TRADERS have been making their final preparations ahead of the easing of some lockdown restrictions today. Many businesses are ready to spring back into action after Boris Johnson confirmed that the roadmap dates he had originally set out will remain unchanged. From today, pubs and restaurants can open and serve customers with outdoor service only. All non-essential shops can reopen, as well as hairdressers, nail salons, gyms and leisure centres.
Emma Draper outside of Velvet in Hove Velvet, an independent women’s fashion store in Church Road, Hove, is preparing to welcome customers back through its doors. Store manager Emma Draper said that lockdown has been “difficult”, but she is anticipating a strong summer after the business experienced its best Christmas sales in more than 20 years.
Rishi Sunak unveiled a raft of measures aimed at helping small businesses today.
The Chancellor targeted high street firms with a business rate holiday extension until June, followed by a two-thirds reduced rate for the rest of the financial year.
He also confirmed a freeze of VAT at 5 per cent for hospitality firms until June, and to stagger a return to the 20 per cent regular rate with an interim 12.5 per cent step until April 2022. Business leaders had called for another year at the 5 per cent rate.
He also unveiled an extension of the furlough scheme until September - albeit with increasing employer contributions set at 10 per cent in July and 20 per cent from August.
Both historical evidence and current sentiment point to a period of boom after months of gloom, Luke Davis, CEO of Mayfair-based investment firm IW Capital, told City A.M.
Meat isn’t what it used to be Last year, lab-grown meat was merely a tabloid clickbait story but as we move further into the roaring Twenties there is no doubt that the slaughter of animals will be replaced by the wonders of science – and Brighton is likely to be one of the first champions of these products in the UK. As the globe faces climate change, significantly contributed to by the meat industry in terms of deforestation, water pressures, food crops used for animal feed, the mass production of meat protein grown in factories is inevitable. Now this isn’t the same as vegan “meat-free” products that you already see in the supermarkets.
Rockwater Shacks THE owner of a set of “shacks” on Hove seafront will learn next month whether he can have a permanent drinks licence. Luke Davis, who runs Rockwater, known for many years as the West End Café, wants to be able to sell alcohol from Shacks by the Shore, with the shacks resembling beach huts. The current temporary licence was due to expire last week so Mr Davis applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a permanent licence to sell drinks until 10pm. But some neighbours have objected and now a council licensing panel has been asked to decide the application.