Coronavirus: What if I want to cancel a flight? March 25, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has effectively brought global air travel to a standstill, leaving thousands of Brits wondering what to do about future flights. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s advice against all foreign travel until 16 April means that airlines and travel agents are obliged to cancel flights and holidays, and issue refunds or allow passengers [...]
Coronavirus: Wetherspoon to pay workers under jobs retention scheme March 25, 2020 JD Wetherspoon will pay its 43,000 workers under the coronavirus jobs retention scheme after the pub chain faced backlash from employees. All staff will be paid on Friday for hours worked last week, and the first payment under the new scheme will be made on 3 April and weekly from then on, the company said [...]
MWC to offer refunds after conference scrapped due to coronavirus March 25, 2020 Mobile World Congress (MWC) will offer refunds to anyone who paid to attend the conference in a move that could “lay down the gauntlet” for other events cancelled due to coronavirus. Organiser GSMA scrapped the telecoms extravaganza in February following a string of high-profile withdrawals, saying health concerns made it “impossible” for the event to [...]
Coronavirus: Government recruits 405,000 volunteer army March 25, 2020 More than 400,000 people have registered to join the government’s volunteer army in a bid to support frontline services grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. Health secretary Matt Hancock yesterday announced that Downing Street was looking for 250,000 fit and healthy people sign up to join the new NHS Volunteer scheme. This afternoon Prime Minister Boris [...]
Daily Mail gets green light for £50m takeover of the i newspaper March 25, 2020 The owner of the Daily Mail has been given the green light for its £50m takeover of the i newspaper. Daily Mail and General Trust, which also owns Metro, agreed the deal in November last year with the i’s current owner JPI Media. The government said it was “minded” to intervene in the merger due [...]
Logistics industry calls on government to extend Brexit transition period to ease pressure on sector March 25, 2020 The UK’s logistics sector body the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is calling on the government to extend the current Brexit transition period to allow firms to concentrate on tackling the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, the industry body said that “the challenges posed by the Covid-19 virus will make the effective implementation of any new [...]
Cash-poor UK firms lobby for looser rules on stock offerings March 25, 2020 Advisers to cash-strapped British firms are lobbying regulators to loosen rules governing new stock offerings, in the hope it could make it easier for struggling companies to raise funds. An industry body representing investment banks is asking the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to increase the maximum allowed discount for equity sales on the London Stock [...]
UK coronavirus: Which retailers are open under lockdown rules? March 25, 2020 The government announced a UK coronavirus lockdown on Monday evening, putting limits on work, socialising and going outside. Addressing the nation, the prime minister said “I must give the British people a very simple instruction – you must stay at home”. Boris Johnson said police will break up public gatherings of more than two people, [...]
Channel 4 taps Grayson Perry as it launches new creative plan March 25, 2020 Artist and broadcaster Grayson Perry will host a new show teaching housebound Brits how to make art as part of a slate of new creative programming on Channel 4. Grayson’s Art Club will feature the iconic crossdresser and famous guest artists, who will teach people how to sculpt, draw and create while in quarantine. It [...]
What’s happening to the AUD/GBP exchange rate? March 25, 2020 A quick look at the performance of the Australian dollar in the FX market during the global pandemic The Australian dollar has been under pressure all year; as a commodity-based currency, it was among the first to struggle due to the impact of the coronavirus. Now, as the countries implement various forms of lock-down and [...]
