Restart grants: Councils urged to release money ‘at pace’ as £5bn fund launches April 1, 2021 Councils have been urged to release new grant funding to business owners “as soon as possible” to help boost the economy. From today eligible businesses will be able to receive up to £18,000 as part of the government’s £5bn restart grants scheme. In a letter, local authorities have been told by government ministers to “press [...]
Crypto firm Luno appoints new CFO March 31, 2021 Leading global cryptocurrency operation Luno has appointed banking veteran Alwyn Jones as Chief Financial Officer.
London business confidence ticks up in first quarter of 2021 March 31, 2021 Business confidence in London improved during the first three months of 2021, after reaching its lowest point since the 2008 global financial crisis. A new survey by Savanta ComRes/the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has revealed that 29 per cent of business leaders in the first quarter of 2021 said London’s economic prospects will [...]
City Moves: Who is switching jobs in the Square Mile this week? March 31, 2021 Snakes and Ladders provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every Wednesday afternoon. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured. Covatic appoints ex-BBC strategy head London-based start-up tech company Covatic has hired an ex-BBC veteran as its chief product officer. Daniel Pike joins the company, which aims to improve in-app consumer engagement, at [...]
Ex-Greene King boss buys 42 pubs including London venues from Stonegate March 30, 2021 Redcat Pub Company, the firm led by former Greene King boss Rooney Anand, has bought 42 venues from Stonegate. The company announced today that 50 per cent of the managed pubs are in prime London areas, in a vote of confidence in the capital’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. It said the estate consists of [...]
The Indian wine market is hotting up: Meet the makers March 30, 2021 At last count, there were 17,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, but only a fraction of a fraction with anything approaching an Indian wine list. Now, the UK has its first Indian wine specialist offering a range of premium bottles curated by India’s first and so far only official Master of Wines. Wines in India, [...]
Post-Brexit: City investors look beyond Europe as bounce back optimism grows March 30, 2021 Investors searching for stronger returns post-Brexit are increasingly zooming in on the Far East, with Japan and China currently being the most attractive markets for UK investors. According to new data that City-based bank and brokerage firm Charles Schwab shared with City A.M. this morning, around 68 per cent of investors in a recent survey [...]
Central London pubs and restaurants prepare to welcome back punters with new al fresco options March 29, 2021 Pubs and restaurants are gearing up to welcome workers and visitors back to Central London next month, with preparations underway to create more outdoor seating areas. The City of London’s Leadenhall Market today revealed plans for some of its tenants to reopen from 12 April, with others following in May. Meanwhile, in the West End, [...]
Corona Impact Series: A Chelsea jeweller conveys her message of bling via Zoom and Bing March 29, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks at the financial and economic impact of the ongoing pandemic on a range of small and medium-sized businesses across London. This week: How three lockdowns forced an upmarket jewellery chain to convey a personal message of bling via Zoom and Bing. The accelerated shift to digital has been the theme of the [...]
Bond investors and sustainability: is it all greenwash? March 29, 2021 With issuance of green, social and sustainability bonds expected to hit a record $650 billion this year, Schroders’ Head of Sustainable Credit Saida Eggerstedt tackles the topic of greenwashing. “We are in a boom era for borrowing linked to sustainability criteria,” according to Saida Eggerstedt, Schroders’ Head of Sustainable Credit. In 2020, the global issuance [...]