Future of work: ‘Freedom Day’ fails to trigger mass return to the office August 9, 2021 “Freedom Day” has failed to trigger a mass return to the office, according to new data published today. Research from Remit Consulting shows the proportion of staff in the office in the UK hit 11.7 per cent in July, a meager increase from 11.1 per cent before the Work From Home guidance was dropped by [...]
London law firms launch first global crypto fraud network August 9, 2021 A network for crypto-related fraud has been launched by a group of law firms, including Grant Thornton, in a bid to make the UK a global centre for crypto dispute resolution, amid a rise in scams. The ‘Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery’ (CFAAR) network has been created with the aim of becoming a “known body [...]
London Stock Exchange Group sees profits recover from 2020’s wave of pandemic uncertainty August 6, 2021 The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has seen its total profits recover in response to pandemic uncertainty which rocked its financial markets in the first half of 2020. Total profit hit £2.7bn in the six months to 30 June, up from just £914m in the first half of last year when the stock market faced [...]
‘No parade, no protest’: London Pride cancelled due to Covid restrictions August 6, 2021 This year’s Pride celebrations in London have been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event’s organisers have confirmed. The flagship LGBTQ+ event, which was first postponed from 11 June to September, had been expected to attract some 35,000 people. Organisers, who performed risk assessments for the event, said the parade could not be held within [...]
London compared: How hard has your borough been hit by Covid-19? August 6, 2021 Almost three weeks after the majority of restrictions were lifted in the UK on “Freedom Day”, Morning Wire analysis has revealed which London boroughs suffered the most Covid deaths during the last year of the pandemic. From the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 to when the UK’s third lockdown began to wind down [...]
Jab and coke: Heaven nightclub to open a pop-up vaccination centre August 5, 2021 Heaven nightclub will be the scene of a very different kind of afters on Sunday afternoon as the NHS opens a new vaccination centre. Heaven, which is located in Soho and is home to club nights such as G-A-Y, will act as a pop-up vaccination centre from midday until 9pm for all Londoners who have [...]
Sadiq Khan wants to make not wearing a mask on Tube a criminal offence August 5, 2021 Refusing to wear a face mask on the Tube should be made into a criminal offence, Sadiq Khan has said. The mayor of London wants the government to introduce a new bye-law that would enshrine face mask wearing on Transport for London (TfL) in law. Wearing a face mask in enclosed spaces is no longer [...]
Pensions group Royal London sees managed assets hit a record £153bn high August 5, 2021 Pensions and life insurance firm Royal London’s assets under management have hit a record high at £153bn in the past six months. Climbing higher from £148bn in late December, the group put the growth down to positive market movements and net inflows in the six months to 30 June. The group pulled in profit before [...]
Investors pile £12bn into UK-listed companies, hoisting the market above pre-pandemic levels August 5, 2021 UK listed companies have raised more than £12bn in fresh capital from investors in the first half of this year, building the market back above pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic caused a resurgence in UK capital markets activity last year, with funds raised by listed companies peaking at its highest level in over a decade. Investors [...]
Bargain hunt: One in three London homes fetch lower asking price August 5, 2021 London’s property market has become a buyer’s market, driven by demand flowing out of the capital and into areas such as the commuter belt since the onset of the Covid crisis, according to new figures published today. Research by London estate agent Benham and Reeves reveals nearly one in three properties in the capital have [...]