GDP growth falls short of expectations, inching 0.1 per cent higher in October December 10, 2021 The UK’s economic growth inched just 0.1 per cent in October, according to the latest figures. The figure remains 0.5 per cent below its pre-pandemic level, the Officer for National Statistic found, falling short of economist and analyst expectations after experts had forecast a 0.4 per cent increase. Construction and hospitality were among the hardest [...]
UK locks down amid largest rail strike in 30 years – Millions face disruption – Retail footfall slumps June 21, 2022 Train and London tube passengers continue to face travel chaos due to the biggest strike by rail workers for a generation. Brits are urged to work and stay at home today, as road congestion is widely expected. Bolt crashed earlier this morning following a surge in both demand and prices, while the National Rail Enquiries [...]
Brexit and Covid impact: More than 90,000 EU workers to have left UK hospitality jobs August 5, 2021 More than 90,000 EU workers left the UK’s hospitality sector in the last year, new figures have revealed. Fresh research from jobs site Caterer.com found that three out of five hospitality employers are now receiving record numbers of applications from UK workers. London was identified as acutely affected by the exodus with the research estimating [...]
UK investor confidence sinks as ‘Freedom Day’ renews pandemic uncertainty July 19, 2021 Investor confidence in the UK has sunk five per cent in July, as ‘Freedom Day’ renews pandemic uncertainty across the country, according to new research. The UK’s investor confidence lags behind that of the rest of the world, which averages dips of two per cent, data from Hargreaves Lansdown found. “Far from bringing an added [...]
The City of London’s Al Fresco dining is here to stay for one more year July 20, 2021 The City of London Corporation has agreed to ease the weight on the hospitality industry by offering free pavement licences for one more year. Amid table number and household restrictions, the UK’s hospitality sector has been making use of pavements for extra Al Fresco seating. “We expect the buzz of the City will swiftly return [...]
Supply chain crisis: Quarter of all food and hospitality firms hit by low stock levels August 26, 2021 More than a quarter of food and hospitality firms have been hit by low stock levels in recent weeks as Britain’s mounting supply chain crisis takes it toll, according to new figures published this morning. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said its recent business survey found that 27 per cent of food and accommodation [...]
South Africa offers the world a way out of Covid as Omicron is in full retreat: New infections down and death rate dropping January 3, 2022 As Covid infection rates are dropping rapidly and tens of thousands of South Africans recovering from Omicron without having to go to hospital, it seems the country is heading for a healthy start of the year. In fact, Covid experts are all saying the same: the Omicron wave has passed and other countries can expect [...]
‘Catastrophic’: Hospitality and leisure industries sound alarm over Johnson measures March 17, 2020 The UK’s hospitality industry issued a doom-laden warning last night after Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday told Brits to steer clear of pubs, eateries and theatres as the government escalated its coronavirus “fightback”. In a statement which Johnson acknowledged was unprecedented in peacetime, he urged Londoners in particular to “avoid all non-essential contact” with others [...]
Axa must pay £4.4m Covid insurance claim to high-end restauranter Corbin & King, High Court says February 25, 2022 High end restaurant business Corbin & King, which owns restaurants across London, including Colbert in Sloane Square and The Wolseley in Mayfair, has won a £4.4m case against insurance giant Axa, after the insurer refused to cover losses incurred by the restauranter during Covid-19. The case comes after Axa said it would not pay Corbin [...]
Full blown lockdown would plunge UK economy far below pre-pandemic size December 13, 2021 A full blown lockdown would derail the UK’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, reveals fresh analysis from City economists. Shutting down the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors will cause the British economy to shrink to six per cent below its pre-pandemic size, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics. Imposing tougher restrictions on businesses that rely on [...]