Soggy pizza? Delivery shifts soar as drivers ‘boomerang’ back to old jobs July 30, 2021 The number of temporary delivery drivers ready to pick up shifts has tumbled by over a quarter, new data has found, with many leaving flexible working behind. Thousands have returned to their pre-pandemic professions in hospitality and retail, according to Indeed Flex, the job sites flexible working division. In London, the number of available drivers [...]
London Shepherd Neame pubs pull 60 per cent of revenue on pre-pandemic levels July 30, 2021 Shepherd Neame pubs in London have pulled 60 per cent of their revenue and total sales from 2019 levels before pandemic restrictions eased fully in July. The British brewery, which operates some 310 pubs across the Southeast, found that pubs outside London fared slightly better – raking in 84 per cent of revenue and total [...]
Budget delay hinted at as Rishi Sunak fails to name day July 30, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has sparked speculation of delays to the budget, after failing to announce a date when publishing new forecasts, as is normally expected. Sunak said he had instructed the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to prepare to present an economic and fiscal forecast to parliament on October 27, according to reports. The forecast [...]
Westminster Holocaust memorial approved by government July 29, 2021 The government has approved the Westminster Holocaust memorial after years of wrangling and disagreements over its design and placement. Housing minister Christopher Pincher announced today that the plans had been approved by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) after approval powers were taken away from Westminster Council last year. The memorial will [...]
Pret A Manger mulls expanding into coffee vending machines in move to diversify July 29, 2021 Pret A Manger is set to expand into coffee vending machines. The sandwich chain is joining the trend, according to the Financial Times, to widen its product offering through automated dispensers as the sector suffers from the drop in commuters and staff shortages. Earlier this month, the company’s application to trademark the name “Pret Express” [...]
Exclusive: HMV’s new owner on where he wants to take his High Street stores July 29, 2021 Music and entertainment retailer HMV confirmed last week plans to open 10 new stores, including a flagship London site. Following its decline into administration two years ago its Oxford Street store – along with many others – were closed. However, new owner Doug Putman, a Canadian music retail executive, bought the struggling business and believes [...]
HSBC accused of ‘blatant’ forex fraud by former client July 29, 2021 HSBC currency traders in London have been accused of routinely fronting run client orders for extra profits as part of a “blatant and indefensible” fraud by investment manager ECU lawyers. The closing statement comments by lawyers for ECU, which is suing HSBC for currency trades made over 15 years ago, marked the end of a [...]
Corruption in the City: Pinning down companies’ criminal accountability July 28, 2021 This summer marked 10 years since the UK Bribery Act 2010 came into force. Amongst many new powers granted under the law, a particularly significant one was that of the ‘failure to prevent’ corruption or bribery, under which businesses could be held liable and responsible for the actions of their subordinate, unless they had sufficiently [...]
Tough hill to swallow: New £2m Marble Arch Mound widely panned July 28, 2021 Refunds are being offered to visitors of the new £2m Marble Arch Mound tourist attraction in central London, after a slew of poor reviews and online criticism. The new attraction, which is supposed to give panorama views of central London, has been widely panned on social media and has been compared by some to a [...]
CitySprint look to expand as employment drive for 600 new couriers begins July 28, 2021 CitySprint, the UK’s largest same day distribution company, has announced that it is looking for an extra 600 new couriers across the UK. The recruitment drive is in response to a significant uplift in logistics requirements, particularly around the London area. High demand for products bought online is thought to be one of the reasons [...]