An apartment down payment

Sales at pubs, bars and restaurants that were able to reopen on Monday were sharply higher than pre-pandemic levels with consumers keen to have their first drink out in months, new figures show. Analysis from CGA showed sales at those sites were up by 58.6% compared to the equivalent day in 2019, even though they were limited to serving outdoors amid wintry conditions throughout much of the country. Drinks sales led the way, climbing by 113.8%, but food sales were down by 11.7%. What are the new coronavirus lockdown rules in England and Scotland from today? CGA estimates that 41,100 licensed premises in Britain, or 38.2% of the total, have outdoor space. The early data, based on analysis of 1,687 sites, appeared to suggest the hospitality trade has been a bit more successful than retailers in initially attracting customers back after lockdown restrictions were eased on Monday . Advertisement Separate figures from Springboard … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Pubs and restaurants with outdoor areas enjoy reopening sales surge after lockdown easing

Boris Johnson has told MPs he shares "widespread concern" about the Greensill controversy - and questioned whether "boundaries" between top civil servants and businesses had been "properly understood". The prime minister faced repeated quizzing by MPs about the lobbying row that has engulfed his predecessor David Cameron and also dragged in former and current government ministers and officials. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used Prime Minister's Questions to accuse Mr Johnson of overseeing the "return of Tory sleaze", while he also suggested Ted Hastings and his anti-corruption policing unit - from TV's Line Of Duty - were "needed to get to the bottom of this one". What is the Greensill lobbying scandal and why is David Cameron involved? The Greensill row has deepened after it emerged the former head of Whitehall procurement became an adviser to Greensill Capital while still working as a civil servant, in a move approved by the Cabinet … [Read more...] about Greensill controversy: Boris Johnson shares ‘widespread concern’ over lobbying row – as Labour claim ‘return of Tory sleaze’

PRET a Manger's new subscription service launches today and it's giving customers free coffee for a month when they sign up. Under the YourPret Barista service, customers can get up to five drinks per day for a £20 monthly subscription - as long as coffees are purchased half an hour apart. But Pret is running a promotional offer where you get the first month completely free. Just keep in mind you'll automatically be charged the £20 fee each month after this unless you cancel before the first month is up. The new offering, which goes live on the Pret website today, comes after the coffee chain announced it was slashing 2,800 roles as part of a restructure . At the time, the company said trade across its shops was still around 60% down year-on-year. YourPret Barista subscription - how does it work? PRET is launching a new subscription service, called YourPret Barista. Here's how it works: YourPret launches on Tuesday, September 8. The subscription … [Read more...] about How to get five free coffees a day using Pret a Manger’s new YourPret coffee subscription that launches today

Back in 2014, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians from the US state of Michigan sent a letter of complaint to the Karl May Museum in the eastern German state of Saxony. A US visitor to the museum had alerted the tribe to an item on display there: a human scalp. The museum, which is dedicated to the works of legendary German "Wild West" writer Karl May , initially refused to return it , saying the staff could not ascertain its origins. "This individual was taken without the authority to do so and placed in a museum to be shown like a picture on the wall," stated a 2015 report from the tribe, which set in motion a series of changes: a specially commissioned study, a new ethnographic specialist at the museum and mediation by the US State Department, which is now the custodian of the human remains on behalf of the Chippewa Indians. Native American exhibits feature at the museum on account of May's Winnetou books On Monday, the museum returned the human … [Read more...] about Karl May Museum returns Native American human scalp

A limited number of pilgrims returned to Islam's holiest site on Sunday after Saudi Arabia partially lifted coronavirus restrictions that had been in place since March. The Saudi government started allowing a maximum of 6,000 people a day to enter Mecca's Grand Mosque to performumrah — a pilgrimage to Islam's two holiest sites that can be taken at any time of year. "In an atmosphere of faith and with assured hearts... the first batch of pilgrims begin the pilgrimage in accordance with the precautionary measures laid out," the hajj ministry said on Twitter. Read more: Saudi Arabia: Hajj cancellation spells frustration and empty pockets Coronavirus prevention measures Only Saudi citizens and residents will be permitted to enter the mosque during the first phase of reopening. During the second stage from October 18, the number of umrah pilgrims will be increased to 15,000 per day. Muslims from abroad will be permitted in the third stage from November 1, when … [Read more...] about Pilgrims return to Mecca for limited umrah as Saudi eases coronavirus restrictions