Countryside Properties taps investors for £250m after lockdown July 23, 2020 UK housebuilder Countryside Properties has tapped investors for £250m to strengthen its balance sheet following the coronavirus lockdown. The developer said the funds will pay its revolving credit facility, which will then be used to invest £150m in its partnerships division as well as £100m to strengthen its current balance sheet position. “The fundraising is [...]
Fear of coronavirus likely to ‘drag’ on UK economy, says BoE official July 23, 2020 People’s fear of catching coronavirus is likely to stop them from going out to spend normally and “drag on the economy,” a Bank of England policymaker has said. Jonathan Haskel, a member of the Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC), said the “path of recovery” therefore depends on public and private health measures bringing coronavirus under [...]
Unilever beats sales forecasts as it retains India tea arm July 23, 2020 Unilever beat analyst expectations of a drop in sales in its latest half-year results, it revealed today, as home and food sales offset declines elsewhere, it said today. The consumer goods behemoth beat analyst expectations of a 4.3 per cent drop in underlying sales, posting just a 0.3 per cent decline for the second quarter. [...]
Brits spend £40bn on items to boost mood in lockdown July 23, 2020 Brits have spent £40.6bn on dispensable items during lockdown in a bid to keep themselves entertained while at home. Consumers spent an average of £771.34 each during lockdown, as retailers launched new products to capitalise on the demand for at-home experiences. Londoners spent the most during lockdown, amounting to 2812.26 per person followed by parents [...]
The City View: Andrea Rasca on Mercato Metropolitano July 22, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Today Andy Silvester is joined by Andrea Rasca, the food lover and entrepreneur behind Mercato Metropolitano. They talk about the journey so far – from Milan to Mayfair via the Elephant and Castle – for the food and drink market, his approach to sustainability and ensuring that London remains [...]
Londoners spark online shopping revolution during lockdown July 22, 2020 Londoners have catalysed an online shopping revolution, according to new research, after shoppers in the capital contributed the biggest spike in online sales in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic. A new report by packaging firm DS Smith showed that 62 per cent of 2,000 Londoners surveyed increased their online shopping habits during lockdown, helping [...]
The City View: ‘Charlemagne’ on the EU July 21, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Today Andy Silvester talks to Duncan Robinson, Charlemagne columnist for The Economist. Based in Brussels, Duncan gives us an insight into the changing relationships within the EU now that the UK has left, the role of member states in a post-pandemic world, and the future of continental euroscepticism. Andy [...]
Retail footfall growth slows after Super Saturday rush July 20, 2020 Retail footfall growth slowed last week following the initial rush to high streets when pubs and restaurants reopened. Footfall across all UK retail destinations rose by 4.5 per cent last week from the week before, less than half the rise of the 10.6 per cent jump recorded the previous week. The number of high street [...]
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 [...]
Southbank Centre to slash 400 jobs as coronavirus hammers the arts July 16, 2020 The Southbank Centre, has confirmed 400 jobs are at risk as it enters into talks with staff in an attempt to reduce losses caused by the coronavirus crisis. The UK’s largest arts complex, situated on the River Thames in Waterloo, said that it will make around two thirds of its staff redundant, after months of [...]