Shop staff fear abuse and Covid infection after government ‘flip-flopping’ on mask policy January 19, 2022 Retail workers have called on the government to reconsider its plans to scrap the requirement for shoppers to wear face masks. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the end of England’s plan B Covid restrictions yesterday. Mandatory mask rules will be scrapped next Wednesday. Retail trade union the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) [...]
Yorkshire hire World Cup winning former West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson January 19, 2022 Yorkshire have appointed former West Indies and South Africa head coach Ottis Gibson on a three-year contract starting next month. Gibson, who also had a stint as England bowling coach, is set to become only the second black head coach in the history of county cricket. He replaces Andrew Gale, who was among 16 people [...]
Russia has caught our attention, now Putin’s threat in Ukraine will be tested January 19, 2022 Since the spring of last year, Russia has amassed military forces near Ukraine’s border. Estimates vary on the size of these forces, but most analysts believe that somewhere in the realm of 100,000 military personnel have been deployed, with perhaps more held in reserve. Given the composition of these units, their capabilities are not in [...]
The world in 2022: a map to global politics January 19, 2022 In 2022 the fault lines of global politics will be tested again. City A.M. and the British Foreign Policy Group chart the year ahead. If the pandemic taught us anything, it is the deep ramifications that one country’s domestic politics have globally. From the future of the French President to continual Chinese aggression, here we [...]
Rail operators scrap hundreds of trains amid Covid-induced staff shortages January 16, 2022 Several railway operators – including Avanti West Coast and South Western Railway (SWR) – were forced to introduce a reduced timetable as a result of Covid-induced staff shortages. SWR announced last week that from Monday 17 journey planners will be adjusted on a weekly basis, with updates being communicated at the end of each week, [...]
Central London continues to feel impact of Plan B measures January 10, 2022 Central London has suffered another blow to its recovery as shoppers stay away from the city’s retail hotspots. Footfall in the West End and other areas dropped by more than a quarter (25.6 per cent) last week compared to the week before. “With employees continuing to work from home the drop in footfall in Central [...]
The best upcoming art, film and theatre to see in London in 2022 January 7, 2022 Despite Covid uncertainty, London’s cultural scene is set for a jam-packed opening to 2022. We collect our top picks for the first few months of the year. Theatre The Collaboration, Young Vic The last few years have seen blockbuster London retrospectives of both Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. In this new play starring Paul Bettany [...]
House prices hit record high of £276k as slower growth forecast for 2022 January 7, 2022 House prices increased by more than £24,500 last year, the largest annual cash rise since March 2003. The average UK property price reached a new record high of £276,091 in 2021, rising 9.8 per cent, according to Halifax’s House Price Index. Once more, London was the weakest performing region for annual inflation by long way [...]
Try, try and try again is the mantra when solving business and political dilemmas January 7, 2022 In 2003, start-up fever on the West Coast of the US was like a new Gold Rush. Investors chasing ideas were throwing money in the hope of magical returns. Part of this rush was based on faith and some of the investors believed tall tales when they should have dug harder to find gold. That [...]
Sadiq Khan hits out at rail union over planned six-month Tube strike January 6, 2022 Sadiq Khan has hit out at the UK’s largest rail union for its planned Tube strike tomorrow, saying that the long-term industrial action will “cause further devastation” for London’s economy. London Underground staff from the The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) will walk off the job on Friday and Saturday evenings [...]