Suburban takeover: Pret sets out plans for more than 200 new shops – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 Sandwich chain Pret a Manger has announced plans to open more than 200 UK shops in the next two years, as it aims to become more than a “white collar worker’s staple”. The business hopes to double its size within five years, with a £100m net investment by JAB and Pret founder Sinclair Beecham to [...]
West Midlands’ transport system will follow London’s lead – CityAM : CityAM September 22, 2021 While Westminster was abuzz with all the reshuffle gossip last week, my eyes were immediately drawn to the renewed focus on the levelling up agenda. With a new high-profile cabinet minister in place and a re-named department, it is clear the Prime Minister is intent on delivering the vision he laid out in his speech [...]
Editorial: Transport for London needs a funding model fit for a modern capital September 22, 2021 On the tube, mind the gap is supposed to be a cautionary warning for absent-minded tourists. Alas over the course of the pandemic it’s become something rather more serious – a constant, if pithy, reminder of the black hole at the heart of Transport for London’s finances. London is a great global city, but the [...]
Mind the funding gap: Can the TfL boss secure London’s Tube network’s future? September 21, 2021 It’s only September, but one date is very much etched in the mind of Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner Andy Byford: 11 December. That’s when TfL’s latest £1bn funding package runs out, the third short-term deal the government has bestowed on the capital’s transport network, despite repeated pleas for a multi-year settlement instead. And although [...]
Lime: The e-scooter firm looking to make the car obsolete September 21, 2021 London has seen many changes over the last 18 months. Some of these may not last long, now that life is heading back to normality, but others feel like they could be set to stay. Perhaps the most obvious of these have been the changes made to the very fabric of the capital, which has [...]
London taxi giant Addison Lee goes fully electric by pumping £160m in 4,000 cars September 21, 2021 London’s largest taxi company, Addison Lee, has pledged it will operate only electric vehicles from 2023. The London firm said it is investing £160m to shift its 4,000-strong fleet to electric. This will involve putting 200 Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles on the capital’s roads every month from November. The commitment is the largest single order of [...]
Financial services were forgotten by Brexit and London deserves better September 21, 2021 I have always been optimistic about London’s ability to bounce back from the terrible economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The good news is my optimism was well founded – as we’re already seeing many positive signs. Our “Let’s Do London” campaign is working, enticing Londoners and visitors back to experience all that central London [...]
National Express exploring takeover of rival Stagecoach – CityAM : CityAM September 21, 2021 National Express has confirmed reports that it is looking into a possible takeover of its fellow transport heavyweight Stagecoach. The British bus operator has started discussions around buying out its Scottish rival, the UK’s largest bus operator. Also Read: All new London buses to be zero-emission Mayor says Stagecoach shares rose by almost 90 per [...]
Payment giant Eurowag moves ahead with £170m London IPO September 20, 2021 Eurowag, a pan-European payments & mobility platform, has announced that it will float on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The company, which focuses on the commercial road transportation sector, hopes to raise €200m (£171m) from the move, to fund its expansion plans. The payments platform company will, it said, target “certain institutional investors”. Eurowag also [...]
UK tech: Record raise of £13.5bn pushes number of British unicorns to 105 September 20, 2021 The UK tech sector raised £13.5bn in the first six months of this year, almost three times more than the same period a year ago, according to new data. As a result, the number of British unicorns has jumped to 105. Companies including fintech giant Revolut, online video conference business Hopin and online car sales [...]