London lockdown: Will the City’s small businesses survive new restrictions? October 15, 2020 Small firms in the City of London have spent the summer in lockdown trying to survive and adapt to the government’s coronavirus regulations. Pubs, shoe repair shops, barbers, dry cleaners and cafes have battled to survive the initial forced closure during lockdown, followed by a sharp decline in City footfall as most office workers remained [...]
London Tory MPs call for extra support for businesses facing Tier 2 restrictions October 15, 2020 A growing number of London’s Conservative MPs are calling for the government to extend more financial support to businesses dealing with Tier 2 restrictions as Boris Johnson faces a growing backbench rebellion. The capital will be moved into the Tier 2 Covid category on Saturday, meaning social mixing between households will be banned indoors. The [...]
London, Essex and parts of Surrey to enter Tier 2 lockdown restrictions October 15, 2020 London, Essex and Elmbridge are set to move to Tier 2 from midnight tomorrow, meaning the capital will be shift from “medium” to “high” alert. Care minister Helen Whately told London MPs this morning that London will move from Tier 1 to Tier 2 on Friday night into Saturday. The new restrictions mean a ban [...]
Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore spots expansion opportunities in coronavirus chaos October 15, 2020 Fulham Shore, the owner of restaurant chains Franco Manca and The Real Greek, is eyeing expansion due to the low rents and empty venues caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said this morning that “the future looks promising” as more sites become available and with rents “likely to be falling for the next few [...]
Nightclub owner Deltic seeks buyer as Covid-19 dances up a storm October 14, 2020 The UK’s largest nightclub operator has kicked off an urgent hunt for fresh funding as it faces potential collapse due to the coronavirus pandemic. Deltic Group, which owns brands including Pryzm and Atik, has hired accountancy firm BDO to explore options for the company, including finding new investors. Founded in 2011, Deltic employs 2,000 people [...]
Mayor 2.0: London deserves a leader who can punch at the capital’s weight October 14, 2020 It’s more than 20 years now since we saw the creation of an elected mayor of London with executive power over the whole city. Devised at a time of widespread devolution, public response to the role was lukewarm, with only around a third of voters bothering to express a preference either way. It was somehow [...]
More than half of London businesses ‘are not prepared’ for local lockdown October 13, 2020 Almost 60 per cent of London businesses have no plan in place for a local lockdown, according to new research, as the London mayor today warned the capital could see tighter restrictions within the next few days. Only 41 per cent of companies in the capital currently have a plan in place to deal with [...]
Sadiq Khan says new London Covid restrictions this week are ‘inevitable’ October 13, 2020 Sadiq Khan has said new Covid restrictions in London are now “inevitable” just a day after the capital was put into the lowest risk category by the government. Khan said today that all the vital indicators show London is certain to be put into the tier two category within days, meaning the capital would be [...]
Mayor warns London faces new restrictions ‘very soon’ October 12, 2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that the capital faces fresh lockdown restrictions “very soon” to quell a rapid rise in infections. Khan said it is “highly likely” that Londoners will face further measures to stem the spread of the virus ”because cases are rising so quickly across the city”. It comes as the number [...]
Rishi Sunak extends furlough scheme for businesses facing lockdown October 9, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the furlough scheme for six months for businesses across the UK required to close under local lockdowns, as further restrictions loom ahead for parts of England. Sunak today said the government will pay two thirds of employees’ salaries to businesses forced to shutter under fresh lockdown measures. Firms whose premises [...]