New tall building at 55 Gracechurch Street approved as developers embrace post-pandemic office trends January 26, 2021 The City of London Corporation has today (26 January) granted planning permission for a 30-storey office-led development in the City Cluster, the Square Mile’s first tall building approval of 2021. The approved Tenacity scheme at 55 Gracechurch Street, located between Monument station and Leadenhall Market, embodies many of the emerging trends for post-pandemic office space [...]
Post-Brexit Special: Business leaders on the challenges of trading with the EU January 26, 2021 Since the start of the year, a raft of new requirements are making life increasingly difficult for UK businesses that trade with the EU. On the surface, frictionless trade should have continued, but as the UK is no longer part of the EU Single Market and Customs Union, companies have been faced with an increased [...]
FTSE 100 closes at three-week low as ministers mull hotel quarantine for arrivals January 25, 2021 FTSE 100 closes at three-week low as ministers mull hotel quarantine for arrivals
Corona Impact Series: How a Bethnal Green confectionery is baking up a storm online January 25, 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. Today: The East London bakery which went entirely digital as the pandemic storm picked up. Before the pandemic, Steph Giordano, the founder of Bethnal Green bakery Baked by Steph, had been baking [...]
Pubs and restaurants struggle to pay rent due to lockdown restrictions January 25, 2021 Commercial landlords collected just 77 per cent of rent in the final quarter, as retail, leisure and hospitality firms struggled under the pressure of lockdown restrictions. The latest research showed that pub, bar and restaurant tenants paid 23 per cent of rent as sales were decimated by Covid-19 restrictions in the crucial Christmas trading period. [...]
Asos shares jump as retailer confirms exclusive talks to buy Topshop January 25, 2021 Shares in Asos jumped more than five per cent this morning after the online retail platform announced it is in exclusive talks to buy Topshop – the jewel in the crown of Sir Philip Green’s collapsed business empire. Asos said this morning that it is in discussions with Deloitte – Arcadia’s administrator – to buy [...]
Boohoo buys Debenhams brand and website for £55m – but stores set to close January 25, 2021 Online retail giant Boohoo has announced it will buy Debenhams’ brand and website for £55m, but will not rescue the high street chain’s stores or jobs. The deal – announced this morning – means Debenhams’ remaining 118 department stores will close down and could result in up to 12,000 job losses. Boohoo said the acquisition [...]
Dr Martens to announce cornerstone investors in £3.5bn London listing January 24, 2021 Iconic footwear brand Dr Martens will launch a £3.5bn London listing tomorrow, with the retailer’s top management set to pocket multimillion-pound payouts. Dr Martens is expected to announce tomorrow that it has secured cornerstone investors when it publishes the prospectus for a share sale ahead of the initial public offering (IPO) next month, The Sunday [...]
London Stock Exchange mulls £300m Covid rescue fund January 23, 2021 The London Stock Exchange is plotting a £300m listed investment vehicle aimed at offering much-needed support to companies hit hard by the pandemic. David Schwimmer, LSE chief executive, has led talks with top City figures and Treasury figures about establishing an investment trust that would list on the index. It is understood the vehicle, dubbed [...]
Retail therapy: How has the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we shop? January 22, 2021 The lifestyle changes from Covid-19 were reflected in where people chose to spend their hard-earned cash in 2020, with local shops, fitness platforms and recipe boxes feeling the benefit of a year in the coronavirus pandemic.