Home comforts: Road trippin’ the west of England September 29, 2020 Think “road trip” and you might think crisscrossing the US on Route 66, or driving through south America. Well, in this topsy-turvy year, both of those are off the cards – but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your kicks closer to home. If anything, the new staycation trend has encouraged some of us to [...]
The government’s short-term ‘cures’ are doing far more damage than the virus itself September 29, 2020 For the best part of this year, our societies have been torn apart by this Covid-19 pandemic. It has thrown challenges to all businesses and all people in almost every country around the world. My home country, Italy, was the first in Europe to see how devastating this virus could be. We all remember those [...]
Exclusive: MPs slam ‘inconsistency and incompetence’ as SMEs struggle to get bounce back loans September 28, 2020 Banks have been told to ensure that no small businesses are “locked out” of government-backed coronavirus loans, after firms were left unable to access the loans despite being eligible for funding. MPs said lenders accredited under the scheme should re-open applications for bounce back loans (BBLs), designed to help small companies weather the pandemic. Barclays [...]
City’s COYA takes brunch to a whole new level September 28, 2020 City hotspot COYA is hoping to introduce some more life to weekends in the Square Mile with a new brunch offering – with three hours of free-flowing Veuve Clicquot the heart of the party. The ‘Warrior Brunch’ sees guests treated to ceviches, canapes, and a host of hearty mains alongside what can only be described [...]
Secret sunspots: the magic of Spain’s hidden beaches September 28, 2020 The staggering beauty of Spain’s beaches is no secret. Each year, thousands of Europeans descend on the country’s sinuous coastline to savour seemingly endless stretches of sand caressed by mesmerising waves. Indeed, there are few better destinations for seaside obsessives. From the rugged shores that meet the Atlantic and the crystal-clear lucidity of the Mediterranean, [...]
FTSE 100 and Wall Street drop as coronavirus fears return September 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 fell today after two consecutive days of climbs as investors’ nerves over the impact of coronavirus on the economy returned. London’s blue-chip stock index fell 1.1 per cent to 5,835 points by the mid-afternoon, while the mid cap FTSE 250 index fell by the same margin. Meanwhile, after a sharp sell-off on [...]
Luke Johnson: 1m employees on furlough face redundancy September 23, 2020 Former Pizza Express boss Luke Johnson has warned that at least a million jobs could be lost in the hospitality industry as the government tightens restrictions. Speaking to BBC Newsnight, the restaurant mogul predicted that if the government cut all subsidies, “of the 3m [on furlough] at least a million, maybe more, will be made [...]
Night-time businesses slam 10pm curfew as ‘devastating’ September 22, 2020 Businesses in the UK’s night-time economy have slammed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a 10pm curfew on venues for up to six months as “devastating”, and warned that it will lead to wide-scale business collapse and unemployment. Boris Johnson today announced a 10pm curfew on all hospitality and leisure venues in England in a bid [...]
Bank and government support to UK firms tops £100bn September 22, 2020 Struggling UK companies have now received more than £100bn worth of support from banks and the government through various coronavirus stimulus schemes, official figures have shown. UK banks have lent out more than £58bn to hard-hit companies through the government-backed coronavirus loan schemes, according to Treasury figures out today. HMRC figures showed that companies have [...]
Coronavirus: Premier Inn owner Whitbread to axe up to 6,000 jobs September 22, 2020 The owner of hotel chain Premier Inn has announced plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs as the coronavirus outbreak continues to ravage the hospitality industry. Whitbread, which also owns the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurant chains, said the figure represents 18 per cent of its total workforce. The FTSE 100-listed firm said the cuts [...]