Puttshack and Bounce chief: Pubs and restaurants urged to ‘get creative’ instead of expecting government support January 6, 2023 The government can only do so much to help hospitality businesses amid turbulent times, with firms needing to “get creative”, the boss of the Puttshack and Bounce brands, told CityA.M. Pub and restaurant bosses have long been calling for more government to help it charter tumultuous waters, in the form of a VAT cut and [...]
Pubs: As record number predicted to go bust in 2023 hospitality guru urges gov to lift sector from ‘the abyss’ January 6, 2023 A record number of pubs, clubs and restaurants could go to the wall this year without more support, warned a leading industry voice.
Brexit: The govt must please both the Europeans and the DUP to solve the stalemate in Northern Ireland January 6, 2023 There aren’t many causes for optimism in British politics right now. Yet one that seems to be getting people increasingly excited is the possibility that Britain and the EU are close to agreeing a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol. British ministerial sources are reporting good progress is being made in the talks, and even [...]
The verdict: Experts react to Keir Starmer’s plan for the economy January 5, 2023 Keir Starmer is right to harness the power of government and business working together to fix the UK economy, but “time will tell” whether Labour sticks to sensible spending, economists judged after his maiden speech of 2023 today. Speaking in East London, the opposition leader promised to work side by side with private firms to [...]
From strikes to the NHS there is plenty going on – but Rishi Sunak is right to put “maths ’til 18” at the top of the agenda January 4, 2023 From the NHS’ well documented woes to rail strikes and Brexit, there is much on the government’s plate – but Rishi Sunak is right to put a light on Britain’s poor levels of numeracy, argues Sam Sims, the CEO of charity National Numeracy When there is so much else on the government’s domestic agenda – [...]
Hotel Chocolat looks beyond Europe and signs deal with Japanese corporation January 3, 2023 Leading British chocolate brand Hotel Chocolat is looking beyond Europe after Brexit and has signed a new partnership with a major Japanese corporation. The tabletop favourite has teamed up with the Tokyo-based Eat Creator Corporation, after trading in Japan for the last four years. The chocolate maker reported a £9.4m loss for 2022 loss in [...]
Brexit: Protocol ‘too strict’ and mistakes made on all sides, Ireland’s Varadkar says January 3, 2023 Brexit mistakes were made on all sides according to Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, but vowed to be “flexible and reasonable” when attempting to solve issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol. He conceded that the post-Brexit protocol is “too strict” and said he understands unionist concerns that the treaty has made them feel less British. Mr [...]
UK government takes pro-innovation approach to AI January 2, 2023 UK government’s push to bridge the AI skills gap comes with a focus on a risk based approach. As industry predictions indicate an AI boom in 2023, the UK government has stepped up to plug the skills gap in the sector. At the end of 2022, the government evaluated the Industry-funded Masters in AI (IMAI) [...]
EXCL – The unstoppable rise of the Chief Innovation Officer in 2023 January 2, 2023 More and more UK businesses are making innovation a priority. The conviction is growing that tech and the implementation of innovative solutions drive business growth and help firms to stay ahead of the competition. It is therefore no surprise that the chief innovation officer takes an increasingly prominent position within many businesses, and that won’t [...]
EXCL – Majestic Wine’s CEO John Colley on why 2022 will go down as the year of fizz December 29, 2022 Two years ago Majestic Wine went private, under the ownership of Fortress Investment. As a private entity, the company has enjoyed two years of transformation and the results have not gone unnoticed in the City: record growth and record sales. The Watford-based wine giant also opened a number of new branches and undertook a turn-around plan whilst [...]