denis Sergeev, a senior military intelligence officer who worked under the alias Sergey Fedotov, of being part of the team who deployed a deadly nerve [...]
Easing Evergrande fears lift FTSE 100 as investors brace for Fed rate decision September 21, 2021 The FTSE 100 rallied today to cancel out sharp losses registered yesterday, driven by easing fears over the fallout if heavily indebted Chinese property Evergrande collapses. The capital’s premier index finished up 1.12 per cent at 6,980.98 points, up from this week’s starting position of 6,963.64 points. Global markets sold off sharply on Monday, triggered [...]
