Daily coronavirus cases hit highest level since 1 May September 23, 2020 There were 6,178 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK today, the highest figure since 1 May, government data showed. The new figure is roughly a quarter higher than yesterday, when there were 4,926 cases, the Department of Health and Social Care said. There were also 37 new deaths from the disease, which is [...]
Commercial rent collections buoyed by September’s short-lived return to offices October 26, 2020 Commercial rent collections started to recover in the third quarter due to the reopening of non-essential retail, offices and schools after lockdown. Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield said today that it had collected 77 per cent of rents owed to its clients on the 21st day after the third quarter due date. The [...]
Pubs to shut at 10pm under new restrictions September 21, 2020 Boris Johnson will tomorrow announce that pubs in England will have to shut at 10pm in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus, it was reported this afternoon. The new restrictions are set to be introduced amid warnings that there could be as many as 50,000 cases a day in the UK by mid [...]
Amazon’s ruthless move to block Visa credit cards forces anxious businesses to make stark choices December 9, 2021 Amazon’s recent decision to block Visa credit cards in the UK caught millions of businesses and consumers in between. As a result, many firms have some serious and fairly urgent choices to make, as industry insiders explained to City A.M. today. Amazon announced in November that it will no longer accept payments made with UK-issued [...]
A trade deal with Australia would give the UK the green light to join the CPTPP February 23, 2021 There was a time in British politics last year when the term ‘Australia-style’ was deeply fashionable. As Prime Minister Boris Johnson sought to navigate the UK’s departure from the European Union and secure a Brexit deal, the prospect of trading with the EU on WTO terms – akin to that of Australia’s trading relationship with [...]
Covid clubbing: What will a night out look like after the pandemic? February 26, 2021 Boris Johnson this week unveiled the UK’s route out of lockdown, unleashing a jubilant flood of social media memes. With 21 June set as the target date for a full lifting of restrictions, Brits were quick to fantasise about how they’ll celebrate their newfound freedom after 15 months of lockdown. The timeline could still be [...]
Boris Johnson’s calorie labelling plan is well-intentioned but economically inept July 27, 2020 Let me start with a concession to the Prime Minister: not all the policies in his anti-obesity drive are outright objectionable. Banning food advertising and telling shopkeepers where they can and can’t stock their products are obvious and unacceptable intrusions, whatever their intended goal. But as a liberal economist, I am prepared to consider some [...]
Stress and exercise: How stop OD-ing on cortisol January 13, 2021 When stress affects the brain, the body feels the pain. Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. It can make you feel angry, nervous and frustrated, impacting everything from sleep to appetite and mood. A little bit of stress is okay, it helps us get the job done when we’ve got [...]
Lockdown books December 21, 2020 The aftermath of the global financial crash of 2008 uncovered some unpalatable facts. First, it showed how national governments were hellbent on bailing out the private banks with public money. At the same time the little man was totally ignored and left to his own devices; to sink or swim with the former being the [...]
Fiery Sri Lankan and 36 other restaurant-in-a-box delivery kits March 19, 2021 Almost a year since the first lockdown, the restaurant world has been forced to change in ways that would have seemed laughable in the pre-Covid times. Top chefs are now launching successful at-home delivery platforms that promise to change the face of fine dining for years to come. We have sampled some of the very [...]