All news articles – Page 371
-
NewsMinister fails to cite ‘robust evidence’ for local lockdown
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has defended government plans to introduce further restrictions, insisting there is a “higher risk of transmission” in hospitality settings, though he failed to cite the evidence.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
NewsData ‘cobbled together’ to justify closures in the North
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty was been accused of using misleading data to justify the expected shutdown of the North of England.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
NewsUK footfall sees week-on-week decline
Footfall across the country continued to drop last week, with areas under local lockdown measures particularly affected.
-
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.
-
NewsStar extends rent support
Star Pubs & Bars is to extend rent concessions for its leased and tenanted pubs throughout November.
-
NewsUKH: Mistake to blame hospitality for Scottish spike
UK Hospitality has criticised the Scottish government’s mistaken use of data to justify new restrictions on hospitality venues, despite it being made “explicitly clear” the figures do not demonstrate the location of infection or transmission.
-
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.
-
NewsNorthern leaders to resist shutdown without support
City leaders in the North of England have vowed to resist a new hospitality shutdown without substantial financial support from central government.
-
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.
-
NewsCoqbull comes to Soho
Ireland-based chicken and burger concept Coqbull is to launch its first English site next month in London’s Soho.
-
NewsNorthern cities braced for lockdown
Speculation is rising that Boris Johnson will order a shutdown of pubs and restaurants in northern England on Monday, according to a report in the Times. It said the prime minister “signed off” the regional lockdown as well as agreeing a new support package for affected businesses and a new “simplified” system of lockdown restrictions. It reports that “Merseyside and other parts of northern England” will see pubs, restaurants and cafés forced to close but schools and universities will remain open. It added that “Whitehall sources” had said the support package will be more generous that the measures outlined in the Winter Economy Plan.
-
NewsShepherd Neame: “profitable and cash generative” since reopening
Shepherd Neame has said since July, “nearly all” its pubs have reopened and are trading “successfully”. In a trading update it said in the 13 weeks since 4 July the business has been “profitable and cash generative”. Net debt at the year-end was £84.4m with an additional £11m of tax liabilities that had been deferred in agreement with HMRC. As at 26 September net debt was £82.4m with the tax liabilities that had been deferred reduced to £5.7m with a further £1.2m of general deferrals. It said liquidity is “sufficient for the foreseeable future”. Like-for-like sales in the 64 managed pubs and hotels that were open for this period were down 7.9%.