Bounce Back Loans helped SMEs, but we must plan for what comes next October 4, 2020 The launch of the Bounce Back Loan scheme was a watershed moment for hundreds of thousands of SMEs across the country. It gave them what they craved — small loans straight into their bank account, with maximum speed and minimum fuss. For many SMEs, this was the first time they had managed to get financial [...]
Covid-19 vaccine could be rolled out across the UK in less than three months October 3, 2020 A Covid-19 vaccine could be rolled out across the UK by the end of the month, government scientists have reportedly said. Those working on the AstraZeneca vaccine in Oxford are hoping that regulators approve it within the next three months, The Times reported. A mass roll-out could happen quicker than expected, according to the report, [...]
Government policy must change if travel companies are to survive the Covid-19 pandemic October 3, 2020 The government’s announcement on 25 July of a quarantine for anyone returning from Spain torpedoed the nascent recovery of the travel industry. Bookings immediately dried up. Since then it’s gone from bad to worse. This week, the government removed Turkey, Poland, and Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba from its Travel Corridor list, meaning that travellers [...]
Coronavirus: The seven quarantine free countries you can still visit, after Turkey travel ban October 3, 2020 Coronavirus: Here are the seven quarantine free countries you can still visit, after Turkey travel ban
The government must adopt airport testing to help rebuild the economy October 2, 2020 Last month, the Prime Minister announced new curbs to control the rising number of coronavirus cases for at least six months – and the prospect of tighter restrictions or a second lockdown still looms large. The outcry was predictable: the measures are confusing, sometimes contradictory, and of course, there are concerns about the impact on [...]
Covid-19: AstraZeneca vaccine trials resume in Japan but talks with US continue October 2, 2020 AstraZeneca says Covid-19 vaccine trials have resumed in Japan after authorities gave it the all clear. The pharmaceutical company, which developed the Covid-19 vaccine “AZD1222” in collaboration with the University of Oxford, voluntarily paused all global trials on 6 September following an adverse reaction in one patient. A safety review by an independent committee was undertaken [...]
Employers have a crucial role to play in tackling domestic abuse October 2, 2020 Domestic abuse has been referred to as a “shadow pandemic” by the UN, with the number of cases increasing significantly across the world throughout lockdown. For many people suffering abuse, the respite of the weekday commute and being able to go to office were lost overnight. Recognising the signs of abuse and having the confidence [...]
Don’t let London become a Donut: Crowded on the outside, empty in the middle October 2, 2020 As a Londoner born and bred, I am acutely sensitive to the ebb and flow of people travelling in and out of London on a daily basis — the human tide of our capital. Despite various pleas and edicts, right now the centre of London is pretty much empty. The tide went out abruptly at [...]
Why Klarna — not Revolut or Monzo — represents the winning fintech strategy in a pandemic October 2, 2020 Last month, a new funding round gave buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) fintech Klarna a headline valuation of $10.65bn. At a stroke, Klarna became the most valuable fintech in Europe – more than double the value of Revolut and almost 10 times more than Monzo. Why, in the middle of a pandemic, has Klarna inspired such investor confidence? [...]
The hotel industry needs to reinvent itself – and fast October 2, 2020 In the 1800s, several new hotels emerged that reimagined the standards for luxury accommodation. Over the course of the next two centuries, grand hotels withstood the Great Depression, two world wars, and countless market disruptors — always finding a way to reset their role in society. The global hotel industry has been through hard times [...]