UK hospitality crisis: 75 per cent of pubs and restaurants are hiking pay to attract new staff October 4, 2021 As a worker shortage continues to hamper the sector’s recovery, three quarters of pub and restaurant bosses say they are increasing pay to attract staff. One in six jobs currently lies vacant, and 96 per cent of business leaders were seeing staffing shortages for some roles, according to a survey of 200 senior executives from [...]
Shakespeare on advertising: Asos’ sustainability push much-needed September 22, 2021 ASOS, the online clothing retailer, recently announced a target of zero net carbon emissions by the year 2030. It’s a move that comes following ongoing criticisms of the environmental impact of “fast” fashion organisations – and one that YouGov Plan & Track data shows may be a deft commercial move as well. Nearly one in [...]
Shakespeare on branding: Ronaldo re-signing looks a coup for United September 15, 2021 On Friday, 27 August, Manchester United announced that they had re-signed Cristiano Ronaldo – the five-time Ballon D’or winner who most recently plied his trade at Juventus. The club reportedly pipped cross-town rivals Manchester City to his signature. Data from YouGov BrandIndex UK shows that, in terms of Manchester United’s overall brand, it’s been a [...]
Rishi Sunak’s Spring statement today: From fuel duty cuts to tax and energy bills March 23, 2022 The time has come for the Chancellor to unveil his spring statement, with the spotlight on how he intends to deal with the cost of living crisis. Rishi Sunak is set to vow to “stand by” British families as he is expected to outline further plans to support households facing financial hardship on Wednesday, which [...]
FTSE 100 falls as fresh lockdowns across Europe dampen economic outlook March 19, 2021 The FTSE 100 fell this morning as fresh Covid-19 lockdowns across Europe dampened hopes of a swift recovery in demand for industrial stocks including energy. London’s blue-chip index sank 1.2 per cent, before recovering slightly to sit 0.6 per cent down at 8.30am. Oil heavyweights BP and Royal Dutch Shell fell 3.2 per cent and [...]
Food sector boss warns of permanent shortages in restaurants and shops September 10, 2021 Shoppers in the UK should expect permanent shortages of products now, according to a food and drink industry leader. The food and drink sector was short of around half a million workers, CEO of the Food & Drink Federation, Ian Wright, told the Institute for Government’s panel on supply chain disruption. The nation would not [...]
Halfords snaps up motoring services provider Universal Tyre for £15m March 19, 2021 British bike and car products retailer Halfords has agreed to buy motoring services provider Universal Tyre and Autocentres for £15m. Universal Tyre, based in South East England, operates from 20 sites and 89 commercial vans, specialising in tyre services and car maintenance. Halfords is targeting having over 550 garages in the UK, with the Universal [...]
Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche shuts for lunch indefinitely, citing Brexit-driven staffing shortage June 2, 2021 Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche will only open for dinner service until further notice, with the restaurant highlighting a “major” lack of well-trained hospitality staff due to a combination of Brexit and the pandemic. From 14 June, the two Michelin-starred restaurant owned by French celebrity chef Michel Roux will only open from 5pm onwards, meaning punters [...]
Indeed: Global interest in UK jobs post-Brexit lifts to pre-pandemic levels June 17, 2021 Searches from across the world for UK-based jobs have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to jobs site Indeed, as international workers eye easing travel restrictions. The UK’s new points-based immigration system has seemingly drawn in interest for its higher-paid jobs post-Brexit after Indeed’s new job rates slumped in the height of pandemic uncertainty. As the government [...]
Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin slams ‘elite Remainers’ as profit sinks September 13, 2019 Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin has launched a tirade against “elite Remainers”, as the budget pub chain posted a decline in pre-tax profit for the full-year. Read more: Propping up the bar: Wetherspoons toasts no-deal Brexit by slashing the price of a pint The figures Wetherspoons posted a 6.8 per cent increase in like-for-like sales in [...]