Last orders: 21 pubs closed every day during coronavirus pandemic March 19, 2021 Almost 21 pubs and bars have closed each day since the first coronavirus lockdown was imposed last year, according to figures published today. Britain has 7,592 fewer licensed premises than it did before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, with independent pubs and bars hit the hardest by the restrictions on trading. Closures accelerated in January and [...]
Covid-19 vaccine shortage: India manufacturing shortfall will delay 1.7m doses to the UK March 18, 2021 A spike in demand for vaccines from a manufacturer in India will leave a hole of more than 1.7m vaccine doses in the UK’s vaccine supplies over the coming months. A shipment of 1.7m doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine expected from the Serum Institute of India has been held up by four weeks, the health [...]
Enjoy a day at the races from your own living room with Fitzdares March 18, 2021 If you’ve already turned a pile of pocket change into a sizable slice of pie at Cheltenham this week, bookmaker-cum-luxury members’ club Fitzdares has a perfect way to treat yourself, while emulating the experience of being at the races. The Cheltenham At Home Hamper is filled with goodies usually available at the iconic races, including [...]
Fever Tree maintains fizz as home sales bubble up March 18, 2021 A very strong performance from its off-trade division prevented mixer maker Fever Tree’s revenues going flat this year, the firm said this morning. With the collapse of its hospitality sales – or “on-trade” – division, which historically accounted for 45 per cent of the firm’s revenues, due to the pandemic, the company may have been [...]
UK on course to meet vaccine targets despite ‘lumps and bumps’ in supply, says minister March 18, 2021 Britain is on course to meet its vaccination targets despite major “lumps and bumps” in supplies expected over the next few months, the housing minister has said. The UK will see a “significant reduction” in Covid-19 vaccine supplies from 29 March onward, a letter from the NHS to local vaccination centres revealed yesterday. The NHS [...]
Best of travel: Why Toronto beats New York for a city break March 17, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. Today we revisit Siobhan Grogan’s trip to the premier North American city break destination: Toronto. ••• As the cab from the airport inched forward in nose to tail traffic towards the distinctive skyline in the distance, I [...]
Insolvencies fell to two-year low in February March 17, 2021 The number of company insolvencies last month stood at 686, the lowest monthly number recorded since January 2019. Figures released by the government’s Insolvency Service found the number of company insolvencies in February 2021 was 49 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. February 2020 marked the month before the UK [...]
Begbies Traynor boss on pandemic insolvencies: ‘The worst is yet to come’ March 16, 2021 Begbies Traynor boss on pandemic insolvencies: 'The worst is yet to come'
Covid: Antibody levels hit fresh record as one in three people in England show immunity March 16, 2021 One in three people in England are estimated to have coronavirus antibodies either from past infection or vaccination, according to the latest official figures. The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) latest infection survey showed that almost 35 per cent of the English population tested positive for antibodies on a blood test in the 28 days [...]
Government signs deals for 200m rapid Covid tests ahead of lockdown lifting March 15, 2021 The government has signed deals with two British companies to supply 200m rapid Covid-19 tests ahead of plans to roll out a “mass testing blitz” once lockdown restrictions are lifted. The Department of Health announced it has inked agreements with Scotland-based Omega Diagnostics and Bedforshire-headquartered Global Access Diagnostics to produce the tests, which have a [...]