Don’t believe naysayers predicting the death of London and a exodus to rural idyll, the capital will be rich with post-pandemic opportunities March 20, 2021 London, as I know and love it, is a place of streets swelling with people, of shimmering, seductive shops, enticing bars and restaurants from every corner of the earth, and of constant sound – the hum of the UK economy. The capital attracts more than 20 million overseas visitors a year, drawn in by theatres, [...]
Mass sporting events help bring the UK together and trumpet our shared values November 23, 2021 Britain’s Roger Bannister beating John Landy in the so-called ‘Miracle Mile’ in Vancouver, Canada. Tanzania’s Filbert Bayi crushing the field by blasting out of the gates in the 1,500m in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Commonwealth Games certainly has form in creating history for people and places. Who will capture our imagination next year in Birmingham? [...]
Social distancing in pubs, home working and face masks likely to continue after 21 June June 4, 2021 The Government is reportedly revising its roadmap out of lockdown, with plans to keep restrictions in place in pubs and restaurants amid concerns over new coronavirus variants. Social distancing in hospitality venues, working from home and masks on public transport could all remain in place after the so-called “Freedom Day” on 21 June, senior government [...]
Will you show up? UK hotels fear last-minute cancellation chaos this summer May 12, 2021 Holidaymakers are holding on to their UK hotel bookings for this summer, with cancellations rates currently running at just 4 per cent, far below the usual 30 per cent levels. However, rather than this being good news for the industry, there are fears of a late surge of cancellations, as people ditch their UK booking [...]
Where chefs plan to celebrate the end of lockdown 2 December 1, 2020 It has been a truly miserable month for foodies, who have had to rely on the new home delivery options from top restaurants to get their fix. As lockdown 2 nears its conclusion, we spoke to some of London’s top chefs to find out where they will be spending their first post-lockdown meal. Take some [...]
Where to eat in… Peckham: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, sorted June 28, 2021 In this latest instalment in our series charting the best places around London to grab breakfast, lunch and dinner, we come to Peckham. For years Peckham was a well-kept secret in the foodie world, home to a host of independent bars and restaurants that rivalled any of their north London counterparts. But over the last [...]
Wagamama and Frankie & Benny’s owner TRG sees central London pub and restaurant sales collapse October 6, 2020 Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's owner TRG sees central London pub and restaurant sales collapse
Westminster City Council scraps plans to charge for pavement space October 23, 2020 Westminster City Council has scrapped plans to charge hospitality firms thousands of pounds to keep trading outside through the coming months. Earlier today City A.M. revealed that the Council was set to charge businesses £7 per square metre of outside space, per day, once the existing ‘al fresco’ scheme comes to an end on October [...]
UK supermarket sales soar to record-breaking £11.7bn in December January 5, 2021 UK supermarkets recorded their busiest ever month in December as grocery sales soared to £11.7bn amid bar and restaurant closures during the festive period. Morrisons was the strongest performer of the Big Four UK supermarkets, with sales jumping 13.1 per cent, followed by Tesco, which toasted a 11.1 per cent rise in sales. Sainsbury’s recorded [...]
Zara owner Inditex posts 70 per cent drop in net profit during pandemic March 10, 2021 Zara owner Inditex this morning posted a 70 per cent drop in net profit after a year of trading restrictions and weak demand during the coronavirus pandemic. The European retail giant said profit last year fell to €1.1bn, a steeper drop than anticipated, due to the impact of store closures during global Covid-19 lockdowns. Total [...]