Blog masonry

National News

Heathrow ready for successful Easter getaway after chaos of 2022

Heathrow has sought to reassure families it is prepared for a “successful Easter getaway” after many saw their holiday plans ruined a year ago. The west London airport said overall passenger satisfaction is “close to pre-pandemic levels”. The punctuality of departing flights in February was “the most consistent it has been in the last 12 months”, while more than 98% of passengers passed through security in under 10 minutes for the second month in a row, according to Heathrow. ARead More

today 40

National News

Car makers warn UK must step up to compete in electric vehicle production

That's according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders The UK’s ability to compete internationally in electric vehicle (EV) production is at risk, an automotive industry body has claimed. Urgent action is needed by the Government to respond to “fierce competition” from other countries, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Cutting energy costs, speeding up funding for green technology projects and expanding free trade agreements are among the measures included in an SMMT blueprint setting outRead More

today 29

National News

West End star Ruthie Henshall to appear in Coronation Street

She will play the character Estelle West End star Ruthie Henshall will swap the stage for the cobbles when she appears on Coronation Street next week. The actress will play Estelle, an old friend of Glenda Shuttleworth, who is played by fellow stage star Jodie Prenger. Viewers will first meet Estelle when she has a run-in with Glenda’s brother, George Shuttleworth, about the cost of her mother’s funeral. However, all will be forgotten when she bumps into Glenda, as theRead More

today 6

National News

Avanti West Coast launches innovative discounted ticket scheme

It comes as rail fares rose by 5.9 per cent earlier this month Avanti West Coast has become the latest train operator to trial discounted tickets as the rail sector struggles to bring passenger numbers back to pre-pandemic levels. The company is offering cheaper fares on certain routes to people who can be more flexible with their journey times. It comes a month after Southern began selling cut-price tickets to lure commuters back on Mondays and Fridays while Transport SecretaryRead More

today 9

National News

What British companies are saying about their exposure to the SVB collapse

Dozens of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange updated shareholders on their exposure to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and its UK branch. HSBC said on Monday morning it is taking over the UK part of the collapsed bank, while authorities in the US have said depositors in SVB will have access to all their money from today. More than 40 London-listed companies posted updates as markets opened on Monday, with Moonpig, THG, Future and Naked Wines amongRead More

today 15

National News

Silicon Valley Bank UK sold to HSBC

The UK arm of collapsed US lender Silicon Valley Bank has been bought by HSBC after the Government and Bank of England stepped in to “facilitate” a private sale. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed that all customer deposits have been protected under the deal, with no taxpayer cash involved. It comes after the US government moved to stop a potential banking crisis after the historic failure of Silicon Valley Bank, with all deposits protected, amid fears that the factors that causedRead More

today 21

National News

Rishi Sunak pledges 5 billion for defence as UK faces a volatile world

Rishi Sunak insisted the UK’s armed forces had the funding they needed for a “more volatile world” in the face of the growing challenges posed by China and Russia. The Prime Minister promised an extra £5 billion for the military over two years, but failed to meet Tory demands to commit to a goal of spending 3% of the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) on defence. Significant sums of the promised new money will be swallowed up by replenishing ammunitionRead More

today 17

National News

Oscars 2023 The milestones and groundbreaking firsts

The 2023 Academy Awards made history with some groundbreaking firsts and major career milestones. – Best actress Michelle Yeoh is the first person from an Asian background to be named best actress. She is also only the second non-white performer ever to win the award. The first was more than 20 years ago in 2002, when it went to Halle Berry for the film Monster’s Ball. Berry was on stage this year to help present the award to Yeoh. OfRead More

today 18

National News

BBC and Gary Lineker closing in on deal to resolve impartiality row

Gary Lineker is reportedly set to return to Match Of The Day this coming weekend amid speculation he and the BBC are close to resolving their impartiality row. There is “growing confidence” that the former England player will return to host the popular BBC show, according to reports, following a weekend which saw the broadcaster’s sports coverage suffer severe disruption. Lineker did not appear on the football highlights programme after he was told to stand down from the role whenRead More

today 11

0%