Little ‘Christmas cheer’ as UK consumer confidence falls November 20, 2020 New coronavirus restrictions and rising cases knocked UK consumer confidence in November, a survey has shown, as people became more gloomy about their future economic health. The closely watched consumer confidence index from researcher GfK fell two points to minus 33 in November, its lowest reading since June. Britain’s economy has been hit particularly hard [...]
Israel and Sri Lanka added to quarantine free travel corridors list November 19, 2020 Israel and Sri Lanka are among nine countries to have been added to the UK’s travel corridor list, meaning that people can travel to them without quarantining on return. The other countries added to the list are Namibia, Rwanda, Uruguay, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands. It [...]
Toy stores demand to reopen or risk ‘allowing Covid to steal Christmas’ November 19, 2020 Toy stores have urged the Prime Minister to allow their shops to open as essential businesses during lockdown, or risk allowing “Covid to steal Christmas”. In a letter to Boris Johnson, toy industry chiefs warned that without bricks and mortar trade during November and December many stores will be forced to close permenantly. British Toy [...]
Covid cases in England spike as rapid testing picks up pace November 19, 2020 Coronavirus cases in England hiked 11 per cent in England last week, NHS Test and Trace said today, as the government rolled out rapid Covid tests across the country. Test and Trace reported 167,369 confirmed coronavirus cases between 5 November and 11 November, up 11 per cent on the previous week. London saw an average [...]
Government to set out post-lockdown plan next week November 19, 2020 The government will set out a plan for exiting England’s month-long lockdown next week, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson has said. Boris Johnson has repeatedly vowed the country will return to a “regional tiered approach” when lockdown restrictions are due to expire on 2 December. However, head of Public Health England Dr Susan Hopkins earlier this [...]
UK manufacturing orders drop as near-term outlook darkens November 19, 2020 Britain’s manufacturers suffered a fall in orders in November as governments tightened coronavirus restrictions in a bid to halt the rapid spread of coronavirus, a survey has shown. The CBI’s monthly measure of manufacturing order books fell to a score of minus 40 in November. It had picked up sharply to minus 34 in October, [...]
Asian stocks mixed as investors weigh ‘virus vs. vaccine’ November 19, 2020 Asian stocks were mixed as investors weighed up rising coronavirus cases and new measures to curb them with hopes that a vaccine could soon be ready. Equities fell in Japan by 0.5 per cent after Tokyo warned about a record rise in daily coronavirus cases. The warning prompted fears that further restrictions could soon be [...]
Editorial: Christmas plans expose Government’s lack of strategy November 18, 2020 Only a true Scrooge would begrudge the Government’s reported plans to open up the country for a Christmas spectacular. But, well, here we are. Such a move betrays the fundamental lack of thought at the heart of the Government’s strategy – or lack thereof. The plan, as we understand it, is to allow for household [...]
Hospitality: 96,000 firms to close next year without reform to tier system November 18, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic could force around 96,000 hospitality firms out of business next year, industry trade bodies have warned. A survey of British Beer & Pub Association, British Institute of Innkeeping and UK Hospitality members found that 72 per cent of firms expect to become unviable and close in 2021. Firms said the tiering system [...]
People gain ‘not a lot’ from wearing face masks: Danish study November 18, 2020 Wearing a mask does not fully protect against coronavirus, a major study has found, as pressure mounts on ministers to set out a strategy for easing lockdown restrictions across the country. A Danish study of more than 6,000 participants published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has found that masks are only “50 per cent [...]