DESPERATE London business bosses today demanded a new rescue package after government advice to be cautious about socialising in the run-up to Christmas triggered a fresh wave of crippling cancellations.
Hospitality, entertainment and retail sector leaders said trade had “fallen off a cliff" with cancellation rates running at up to 70 per cent in restaurants and even higher for large Christmas parties. They warned of “thousands and thousands" of London businesses going to the wall in the new year if they do not get urgent support in the form of further reductions in VAT and extended business rates relief.
It came as key sectors of the London economy effectively began to shut down early for Christmas, missing out on the lifeblood of vital revenue at their busiest time of year.
Clive Watson, chairman of the City Pub group, told the Standard that he was closing the group's venues in the City and other office-dominated areas tomorrow – five days early as there was “no one around".
Esta historia es de la edición December 16, 2021 de Evening Standard.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 16, 2021 de Evening Standard.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
FRANK ON BAYERN’S RADAR AS NEW BOSS
BEES MANAGER AND KOMPANY ARE IN THE FRAME TO REPLACE TUCHEL
How Arteta breathed new life into club's thrilling challenge
AS PART of a team-bonding exercise during their pre-season tour to the United States last summer, Arsenal players were tasked with making movie trailers.
Time to answer 115 questions over whether City wins stink
Alleged breaches hang over record breakers
Astra says 20 new drugs will power era of growth’
THE biggest company on London's stock market, AstraZeneca, set out bold plans today for what its boss called \"a new era of growth\", powered by 20 new drugs.
Why are people wearing Dryrobes so annoying?
EVER since the heady days of lockdown, I have noticed a troubling phenomenon creeping into everyday life: a spike in the number of people extravagantly sticking \"wild\" in front of the word swimming. Essentially, wild swimming is exactly the same thing as normal swimming, but much more smug, and with a greater risk of accidental sewage inhalation.
Promises about diversity ring hollow four years after George Floyd’s death
SO, picture this: you're deep in the media world, where everyone talks about \"diversity\" and \"inclusion\" like it's second nature. It's in every chat, every memo, and every big event.
The soft, mighty Bao is conquering all: good
HAD the pub chain Wetherspoons put bao on the menu 10 years ago, customers would've had no idea what they were dealing with. Yet such is the bun's triumphant rise to the fore, 'Spoons has started experimenting with the Asian import, filling a pair with strips of fried chicken, katsu sauce and pickled red onion and sending them out to the masses.
Johansson 'shocked' by soundalike voice in ChatGPT
SCARLETT JOHANSSON says she was \"shocked\" and \"angered\" at how \"eerily similar\" one of the voices in ChatGPT sounded to hers.
Police to look at criminal charges in the infected blood scandal’
POLICE will look \"very carefully\" into whether criminal charges should be brought in the infected blood scandal, a Cabinet minister said today.
Meet Mr Super Prime: I sell to royalty and the 1%
Selling Sunset, the LA-based property show, is Netflix’s second most-watched programme globally and now there’s a London spin-off. India Block speaks to its star agent, Daniel Daggers