All eyes on PMQs as Boris Johnson’s premiership is ‘hanging by a thread’ January 12, 2022 Boris Johnson’s premiership is hanging by a thread today, as angry Tory MPs and outraged Brits await Prime Minister’s Questions to see whether he will come clean over a party during lockdown. Reports that Johnson and his then fiancé Carrie Symonds attended a “bring your own booze” party in the No 10 garden during lockdown [...]
LFF 2021: Nine top films to watch at the London Film Festival October 8, 2021 The UK’s biggest film festival, LFF, is back with a bang. Having embraced online exhibition last year, the capital’s most iconic cinemas will play host to the must-watch films of the next few months. Below are nine of the biggest. The festival runs until 17 October, and tickets can be purchased via the BFI website. [...]
Klarna-challenger Zilch becomes first ‘buy now pay later’ firm to secure FCA licence November 23, 2020 The City regulator has issued its first licence to a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)company, months after launching an inquiry into the unsecured credit market. London-based Zilch has become the first company in the UK’s BNPL market to become fully licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Zilch has worked with the regulator for over [...]
Debenhams shuts Irish website as Brexit ‘rule of origin’ clause leaves businesses blindsided January 7, 2021 Debenhams has shut its online business in Ireland as it is unable to send orders to the Republic of Ireland due to new Brexit trade rules. The business, which is in administration, said the website was “temporarily closed” but gave no details on if and when it would be back online. The website apologised to [...]
Hot weather fails to heat up high street retail sales in August September 6, 2019 Bricks and mortar retailers suffered a further blow last month as soaring temperatures failed to heat up high street sales. Like-for-like in store sales dropped 0.1 per cent in August from a base of minus 2.7 per cent in the same month last year as retailers were unable to convert rising footfall into purchases. Read [...]
Our ultimate guide to last-minute Christmas spirits, including our whiskies of the year December 21, 2020 Christmas may be ruined, but things always look better through the bottom of a bottle. If you were planning on stocking up on last-minute gifts before the big day, you may have to rethink. But the silver lining of this new lockdown means you can claw back a few days to pick up the ideal [...]
Hospitality boss warns 660,000 jobs lost before second lockdown pushed sector into ‘intensive care’ November 17, 2020 Around 660,000 hospitality jobs were lost this year before the second coronavirus lockdown was implemented, the industry trade body told MPs today The pandemic had already wiped out 20 per cent of jobs in the sector, which was previously the third biggest employer in the country, by the end of September, UK Hospitality boss Kate [...]
Brexit Transition: what businesses must do now January 28, 2021 The UK and the EU wrapped up a trade deal on Christmas Eve, bringing to an end years of negotiations. But though a deal has been struck, that doesn’t mean nothing’s changing. The UK has left the EU, and December 31 marked the end of the Brexit Transition period. The UK’s fresh start means that [...]
One in 10 British businesses think they will go bust in the next three months December 10, 2020 Twelve per cent of all businesses in the UK think they will buckle in the next three months, as tough coronavirus restrictions continue to weigh on the British economy. Around eight per cent of businesses currently trading have none or little confidence of surviving over the next three months, according to the latest figures from [...]
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