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COVID-19 UPDATE
GLASGOW WAKES TO MINI-LOCKDOWN
SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER NICOLA STURGEON LAST NIGHTANNOUNCED NEW RESTRICTIONS FOR GLASGOW’S 800,000RESIDENTS AFTER A SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES.
Residents of Scotland’s biggest city awoke this morning to learn that Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had introduced a new minilockdown for Glasgow following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Sturgeon last night announced 66 new positive tests and unveiled fresh restrictions on visiting other households that will apply to all 800,000 residents of the city as well as in neighbouring West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire.
The 66 new positive tests were recorded in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area yesterday.
Exceptions to the new rules include emergency circumstances or those providing care to a vulnerable person for extended households which were originally established during the national lockdown.
MILLIONS OF PUPILS RETURN TO SCHOOL
SCHOOLS ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES SEE MILLIONS OF PUPILSRETURN AFTER THE SHUTDOWN CAUSED BY CORONAVIRUS.
Millions of pupils in England and Wales are returning to school this week after the six-month shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Schools have already started reopening although there will be a mix of starting dates, with some schools having training days as staff prepare for a host of new safety measures. That have been introduced.
Schools have already opened for the new academic year in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although official figures show that one in 10 pupils is absent in Scotland.
With movement restrictions in place it will be some time before local retailers start seeing the benefit of the return in the form of increased footfall.
REVALUATION DISPOSAL APPEALS DEADLINE PUSHED BACK
The Scottish Government is pushing back the statutory deadline for disposing outstanding 2017 revaluation appeals by 12 months to 31 December 2021 as a consequence of the interruption caused by Covid-19 and the ongoing issues of progressing appeal discussions.
Steven Dalton, Partner in property consultancy Montagu Evans’ Scottish rating team, said: “The move allows the Assessors to fully consider the 50,000+ appeals lodged by ratepayers earlier this year to reflect the impact to their businesses and rating assessments of Covid-19.
“Extending the 2017 appeal disposal deadline will certainly assist, but it is debatable whether this is enough and prevent the 2022 revaluation from going ahead as planned.”
COVID-19 HOTSPOT TRACKER UPDATE
The latest British Retail Consortium Covid Hotspot Tracker for England has revealed that total new cases fell by 16% week-on-week for the period (weeks commencing 10 and 17 August). All but five regions reported a fall with London the outlier, reporting a 26% increase.
STARBUCKS’ BLOCKCHAIN PROVENANCE SOLUTION
Starbucks is now allowing shoppers in the US to trace the provenance of its coffee using Microsoft’s blockchain solution by using a code on the bags to find out exactly where their beans came from, where they were roasted and even get brewing tips from baristas. A reverse code is being given to coffee farmers so that they can track their produce.
The move is part of a responsible sourcing programme and allows the company to “transparently share that information with everyone”.
FOODSERVICE DELIVERY UP
Despite the failure of apredicted boom in foodservicehome delivery to materialiseduring lockdown, the latestdata from Lumina Intelligencesuggests growth did finally startto appear towards the end ofJune. Among the total UK adultpopulation, pre-coronavirusfoodservice delivery accountedfor one meal per month. Postlockdown, this has risen tothree meals per month.
PRET SHEDS STAFF
Troubled sandwich chain Pret A Manger is to make about one-third of its workforce redundant as demand from commuters and office workers fails to return to pre-pandemic levels. Around 3,000 jobs, mainly at its stores, will be lost. Ninety support centre roles will also be cut.
TIKTOK BID
Asda owner Walmart is teaming up with Microsoft to try to acquire the US operations of the TikTok video sharing app. The deal is expected to be between $25bn and $30bn if an agreement can be reached with TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance.
