London business confidence improves for second consecutive month August 28, 2020 Business confidence in London continued for the second consecutive month as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme provided a boost to the capital’s hospitality industry. The Lloyds Business Barometer, which measures monthly economic trends, found confidence in the capital rose eight points but remains in negative territory, at minus 13 per cent, slightly higher [...]
UK economy: Retail footfall grows but job vacancies flatline August 27, 2020 The UK economy has continued its mixed recovery, with the number of Britons venturing out to the shops rising again but online job adverts staying flat for the third week in a row. Some areas remained in much worse shape than others, with 51 per cent of workers in the art and entertainment sector furloughed, [...]
UK hospitality firms predict 41 per cent drop in summer sales August 27, 2020 UK hospitality firms are predicting a 41 per cent drop in sales over the summer months, although businesses are optimistic that trade will pick up this winter. According to the latest research, six per cent of hospitality and leisure sector companies are confident about growth this summer. However confidence surges in the winter months, with [...]
Shakespeare: Just Eat could deliver on promise thanks to Covid-19 August 26, 2020 Many assumed that food delivery companies would actually benefit from the COVID-19 crisis, as nobody was allowed to eat in restaurants, but some of the biggest players in the market have been struggling during the pandemic. Just Eat has been an exception. The company, which acquired Grubhub in the United States this year, recently reported [...]
Six steps to true racial equality in business August 26, 2020 When we look back at 2020, what will have changed in the business world? I don’t mean social distancing and remote working. I mean actual systemic change: accountability, consequences, promotions, and retention. The combination of coronavirus and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has raised questions about the tech industry’s problem with Black, Asian, and [...]
Back to Business: Merlin Labron-Johnson on how Covid could change hospitality for the better August 22, 2020 We talk to London’s top chefs about how they are dealing with the strange ‘new normal’. This week Merlin Labron-Johnson, chef-founder of Osip, speaks about the silver linings he found during lockdown. Who are you and what do you do? I’m Merlin Labron-Johnson and I’m the chef-owner of a little restaurant called Osip in Bruton, [...]
UK’s public debt pile tops £2 trillion for first time ever August 21, 2020 The UK government’s debt exceeded £2 trillion for the first time in July and is expected to go higher as the Treasury pours unprecedented amounts of stimulus into the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. The debt – the total amount that the government has borrowed and owes – jumped by an enormous £228bn in the [...]
Back to Business – James Cochran on how the pandemic helped him launch a long-planned project August 15, 2020 We talk to London’s top chefs about how they are dealing with the strange ‘new normal’. This week James Cochran speaks about launching a new venture and missing the theatre of service. Who are you? James Cochran, co-owner and executive chef of 12:51, a casual fine dining restaurant in Islington. Around the Cluck is our [...]
Farms and our diets must embrace technological disruption August 14, 2020 Challengers, visionaries and entrepreneurs are turning their focus to the next great technology goal, and it’s one that could save the planet and transform the lives of millions: it’s the advancements in how we source our nutrition. At a time when there is fierce debate around how we build back better, one of the most [...]
Markets live: Wall Street bull run resumes as FTSE 100 pushes higher August 12, 2020 Wall Street continued its winning streak as markets opened this afternoon after the FTSE 100 shrugged off dour UK GDP data to push higher. The blue chip index closed up 2.20 per cent at 6,289 points, marking a three-week high. Traders shrug off recession It comes after official data showed UK GDP shrank 20.4 per [...]