News

MORNING NEWS: Staff not keen to return to the office

News

Piers Wehner

29 July 2020

Good morning. Let’s begin, shall we?

Staff at some of the UK’s biggest companies are reluctant to return to “unsafe” workplaces(£). Senior Tories are urging the PM to force people back to offices(£), for the good of the wider economy.

Google, however, has confirmed its commitment to its gigantic King’s Cross ‘landscraper’, even as it tells staff not to return to the office until July next year.

Meanwhile, Neisr(£) has said that ending the furlough scheme(£) in October is a mistake. The thinktank says an extension would save 1.2m jobs and would pay for itself.

And a new tax on property is on the horizon, says an article in The Times (£) penned by James Kirkup of the Social Market Foundation.

The bounce-back in the UK residential market has improved the fortunes of Foxtons(£)…

… As the rebound in retail sales(£) has reached its highest level since April last year.

The FT (£) has a long read on the battle between landlords and retailers over the future of leases…

… Although the landlord of Rick Stein’s restaurant in Marlborough “is in danger of giving the profession a good name”(£), after tearing up the bill.

Lockdown closures have driven the mighty Greggs(£) to its first ever loss(£). The bakery chain will now open just 60 new stores this year, not the 100 previously planned.

Selfridges will cut 450 jobs(£), but says it won’t be closing any stores.

Housebuilders saw their share price rise yesterday on news of the Help to Buy extension(£) beyond the December deadline…

… And Landsec also received a boost from news of its net zero carbon Forge building.

GMG has bought 7 Old Queen Street, SW1, for £24m, with plans to refurbish once the National Crime Office leaves early next year.

Echelon has kicked off its search for tenants at its first, 192,000 sq ft data campus in London.

Despite the strict curfews, closed borders and long working days, lockdown in the Cayman Islands sounds pretty idyllic for CaribbeanMGT’s Roger Southam in this week’s Lockdown Diaries.

Borders and time zones will be no barriers to Prologis as it searches the globe for top talent.

While in Malaysia, the former PM(£) has been jailed for 12 years(£) for his role in the 1MDB scandal.

And the countdown has begun for the launch of plans for the UK’s first spaceport.

And finally, a new city is being planned in Ireland. Ivan Ko, the Hong Kong property tycoon behind the Victoria Harbour Group, is pushing ahead with plans for Nextopolis(£). The new city will rise from the wilderness (erm…) somewhere between Dublin and Belfast and will provide a home for 50,000 Hong Kong emigrants. Ko sounds convinced that the project will happen, the Irish government less so. Apparently its only contact with Ko has been to “provide helpful and realistic guidance about Ireland”.

Good morning. Let’s begin, shall we? Staff at some of the UK’s biggest companies are reluctant to return to “unsafe” workplaces(£). Senior Tories are urging the PM to force people back to offices(£), for the good of the wider economy. Google, however, has confirmed its commitment to its gigantic King’s Cross ‘landscraper’, even as it tells staff not to return to the office until July next year. Meanwhile, Neisr(£) has said that ending the furlough scheme(£) in October is a mistake. The thinktank says an extension would save 1.2m jobs and would pay for itself. And a new tax on property is on the horizon, says an article in The Times (£) penned by James Kirkup of the Social Market Foundation. The bounce-back in the UK residential market has improved the fortunes of Foxtons(£)… … As the rebound in retail sales(£) has reached its highest level since April last year. The FT (£) has a long read on the battle between landlords and retailers over the future of leases… … Although the landlord of Rick Stein’s restaurant in Marlborough “is in danger of giving the profession a good name”(£), after tearing up the bill. Lockdown closures have driven the mighty Greggs(£) to its first ever loss(£). The bakery chain will now open just 60 new stores this year, not the 100 previously planned. Selfridges will cut 450 jobs(£), but says it won’t be closing any stores. Housebuilders saw their share price rise yesterday on news of the Help to Buy extension(£) beyond the December deadline… … And Landsec also received a boost from news of its net zero carbon Forge building. GMG has bought 7 Old Queen Street, SW1, for £24m, with plans to refurbish once the National Crime Office leaves early next year. Echelon has kicked off its search for tenants at its first, 192,000 sq ft data campus in London. Despite the strict curfews, closed borders and long working days, lockdown in the Cayman Islands sounds pretty idyllic for CaribbeanMGT’s Roger Southam in this week’s Lockdown Diaries. Borders and time zones will be no barriers to Prologis as it searches the globe for top talent. While in Malaysia, the former PM(£) has been jailed for 12 years(£) for his role in the 1MDB scandal. And the countdown has begun for the launch of plans for the UK’s first spaceport. And finally, a new city is being planned in Ireland. Ivan Ko, the Hong Kong property tycoon behind the Victoria Harbour Group, is pushing ahead with plans for Nextopolis(£). The new city will rise from the wilderness (erm…) somewhere between Dublin and Belfast and will provide a home for 50,000 Hong Kong emigrants. Ko sounds convinced that the project will happen, the Irish government less so. Apparently its only contact with Ko has been to “provide helpful and realistic guidance about Ireland”.