Boris Johnson plan for millions of coronavirus tests each day ‘a long way off’ September 16, 2020 The government’s plan to administer millions of daily tests in a bid to scrap social distancing restrictions is “still a long way off”, according to Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister last week unveiled his plan to eventually have everybody take coronavirus tests, which give a result in under an hour, each morning that show if [...]
Christmas isn’t cancelled — Santa is accepting buy now, pay later October 13, 2020 One thing’s for sure: we’re going to be tempted to spend more than ever this Christmas, because 2020 has not been a joyful year. Let’s face it, if 2020 were a wine, it would be reduced to being a bin-end, and a pretty poor one at that. But as furlough unwinds, and with a no-deal [...]
Cut Covid counterfeiters out of your supply chain November 19, 2020 From international travel restrictions to physical distancing measures in factories across the globe, the Covid-19 pandemic has placed enormous pressure on the supply chains on which we depend. But logistics are not the only challenge. Counterfeiters are taking advantage of this time of heightened vulnerabilities, and risk polluting a brand’s stock and reputation. Now more [...]
UK retail sales grow following lockdown easing August 11, 2020 UK retail sales grew in July as the easing of lockdown restrictions released pent-up demand, but high street stores continued to struggle. On a total basis, sales increased 3.2 per cent last month, compared to a jump of 0.5 per cent in July 2019, which was the second consecutive month of growth since the coronavirus [...]
Marston’s warns of uncertain outlook ahead of pub reopenings June 26, 2020 Marston’s warned its financial outlook in the short term is uncertain as it looks to reopening pubs and restaurants from next week. The figures The pub operator said the coronavirus outbreak had a material impact on revenues estimated at around £40m. It took a hit to profit as it reported a £9.4m profit before tax [...]
UK house prices jump in July in post-lockdown ‘mini-boom’ August 7, 2020 UK house prices jumped in July after coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased and the government announced a stamp duty holiday, sparking a “mini-boom” in the property market. UK house prices in July were 1.6 per cent higher than the previous month. House prices last month were also 3.8 per cent up compared to July 2019, according [...]
British Airways suspends all flights from Gatwick due to second lockdown November 5, 2020 British Airways has reportedly scaled back its operations for November, including the suspension of all flights from Gatwick airport, due to the new lockdown in England. Already struggling with a hit to demand from the pandemic, the airline has also taken the decision to furlough more staff as it braces for a difficult winter. In [...]
Ferrero Group in £250m bid to buy British Fox’s Biscuits September 30, 2020 Italian confectionary giant Ferrero Group is planning a £250m bid to buy British-based Fox’s Biscuits. The owner of brands such as Kinder and Nutella is working on a takeover deal with advisers, according to Sky News. Demand for biscuits has risen since the coronavirus lockdown, halting a downward trend as consumers opt for healthier snacking [...]
The Friday Interview: Oliver Peyton’s Unknown Pleasures November 13, 2020 Cocktails in a can are more than just gin-in-a-tin, says Oliver Peyton, the celebrity chef and entrepreneur behind a new line of premium, ready-to-drink cocktails. Unknown Pleasures launched in October – he spoke to City A.M.’s Andy Silvester about why hitting the ground running during lockdown is the right thing to do. We all know [...]
Rishi Sunak warns second lockdown will have ‘significant’ impact on UK economy November 12, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned that England’s second nationwide lockdown will have a “significant impact on the economy”, as today’s record GDP figures laid the ground for a steep slump over the winter. “Obviously restrictions of this nature do have a significant impact on the economy. We’ve already seen that when we’ve done this over [...]