Budget 2021: Hospitality and retail to get 50 per cent discount on business rates October 27, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a one-year 50 per cent business rates discount for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. Any eligible business in these sectors can claim a discount of up to 50 per cent up to a maximum of £110,000 – a business tax cut worth almost £1.7bn. Under reforms, system property valuations would [...]
Heineken sales lower than expected after Vietnam lockdown October 27, 2021 Brewing behemoth Heineken posted a steeper than expected decline in third-quarter beer sales after coronavirus restrictions in Vietnam. Lockdown measures slashed volumes in Vietnam, one of its top three markets, by more than half. The brewer said it sold 5.1 per cent less beer on a like-for-like basis than a year earlier, with Asia-Pacific sales [...]
JD Wetherspoon launches 99p pints despite sector warning of cost pressures October 27, 2021 Pub giant JD Wetherspoon has put 99p pints back on the menu as the pub sector battles rising costs. The operator said it would slash the prices on a range of drinks throughout November in a bid to lure post-lockdown drinkers back. Across its 671 pubs in England, JD Wetherspoon (JDW) will sell three alcoholic [...]
Watchdog approves £222m takeover of Hawthorn pubs by Admiral Taverns October 27, 2021 Admiral Tavern’s £222m acquisition of almost 700 pubs has been given the green light by the competition watchdog. However, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Admiral Taverns and Hawthorn Leisure must tackle competition concerns in several local areas. The community pub operator said it understood the merger gives rise to a realistic prospect of [...]
Higher prices anticipated in approach to Christmas October 27, 2021 Retail bosses have warned once more that consumers will feel the pinch of price rises in the run up to Christmas. Consumer prices have been projected to rise up to 20 per cent over the next few weeks, according to the Salesforce Shopping Index. This is due to worker and raw material shortages. Food inflation [...]
Ocado Zoom workers call to be made dependent contractors October 26, 2021 Ocado drivers have demanded the grocer bring in couriers in house on restructured contracts. Drivers in Acton, West London said they wanted to be employed as Limb B workers – dependent contractors – as it was a “flexible employment model that works perfectly for the ad hoc, on demand business.” In a letter to board [...]
A dram good reason to care: The impact of climate change on Scotch whisky October 26, 2021 As one of Scotland’s main export products, Scotch whisky is enjoyed the world over. But perhaps we should not take a good dram for granted, as projected temperature increases and changes in rainfall patterns threaten distillery production over the next fifty years. Climate researchers from University College London found impending heat and drought stress caused [...]
Ready to check in: Hotel room demand jumps by 184 per cent as travel restrictions ease October 26, 2021 Global hotel prices are on the rise as demand surges after most travel restrictions are eased. The global travel industry was severely wounded by the Covid-19 pandemic with airlines, hotels, and travel agents seeing their customer base evaporate overnight due to strict travel restrictions coming into force across much of the world. But through increased [...]
Calls for at least £15bn funding for remediation works to tackle cladding crisis October 26, 2021 The government has been called on to announce more funding to tackle the cladding crisis at tomorrow’s Budget. Law firm Irwin Mitchell also called for measures including giving leaseholders up-front government funding for remediation works, with no repayment obligation. While the government has announced £5bn to address the issue so far, the sum required is [...]
Ikea snaps up former Topshop Oxford St flagship for £378m October 26, 2021 IKEA has bought the former Topshop flagship store for £378m on Oxford St. The 214 Oxford St store was formerly owned by Arcadia, before the demise of fashion brands Topshop and Topman. Now, the Swedish-origin furniture giant is set to open up in autumn 2023, after the site was bought by Ingka Investments, the investment [...]