The big cheese: How old food can sell for crazy prices at auction December 7, 2021 It took two hours for bidding to draw to a close, but it was worth it. The 2.62kg Cabrales cheese left the auction tent at the 2018 Cabrales Cheese Competition to rapturous applause. Cream of the crop, the cheese had caught the attention of 15 restaurateurs from around Spain, each bidder hell-bent on blessing their [...]
Lure of Christmas parties draws workers back into the City December 7, 2021 The lure of Christmas parties has propelled the number of workers in the City to the highest level since the first Covid-19 lockdown in March last year. Traders, brokers and bankers have flocked back to their physical offices in the capital to capitalise on boozy parties that sweep across the City during the festive period. [...]
Early orders and Singles Day boost: Both Chinese exports and imports pick up steam December 7, 2021 European equity markets got off to a solid start to the new week yesterday as investors looked past the negativity of last week and chose to focus on the expectation that the Omicron variant, while more transmissible, may well not be as virulent as the Delta variant that is wreaking havoc across Europe. “Indications so [...]
West End laments government Covid messaging as footfall falls flat December 7, 2021 The West End has bemoaned government messaging on Covid as it reported no uptick in footfall last week. New West End Company, which represents 600 brands in the area, said yesterday footfall was still down 30 per cent on pre-pandemic levels. Flat footfall was blamed on “the impact of Government messaging around Omicron,” and tube [...]
Thousands of Tesco distribution workers to strike before Christmas as unions warn of empty shelves December 6, 2021 Thousands of disgruntled Tesco distribution workers across the country are to strike in the run-up to Christmas. Up to 5,000 Tesco workers in the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) could take part in industrial action while some 1,200 workers in union Unite are also preparing to strike. Members of both unions are [...]
Covid: Javid confirms community transmission of Omicron variant in England December 6, 2021 There is now community transmission of the Omicron variant of Covid across “multiple regions of England”, health secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed. Javid said today that there are 335 recorded cases of the variant in the UK, which “includes cases with no links to international travel”, but that there is not enough scientific evidence to [...]
Sainsbury’s tells staff to delay Christmas parties until next year as UK Omicron cases top 300 December 6, 2021 Sainsbury’s staff have been asked to delay their Christmas get-togethers until next year amid fears of staff shortages. The request came following the return of mask rules to shops and public transport networks last week, following the arrival of new coronavirus variant Omicron in the UK. “We have asked all of our teams to postpone [...]
Airlines stocks jump as Omicron concerns are shrugged off December 6, 2021 The shares of several airlines – including British Airways’ owner IAG, Easyjet and Ryanair – jumped today, as a result of carriers shrugging off concerns about the latest Covid variant, Omicron. Evidence showing the mild effects of Omicron, which has not yet caused any deaths, has led to IAG going up to 142.26p from a [...]
West End landlord points to new signings as proof of post-lockdown recovery December 6, 2021 West End landlord Shaftesbury has signed over 60 new retail and leisure brands since October 2020, in a vote of confidence for central London’s post-lockdown recovery Bosses said this interest highlights the speed of the West End’s recovery following the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Some 33 retail brands including American Eagle and Aerie have set [...]
Johnson says no new restrictions needed as top scientist warns people with ‘sniffle’ to stay home December 6, 2021 Boris Johnson has today insisted no new restrictions are needed, despite warnings from a top Covid scientist that people with a “sniffle” should work from home. Johnson this morning said the UK had been “the first country in the world to take decisive measures to tackle Omicron” in the face of criticism that his government [...]