Coronavirus: CBI calls for urgent economic relief for ‘stranded middle’ businesses March 31, 2020 Support must be given to “stranded middle” businesses who are not eligible for the government’s coronavirus relief package and are at risk of going bust, according to the CBI. The government’s £330bn business interruption loan scheme is open to companies with revenue of less than £45m, while large investment grade companies can access the Bank [...]
UK coronavirus death toll rises 381 to 1,789 March 31, 2020 The number of deaths from coronavirus in the UK rose 27 per cent in the past day to 1,789, according to government figures. Figures from the Department of Health show an increase of 381 deaths, by far the biggest daily increase so far. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK rose 14 [...]
How technology is helping to maintain positive workplace culture during self-isolation March 31, 2020 Covid-19 has been disruptive to many aspects of our lives – including our work. For most organisations, remote working is quickly becoming the new normal, yet it’s a muscle many are just starting to develop. And while this transition is vital to keep employees safe, it brings with it a wealth of new challenges. Without [...]
Coronavirus: Debenhams seeks landlord support for new restructuring plan March 31, 2020 Embattled department store Debenhams is reportedly in urgent talks over a further restructuring plan that could involve more store closures. The high street chain has ramped up discussions with landlords due to the coronavirus outbreak. Debenhams’ lenders, which took control of the retailer last year, are unwilling to provide further funding without landlords agreeing to [...]
Coronavirus: UK airports renew calls for government aid as passenger numbers plummet March 31, 2020 The UK’s aviation sector has renewed calls for the government to do more to prop it up through the coronavirus pandemic, as new figures showed that UK passenger numbers could drop by a third in 2020. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the UK is on course to see 113.5m fewer passengers pass [...]
Engineering is essential to addressing the coronavirus crisis March 31, 2020 At first it seemed – at least in commentary – that dealing with the Covid-19 crisis was mainly a task for epidemiology, medical and public health experts, and they continue to lead the global effort to combat the outbreak. But the cross-sector scale of the challenge became apparent last week with the UK government’s appeal [...]
UK firms say they are still under threat despite coronavirus support March 31, 2020 More than two thirds of UK managers say the coronavirus outbreak poses a high or severe threat to their companies, despite the government’s unprecedented economic package, a survey showed today. The Institute of Directors (IoD) business group, which produced the survey, said more must be done to support firms. It said the government should extend [...]
Retail landlord New River suffers drop in rent payments due to coronavirus March 31, 2020 Retail landlord New River received 60 per cent of its quarterly rent due this month as tenants were forced to close due to the coronavirus outbreak. The shopping centre owner said it was working with occupiers that had not yet paid to recover late payments or agree alternative solutions such as deferment or transition to [...]
Music rights firm One Media boosts profit after acquisition spree March 31, 2020 Music rights company One Media today posted a sharp rise in revenue and profit for the full year after snapping up a string of new catalogues. The Aim-listed firm reported revenue of £3.5m in the year to the end of October, up 30 per cent on 2018. Pre-tax profit rose 11 per cent to £547,222. [...]
ECB financial supervisor calls on banks to cut bonuses due to coronavirus March 31, 2020 Banks should exercise “extreme moderation” on bonus payments this year, according to Europe’s top financial supervisor, who also threatened to intervene if lenders fail to show restraint. Andrea Enria, chair of the European Central Bank supervisory board, said he hoped banks would limit payouts and avoid the need for the ECB to take action, but [...]
