All articles by Georgia Cronin – Page 20
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NewsNew furlough scheme to pay two thirds of wages in local lockdowns
The government will subside two thirds of employees’ salaries in businesses forced to close due to local lockdowns, the Chancellor has announced. As an expansion of its Jobs Support Scheme, the government will grant eligible businesses 67% of each employees’ salary throughout the closure period, up to a maximum of £2,100 a month. In addition to the extension, the government is increasing cash grants to businesses – such as nightclubs and other areas of hospitality - forced to close in England. Grants will be linked to rateable values with up to £3,000 per month payable every two weeks, compared to the up to £1,500 every three weeks which was available previously.
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NewsGreene King increases rent concessions for tied tenants
Greene King Pub Partners has increased the rent concessions for its tied pub tenants to at least 40% until Christmas. Until the end of December, its 975 tied tenants will be granted at least a 40% rent reduction, with pubs that are forced to close in local lockdowns receiving a 90% rent discount for at least four weeks. The move brings its total estimated financial support for its tied tenants to more than £25m since March.
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News25,000 businesses yet to reopen in hospitality
There are now nearly 25,000 fewer licensed premises open in the UK than there were before the coronavirus lockdown, a drop of 21.7%, according to CGA and AlixPartners. Their latest Market Recovery Monitor has shown that just over 90,000 premises around Britain had returned to trading by the end of September, a net increase of nearly 4,000 sites in the month, but the openings were significantly less than those seen in August (15,500). The number of sites currently trading compares to the 115,000 licensed premises recorded by CGA in March.
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NewsCalls for ‘credible financial support’ during local lockdown
Industry trade bodies have called on government to ensure any new lockdown measures are targeted, proportional and accompanied by a credible financial support package.
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NewsSunak to announce local furlough ahead of northern lockdown
Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce a local furlough scheme today designed to support areas in local lockdown, the Times reports.
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NewsCMA approves Marston’s/Carlsberg JV
The Competition and Markets Authority has cleared the proposed £780m merger of Marston’s and Carlsberg’s brewing operations.
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NewsTRG’s remuneration and share plan overhaul approved
The Restaurant Group’s proposed new remuneration policy and restricted share plan has been approved by shareholders.
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NewsOakman Group sees highest sales quarter in history
The Oakman Group, comprised of Oakman Inns and Ashmore Inns, has significantly outperformed the market in the past few months, seeing its highest ever sales quarter in Q1 2020.
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NewsUK footfall sees week-on-week decline
Footfall across the country continued to drop last week, with areas under local lockdown measures particularly affected.
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NewsBBPA: Northern lockdown could destroy pubs and livelihoods
The introduction of a local lockdown in northern England could destroy pubs and livelihoods in the region, the British Beer & Pub Association has warned.
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NewsStar extends rent support
Star Pubs & Bars is to extend rent concessions for its leased and tenanted pubs throughout November.
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NewsMcDonald’s global sales still in decline
McDonald’s has started to see a modest recovery across its markets, though global and UK sales are still down.
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NewsLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan: Curfew doing “more harm than good”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has joined calls for a review of the 10pm curfew, accusing the move of doing “more harm than good.” In an update to the London Assembly this week, Khan said that in his view, the curfew not only appears to be ineffective but could be counterproductive in curbing infection rates.The number of new cases in the capital rose by 394 on Wednesday (07 October) to 1,310, the third highest daily regional rise in the UK.
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NewsCoqbull comes to Soho
Ireland-based chicken and burger concept Coqbull is to launch its first English site next month in London’s Soho.
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InterviewsWelcome Break CEO John Diviney: ‘We’re looking to ourselves to provide the solutions for ourselves’
Motorway service operator Welcome Break will not be relying on government support to help it through the upcoming months of uncertainty, CEO John Diviney has said. Of the opinion that schemes put in place earlier in the year were “superb”, Diviney told MCA’s The Conversation that the business is now much better prepared to tackle whatever lies ahead, and it will henceforth be “looking to ourselves to provide the solutions for ourselves, rather than being reliant on government for every solution.”
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NewsLPQ appoints new MD
Bakery chain Le Pain Quotidien has appointed Steven Whibley as its new managing director.
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InterviewsPret UK MD Clare Clough: Crisis ‘powered up the engines’ for our digital transformation
The onset of the coronavirus crisis caused Pret to “power up the engines” and move at pace with its digital transformation strategy, UK MD Clare Clough has said.
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NewsSunak: Don’t jump to ‘simplistic conclusions’ on virus transmission
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has defended his Eat Out to Help Out scheme, arguing people should be “cautious about jumping to simplistic conclusions” about causes of transmission.
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InterviewsPizza Pilgrims co-founder Thom Elliot: ‘Ignore delivery demand at your peril’
Consumer demand for delivery is only set to increase, and operators ignoring that trend are doing so at their peril, Pizza Pilgrims co-founder Thom Elliot has said.
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Analysis & InsightFood to go to see 41% bounce back in 2021
Food to go will see a significant bounce back from its 2020 decline next year, increasing its share of the overall eating out market, according to Lumina Intelligence.