Not going out: sales down 4.5 per cent for pubs, bars and restaurants November 15, 2021 The hospitality sector is struggling to bounce back from Covid-19 as Brits take a cautious attitude to spending post-lockdown. Rolling sales for managed pubs, bars and restaurants are down 4.5 per cent over the past 12 months as the sector continues to be hit hard by supply chain pressures, high energy prices and recruitment issues. [...]
Bank of England leaves rates at record low despite expecting persistent inflation spike November 4, 2021 The Bank of England today decided to scupper a flurry of bets on interest rate hikes and leave them unchanged at a record low. Despite mounting speculation from financial markets, economists and experts, the Old Lady left interest rates at 0.1 per cent and will see through the final leg of its QE programme. The [...]
Inflation ‘pauses for breath’ in September before racing ahead soon October 20, 2021 Inflation “paused for breath” in September before it races ahead at a fiery pace in the coming months. Prices were 3.1 per cent higher than they were a year ago last month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rate of inflation edged back slightly from August’s 3.2 per cent clip and was [...]
London lagging behind rest of Britain in hospitality sales October 18, 2021 Despite an overall booming September trade for Britain’s restaurants, pubs and bars, sales in the capital lagged behind, according to the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker. Britain’s managed restaurants, pubs and bars had their second successive month of year-on-year sales increases, with total sales even up on pre-pandemic levels of September 2019 by eight per [...]
Britain’s economic adjustment only ends in one way October 7, 2021 The ails of the nation’s favourite sausage roll maker are a microcosm of the problems afflicting the UK economy. In a trading update yesterday, high street baker Greggs warned it is suffering from a “supply of ingredients.” A couple months back, it pulled its iconic chicken bite for similar reasons. Severe shortages plaguing the British [...]
UK housing market still steaming despite looming stamp duty break cut off September 29, 2021 The looming end of a watered down tax break on house purchases has not cooled the UK’s rampant housing market, according to official figures released today. Brits took on £21.5bn in mortgage debt last month, up sharply from July’s figure of £16.6bn, shows Bank of England data. A record low interest rate environment has propped [...]
Mayfair revival: Mortons private members’ club sold out of administration September 7, 2021 A Mayfair club once populated by celebrities including Lindsay Lohan and Pippa Middleton has been sold out of administration with plans to reopen next year. Administrators for Berkeley Square’s Mortons Club have sold the building, fixtures and goodwill out of administration after the company ceased to trade in 2020. Graham Bushby and Nick Edwards of [...]
How worker shortages are cleared will determine UK economy’s trajectory September 4, 2021 You would be forgiven for forgetting we are currently amid one of the best runs of economic growth in living memory with all the negative news about supply chain snarl ups, worker shortages and soaring inflation flying around. A slew of data published this week, alongside a raft of announcements from supermarket, retail and food [...]
Weekend Read: Ailing business investment will dampen the economy’s post-Covid prospects August 21, 2021 The good pandemic-related news continued to emerge last week. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics shows output jumped 4.8 per cent in the second quarter of this year, driven by the lifting of Covid restrictions on sectors that rely on face-to-face and social contact to generate income. The services industry – which accounts [...]
End of Euro 2020 dampens retail sales in July August 20, 2021 UK retail sales fell sharply over the last month driven by the end of the Euro 2020 football tournament in July stemming Brits’ spending on food and drink, according to official figures released today. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows retail sales volumes dropped 2.5 per cent between June and July of this [...]