UK businesses plan to cut jobs and investment, survey shows October 8, 2020 UK businesses expect to cut staff levels and investment over the next year, according to a new survey, with the outlook “stuck in the doldrums”. The Institute of Directors’ (IoD) survey showed that bosses’ optimism about the economy plateaued in September, having risen since the coronavirus-induced lockdowns of the spring. The UK economy shrunk by [...]
London Cocktail Week: The events and takeovers keep coming October 7, 2020 London Cocktail Week has burst into life and the fun won’t stop as the festival continues for the rest of October. City A.M. takes a look at the best events, takeovers and bars that you shouldn’t miss. Access to all the events requires a London Cocktail Week wristband, priced at £15 – a bargain at [...]
Land of plenty: the mesmerising appeal of Spain October 7, 2020 There are few countries that rival the culture, heritage and lively vivaciousness of Spain. A destination where the holy trinity of food, friends and family form the foundations for happy living, no one is more dedicated to the joy and thrill of having a good time than the Spanish. That zest for life has a [...]
Nicola Sturgeon slaps indoor booze ban on Scotland October 7, 2020 Nicola Sturgeon has banned the sale of alcohol indoors in Scotland’s hospitality venues for 16 days in a bid to curb a second spike in Covid. From Friday, hospitality venues will only be able to open indoors between 6am and 6pm, and will not be able to serve alcohol in these settings. Hospitality venues in [...]
Greene King to close pubs as 10pm curfew cripples sales October 7, 2020 Pub chain Greene King is preparing to permanently close 26 sites, putting hundreds of jobs at risk of redundancy, due to a sharp drop in sales exacerbated by the 10pm curfew on hospitality venues. It has launched a consultation process with 800 employees over the potential job cuts, Sky News reported. The company is seeking [...]
England’s 10pm curfew may be scrapped as government delays vote October 6, 2020 The future of England’s 10pm curfew is in doubt, with the government being forced to delay a parliamentary vote in the face of growing backbench opposition. A group of prominent backbench Tory MPs met today to discuss the prospect of rebelling against the government and voting against confirming England’s 10pm curfew on pubs, bars and [...]
Sicilian Kiss: Escaping to the pearl of the Ionian Sea October 6, 2020 The weekend The criteria for a weekend away have changed in recent months. On top of the usual considerations — weather, journey time, food, culture — travellers must now think about a host of Covid factors. How successfully is a country suppressing infections? Are there any entry requirements that might catch out visitors at the [...]
Watches of Switzerland shares soar as it clocks strong sales during pandemic October 6, 2020 Watches of Switzerland has raised its full-year expectations after the company saw sales jump 20 per cent over the last quarter, sending shares up almost 23 per cent in morning trading. Revenue at the luxury watchmaker beat expectations over the 10 weeks to 25 October, hiking 20.2 per cent year on year to £202.7m. The [...]
Wagamama and Frankie & Benny’s owner TRG sees central London pub and restaurant sales collapse October 6, 2020 Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's owner TRG sees central London pub and restaurant sales collapse
Deliveroo appoints Goldman Sachs to oversee London float October 5, 2020 Deliveroo has appointed Goldman Sachs to oversee its long-awaited London flotation, according to reports, in a move that would value the UK food delivery company at more than £2bn. The Amazon-backed startup is expected to debut on the London stock market next year following discussions with the investment banking firm, Sky News reported. Deliveroo declined [...]