Train strikes: Disruption set to cost hospitality £540m and have ‘catastrophic’ impact on night economy June 20, 2022 This week’s rail and tube strikes are set to cost the hospitality sector £540m, as the nighttime economy will suffer a “catastrophic impact”. Trade union action on the transport network this week will “set back the recovery of our high streets and deter people from going out in the evening”, leading to hundreds of million [...]
Christmas sales at Revolution Bars dip as sector welcomes end of Omicron measures January 20, 2022 Revolution Bar Group has posted its disappointing like-for-like sales over the Christmas trading period, when fresh Covid measures hindered pub bosses’ hopes. Like-for-like sales sales for the six week period ending 1 January were down -23 per cent in comparison to the last Christmas before the pandemic struck. Office parties were cancelled in waves as [...]
February retail sales perform well but warnings for mid-level retailers as living costs spike March 4, 2022 Purchases of clothes have driven retail sales growth, thanks to the easing of Covid restrictions. Total like-for-like sales swelled 49.6 per cent in February, according to the BDO’s February High Street Sales Tracker. This was from a base of minus 3.1 per cent in February 2021, when the country was in the throes of a [...]
Christmas comes early: November consumer spending up 16 per cent from pre-pandemic December 7, 2021 Consumer card spending grew 16 per cent in November compared to the same period in 2019, with early Christmas shopping giving a boost to retail, hospitality and leisure, according to new data from Barclaycard.
Why you should never, ever bet against UK house prices May 9, 2023 Remember the start of the year? “UK house prices have gone into sharp reverse over recent months. And we expect that elevated mortgage rates will result in at least a 12 per cent price correction,” so said Capital Economics at the time. This is from building society Nationwide last week: “While annual house price growth [...]
EU to drop pre-departure tests for UK travellers ahead of Easter break February 22, 2022 The EU is set to scrap pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated travellers from 1 March, in time for the Easter break. The European Council approve the move this morning, and it will apply to all those who have received either a second or booster dose within 270 days before their arrival into the bloc. Underage [...]
Joules shares plunge after news of CEO departure and ‘more challenging’ market May 4, 2022 Premium British lifestyle group Joules posted strong revenue growth this morning, up 20 per cent for the quarter ending 1 May.
Hargreaves Lansdown chief on spats with the founder, his time at the top and the power of retail investors February 23, 2023 At times of turbulence, retail investors are entirely rational creatures. At least, that’s the view of Chris Hill, the outgoing boss of Britain’s largest retail investment and savings platform, Hargreaves Lansdown. Hill – who has been at the helm of the retail giant since 2016 and is preparing to step down in November – was [...]
DfT urges union to go back to negotiating table following “disappointing” rail strike ballot May 25, 2022 The Department for Transport (DfT) has urged the RMT union to go back to the negotiating table after a strike was announced last night following a 34-day ballot. “Strikes should always be the last resort, not the first, so it is hugely disappointing and premature that the RMT is calling for industrial action before even [...]
The £200bn Covid savings war chest that could prevent a UK recession February 14, 2023 There’s a war chest of nearly £200bn – which started to be built up during the pandemic and has grown ever since – that could save the UK from recession. This may come as a surprise when all we hear from Westminster is how skint we are, but the stash of cash isn’t made up [...]