Capital Punishment: London to enter Tier 3 on Wednesday December 14, 2020 London is set to enter Tier 3 from midnight tomorrow, as the government scrambles to contain a sharp spike in coronavirus cases in the capital. The capital will enter the highest level of restrictions at 0.01am on Wednesday morning, the health secretary has announced. Parts of Essex and Hertfordshire including Basildon, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Epping Forest [...]
Former Westminster council employee guilty of stealing nearly £1m from pension fund October 15, 2018 A former Westminster city council employee has been found guilty of stealing nearly £1m from its pension fund. Ian Woodall, the former interim head of pensions and investments at the wealthy council for nearly three years, was convicted of one charge of fraud by abuse of position and a second charge of concealing criminal property at [...]
A catch-up strategy? How Government can give young Brits a boost in Budget 2021 February 26, 2021 A catch-up strategy? How Government can give young Brits a boost in Budget 2021
Pressure grows from backbench Tory MPs to ease coronavirus lockdown April 23, 2020 Backbench Conservative MPs have begun to speak out about the length of the UK’s coronavirus lockdown, warning that prolonged social distancing measures will have irreparable damage on the economy. Several Tory MPs raised concerns about the prolonged lockdown in a Westminster select committee hearing this morning, with one warning that many businesses are “on the [...]
Sadiq Khan slams Westminster Council for pulling out of £80m TfL Oxford Street redevelopment plans December 6, 2018 Sadiq Khan has slashed £80m of funding from Westminster City Council (WCC) for redeveloping Oxford Street, after finding out the council had ditched joint plans with Transport for London for the project in favour of its own £150m proposal. In a letter seen by City A.M., addressed to council leader Nickie Allen, the mayor of [...]
Cars, lorries and taxis to be banned from Tottenham Court Road as part of £35m revamp January 4, 2019 Cars, lorries and taxis will be banned from Tottenham Court Road as part of a £35m project to improve the West End. The road will be open to buses and bikes only between 8am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday, in a bid to reduce congestion and air pollution and speed up bus routes. The changes, [...]
The burden of business rates falls unfairly on the West End April 4, 2019 This week, UK retailers received one of their biggest tax bills of the year. The consequences of the 2017 revaluation of business rates will again be felt, with a further hike of nearly 50 per cent for some companies. Retailers in London’s West End and Mayfair will once again be hardest hit, paying the lion’s [...]
More than £6bn of coronavirus grants given to English businesses April 21, 2020 More than £6bn of business grants have been distributed to English small and medium sized businesses through the government’s coronavirus grant schemes. A total of 491,725 grants, worth £6.11bn, have been distributed out of a pot of £12.3bn as of last night, translating into a 49.58 per cent delivery rate. Grants of £10,000 are available to [...]
4 July reopening: Soho to sizzle as street festival kicks off this weekend July 2, 2020 The West End is set to be the epicentre of 4 July reopening revelry this weekend with newly pedestrianised streets heralding what some are calling “The Summer of Soho”. Westminster Council have now confirmed that a number of streets in the famous entertainment district will be closed to motor traffic. That will allow venues to [...]
Al fresco Soho bursts into life as summer festival kicks off July 6, 2020 Pubs, bars and restaurants opened in Soho this weekend, with new licensing laws allowing them to spill into the street. Andy Silvester spent Saturday afternoon – and evening – seeing what the new normal looks like As the first drops of rain hit the drinkers sitting at tables in the middle of D’Arblay Street, the [...]