Business News Round Up (18/08/2020)
Prestwick Airport bounces back with pre-Covid £3 million profit
Glasgow Prestwick Airport has reported an operating profit against a £1 million loss the previous year. The Scottish Government-owned Ayrshire site revealed an underlying operating profit of £3 million, subject to audit. For the 12 months to March 31st 2020, with revenue having increased 46% year-on-year to £36 million, up from £24.6 million. Since April, Glasgow Prestwick Airport and its specialist freight services have been involved in the welcoming and handling of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in Scotland. Holyrood has been seeking to sell the site after taking it into public hands for £1 in 2013.
https://www.insider.co.uk/company-results-forecasts/prestwick-airport-bounces-back-pre-22534746
Manchester hotel bosses say it has been ‘brilliant’ to reopen – but that reduced weekday trade continues to hit sector
Hotel bosses from across Manchester have said it’s been “brilliant” to reopen the sector – but that the reduction in weekday corporate trade has had a “noticeable impact”. Many hotels reopened on July 4 following an extended period of closure that began in March, due to the coronavirus lockdown. Adrian Ellis, general manager of the Lowry Hotel and chairman of Manchester Hoteliers’ Association has spoken to operators around the city, and said he is optimistic about the sector’s future. Mr Ellis said he had advised teams across the industry on their Covid-secure initiatives and is confident that hotels across the city are implementing appropriate measures which will allow hotels to reopen safely.
https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/manchester-hotel-bosses-say-its-18782088
M&S to cut 7,000 jobs over the next three months
Marks and Spencer has announced it plans to shed around 7,000 jobs over the next three months across stores, regional management, and its support centre in response to a “material shift in trade”, after seeing a 47.9% fall in in-store clothing and home sales since reopening. The high street brand reported year on year food sales up 2.5% for the same period and overall online sales up 40%. M&S said a new IT system would allow it to streamline by reducing layers of management. It will also redeploy staff to work across different departments. Jobs will go in its central support centre, regional management, and in UK stores. The company said it was about to enter consultation with affected staff and expected a “significant proportion” of job losses to be through voluntary redundancy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53817598
Scottish private bank hails growth despite Covid-19
HAMPDEN & Co, the Edinburgh-based private bank, has said its tailored solutions have helped companies through coronavirus as it reported continued strong growth in lending and deposits in the first half of 2020. The bank said despite the headwinds of Covid-19, the lockdown and the reduction of UK base rates to historic lows, it grew its deposits by £82 million, up 24% against June 30, 2019 – and lending by £94 million, up 61% on last year, and continues to build its client base. The performance brought income growth of 16%, or £4.8 million, compared to the same period the year before.