Leading business figures call on Sunak to slash taxes to return to 90s growth October 5, 2020 Leading business figures have backed calls from the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) for the government to implement similar policies to those that contributed to the best period of economic growth in recent history. These include slashing and streamlining taxes in order to build a “bright future”. Wetherspoons founder Tim Martin, JP Morgan VP Laurence [...]
High rents force three in four hospitality businesses to consider restructure or insolvency October 5, 2020 73% of London-based hospitality and leisure operators are considering a restructure or insolvency as a result of the economic impact of the ongoing pandemic. Advisory firm Cedar Dean, which surveyed 230 hospitality and leisure businesses with around 2,000 venues across the UK, found that rental obligations are currently the most pressing issue. 86% of London-based [...]
Pub chain Fuller’s to axe one in 10 jobs with London facing biggest cuts September 30, 2020 The head of pub chain Fuller’s has revealed at least 10 per cent of his around 5,000 staff are facing redundancy. Simon Emeny said the government’s decision to encourage people to work from home where possible will hit Fuller’s city-centre pubs hardest and result in job losses. “We are doing everything possible to minimise that, [...]
More than 100 pubs and restaurants warn PM of ‘bleakest of winters’ without urgent support September 29, 2020 More than 100 hospitality firms, including JD Wetherspoon, Young’s and Cafe Nero, have written to the Prime Minister warning that many businesses will not survive “this bleakest of winters”, resulting in mass job losses, unless more is done to help the sector. In a letter to Boris Johnson, businesses such as Fuller’s, Greene King and [...]
JD Wetherspoon to cut 450 jobs at airport pubs September 22, 2020 JD Wetherspoon today said it will cut roughly 450 jobs from six of its airport pubs due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The job cuts will impact staff at the chain’s pubs at Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. In a letter to staff, seen by PA, the budget boozer [...]
FTSE 100 and US stocks plunge amid coronavirus lockdown fears September 21, 2020 A horrible start to the week saw the FTSE 100 suffer its worst day since June as worries over rising coronavirus cases combined with a financial scandal to cause chaos in the City. London’s blue-chip index plunged 3.5 per cent to 5,800 points just before the close, having started the day above 6,000. The FTSE [...]
JD Wetherspoon reveals 66 staff test positive for coronavirus after pubs reopen September 14, 2020 JD Wetherspoon has revealed that 66 employees have tested positive for coronavirus since it reopened its pubs in July but insisted that its venues are safe. The pub chain said many of the cases were mild or asymptomatic, and that 28 members of staff have returned to work after self-isolating. The company, which employs 41,564 [...]
We are on the precipice of a price war, and the losers will be workers September 11, 2020 James Reed argues that nobody stands to gain from a price war in the long run – least of all Britain’s workers. Over 100m meals were claimed on the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme last month, but the end of the measure on 31 August has left businesses in the hospitality sector split [...]
Eat Out to Help Out: What happens when the restaurant discount scheme ends? August 26, 2020 Queues formed outside restaurants and reservations were booked up weeks in advance as Brits ventured out of lockdown to make the most of discounted meals this month. More than 64m meals have been claimed using the government’s offer to cover half the bill during August, with restaurants toasting a much needed pick-up in sales after [...]
More than 64m meals claimed under Eat Out to Help Out scheme August 25, 2020 More than 64m discounted meals have been claimed under the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme to encourage diners to visit cafes, pubs and restaurants following the coronavirus lockdown. The jump continues the upward trend, which saw 10.5m meals claimed in the first week that the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme was launched, [...]