Full blown lockdown would plunge UK economy far below pre-pandemic size December 13, 2021 A full blown lockdown would derail the UK’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, reveals fresh analysis from City economists. Shutting down the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors will cause the British economy to shrink to six per cent below its pre-pandemic size, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics. Imposing tougher restrictions on businesses that rely on [...]
Amazon to sell PCR Covid-19 tests for Brits travelling December 13, 2021 Amazon will sell Covid PCR test kits to travellers as the giant online retailer moves in on the Covid-19 market. The online retailer will sell government-approved tests for £34.99 each and offer discounts for those bought in bulk, the Guardian reported today. Travellers coming into the UK will be able to use the tests sold [...]
UK airlines ask PM to remove travel restrictions as Omicron pushes shares down December 13, 2021 Bosses of major UK airlines have sent Prime Minister Boris Johnson a letter asking the government to remove travel restrictions , as stocks today continued to plummet. Easyjet, as well as British Airways’ (BA) owner IAG and Ryanair, saw their stocks go down 4.72, 5.29 and 3.46 per cent respectively because of fears of further [...]
Brexit: UK-EU talks on Northern Ireland resume this week as UK sets ‘no time limit’ on discussions December 13, 2021 Talks between the UK and the EU on the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol will resume this week, with Number 10 today putting no “set limit” for how long negotiations will drag on. Defacto Brexit secretary Lord David Frost and his EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic will meet twice this week to try and move talks forward, [...]
Travel data: Londoners shrug off work from home order with bus and tube usage falling less than expected December 13, 2021 The number of Londoners still travelling into work appears to have fallen less than expected according to new Transport for London data. Today represents the first day that the Government’s re-instituted work from home order comes into force. Bus usage before 10am this morning fell just six per cent week on week, whilst tube usage [...]
West End ‘extremely concerned about long-term survival’ as new guidance comes into force December 13, 2021 Central London retailers are hopeful eager Christmas shoppers will offset the absence of office workers in the capital this month while warning businesses are running out of cash. New West End Company, which represents 600 brands, restaurants and businesses in the West End, said footfall for the week of 6 December was up three per [...]
City boss calls work from home guidance ‘absurd’ and ‘frustrating’ December 13, 2021 Andrew Monk the chief executive of VSA Capital has spoken out against inconsistencies in new government guidelines on working from home.
House market set to return to normality as sellers make it New Year resolution to move December 13, 2021 The housing market is set to return to a kind of normalcy next year, as it appears homeowners are setting a New Year resolution to move. The market has been strangled by historically low stock levels but according to Rightmove, valuation requests from home-owners are up 19 per cent on this time a year ago. [...]
Letters: Creative hospitality will thrive post-Covid December 13, 2021 [Re: Party’s over, Nov 8] Business travellers cancelling trips following the government’s Plan B guidance is another blow to the hospitality industry. After a tough 18 months, this Christmas period was set to be a highlight for London’s hotels. If that won’t be the case, the industry needs to find alternative solutions to stay afloat. [...]
Boris set for Tory rebellion as reaction to ‘mild’ variant angers backbenchers December 12, 2021 Boris Johnson is coming under increasing pressure from his party as up to 100 Tory MPs prepare to rebel against the Prime Minister on Tuesday and vote against new Covid restrictions. Sixty-eight Tory MPs have already said they will not support the government in a vote on new restrictions which include mandatory face masks and [...]