Councils pile pressure on firms over unpaid business rates during pandemic November 12, 2020 Local authorities have begun to turn up the heat on businesses that have been unable to pay rates bills during the pandemic, with some pursuing claims through the courts. According to property consultancy Colliers International, an increasing number of clients are receiving letters demanding payment or court summons. Office occupiers were not granted a business [...]
Croydon council goes bust and freezes spending as Covid costs bite November 12, 2020 Croydon council has become the first London borough to buckle under the weight of the pandemic, as it today filed a notice declaring it virtually “bankrupt”. In a letter to councillors seen by City A.M, Croydon’s finance director Lisa Taylor outlined “serious issues” facing the borough, including a potential budget shortfall of around £66m this [...]
Transport for London demands £2.9bn to keep Tube service running in 2021 November 11, 2020 TfL demands £2.9bn to keep the Tube and other public transport services running
The Piano Works and Kerb market bosses among those pushing Rishi Sunak to back hospitality investment November 11, 2020 London hospitality firms including The Piano Works, street food market Kerb and bar operator Lollipop have called on the government to incentivise investors to help rebuild the sector without burdening struggling companies with extra debt.
London unemployment rate sees largest rise in a generation November 10, 2020 The number of people out of work in London soared over the summer, with the largest quarterly increase in the unemployment rate in over 30 years. Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show the unemployment rate in the three months to September rose 1.2 per cent from the previous quarter to six per [...]
TfL launches new scheme to curb London bike theft November 10, 2020 TfL will today launch a partnership with British cycling retailer Halfords to encourage Londoners to safely and securely lock up their bikes and reduce the risk of theft.
Exclusive: Ex-Labour mayor defects to Tories over Sadiq Khan’s record on crime November 10, 2020 A former Labour mayor of Islington has defected to the Tories and is campaigning for the party’s mayoral candidate after being disappointed with Sadiq Khan’s handling of violent crime in London. Islington councillor Rakhia Ismail, who was mayor of the London council last year, quit Labour in September alleging she had experienced racism within the [...]
Spending slipped ahead of lockdown but takeaways and web services stayed popular November 10, 2020 Spending slipped ahead of lockdown but takeaways and web services stayed popular
DEBATE: Will Black Friday save the retail industry? November 10, 2020 Will Black Friday save the retail industry? Kam Phullar, lead strategist at Feed Agency, says YES. Occuring during England’s second lockdown, this Black Friday will be an online-only affair. But if brands get it right, 2020 could be the biggest online Black Friday yet, and a step towards saving the retail industry in the long [...]
Keir Starmer backs call to end 10pm pub and restaurant curfew November 9, 2020 Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has reportedly backed calls to end the 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants when the hospitality industry reopens following the ongoing nationwide coronavirus lockdown. The curfew, which forced hospitality businesses to close by 10pm, was criticised for funnelling punters into the streets and onto public transport all at once, making [...]