In pictures: Londoners gather at Essex Road vigil for ‘flower man of Islington’ June 1, 2021 A loud applause broke out at a vigil for a stabbing victim who was known as the “flower man of Islington”. Tony Eastlake, 55, died from a knife wound after being attacked in Islington, north London, on Saturday just before 5.30pm. A crowd of family, friends, customers, passers-by and neighbours gathered last night for a [...]
Lifting restrictions should be spaced out to avoid third wave, senior doctors say June 1, 2021 The easing of restrictions should be spaced out to keep the levels of transmissions down and avoid a third wave in the UK, according to senior doctors today. “If we are intending to keep the levels of transmission down because that is the fundamental risk we have, then it would make sense to space the [...]
Grenfell group calls on government to remove combustible insulation from schools May 31, 2021 The campaign group of survivors and bereaved relatives from the Grenfell Tower disaster has said the Government must ensure that combustible material is removed from schools. The Guardian and The Times reported that combustible insulation has been used on dozens of schools since it was banned on tall buildings after the fire in west London [...]
Caffè Nero slurps up 82 per cent post-restrictions sales spike May 31, 2021 Caffè Nero has enjoyed a sales spike in recent weeks, as restrictions were gradually eased, while it has also repaid all of its Covid financial support. Weekly sales surged 82 per cent as outdoor seating was allowed and then restricted indoor eating was permitted in the last 13 weeks. After paying back a £12.2m Liquidity [...]
UK economy set to grow 7.2 per cent this year, OECD forecasts May 31, 2021 The UK’s economy is set to grow at its fastest rate since the second world war this year and in 2022, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has forecast. After the Covid-19 ravaged economies, the UK suffered a 9.8 per cent contraction in 2020 – its worst in nearly 300 years. The organisation [...]
Electric Boris bikes to join London’s fleet by 2022 May 31, 2021 Boris bikes in the capital will be getting an electric boost in time for summer 2022, as London transport gears up its clean initiatives. In a three-year sponsorship deal, 500 e-bikes are set to be added to the 14,000 bikes-for-hire fleet across the city. ‘Cycling has been a lifeline for many Londoners over the past [...]
Hospitality: A quarter of Britain’s pubs and restaurants still to reopen after lockdown May 31, 2021 One in four of Britain’s restaurants, pubs, bars and other licensed premises have yet to reopen despite the return of inside service. Around 25,000 venues across Britain are still shut, according to new hospitality data from CGA and AlixPartners, shared with City PM this morning. The data shows similar trading numbers in England (76.6 per cent) and Scotland [...]
UK may be edging into a third wave, according to scientist advisor May 31, 2021 The UK may be in the early stages of a third wave of Covid-19 infections, according to a scientist advising the government. Professor Ravi Gupta has said that although new cases were “relatively low”, the Indian variant had caused “exponential growth” in infections. The University of Cambridge professor added that lifting Covid restrictions in England [...]
Business and professional services boosts UK economic output in May May 30, 2021 Canada’s dominant business and professional services industry put rockets under the UK’s private sector business activity in the three months to May, according to the latest CBI monthly gorwth survey. Business and professional services activity grew at a survey record pace, gorwing at a rate of 50 per cent, up from a [...]
TfL funding package expires as talks continue on short-term rescue deal May 29, 2021 The emergency funding support programme agreed between Transport for London and the Department for Transport has come to an end, with discussions continuing on an extension. TfL were forced to go cap-in-hand to central government after passenger numbers collapsed at the start of Covid-19. A funding deal was struck in November 2020 to finish in [...]
