Exclusive: Building societies slash business lending by a third November 13, 2020 Building societies have slashed their business lending by a third in the five years, City A.M. can exclusively reveal. According to new figures from accountants BDO, the amount of money lent by the UK’s biggest building societies has dropped from £11.8bn in 2015/16 to just £7.9bn last year. The fall in lending comes at a [...]
Which wine goes with Shakespeare? Honest Grapes knows April 28, 2021 Which white Burgundy would help cut through the barbed wit of Oscar Wilde? Which of Shakespeare’s comedies would bring out the best in a glass of crisp English sparkling wine? And which famous British humourist would complement a modern, peppery Super Tuscan? I discovered the answer to these questions and more thanks to a wonderful [...]
Government to roll out free flu vaccinations for over-50s November 19, 2020 Over-50s will be eligible for free flu vaccines from 1 December in a bid to stop the NHS being overloaded from the “twin threats” of flu and coronavirus during the winter. In the largest ever flu vaccination programme in England, individuals aged between 50 and 64 will now be able to get flu vaccines from [...]
Deliveroo expects growth to wane in a post-pandemic world April 15, 2021 Deliveroo expects its growth to slow down in a post-pandemic world, when customers will once again be able to visit restaurants in-person. The takeaway delivery app expects that in a post-pandemic world, its gross transaction value (GTV) is likely to grow between 30 and 40 per cent for the year, down considerably from GTV growth [...]
Westminster needs to get a grip and learn some digital skills August 25, 2021 In the last year, the Queen convened her historic Privy Council by video, parliamentarians have voted online and the Cabinet has been meeting via Zoom. Even the hardened leaders of the country in Westminster and Whitehall have had to adapt to different ways of working because of Covid. This will be particularly useful as many politicians [...]
Revealed: The London boroughs where houses sell fastest March 31, 2021 The areas of the capital where property sells the fastest have been revealed, with outer London boroughs dominating the list. Waltham Forest was the neighborhood where sellers can hope to offload their properties the quickest, with two-bed terrace houses the fastest to be taken off the market in just 35 days. Barking and Dagenham, Bexley [...]
Today final day for borrowers to apply for payment holiday on mortgages, cards and loans March 31, 2021 Borrowers have until the end of today to apply for a payment holiday on products such as mortgages, personal loans and credit cards. Eligible customers who have not taken a payment holiday before, and those who have previously had a payment deferral totalling less than six months, have until tonight to apply. Payment holidays are [...]
GDP data: UK construction ‘head and shoulders above other sectors’ in Covid recovery April 13, 2021 The construction sector is playing a key role as the fastest growing sector of the UK’s Covid-hit economy, according to analysts. The UK economy edged up 0.4 per cent in February as it rebounded from a January slump, helped by a 1.6 per cent rise in construction. The sector’s improvement was driven by growth in [...]
Boost for first-time buyers as more ultra-low deposit mortgages hit the market April 24, 2021 In a further boost to first-time buyers, more lenders are bringing 5 per cent deposit mortgages onto the market. New deals announced by Metro Bank and Cambridge Building Society are not part of a new government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme which was launched this week to increase the availability of 5 per cent deposit loans. Major [...]
Confidence among London businesses reaches highest level for almost three years June 30, 2021 Confidence among businesses in London has reached its highest level for almost three years, according to new research published today. Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking’s latest Business Barometer shows business confidence in the capital rose 17 points to 41 per cent in June 2021 – the highest level since September 2018. London ranked second behind Scotland, [...]