Coronavirus

Covid-19: Cleanology – investing in cleaning for the long term

It is hard to believe that just a month ago, the cleaning industry was celebrating success at the Golden Service Awards. And today we are on the front line of a war against a virus. It brings everything into perspective, that for all the power, money and success in the…

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Covid-19: A pragmatic, proactive and positive response through PR

Few of us will ever forget March 2020 as the month that almost everything we thought we knew about the world and business changed substantially, and possibly forever. The Coronavirus ‘crisis’ grew so rapidly that the background news agenda changed from Brexit to Covid-19, almost overnight. All of the Suzanne…

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VAT Deferral – What if I can’t get to the office? – MHA MacIntyre Hudson comments

The VAT deferral scheme is automatic but this fact has lulled some businesses into thinking they don’t need to complete a VAT return. It’s easy to think this is no longer necessary, especially as the national shutdown means many businesses can’t physically get to their offices, or have furloughed the…

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Covid-19: Developing a food service business continuity plan

While this crisis is shocking and unprecedented, it’s positive to represent a business which delivers useful and relevant products in the areas of hygiene and food safety. The Home Office has classified Bunzl as a ‘critical supplier’ and each division, including Tri-Star, WK Thomas and London Bio Packaging (LBP) has…

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How technology can help the hospitality sector during COVID-19

While many pubs, restaurants and cafes were already noticing a drop in footfall due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Prime Minister’s announcement on Friday 20th March 2020, saw most close their doors for the last time. Though numerous establishments are insured and the government has put various financial measures in…

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Key take-outs for new takeaways: how to adapt your business during lockdown 

Following the Government’s call to close cafes, pubs and restaurants, many establishments have taken the initiative to temporarily change their business models and operate solely as a ‘takeaway’ or delivery service. Customers are keen to show their support, as demonstrated by the widespread use of #supportlocal on social media. During…

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What are your legal rights if your job has been affected by COVID-19?

Ever since the coronavirus outbreak gathered speed, life in the UK has largely been put on hold. From staff being unable to work due to self-isolation, to workers needing to stay at home to care for their children after schools were ordered to close, the impact on many businesses and…

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What we know about furlough leave and the CJRS

HMRC published details of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on 26.3.20 which are available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme Key points include: Employees that employers can claim CJRS for For the purposes of CJRS, the definition of employee would include workers and agency workers provided they are subject to PAYE i.e. this…

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Stay calm: How to take the coronavirus crisis one day at a time

As a restaurateur that’s been in the industry for many years and has overcome many challenges, I can safely say I have never faced anything as damaging to our business as the current Covid-19 crisis. However, it’s times like these that we all have to pull together to find solutions…

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Wetherspoons’ boss was right to withhold wages

The media and the Twitterati have had a field day vilifying the founder and owner of pub chain Wetherspoons over his decision not to pay his staff in light of the coronavirus restrictions. Tim Martin had sent an email to his 43,000 staff saying he could not afford to pay…

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