Back to Business: Jason Atherton on how he dealt with lockdown and how his empire will strike back July 24, 2020 In the first of a new series of how chefs are dealing with the strange ‘new normal’ we now find ourself in, Jason Atherton talks about the chaos covid caused to his supply chain, and the silver lining of getting to spend time with his newborn daughter. Remind us who you are I’m a Michelin [...]
Pub and restaurant sales jump in second week of trading July 24, 2020 Pub, bar and restaurant sales started to improve in the second week after lockdown was lifted as more sites reopened, the latest research showed. Hospitality businesses in England were allowed to reopen from 4 July as the coronavirus lockdown was eased, but sales jumped in the week beginning 13 July as more venues opened and [...]
Counting the human cost of Covid — and of leaving small business owners behind July 23, 2020 The daily lists of cases, tests and R numbers tell a tale of the scale of the Covid-19 crisis, but they don’t always explain the full story of the cost on people’s lives. ACCA and the Corporate Finance Network (CFN) are running a tracker poll among accountancy firms representing more than 22,000 small businesses to [...]
Talk Talk shares slip as coronavirus eats into revenue July 21, 2020 Talk Talk shares slipped just under two per cent this morning, after the British telecoms firm reported a slip in revenue in the three months to 30 June, as Brits switched traditional phone calls for video chats during lockdown. The internet firm reported an eight per cent slump in headline revenue to £358m, down from [...]
Keep shopping like you did during lockdown July 20, 2020 No, not stockpiling. Nobody wants more stockpiling. But in other ways, lockdown has changed how we shop for the better — and there are valuable lessons we should all learn from this period of disruption. Over the years we’ve grown accustomed to easy access to a huge variety of food. We’re not typically too concerned [...]
Reopened restaurants in London: A new regular round-up of the latest food news July 17, 2020 Coronavirus may have shuttered the food industry since lockdown was announced, but the restaurant business is bouncing back, with dozens of our favourite places to eat reopening every day. In this new column, we’ll bring you the latest news from the front-line of the food business, complete with all the details you need to book [...]
The Friday Interview: Fortnum’s looks to the future July 17, 2020 It’s an iconic London brand, but like the rest of the capital, Fortnum & Mason was hit by the Covid-19 lockdown. We catch up with the store’s Retail & Hospitality Director Simon Thompson – who tells us that while it’s all a little different, loyal customers still have smiles on their faces. Fortnum & Mason [...]
Ikea launches vegetarian meatball in climate crusade July 16, 2020 Vegetarians will now be able to try Ikea’s iconic meatballs after the Swedish giant announced it would launch a vegetarian version of the classic food. From 3 August, customers will be able to buy the new creation, named “plant balls”, which Ikea said were a “more sustainable” take on one of its best-loved products. Made [...]
Retail footfall growth doubles as consumers return to high streets July 13, 2020 Retail footfall growth more than doubled last week as consumers visited high street cafes, pubs and restaurants after lockdown restrictions were eased. Footfall across all UK retail destinations rose by 10.6 per cent last week compared to the week before. During the previous week footfall grew just 4.1 per cent, according to the latest research [...]
Most Brits still ‘uncomfortable’ dining out in restaurants July 10, 2020 Most Brits are still uncomfortable with sitting indoors at a restaurant due to fears over the spread of coronavirus, according to a new survey. Alongside pubs and bars, restaurants were allowed to reopen on 4 July after months in lockdown. But the latest survey by the Office for National Statistics found that six in 10 [...]