Where to eat in London: Old favourites reopening and new places to check out August 29, 2020 Coronavirus may have shuttered the food industry for months, but the business is bouncing back, with more of our favourite places to eat and drink reopening every day, and some new ones joining them too. In this regular column, we’ll bring you the latest news from the front-line of the food business, complete with the [...]
Back to Business: Merlin Labron-Johnson on how Covid could change hospitality for the better August 22, 2020 We talk to London’s top chefs about how they are dealing with the strange ‘new normal’. This week Merlin Labron-Johnson, chef-founder of Osip, speaks about the silver linings he found during lockdown. Who are you and what do you do? I’m Merlin Labron-Johnson and I’m the chef-owner of a little restaurant called Osip in Bruton, [...]
Back to Business – James Cochran on how the pandemic helped him launch a long-planned project August 15, 2020 We talk to London’s top chefs about how they are dealing with the strange ‘new normal’. This week James Cochran speaks about launching a new venture and missing the theatre of service. Who are you? James Cochran, co-owner and executive chef of 12:51, a casual fine dining restaurant in Islington. Around the Cluck is our [...]
Government coronavirus business loans total nears £52bn August 11, 2020 The government has lent nearly £52bn to businesses via its emergency coronavirus loans funding schemes as companies try to weather the pandemic-triggered downturn. Data released by the Treasury today showed the total lent to businesses had hit £51.7bn by 9 August. The bounce back loan scheme (BBLS) accounted for £34.96bn with 1,157,296 facilities approved and [...]
Let’s give our SMEs all the help they need to expand overseas — by tackling unfair payment charges August 7, 2020 Coronavirus has changed our lives, there’s no denying that. But it’s also changed the way a huge number of businesses operate on a daily basis. We’re not just seeing SMEs cope with new track and trace systems and social distancing rules. They’re revolutionising the way they make money, moving operations online, and even going cashless [...]
We’ve relaxed the rules for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to give our smallest firms a chance July 30, 2020 Our government-backed loan schemes have been a demonstration of what can happen when banks, the government and businesses work together. In a time of extreme disruption and uncertainty, we got much-needed support out to businesses when they needed it most. This protected jobs and livelihoods, and meant that when we were able to start safely [...]
Treasury tells banks to boost coronavirus lending after rule change July 30, 2020 The Treasury has told banks they should be lending more to struggling companies through the main coronavirus loan scheme after changes to EU state aid rules come into effect today. European Union rules had meant some viable British firms with significant debts or that were growing and spending fast were classed as “undertakings in difficulty”. [...]
Banks lend £49bn to SMEs to survive coronavirus fallout July 28, 2020 Banks have now lent out £49.4bn through the three main government-backed loan schemes, according to Treasury data released today. Banks have given out £33.7bn through the bounce back loan scheme (BBLS) up until the week ending 26 July. The programme sees the government guarantee 100 per cent of bank loans worth up to £50,000 to [...]
Natwest closes SME accounts after coronavirus loan applications July 27, 2020 Natwest has closed the accounts of some small business customers who applied for the government’s coronavirus loans to help them through the pandemic, leaving them unable to access their money. A number of customers contacted the Guardian to complain that their accounts had either been suspended or closed without any explanation after they put in [...]
Sadiq Khan calls on government to extend furlough scheme July 27, 2020 Sadiq Khan has once again called on the government to extend its furlough scheme for struggling sectors ahead of changes this weekend which could lead to a surge in unemployment. From Saturday employers will have to pay national insurance and pension contributions for furloughed employees. However, for many sectors such as hospitality and leisure, the [...]