I’ll take two: London UK’s leading no-show hotspot for restaurant bookings July 7, 2021 London has been revealed to be the flakiest city in the UK for ghosting bookings, according to restaurant booking platform TheFork. Under the current restrictions in the hospitality sector, a pandemic-provoked ‘spread booking’ phenomenon has been reported by an increasing number of bars and restaurants. Some customers have been booking a table at more than [...]
Wetherspoons slams government for ‘behaving like Monty Python’s Dennis Moore’ over VAT rates July 7, 2021 Wetherspoons has hit out at the government for what is believes are unfair VAT rates on hospitality businesses, which could make the sector less competitive post-Covid. The pub chain has accused the government of “unfairness” and of ‘robbing the poor to help the rich’ by levying a higher VAT rate on food bought in pub [...]
Mulberry to close Paris store as slashed tourism hits another capital July 6, 2021 Mulberry will close the doors to its Paris store until international tourism returns, the luxury brand said today. Exiting the lease early at its 275 Rue Saint Honoré store, slashed tourism numbers due to pandemic restrictions has seemingly hit Paris much like it has hit London. The brand will bag net proceeds after tax of [...]
New £350m Barking development to see 1,089 riverside homes built July 5, 2021 Weston Homes is building a £350m riverside development in Barking that will see 1,089 new one, two and three bedroom apartments built in the area. Alongside residential space, the new Abbey Quay development will feature 22,281 square feet of commercial and leisure space, which will include a restaurant, local shops, cafes, a gym and a [...]
Behind the scenes at the Decanter World Wine Awards July 2, 2021 There you are, browsing bottles and trying to decide what to buy next, when you notice a sticker telling you that this is a “Decanter World Wine Awards Winner”. Well, we all love a winner, but what does that really mean? And should we care? I went behind the scenes at the Decanter Awards to [...]
Job losses could surge as furlough support reduces from today July 1, 2021 Job losses could surge as furlough support reduces from today
City lawyer Neil Gerrard of Dechert denies allegation he was ‘in rape mode’ June 30, 2021 A top City lawyer alleged to have told colleagues that he was going to “screw” his client for millions of pounds in fees has emphatically denied the claim, telling the High Court it was “utterly ridiculous”. Kazakh mining giant Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) is suing its former lawyer Neil Gerrard for allegedly leaking confidential [...]
Recognising voices: Lessons from Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – targeted violent crime on the rise June 30, 2021 DiverCity® Podcast · The Perspectives of Discrimination and Representation Violent crime targeting Asian people in the US soared by 150% in the US in 2020. The UK has noted a 300% increase in hate crimes against East Asian and Southeast Asian communities since 2020. Tackling this horrific rise in violence means tackling subversive racism and [...]
Restaurant delivery boxes are here to stay: We review 48 of them June 29, 2021 Before the pandemic, most top chefs would have turned their nose up at home delivery services. There’s the lack of control, the logistical nightmare, not to mention the wafer-thin margins. But necessity being the mother of invention has led to dozens of outstanding delivery services, and even with restaurants back open and looking forward to [...]
LIVE: Blaze in Elephant & Castle under control, roads in area reopened June 28, 2021 Station commander James Ryan just told City A.M. the huge fire at Elephant & Castle train station is under control, nearly four hours after it started. Dozens of police and ambulance crews were still on the scene at 7.15pm this evening. The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated, he added. The [...]