Government policy must change if travel companies are to survive the Covid-19 pandemic October 3, 2020 The government’s announcement on 25 July of a quarantine for anyone returning from Spain torpedoed the nascent recovery of the travel industry. Bookings immediately dried up. Since then it’s gone from bad to worse. This week, the government removed Turkey, Poland, and Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba from its Travel Corridor list, meaning that travellers [...]
Manchester United v Newcastle: Old foes Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez have chance to twist the knife October 4, 2018 Perhaps, after the final whistle has blown at Old Trafford on Saturday evening, Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez will gather in the Manchester United manager’s office and share a bottle of vintage claret, as Sir Alex Ferguson was fond of doing, and reminisce about the good old days. Or perhaps not, given their long-running and [...]
Airlines ask grounded staff to answer NHS volunteer call March 30, 2020 Virgin Atlantic and Easyjet have written to grounded staff members asking them to help in the NHS’ new Nightingale hospitals in a bid to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Easyjet has already contacted all 9,000 of its employees, including 4,000 or so cabin crew staff trained in CPR, whilst Virgin will begin writing to 4,000 of [...]
Reach 4 Entertainment triples profits ahead of ‘significant’ coronavirus impact June 29, 2020 Theatre marketing firm Reach 4 Entertainment (R4E) tripled its profits in 2019, as the group posted strong annual results ahead of the coronavirus crisis, which it expects will have a “significant impact” on the live entertainment industry. The results R4E posted full-year revenues of £135.4m for 2019, up from £76.7m last year. Adjusted earnings before [...]
Creating a healthy City with The Lord Mayor’s Appeal September 30, 2020 The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s This is Me initiative is focused on creating a City that is healthy. It is committed to changing attitudes around mental health and strives to create healthier and more inclusive workplaces by reducing stigma, dispelling myths, and improving employee wellbeing for good. This year we are marking World Mental Health Day on [...]
HS2: Businesses react to Boris Johnson’s green light for controversial rail project February 11, 2020 Business groups have welcomed the government’s decision to proceed with the controversial HS2 rail line. The Prime Minister’s expected announcement comes after months of debate over whether the scheme should go ahead. This follows a report that the project could cost over £100bn, three times what was originally forecast. BCC: ‘Great news for business’ Director [...]
PM postpones Saturday lockdown easing for two weeks as coronavirus cases rise July 31, 2020 The Prime Minister has hit the brakes on easing the lockdown for “higher risk” settings including sports venues, casinos, leisure centres and weddings, following a sharp spike in coronavirus cases. In a press conference, Boris Johnson said plans to reopen venues tomorrow will now pause until at least 15 August. Socially-distanced theatres and music venues [...]
UK to open two more Nightingale hospitals to deal with coronavirus cases April 3, 2020 The UK will open two more Nightingale hospitals to handle the rising number of coronavirus cases, as the first opened at London’s Excel Centre today. The new Nightingale hospitals in Bristol and Harrogate will provide 1,500 extra beds for patients afflicted by coronavirus. So far the outbreak has killed 2,921 people in the UK. The [...]
Sajid Javid to back HS2 scheme despite rising costs January 30, 2020 Sajid Javid is poised to throw his weight behind the controversial HS2 project at a key meeting of ministers today, ahead of a decision expected in early February. The chancellor, who has long backed the idea of making the most of low interest rates to support big infrastructure projects, is expected to tell Prime Minister [...]
Coronavirus: The impact on the sporting world as numerous events are disrupted March 12, 2020 In the space of a week the coronavirus pandemic has gone from having a minimal impact on the world’s sporting events to causing vast swathes of postponements and contests played out behind closed doors. This week saw the first Premier League game postponed due to Covid-19, Champions League matches played in empty stadiums and two [...]