Two thirds businesses call for higher sick pay rate amid growing Omicron fears December 14, 2021 Nearly two thirds of employers have called for a rise in statutory sick pay (SSP) in the UK, according to a new report. The professional body for human resources behind the report, urged for major reforms to statuary sick pay after finding that 62 per cent of employers in the country think the rate, currently [...]
Investors inject £3bn into central London offices in third quarter October 4, 2021 Investor interest in central London office buildings has returned with a vengeance, with spend surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Around £1.5bn was spent on City office buildings in the three months to September 30, according to preliminary data from real estate advisors JLL, compiled for the Evening Standard. It comes as office workers have made their return [...]
Thousands of workers return to offices following restrictions easing June 6, 2021 Thousands of workers have returned to offices in towns and cities across the UK following the easing of lockdown restrictions. Visits to UK city centres are up 58 per cent since January, according to new data from IWG, which operates office and flexible working space. The number of employees visiting an IWG space increased by [...]
Exclusive: Business Minister hails SMEs as economy’s ‘backbone’ as 75 per cent of CEOs say confidence surged during Covid-19 January 26, 2022 Minister for small businesses Paul Scully MP has praised UK companies as ‘the backbone of the economy’ as a new poll reveals that three-quarters of UK business leaders say that the way their business was able to adapt during the pandemic has boosted their confidence.
A quarter of Brits are struggling with the ‘new normal’ December 9, 2021 New data released today reveals that nearly one in four Brits feels negatively about the so-called “new normal”.
Transport for London’s haphazard funding model must now be made fit for the future June 22, 2022 SINCE the pandemic wiped out much of Transport for London’s fares income, London’s transport network has faced an existential crisis. The Elizabeth Line’s opening was a rare upbeat moment in a miserable couple of years of uncertainty for the city.
Far from over: New rail strike alert amid fears of weekend travel chaos June 24, 2022 A fresh alert has been issued to train passengers amid fears that many are reluctant to abandon leisure trips planned for Saturday despite another rail strike taking place. Only a fifth of services will run and half of lines will be closed as 40,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network [...]
As London passes the peak and transport reopens, could it really be a happy new year? January 10, 2022 London may be emerging from the worst of the new Covid-19 peak, with the capital’s public health boss saying London appears to be past the peak of infections and vital transport infrastructure kicking back into gear today. Professor Kevin Fenton, London’s public health director, said the data suggests “we may have passed or are at [...]
Marston’s Christmas sales disappoint but restrictions lifting will enable ‘some semblance of normal trade’ January 25, 2022 Marston’s misses out on bountiful Christmas but signs show consumer confidence ‘rebuilding’ Pub operator Marston’s has joined other hospitality chains in reporting a disappointing Christmas trading period, with sales dipping. In a trading update for the 16 weeks to 12 January 2022, total like-for-like sales were down 3.9 per cent compared to the 2019 financial [...]
Brits’ experience of previous Covid-19 curbs to quash Omicron GDP hit January 12, 2022 Brits’ resilience and ability to rapidly adapt in the face of soaring Covid-19 infections will insulate the UK economy from the Omicron variant, according to City economists. Experience of previous periods of curbs on daily life implemented by the UK government to tamp down on transmissions has resulted in businesses and consumers being able to [...]