Storm Desmond cost £520m – as insurers shell out £2.6m in emergency payments December 18, 2015 Almost two weeks after the event, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has finally put a price tag on the havoc wreaked by Storm Desmond: the flooding is likely to cost insurers £520m, it said today. Thousands were evacuated, with thousands more left without power as Storm Desmond passed through Cumbria and the Scottish borders at the beginning [...]
Retail sales defy gloomy predictions ahead of a bumper Black Friday November 18, 2016 Retail sales have outperformed expectations ahead of the nation's biggest shopping spree – Black Friday. According to the Office for National Statistics, the volume of retail sales increased by 7.3 per cent in October compared to the same month in 2015 – the highest growth rate for fourteen years. The amount spent online grew by [...]
Combined Tube and Southern strike action to set up Christmas chaos October 26, 2016 More good news for Christmas commuters: not only has the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union confirmed it will ballot 3,500 London Underground workers for strike action, it’s also balloting drivers on Southern Rail. The ballot will open next Friday on the 4 November and close on the 18 November, mirroring the timetable planned for [...]
Apple posts first annual revenue drop for over a decade October 25, 2016 Apple has announced its first year-on-year decline in revenues for over a decade as iPhone sales suffer. Revenue fell nine per cent to $46.85bn (£38.44bn), the third quarterly decline in a row. Analysts were expecting revenue to come in at $46.94bn in the quarter, according to Thomson Reuters. Read more: Shares in this Apple supplier [...]
Next England manager must be given time to develop a philosophy, says Gareth Southgate November 14, 2016 England caretaker manager Gareth Southgate insists the next national team coach must be given time to develop a lasting philosophy for success rather than merely tasked with hitting short-term targets. Southgate goes into the final fixture of his four-match audition for the job against Spain on Tuesday as the favourite to land the role, having [...]
Royal Mail’s share price rises as strong Christmas helps it deliver results in line with expectations January 21, 2016 Royal Mail's share price climbed this morning, after posting solid results covering the crucial Christmas period, giving the venerable institution confidence that full year figures will come in line with expectations. The figures Group revenue for the company – which is celebrating its 500th birthday this year – nudged up one per cent for the nine [...]
Tesco threatened with Christmas strike action after Unite denounces frozen pay for delivery staff in Belfast and Doncaster as “pitiful” November 24, 2015 Tesco faces a new headache as over 700 of its drivers and delivery staff are threatening to strike right over the busy Christmas period. Belfast and Doncaster staff are gearing up to vote on strike action over a pay dispute, as the supermarket giant has frozen pay for its delivery staff in both regions. Unite [...]
Uber treats drivers like Victorian “sweated labour”, says Frank Field in gig economy report December 9, 2016 Frank Field might be more commonly known as one of the thorns in Sir Philip Green's side, but Uber might now have a bone to pick with him too. The Labour MP and chair of the Work and Pensions Committee has uploaded a report to his site analysing the working relationship between Uber and its drivers, [...]
Black Friday backlash begins: Two million orders “won’t arrive on time” November 30, 2015 This year's Black Friday may not have created quite the frenzy it did last year – no fisticuffs in the aisles this time around – but that doesn't mean it can't create the same levels of disappointment. Or that's according to supply chain consultancy LCP Consulting, which has warned that two million Black Friday orders could [...]
Severe delays as services between London Bridge, Charing Cross and Cannon Street fall victim to “complete loss of signalling” – as DLR is beset by delays and Elephant & Castle traffic returns December 8, 2015 Services between London Bridge, Charing Cross and Cannon Street were disrupted this morning – as passengers were soaked waiting for trains. Train operator Southeastern said there was "severe disruption" on routes to and from Charing Cross and Cannon Street after a "complete loss of signalling" at London Bridge. There were also cancellations between New Cross and London Bridge [...]