Wetherspoons calls for pubs to reopen ‘to save jobs’
Getty Images The chairman of JD Wetherspoon is calling for pubs to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops. Tim Martin warned that the pub industry was “on its knees” and needed to reopen to save jobs. He said pubs made a massive contribution to the economy, with the Wetherspoons chain paying about £10 […]
Meat factories warn Covid absences could hit supplies
Tom Espiner Business reporter, BBC News Getty Images Some supermarkets faced issues over the festive period due to ports disruption The UK meat industry has called for the early vaccination of workers to keep food supplies running smoothly during the coronavirus crisis. It warned that absences during the pandemic, coupled with disruption at ports, could […]
Work to start on miners’ £100k arboretum memorial
BBC Michael Mellor said a dedication ceremony was planned in June, but may now be in September A national memorial paying tribute to miners will be built after fundraisers say they have almost reached their £100,000 target. Chase Arts for Public Spaces (Chaps) has been raising money for the monument at the National Memorial Arboretum. […]
Price inflation: Lumpy and sticky
Douglas Fraser Business and economy editor, Scotland BBC Higher interest rates fall unevenly, tending to hit many of those with the tightest finances. That may go for parts of the UK as well as younger people. One solution could be tackling inflation with higher tax, aimed at those best able to pay it. Scottish firms […]
BMW invests in Oxford plant as it plans more electric Minis
Theo Leggett Business correspondent, BBC News Getty Images King Charles drove an electric Mini off the production line during a visit to Plant Oxford in June 2021 Carmaker BMW is preparing to invest up to £600m in its Mini plant at Cowley, near Oxford, the BBC understands. The money is expected to be used to […]
Bread price may rise after dire UK wheat harvest
Justin Rowlatt Chief environment correspondent Tim Nicholson The price of flour and bread is set to rise after what could be the worst UK wheat harvest in 40 years, the industry is warning. Farmers say that the extreme weather over the last year is likely to mean wheat yields are down by up to 40%. […]
Jamie Oliver says more tax is not way to cut childhood obesity
Ian Westbrook Health reporter, BBC News PARLIAMENT TV Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall held up sugar sachets to show how many were in a soft drink before and after the sugar tax Jamie Oliver has told a select committee that more taxation is not the way to curb the UK’s obesity epidemic. Mr Oliver and […]
Will we see radical action?
Getty Images Strategies for tackling obesity in England have been much talked about – but consistency has been hard to find. Three different prime ministers in four years have all had their own approaches. Policies have been floated but implementation has been patchy. Now the outgoing chief medical officer for England has said in no […]
Do we use 8.5 billion straws a year in the UK?
Reality Check team BBC News BBC The claim: We use 8.5 billion plastic straws a year in the UK. Reality Check verdict: Nobody knows exactly how many straws are used each year. While Defra described it as a figure for the number of straws used in the UK, 8.5bn is actually only an estimate of […]
India’s ‘lockdown film’ is an edgy thriller
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO C U Soon is a 90-minute suspense thriller In late April, when life and work in India stalled under lockdown, a young director decided to make his next film. Theatres were shut and more than 60 films made in the southern state of Kerala, where he lives, were languishing in the cans. […]