Recession

Mar- 2020 -

10 March

Banks to help us all out with coronavirus fallout

Once again the business pages on all major news outlets are pretty much dominated by the developing story of coronavirus – every sector has some kind of tale to tell. So here is the roundup from today. RBS said it will allow mortgage holidays for people who are forced to…

3 March

Business Bites

Coronavirus is stepping up a gear – this could be serious

When I started this column back in December I did not anticipate a single subject would dominate it so much, but as I wrote last week it would be silly not to address the latest coronavirus circumstances given that each new development so far has had a profound impact on…

Feb- 2020 -

10 February

Business Bites

Ocado ditches Waitrose; Bill gates orders £500m beast-yacht; Boris to lower immigration wage threshold

A busy start to the week in the business pages. As the coronavirus story unfolds I am reluctant to spend every day providing updates on it, but it is worth noting quickly that there is likely to be some worldwide economic turbulence due to the latest developments. A slew of…

Jan- 2020 -

6 January

Business Bites

As long as WW3 does not kick off, 2020 looks set to be a better year

All eyes on are on the rising tensions between the United States and Iran after president Trump ordered the assassination of Iran’s most powerful general, Qassem Suleimani. The oil price has risen, stocks have fallen this morning, and the threat of war almost always depresses global trade flows. But let’s bask in…

Jan- 2018 -

29 January

Retailers

Planning applications for retail stores falls for ninth consecutive year

Planning applications for new shops have fallen for the ninth year in a row, says platform for peer-to-peer property lending, Lendy. New research by Lendy shows that the number of planning applications for new shops and shopping centres in England are down 55 percent since the credit crunch to just…

Jul- 2016 -

8 July

Editorial

What will Brexit mean for the pet industry?

Contradictory claims and political turmoil. There’s no doubt that the recent EU Referendum left much of the UK scratching their heads and asking ‘what’s going to happen next?’ The pet trade is no exception. Following a vote on June 23, 51.9 percent of voters within the UK chose to leave the European Union.…

Apr- 2016 -

12 April

Current Affairs

Pet lovers see themselves as ‘parents’ not owners

Business intelligence company, Euromonitor, has released a new global briefing, investigating the way pet owners view their companion animals. Premiumisation in the Age of Pet Parenthood claims that pet owners are increasingly ascribing human attributes to their pets. More owners in the US, the UK and Japan view themselves as their pet’s…

Nov- 2015 -

10 November

Current Affairs

‘Lethal combination’ for UK retailers, says Tesco boss

Story by Michael Northcott The chief executive of Tesco, Dave Lewis, has warned that the UK retail sector is facing a “lethal cocktail” of rising costs. Speaking at the CBI’s annual conference, Lewis said rising business rates and the National Living Wage (introduced by George Osborne earlier this year) mean…

Oct- 2015 -

27 October

Current Affairs

UK Economy continues to grow

The UK economy grew by 0.5 percent between July and September, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Although continuing to grow, the rate was slower than the previous quarter. The growth rate was also lower than predicted. In the second quarter of the year, the economy has…

Apr- 2015 -

24 April

Editorial

The UK’s Pet Population Drops by 16%

New data released by the Pet Food Manufacturer’s Association (PFMA) has revealed shocking results. Over the last three years the UK’s pet population has reduced by 16 percent. This 10.8 million drop includes a two percent decrease in the number of households to own a pet. However, it may not…