Gradual recovery: Central London shows signs of return to the office September 13, 2021 Central London has begun to show signs of a return to the office, but the capital’s retailers and attractions are yet to reap the benefits of a complete footfall recovery. Londoners marching back to the office has seen footfall levels lift 4.2 per cent, but foot traffic as a whole has slumped 7.8 per cent [...]
Credit Suisse may bow out of leading Olam’s food London listing September 13, 2021 Credit Suisse may reportedly bow out of leading Olam’s food ingredients listing in London, after turning down a loan request. The beleaguered Swiss bank chose not to take part in loan facilities Olam raised in August, Bloomberg first reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Credit Suisse was joined by Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase & [...]
UK firms bank on London’s status as top financial centre September 13, 2021 More than two thirds of the UK’s financial firms believe that London will retain its status as one of the world’s leading financial centres after Brexit. When Britain completed its exit from the EU in December last year, it divorced from its biggest single export customer, casting doubts over its status as a leading global [...]
‘Smiling assassin’ Emma Raducanu pulls off one of the great sporting feats in New York fairy tale September 12, 2021 Winning a grand slam title is supposed to be hard – just ask Andy Murray – but his 18-year-old compatriot Emma Raducanu did not so much clear all the usual hurdles as sidestep them altogether, going home with the trophy in just her second major tournament. Last night was an unprecedented feat, as was the [...]
Hotel quarantine: Ex-BBC journalist leaving red-list Turkey released due to PTSD September 10, 2021 A Syrian former BBC journalist, who had been “imprisoned” in Heathrow’s hotel quarantine after leaving red-listed Turkey, has reportedly been allowed out after suffering post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Three days into the mandatory 10 days quarantine, Zaina Erhaim detailed her experience in the airport hotel on Twitter, saying they had been the worst she had [...]
Support for Conservative party lags behind Labour days after NI tax hike September 10, 2021 Support for prime minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative party has slumped to its lowest level since 2019’s election, according to a new YouGov poll. The poll, first shared with the Times, showed that support for the Conservatives has dipped to 33 per cent, while Labour’s support has climbed to 35 per cent. While it is just [...]
Metropolitan Police Federation backs Cressida Dick extension, batting off ‘armchair critics’ September 10, 2021 The Metropolitan Police Federation has backed Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick, batting off “armchair critics” who have called for her replacement. Dick is set to be offered a two-year extension to her tenure, according to the Evening Standard earlier this week, ahead of exiting the role in April next year after five years leading [...]
More traffic looms over cities if rail fails to win back commuters hearts September 10, 2021 Cities like London could be struck by more traffic jams and business closures if train commuting fails to meet pre-pandemic levels, the rail industry has warned. Train commuting is at just 33 per cent of 2019 levels, according to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), with some commuters opting for cars instead. Commuters were deterred from [...]
Oxford Nanopore bets on London with IPO, to top up its £2.5bn valuation September 9, 2021 Oxford Nanopore, whose DNA technology has been used to sequence global variants, is set to float in London, in a listing that could secure a valuation north of £2.5bn. The biotech firm is the latest technology heavyweight to confirm its intentions for an initial public offering (IPO) in the UK’s capital, which has been on [...]
Khan launches London fund to welcome Afghan refugees after donations flood in September 9, 2021 Following a surge of donations, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launched a new “London Refugee Response” fund to support the resettlement of Afghan refugees. About 9,000 refugees have arrived in the UK so far from Afghanistan, with up to 3,500 having arrived in London. The fund is a collaboration between City Hall, London councils and The London Community Foundation, set up [...]