Shopping centre owner New River ‘pleased’ with tenants’ Christmas trading January 22, 2020 Property landlord New River this morning said it was pleased with its tenants’ performance during the Christmas trading period despite a drop in footfall at its shopping centres. The real estate investment trust (REIT) said its top 15 tenants, which include Sainsbury’s, B&M, Primark, Next and Iceland, had reported a “robust” trading performance despite “challenging [...]
Coronavirus: UK consumers ease up on stockpiling in run up to Easter April 10, 2020 UK consumers spent an additional £83m on groceries last week, but sales are down by 2.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, suggesting the nation has eased up on stockpiling. Grocery sales in the UK have increased significantly over the past weeks, as a result of stockpiling, amid health fears around the [...]
Sadiq Khan warns more Londoners ‘will die’ if people leave their homes March 22, 2020 Sadiq Khan has told Londoners that more people will die from coronavirus if they do not follow the government’s instructions and self-isolate. The capital has been the worst hit region in the UK by the spread of Covid-19, accounting for almost 40 per cent of the country’s 5,018 confirmed cases. Speaking to BBC today, Khan [...]
From drill music to Baby Shark: The record label plumbing profits from subculture hits November 19, 2020 There is, on the face of it, very little to connect Baby Shark with Headie One. The first is an infuriatingly catchy children’s song that is now the most-watched Youtube video in history. The other is a drill rapper from Tottenham who was jailed in January for carrying a knife before releasing a chart-topping debut [...]
UK economy grew just 0.1 per cent before coronavirus lockdown April 9, 2020 The UK economy grew 0.1 per cent in the three months to February before the coronavirus lockdown hit businesses. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showed the increase was entirely down to the services sector. The tiny rise, which is measured on a three-month rolling basis, was a slight improvement on the three months [...]
Coronavirus roadmap: When will England’s lockdown end? July 18, 2020 Boris Johnson has outlined a roadmap for the end of England’s lockdown, giving hope that coronavirus social distancing could end before Christmas. Johnson changed tack on government guidance to work from home where possible in a speech on 17 July. Instead employers will be asked to discuss with employees whether and how they can safely [...]
Restaurants hit out at delivery platform fees during lockdown May 13, 2020 Restaurant industry experts have hit out at takeaway delivery companies during the coronavirus outbreak, saying Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats make more than £1bn a year in fees through UK restaurants. A study found that three in five consumers have tried to support their favourite local restaurant during the lockdown by ordering through an [...]
City of London Corporation offers rent relief for tenants March 19, 2020 The City of London Corporation has adjusted rent conditions for some of its commercial tenants to provide financial relief during the coronavirus outbreak. The local authority, a major commercial landlord, is changing rental payments for March to June to monthly billing for directly managed premises instead of quarterly billing. In a statement, the Corporation said [...]
British public ‘increasingly concerned’ about lockdown lift this weekend June 30, 2020 The British public are increasingly concerned that Boris Johnson’s plans to reopen pubs, restaurants, cinemas, galleries and hairdressers this weekend are premature, according to new research, after scenes of crowded beaches sparked fears that the infection rate in the UK could rise. The Prime Minister’s announcement last week that hospitality businesses in England are set [...]
Boris Johnson’s New Deal: PM invokes Roosevelt in ‘radical’ infrastructure overhaul June 30, 2020 Boris Johnson has today set out plans to overhaul the UK’s planning system, to make building new homes easier, in order to fix what he termed “intergenerational injustices” in access to property. The overhaul will allow developers to change the use of buildings and land in town centres without planning permission, meaning that vacant buildings [...]