50 days after the Ever Given blocked the Suez canal, supply chains still have not recovered May 12, 2021 On the 29th of March, tug boats and dredgers freed the Ever Given from the banks of the Suez Canal. In just six days the blockage obstructed over $60 billion of global trade, sending disruptive ripples to every corner of the world. The beached container ship, weighing in at 220,000 tonnes and longer than the [...]
High Court gives Virgin Active CVA green light in further blow for landlords May 12, 2021 Landlords have lost their legal challenge against Virgin Active’s restructuring plan, in the second high profile defeat for commercial property owners this week. Today’s High Court judgement will come as a further blow to landlords hoping to challenge tenants over Company Voluntary Arrangements. It comes after the court gave New Look the green light to [...]
As economies reopen, inflation fears return with a vengeance May 12, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 is on course for its worst day in three weeks this afternoon amid inflation concerns. Inflation has never really been away. It’s been a central theme that has dominated conversations among economists, analysts and bankers over the past few months, and more specifically, the possibility that it is about to take off. [...]
46 of the best London home delivery restaurant kits reviewed May 11, 2021 Restaurants with terraces may be open again, but bagging a reservation is another matter. With the best part of a year’s worth of pent up demand, that outdoor space is at a premium and those who don’t book ahead are likely to be disappointed. But don’t panic: you can get restaurant quality food delivered straight [...]
Sadiq Khan unveils huge London tourism campaign after reelection May 10, 2021 Sadiq Khan has today pledged to launch the “biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen” following his reelection as London mayor. In a speech at Shakespeare’s Globe this morning Khan will unveil the new Let’s Do London campaign in bid to kickstart the city’s economy as Covid-19 restrictions are eased. The domestic tourism [...]
Wendy’s plots UK launch in 12,000-job burger boost May 9, 2021 American fast food chain Wendy’s is plotting a return to the UK in a move that will create more than 12,000 jobs. The burger chain is opening its first store in Reading next month and is eyeing as many as 400 sites. The company, which will compete with Burger King and McDonalds, pulled out of [...]
Covid prevalence drops across England with 1 in 1,180 infected May 7, 2021 The prevalence of Covid-19 infections in England has fallen for the fourth week in a row, although the decline has slowed alongside widespread easing of lockdown restrictions across the country. Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 1 in 1,180 people in England were estimated to have been infected with coronavirus [...]
HMRC’s fraud hotline inundated with 91,000 calls in first nine months of pandemic May 6, 2021 HMRC’s fraud hotline received more than 91,000 calls during the first nine months of the pandemic, with concerns about furlough fraud likely to be behind many of the calls. On average 10,000 calls per month were made to HMRC’s hotline from April to December 2020, according to HMRC figures, an increase of around 1,000 calls [...]
Mayor of London election: What did the candidates say about the City of London? May 6, 2021 Londoners are heading to the polls today to decide who their next mayor will be. The pandemic has been particularly hard for the City, with workers, tourists and other visitors vanishing as lockdowns were imposed. Shops, restaurants, and pubs all had to pull their shutters down and offices emptied. Let’s take a look at what [...]
‘Freedom day’: Pub bosses wipe down the bar for a 21 June return May 5, 2021 The UK’s pub bosses are wiping the bar down for a June return, coined “freedom day”, urging prime minister Boris Johnson to stick to his roadmap for the easing of restrictions. JD Wetherspoon, Greene King, Slug & Lettuce owner Stonegate and Young’s have all expressed their intentions for a 21 June return of bar service, [...]