City law firms repay furlough cash following strong business during pandemic October 14, 2020 Several large British law firms have handed back government furlough cash after seeing stronger-than-expected business during the pandemic. Square Mile-based firms Norton Rose Fulbright, Osborne Clarke and Herbert Smith Freehills have all paid back wage subsidies handed out by the chancellor, following strong demand for their legal services during the coronavirus crisis. Chancellor Rishi Sunak [...]
Supermarket sector tops customer service list for pandemic performance July 15, 2020 The supermarket sector topped the list for customer service during the coronavirus crisis, according to the latest research, as grocers stepped up to the challenge to serve shoppers throughout the lockdown. The sector’s score increased four per cent compared to last year, according to analysis by KPMG. Financial services, which was the next best performing [...]
Firms may still be taxed even if they return furlough money July 14, 2020 Businesses may still be taxed on the furlough scheme funds they receive even if they return the cash to HMRC. At the start of the coronavirus lockdown the government introduced the job retention scheme, which pays 80 per cent of salary costs for furloughed staff. Last week Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the “job retention bonus” [...]
Retail employment falls at sharpest rate in more than a decade August 25, 2020 Retail employment fell at the fastest rate in more than a decade in the year to August as high street firms cut jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic. Employment in the retail sector fell 45 per cent in August – the sharpest drop since February 2009 – compared to a drop of 20 per cent in [...]
John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, or M&S? Whose Christmas ad was best this year November 20, 2018 So this is Christmas. And what have you done? Another year over, and the festive ads just begun. Yes, ’tis the season for brands to splash the cash on fancy holiday-themed adverts in hope of attracting that sweet Christmas shopping revenue. Retailer John Lewis has been the reigning champion of the season for the past [...]
The City View: Moneypenny CEO on why it’s time to come out of hiding and find some confidence August 24, 2020 In this episode Christian talks to Joanna Swash, chief executive of the customer services and office support provider Moneypenny, which has 20,000 corporate clients in the UK and US. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Joanna talks about the impact of the early stages of lockdown on her company and explains how she transitioned 1,000 [...]
The City View: Sarah Gordon on impact investing July 10, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS In association with ETX Capital Andy Silvester is joined by Sarah Gordon, a veteran business journalist turned CEO of the Impact Investing Institute. Sarah talks about the government’s response to coronavirus, the opportunity that could be taken to ‘build back better’ and businesses’ awareness of their ESG responsibilities. Andy [...]
Marks & Spencer cuts 950 jobs as pandemic accelerates transformation plan July 20, 2020 Marks & Spencer (M&S) announced this morning that it will cut 950 jobs as it accelerates its transformation plan during the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer announced today that it will create a new retail management structure, which will affect 950 roles across central support functions and property and store management, in the latest blow for [...]
Pandemic pushes retail job losses to 125,500 this year September 9, 2020 More than 125,500 retail jobs have been lost so far this year as the coronavirus pandemic accelerated changes on the struggling UK high street. Nearly 15,700 roles were lost every month, while 13,867 shops have closed down across the UK this year. Small independent retailers shed 32,598 jobs between 1 January and 31 August, while [...]
Veteran congressman calls on Biden to ban oligarchs’ UK lawyers from the United States April 20, 2022 The UK lawyers that have worked on behalf of Russian oligarchs in their efforts to silence journalists should be banned from travelling to the United States, a senior congressman has said. In a letter to US secretary of state Anthony Blinken, Democratic Party congressman Steve Cohen called on the Biden administration to impose travel bans [...]