More than £7.8 billion in grant funding has been delivered to small businesses through local authority grant schemes, it has been revealed.Continue reading
leisure and hospitality
Pub industry calls for reopening of the sector as sales halve
Prominent figures within the beer and pub industry are calling upon the Government to reopen pubs with non-essential shops when lockdown ends, as they are an indispensable contributor to the economy. Continue reading
Government urged to extend COVID business support measures
The Government is being urged to extend emergency coronavirus support in the upcoming Budget with a recent study warning that businesses face a £50 billion shortfall when the support measures end in April 2021.Continue reading
Online sales tax proposal for Autumn Budget
The UK Treasury is considering online sales tax for retailers such as Amazon, Asos and Ocado, after a drastic increase in online shopping and the current “uneven system”, has caused many in-store retailers to be at a disadvantage.Continue reading
COVID-19: Payment holidays on credit cards, car finance and personal loans extended
Payment holidays on credit cards, car finance, personal loans and pawned goods have been extended following the Government’s announcement of a second lockdown from Thursday 5 November.Continue reading
Empty high street shops reach highest level for more than six years
According to the new figures, the number of empty high street shops has risen to the highest level for more than six years following a wave of store closures as a result of the pandemic.Continue reading
More businesses given green light to reopen as lockdown restrictions relax
Beauty salons, tattoo studios, spas and barbers will be allowed to offer all “close contact” services from Saturday as lockdown measures relax, it has been announced.Continue reading
Chancellor considers online sales tax for e-commerce retail sector
The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is considering the introduction of a new sales tax for the online retail sector in a bid to help the struggling high street compete with the e-commerce sector.Continue reading