inews--2020-04-27--Coronavirus latest: Small businesses offered 'bounce back loans' worth up to £50,000

Rishi Sunak unveiled the new package of support for smaller firms that will see the taxpayer paying all interest repayments and fees Small businesses will be offered “ bounce back loans ” worth up to £50,000 with the Government taking on 100 per cent of the risk , under new emergency measures to help firms manage during the Covid-19 crisis .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the new package of support for smaller firms that will see the taxpayer paying all interest repayments and fees for the first 12 months of the loan .
However , Mr Sunak resisted pressure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on all loans issued under the Treasury ’ s Coronavirus Business Intervention Loan scheme to underwrite all of the risk .
Businesses have blamed the cap on the loans guarantee for acting as a barrier to companies taking advantage of the support programme , with just 15,000 loans issued in the UK compared with more than 250,000 in France .
But Mr Sunak insisted his new plan would “ carefully target ” the level of state support at those who need it most , amid concerns within the Treasury of placing too much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are in many ways the most exposed businesses to the impact of the coronavirus and often find it harder to access credit in the first place .
“ If we want to benefit from their dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit as we recover our economy , they will need extra support to get through this crisis.
” Mr Sunak added : “ Businesses will be able to apply for these new bounce back loans for 25 per cent of their turnover up to a maximum of £50,000 with the Government paying the interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans will be available from 9am next Monday , with “ no forward-looking test of business viability , no complex eligibility criteria , just a simple , quick standard form for businesses to fill in ” .
Officials said businesses will apply for the loans through their banks , and will not be expected to offer any personal guarantees attached to the lending .
The Government has allocated £15 billion of support in response to the economic devastation caused by the virus and the lockdown measures , and Mr Sunak warned of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be in no doubt about the seriousness of the economic situation , ” Mr Sunak said .
Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds said while she welcomed the latest loan offer , she warned the UK Government was an “ international outlier ” for failing to take on 100 per cent of the risk on all loans .

Small businesses will be offered “bounce back loans” worth up to £50,000 with the Government taking on 100 per cent of the risk, under new emergency measures to help firms manage during the Covid-19 crisis.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the new package of support for smaller firms that will see the taxpayer paying all interest repayments and fees for the first 12 months of the loan.
However, Mr Sunak resisted pressure to increase the 80 per cent Government guarantee on all loans issued under the Treasury’s Coronavirus Business Intervention Loan scheme to underwrite all of the risk.
Low guarantee
Businesses have blamed the cap on the loans guarantee for acting as a barrier to companies taking advantage of the support programme, with just 15,000 loans issued in the UK compared with more than 250,000 in France.
But Mr Sunak insisted his new plan would “carefully target” the level of state support at those who need it most, amid concerns within the Treasury of placing too much risk onto taxpayers’ shoulders.
He told MPs: “I know that some small businesses are still struggling to access credit.
“They are in many ways the most exposed businesses to the impact of the coronavirus and often find it harder to access credit in the first place.
“If we want to benefit from their dynamism and entrepreneurial spirit as we recover our economy, they will need extra support to get through this crisis.”
The new “microloan scheme” would provide a “simple, quick, easy” solution, he said.
Mr Sunak added: “Businesses will be able to apply for these new bounce back loans for 25 per cent of their turnover up to a maximum of £50,000 with the Government paying the interest for the first 12 months.”
The loans will be available from 9am next Monday, with “no forward-looking test of business viability, no complex eligibility criteria, just a simple, quick standard form for businesses to fill in”.
Officials said businesses will apply for the loans through their banks, and will not be expected to offer any personal guarantees attached to the lending.
Failing support
The Government has allocated £15 billion of support in response to the economic devastation caused by the virus and the lockdown measures, and Mr Sunak warned of more tough times to come.
“We should be in no doubt about the seriousness of the economic situation,” Mr Sunak said.
Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds said while she welcomed the latest loan offer, she warned the UK Government was an “international outlier” for failing to take on 100 per cent of the risk on all loans.
As a result, business confidence was lower in the UK than in the Eurozone Ms Dodds said, adding that key elements of the economic package were “failing”.


inews--2020-04-27--Robert Halfon criticised for defending state faith school which censored Elizabeth I from history bo

Robert Halfon criticised for defending state faith school which censored Elizabeth I from history books Robert Halfon said the Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School had only censored a picture of Elizabeth I because it thought it was 'immodest' Robert Halfon , the Conservative MP for Harlow , said the Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School in Stamford Hill , London , had only censored a picture of the 16th Century queen because it thought it was “ immodest ” .
During a live-streamed committee hearing with Ms Spielman on Monday , Mr Halfon said : “ [ The school ] feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason the image was blacked out which was wrong , was that the school felt that the picture was immodest .
“ There were many other pictures of the queen and other female leaders and the picture was only blacked out to enable the school to teach about Queen Elizabeth I , and that ’ s because as you know it ’ s an ultra Orthodox school .
He added : “ The feeling out there from the faith community is not just that you are gold plating government guidance , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing as that example possibly shows and going in with a very heavy hand without any understanding of the needs and beliefs of these faith communities.
” But Ms Spielman said she stood by the report .
“ We looked at the teaching materials in the school because the initial stuff we saw showed such widespread censorship , ” she said .
“ My recollection on the Queen Elizabeth I example is that the entire chapter was glued together or in some way redacted in the books , this wasn ’ t a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an entire chunk of history.
” Inspectors had seen `` extremely extensive restrictions and redactions in all of the materials that were available to the girls , '' she added .
Ofsted ’ s inspection report - which was published in June 2018 and rated the school ‘ inadequate ’ - said it had “ redacted textbooks , texts such as ‘ Sherlock Holmes ’ and historical texts on subjects like ‘ Elizabethan England ’ .
” '' For example , the majority of pictures in books on major artists such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report states .
`` Photographs portraying men and women on the same page , for instance in a crowd , had been redacted .
Paragraphs in English comprehension passages had been redacted .
“ Whole chapters in some texts had been stuck together .
For instance , in a text on Elizabethan England , leaders had redacted sections relating to the queen ’ s supremacy and the Puritan challenge .
Mr Halfon asked Ms Spielman to “ open up a dialogue ” with the school and “ perhaps have another look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say that they actually do teach ” .
“ Ofsted has carried out its duties proportionately and has done a good job of putting children first by holding to account those schools which fail to meet such basic standards.
” He added : “ Unfortunately , the select committee has a poor history of holding religious schools and other religious providers to account and would now seemingly prefer Ofsted to retract well-evidenced reports of bad practice than to guarantee an equal standard of education to children in those schools .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @

The chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee has been criticised for appearing to defend a state faith school which censored material about Elizabeth I from a history book.
Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP for Harlow, said the Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School in Stamford Hill, London, had only censored a picture of the 16th Century queen because it thought it was “immodest”.
However, the Ofsted report on the Orthodox Jewish school said it had extensively censored information from a range of fiction and non-fiction books and textbooks.
In January the Ofsted chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, referred to the case in a speech.
‘Airbrushed out’
She said the inspectorate had witnessed teaching materials “censored to airbrush women out of history, even including Queen Elizabeth I”.
During a live-streamed committee hearing with Ms Spielman on Monday, Mr Halfon said: “[The school] feel that accusation was incredibly untrue and the reason the image was blacked out which was wrong, was that the school felt that the picture was immodest.
“There were many other pictures of the queen and other female leaders and the picture was only blacked out to enable the school to teach about Queen Elizabeth I, and that’s because as you know it’s an ultra Orthodox school.
“Therefore rather than airbrushing women out they were doing quite the opposite.”
‘Heavy hand’
He added: “The feeling out there from the faith community is not just that you are gold plating government guidance, but that you are sometimes misrepresenting what they are doing as that example possibly shows and going in with a very heavy hand without any understanding of the needs and beliefs of these faith communities.”
But Ms Spielman said she stood by the report. “We looked at the teaching materials in the school because the initial stuff we saw showed such widespread censorship,” she said. “My recollection on the Queen Elizabeth I example is that the entire chapter was glued together or in some way redacted in the books, this wasn’t a question of an image, this was of an entire chunk of history.”
Inspectors had seen “extremely extensive restrictions and redactions in all of the materials that were available to the girls,” she added.
Sherlock Holmes censored
Ofsted’s inspection report – which was published in June 2018 and rated the school ‘inadequate’ – said it had “redacted textbooks, texts such as ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and historical texts on subjects like ‘Elizabethan England’.”
“For example, the majority of pictures in books on major artists such as Picasso had been blanked out,” the report states. “Photographs portraying men and women on the same page, for instance in a crowd, had been redacted. Paragraphs in English comprehension passages had been redacted.
“Whole chapters in some texts had been stuck together. For instance, in a text on Elizabethan England, leaders had redacted sections relating to the queen’s supremacy and the Puritan challenge.
“Staff had systematically gone through every book to blank out any bare skin on ankles, wrists or necks.”
‘Dialogue’ with school
Mr Halfon asked Ms Spielman to “open up a dialogue” with the school and “perhaps have another look at what you accused them off and what they say that they actually do teach”.
Humanists UK criticised his comments. Andrew Copson, its chief executive, said: “Every child has the right to a rigorous, broad, and balanced education across all subjects, including science and history.
“Ofsted has carried out its duties proportionately and has done a good job of putting children first by holding to account those schools which fail to meet such basic standards.”
He added: “Unfortunately, the select committee has a poor history of holding religious schools and other religious providers to account and would now seemingly prefer Ofsted to retract well-evidenced reports of bad practice than to guarantee an equal standard of education to children in those schools. This is a fundamentally wrongheaded approach.”
The school’s former principal, Rabbi Avrohom Pinter, died after contracting the coronavirus this month.
Ms Spielman told Mr Halfon: “I’m confident that what we said in the report was justified, representative and fair of what was there.
“Of course we are happy to have further conversation, and yes I heard the sad news of Rabbi Pinter’s death.
“I’m not sure who the acting leaders are, but of course we’re very willing to have further discussions because we do not wish to create any unnecessary difficulties.”


inews--2020-04-27--Redressing the history of kimono, from fashion, art, costume to street style

Redressing the history of kimono , from fashion , art , costume to street style A transporting exhibition at the V & A , partially available to view online , challenges the way we think about the traditional Japanese robe A great canard about kimono is that they have endured , untouched by changing fashion , for centuries .
As recently as the 1980s , European histories of dress presented kimono as garments beyond fashion .
Think of the attendant baggage that the notion of such inflexible tradition might bestow on our understanding of a culture .
European fashion has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing silhouette .
The form of kimono has indeed remained relatively constant for centuries .
Its simple construction cherishes the cloth it is stitched from , allowing it to remain as whole and uncut as possible : an instinct we might today recognise as the acme of sustainable design .
While there have been transformations in the way kimono are tied , draped and layered , it is their surface that has carried the weight of changing fashion : the textiles worn in defiance of sumptuary laws , the motifs and modes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the garment that were placed in focus .
I was lucky enough to see the exhibition before the V & A shut ( will you forgive me ? )
.
Transportingly beautiful , and elegantly choreographed , it was almost overwhelming in scale .
The catalogue is a handsome and leisurely alternative .
The fine detailing on the painted , embroidered and delicate shibori-dyed silks is captured in up-close detail that is hard to emulate under the dim conservation lighting of a costume exhibition .
Under-kimono for a man ( juban ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tailored in Japan , 1830-1860 ( Photo : the Khalili Collection ) You can also take your time .
And you ’ ll need it .
This is a large production , and the scholarship behind it considerable , ergo fascinating text , and lots of it : the catalogue carries 24 essays .
Often our attention is called to small details .
In charting transformations in the way kimono were worn , the curators studied ukiyo-e woodblock prints showing fashionable men and women , courtesans and actors .
In the new capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and of developments in ukiyo-e , colour woodblock prints became available in the 1760s .
They were affordable and produced in great number : in the mid 19th century a single print cost about the same as two bowls of noodles .
As with contemporary fashion magazines , the distinction between art and advertising was often unclear : surviving prints include a number promoting the latest styles and the stores offering them .
Three Women Outside the Diamaruya Kimono Store ( 1840-5 ) shows a group of fashionable courtesans in elevated geta sandals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with branded drapery .
Heavily stylised , each figure is posed to display the unfurling layers of at least three kimono , and obi belts fastened at the back in a variety of styles .
Prints showing high-ranking prostitutes served a double purpose , fuelling both sexual and fashion fantasy .
Plus ça change .
A courtesan is thought to have owned one of the most splendidly decorated kimono in the show , which can now be explored in detail on the V & A ’ s website .
Created in the mid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kimono , designed to be worn open allowing the full design to be admired .
Across the back are embroidered scenes from a kabuki play based on the Chinese legend of Shakky .
An actor performing a dance embodying the lion dog is coiffed with real hair and tiny metal buttons have been sewn down the front of his costume .
The stone bridge he stands on is embroidered in silk threads wrapped in fine paper and gold leaf , as is the lion dog itself .
Its bristling eyebrows are rendered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the scene are padded to stand proud of the peony-covered ground : it is magnificent , heavy as sculpture , and no doubt allowed the wearer to attract a lingering gaze as her admirers took in its many delights .
The world of the courtesans and kabuki theatre were intertwined .
The pleasure districts of theatres and brothels were at the heart of the ukiyo – the “ floating ” or transient , sensory world – of Edo Japan .
Actors were great trendsetters , though patrons of the kabuki theatre would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the day-long performances , anticipating as much attention being paid to those off the stage as those on it .
Even before Japan opened its ports to foreign trade in the 1850s , influence and goods flowed between Japan and Europe , India and China .
The Portuguese , Dutch and Spanish all had trading relationships with Japan dating back to the mid 16th century , and cloth was a commodity of great interest for all parties .
There are Japanese kimono in French brocade silk , and cotton printed both in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kimono – known as “ Japonse rock ” – were produced for trade with the Dutch .
The mania for all things Japanese fully hit Europe in the 19th century .
The exhibition includes some quite ridiculous mid-Victorian Japanese-influenced bustle skirt suits .
The great gift kimono brought European women was unstructured elegance : a vision of beauty that did not rely on uncomfortable constricting underwear .
Around the turn of the 20th century kimono in Europe became synonymous with bohemia : Matisse painted his wife Amélie in a kimono for La Japonaise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1905 .
Gustav Klimt painted his close friend Emilie Flöge in a Japanese inspired robe in 1902 .
European fashion was first adopted by Japanese men in the late 19th century , but successive waves of nationalism fuelled periodic readoptions of kimono .
A few examples of men ’ s under kimono from the 1930s and 40s , the period of the Second Sino-Japanese War , celebrate military might with printed motifs of tanks , battleships and aircraft .
'Kaidan ' ( staircase ) by Kobayakawa Kiyoshi ( 1899-1948 ) , hanging scroll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kimono continue to influence European fashion , and Hollywood movie costumes , the exhibition also charts a resurgence of interest among younger Japanese designers and stylists .
On the one hand , through the continuation of traditional craft skills , but on the other a punkier urge to bring the kimono up to date .
Self-taught stylist Akira Times is an inspired obsessive who dresses and shoots models wearing kimono in unconventional and distinctly contemporary ways .
Introducing us to his work in a short film , Akira dons kimono , bow tie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hat .

A great canard about kimono is that they have endured, untouched by changing fashion, for centuries. As recently as the 1980s, European histories of dress presented kimono as garments beyond fashion. Think of the attendant baggage that the notion of such inflexible tradition might bestow on our understanding of a culture.
One mission of the V&A’s ‘Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk’ show, now accessible in part through online features, as well as a luscious catalogue, is to reposition this garment within fashion history.
European fashion has been preoccupied overwhelmingly with form: the changing silhouette. The form of kimono has indeed remained relatively constant for centuries. Its simple construction cherishes the cloth it is stitched from, allowing it to remain as whole and uncut as possible: an instinct we might today recognise as the acme of sustainable design.
While there have been transformations in the way kimono are tied, draped and layered, it is their surface that has carried the weight of changing fashion: the textiles worn in defiance of sumptuary laws, the motifs and modes of decoration, and even the portions of the garment that were placed in focus.
I was lucky enough to see the exhibition before the V&A shut (will you forgive me?). Transportingly beautiful, and elegantly choreographed, it was almost overwhelming in scale. The catalogue is a handsome and leisurely alternative. The fine detailing on the painted, embroidered and delicate shibori-dyed silks is captured in up-close detail that is hard to emulate under the dim conservation lighting of a costume exhibition.
You can also take your time. And you’ll need it. This is a large production, and the scholarship behind it considerable, ergo fascinating text, and lots of it: the catalogue carries 24 essays. Often our attention is called to small details. In charting transformations in the way kimono were worn, the curators studied ukiyo-e woodblock prints showing fashionable men and women, courtesans and actors.
In the new capital Edo, centre of popular culture, and of developments in ukiyo-e, colour woodblock prints became available in the 1760s. They were affordable and produced in great number: in the mid 19th century a single print cost about the same as two bowls of noodles. As with contemporary fashion magazines, the distinction between art and advertising was often unclear: surviving prints include a number promoting the latest styles and the stores offering them.
Three Women Outside the Diamaruya Kimono Store (1840-5) shows a group of fashionable courtesans in elevated geta sandals arranged in front of a façade fluttering with branded drapery. Heavily stylised, each figure is posed to display the unfurling layers of at least three kimono, and obi belts fastened at the back in a variety of styles. Prints showing high-ranking prostitutes served a double purpose, fuelling both sexual and fashion fantasy. Plus ça change.
A courtesan is thought to have owned one of the most splendidly decorated kimono in the show, which can now be explored in detail on the V&A’s website. Created in the mid 19th century, it is an outer kimono, designed to be worn open allowing the full design to be admired.
Across the back are embroidered scenes from a kabuki play based on the Chinese legend of Shakky. An actor performing a dance embodying the lion dog is coiffed with real hair and tiny metal buttons have been sewn down the front of his costume. The stone bridge he stands on is embroidered in silk threads wrapped in fine paper and gold leaf, as is the lion dog itself. Its bristling eyebrows are rendered in clusters of knotted green thread. Figures within the scene are padded to stand proud of the peony-covered ground: it is magnificent, heavy as sculpture, and no doubt allowed the wearer to attract a lingering gaze as her admirers took in its many delights.
The world of the courtesans and kabuki theatre were intertwined. The pleasure districts of theatres and brothels were at the heart of the ukiyo – the “floating” or transient, sensory world – of Edo Japan. Actors were great trendsetters, though patrons of the kabuki theatre would also change outfits a number of times during the day-long performances, anticipating as much attention being paid to those off the stage as those on it.
A satin cotton kimono, painted with resistant paste before the application of black dye, dances with bleached bones and grinning human skulls. It is probably a fan’s tribute to a thief character pictured dressed in a skeleton kimono, in a performance by the actor Bando Shuka.
Even before Japan opened its ports to foreign trade in the 1850s, influence and goods flowed between Japan and Europe, India and China. The Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish all had trading relationships with Japan dating back to the mid 16th century, and cloth was a commodity of great interest for all parties. There are Japanese kimono in French brocade silk, and cotton printed both in India and the UK. Thickly padded kimono – known as “Japonse rock” – were produced for trade with the Dutch.
Through Dutch traders, modified kimono robes entered the wardrobes of the British elite as dressing gowns during the 17th century – a portrait of Samuel Pepys shows him wearing one of tobacco coloured silk in 1666.
The mania for all things Japanese fully hit Europe in the 19th century. The exhibition includes some quite ridiculous mid-Victorian Japanese-influenced bustle skirt suits. The great gift kimono brought European women was unstructured elegance: a vision of beauty that did not rely on uncomfortable constricting underwear. Around the turn of the 20th century kimono in Europe became synonymous with bohemia: Matisse painted his wife Amélie in a kimono for La Japonaise au bord de l’eau in 1905. Gustav Klimt painted his close friend Emilie Flöge in a Japanese inspired robe in 1902.
In the 1920s Flöge herself designed a dramatic black and white striped kimono-style coat for her fashion house. Japanese style was a key influence on the modern, unstructured fashions that emerged in Europe and the USA during the 1920s.
European fashion was first adopted by Japanese men in the late 19th century, but successive waves of nationalism fuelled periodic readoptions of kimono. A few examples of men’s under kimono from the 1930s and 40s, the period of the Second Sino-Japanese War, celebrate military might with printed motifs of tanks, battleships and aircraft.
While kimono continue to influence European fashion, and Hollywood movie costumes, the exhibition also charts a resurgence of interest among younger Japanese designers and stylists. On the one hand, through the continuation of traditional craft skills, but on the other a punkier urge to bring the kimono up to date. Self-taught stylist Akira Times is an inspired obsessive who dresses and shoots models wearing kimono in unconventional and distinctly contemporary ways. Introducing us to his work in a short film, Akira dons kimono, bow tie, red nail varnish and a panda hat.
The ground covered in the book and accompanying exhibition is vast: rich food for thought and glorious artistry to admire. Yet it also opens up new avenues of exploration: there is much that is not covered, and the influence of kimono on fashion, costume and street style continues. That it should feel so open ended is appropriate – “kimono” simply means “the thing to wear”.
‘Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk’, edited by Anna Jackson, is published by V&A, £40; vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/kimono-kyoto-to-catwalk


inews--2020-04-27--FTSE 100 latest: Shares rise on hopes of easing lockdown restrictions

More companies outlined their plans for getting back to work The FTSE 100 hit highs not seen since mid-March on Monday evening , as more companies announced how they will chart a course out of lockdown .
Bakery chain Greggs and housebuilder Redrow were among the latest firms to set out plans for a limited return to work .
And news from other countries that are easing restrictions put investors in a good mood .
“ The next two weeks should see businesses slowly start to reopen in places like Italy , Belgium and Switzerland , and there is talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the stage where it can begin to lift restrictions on public movement , ” Russ Mould , investment director at AJ Bell , said .
“ The journey back to normality is likely to be very long but every small step towards getting people back to work and not stuck indoors should act as a positive catalyst for stock markets.
” Hopes of further action from central banks The FTSE 100 was up 1.6 per cent at 5,846.79 points , its highest closing price so far this month .
Global markets were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the world ’ s central banks to go even further to support economies through the crisis .
Rachel Winter , associate investment director at Killick & Co , said : “ The Federal Reserve is buying exchange-traded funds that own high-yield or junk bonds , and it is highly expected that the European Central Bank will follow suit .
“ Both central banks have gone further than they did following the financial crisis when they only bought government and investment grade bonds .
The bond purchases will inject money into the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lowering interest rates in debt markets .
In addition to central bank support.
” Meanwhile , one of the most troubled firms on the market finally took its shares off the trading floor , having already suspended them in February .
The private hospital business NMC Health asked to have its stock removed from the London Stock Exchange , saying it can no longer afford the fees , ending eight years as a UK-listed company .
The Abu Dhabi-based firm went bust this month and administrators are looking for anything that can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under investigation for fraud .
NMC wrote to the UK courts this month telling them it had run out of cash after Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank called in a loan .
The bank has since said it launched criminal proceedings in Abu Dhabi against individuals in relation to NMC .

The FTSE 100 hit highs not seen since mid-March on Monday evening, as more companies announced how they will chart a course out of lockdown.
Bakery chain Greggs and housebuilder Redrow were among the latest firms to set out plans for a limited return to work. And news from other countries that are easing restrictions put investors in a good mood.
“The next two weeks should see businesses slowly start to reopen in places like Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, and there is talk that Australia may not be too far off the stage where it can begin to lift restrictions on public movement,” Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said.
“The journey back to normality is likely to be very long but every small step towards getting people back to work and not stuck indoors should act as a positive catalyst for stock markets.”
Hopes of further action from central banks
The FTSE 100 was up 1.6 per cent at 5,846.79 points, its highest closing price so far this month.
Global markets were also taking hope from the apparent willingness of the world’s central banks to go even further to support economies through the crisis. Rachel Winter, associate investment director at Killick & Co, said: “The Federal Reserve is buying exchange-traded funds that own high-yield or junk bonds, and it is highly expected that the European Central Bank will follow suit.
“Both central banks have gone further than they did following the financial crisis when they only bought government and investment grade bonds. The bond purchases will inject money into the economy and should also have the effect of lowering interest rates in debt markets. In addition to central bank support.”
NMC Health has left the building
Meanwhile, one of the most troubled firms on the market finally took its shares off the trading floor, having already suspended them in February.
The private hospital business NMC Health asked to have its stock removed from the London Stock Exchange, saying it can no longer afford the fees, ending eight years as a UK-listed company. The Abu Dhabi-based firm went bust this month and administrators are looking for anything that can be salvaged from the firm, which is under investigation for fraud.
NMC wrote to the UK courts this month telling them it had run out of cash after Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank called in a loan. The bank has since said it launched criminal proceedings in Abu Dhabi against individuals in relation to NMC.


inews--2020-04-27--Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins cast 2020: line-up in full - and when it's on Channel 4 tonight

Celebrity SAS : Who Dares Wins cast 2020 : line-up in full - and when it 's on Channel 4 tonight Katie Price , Anthea Turner , Joey Essex , Brendan Cole and Lauren Steadman are all surrendering to Ant Middleton for the new series SAS : Who Dares Wins is one of the hardest reality shows on TV , with army instructor Ant Middleton and other ex-Special Forces putting a group of amateurs through the intense training of the Special Air Service .
Ant Middleton is the former recruit in charge of the celeb 's training ( Photo : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Who Dares Wins 2020 on ?
The new series of Celebrity SAS : Who Dares Wins kicked Monday 20 April at 9.00pm on Channel 4 , and airs in the same slot in the following weeks .
Who is in the celebrity cast ?
Katie Price is one of the 12 celebs appearing on this year 's special SAS Who Dares Wins series ( Photo : Getty ) She has a history of incredible feats , having raised money for Sport Relief in 2012 by becoming the first person to reach the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only the second woman to ever finish the 78-mile Namibian ultra marathon .
Former Strictly professional Brendan Cole fancies his chances in Scotland ( Photo : BBC ) Paralympian Lauren Steadman reached the semi-finals of Strictly in 2018 ( Photo : Getty )

SAS: Who Dares Wins is one of the hardest reality shows on TV, with army instructor Ant Middleton and other ex-Special Forces putting a group of amateurs through the intense training of the Special Air Service.
That hasn’t stopped a group of celebrities signing up to the charity version though, now airing on Channel 4.
Ant’s usual trainers Foxy, Billy and Ollie are on hand to put the stars through their paces, and this year they’re joined by a new face, Jay.
Here’s everything we know about the new series and the full line up of celebs…
When is Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins 2020 on?
The new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins kicked Monday 20 April at 9.00pm on Channel 4, and airs in the same slot in the following weeks.
Who is in the celebrity cast?
There are twelve brave celebs signed up to this year’s show, including:
Katie Price
Model, author, media personality and sometime singer formally known as Jordan.
Joey Essex
Former Towie cast member and regular guest on reality shows – he’s appeared on Celebs Go Dating, I’m A Celeb, The Jump and Celebrity MasterChef.
Anthea Turner
TV presenter best known as a former presenter of both Blue Peter and GMTV.
Helen Skelton
Another face from Blue Peter, Skelton now presents Digging Up Britain’s Past and Countryfile.
She has a history of incredible feats, having raised money for Sport Relief in 2012 by becoming the first person to reach the South Pole on a bike and is only the second woman to ever finish the 78-mile Namibian ultra marathon.
Brendan Cole
Former Strictly star and professional ball dancer, Cole also appeared as a contestant on the first ever Love Island in 2006.
John Fashanu
Former Aston Villa and Wimbledon centre-forward, Fashanu is now the host of Deal or No Deal Nigeria.
Nikki Sanderson
She played Candice on Coronation Street, but now holds the role of Maxine on Hollyoaks.
Jack Maynard
A vlogger and YouTuber, perhaps best known for being the brother of singer Conor Maynard.
Lauren Steadman
Paralympic swimmer and paratriathlete who reached the semi-final of Strictly in 2018.
Locksmith
Rudimental DJ who is also known for his workout videos on Instagram.
Yasmin Evans
Another DJ, this time on BBC Radio 1Xtra.
Tony Bellew
Former professional boxer and WBC cruiserweight champion shouldn’t have any difficulties with the physical element of the show.


inews--2020-04-28--Never Have I Ever cast: who stars with Darren Barnet in the Netflix teen drama series narrated by Jo

Never Have I Ever cast: who stars with Darren Barnet in the Netflix teen drama series narrated by John McEnroe

Never Have I Ever cast : who stars with Darren Barnet in the Netflix teen drama series narrated by John McEnroe Mindy Kaling 's coming of age dramedy has received positive reviews since dropping on Netflix Mindy Kaling has come a very long way since finding fame as Kelly Kapoor on the US version of The Office .
First she created and starred in her very own show , The Mindy Project , and now she is back with a new series , which dropped on Netflix on Monday .
Never Have I Ever is a coming of age dramedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviews from both fans and critics .
What is Never Have I Ever about ?
The show focuses on 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar , a sophomore student at a high school in California , grappling with the same problems many teenage girls face : wanting to be popular ; wanting a boyfriend - but `` not some nerd from one of my AP classes '' .
However , she is also dealing with immense grief .
Devi lost her father - and her best friend - the previous year , after he had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerts .
The shock left her paralysed for three months , needing a wheelchair to get around , but her interest in her crush , Paxton Hall-Yoshida , and the promise of a new school year helps her recover .
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan stars as Devi .
This is the 18-year-old Tamil-Canadian actor 's first role , after she was chosen by Kaling from 15,000 candidates who responded to a casting call .
Ramakrishnan and her family moved to Canada after the Sri Lankan civil war , and because of this she identifies as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lankan .
Darren Barnet plays Devi 's crush Paxton .
Despite only being a year older in the show ( his character is repeating a year ) , Barnet is 29 , 11 years Ramakrishnan 's senior .
He also has limited prior experience , with a guest role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D .
under his belt .
Ramona Young plays one of Devi 's best friends , Eleanor .
She is best known for her recurring roles on the television series Man Seeking Woman , The Real O'Neals , and Santa Clarita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's mum , Dr Nalini Vishwakumar .
Jagannathan is best known for playing Safar Khan in HBO 's Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated show , The Night Of , and has also appeared in Bollywood movies .
But the two most famous names in the show are the narrators .
Tennis star John McEnroe narrates the series , while Andy Samberg plays himself while narrating the thoughts of Ben Gross , who is played by Jaren Lewison and is Devi 's nemesis at school .

Mindy Kaling has come a very long way since finding fame as Kelly Kapoor on the US version of The Office.
First she created and starred in her very own show, The Mindy Project, and now she is back with a new series, which dropped on Netflix on Monday.
Never Have I Ever is a coming of age dramedy which is already receiving heaps of positive reviews from both fans and critics.
Here is everything you need to know…
What is Never Have I Ever about?
The show focuses on 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar, a sophomore student at a high school in California, grappling with the same problems many teenage girls face: wanting to be popular; wanting a boyfriend – but “not some nerd from one of my AP classes”.
However, she is also dealing with immense grief. Devi lost her father – and her best friend – the previous year, after he had a heart attack at one of her orchestra concerts.
The shock left her paralysed for three months, needing a wheelchair to get around, but her interest in her crush, Paxton Hall-Yoshida, and the promise of a new school year helps her recover.
Who’s in the cast?
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan stars as Devi. This is the 18-year-old Tamil-Canadian actor’s first role, after she was chosen by Kaling from 15,000 candidates who responded to a casting call.
Ramakrishnan and her family moved to Canada after the Sri Lankan civil war, and because of this she identifies as Tamil and Canadian, but not Sri Lankan.
Darren Barnet plays Devi’s crush Paxton. Despite only being a year older in the show (his character is repeating a year), Barnet is 29, 11 years Ramakrishnan’s senior.
He also has limited prior experience, with a guest role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. under his belt.
Ramona Young plays one of Devi’s best friends, Eleanor. She is best known for her recurring roles on the television series Man Seeking Woman, The Real O’Neals, and Santa Clarita Diet.
Poorna Jagannathan stars as Devi’s mum, Dr Nalini Vishwakumar. Jagannathan is best known for playing Safar Khan in HBO’s Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated show, The Night Of, and has also appeared in Bollywood movies.
But the two most famous names in the show are the narrators. Tennis star John McEnroe narrates the series, while Andy Samberg plays himself while narrating the thoughts of Ben Gross, who is played by Jaren Lewison and is Devi’s nemesis at school.
Also among the cast are Lee Rodriguez as Devi’s other closest friend, Fabiola, and Richa Moorjani as Kamala, Devi’s cousin.


inews--2020-04-28--Becoming disabled in my 20s helped prepare me for lockdown

Becoming disabled in my 20s helped prepare me for lockdown After coronavirus I hope society will be more empathetic towards disabled people It happened one night whilst I was lying on my bed texting my friends .
My brain was starved of oxygen for almost half an hour , damaging some of the connections in the brain , which has made walking more difficult .
It also meant my speech can be slurry and I have conditions called ataxia and dystonia , meaning my hands shake and it is difficult to use them .
As you can tell , my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year and more than most , I was really looking forward to this summer .
I spent most of last summer either in hospital or in a rehabilitation centre , which really sucked .
Although I was lucky that my friends could come and visit me , it was not the same as being in the pub with them .
Do not dwell on what you would be doing right now if you were not in this situation ( Photo : Meg Fozzard ) Before my cardiac arrest I was fiercely independent .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I lived alone whilst I studied at film school , and I loved it .
I learnt to really love my own company and I relished being alone .
Nowadays I am completely reliant on my Mum , who has quit her job up in Nottinghamshire , and my boyfriend .
During the week , my Mum comes down to London to help care for me and my boyfriend takes over on the weekend .
They help me to have a shower , get dressed , make my meals and take me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like becoming disabled has prepared me for lockdown .
I am used to being home for long periods of the day whilst the people around me are working .
Of course , a lot of disabled people will have had a totally different experience than I have had .
I am really lucky because I have my Mum , boyfriend and housemate to look after me and keep me company .
I know how it feels to be restricted in where you can go .
I know how to spend my hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like big wins .
When I first became disabled I constantly compared my life to what it was before and I 'd think about what I would be up to now if I had n't had a heart attack .
But dwelling on these things was not useful .
I had to live in the now , even if the now was a particularly scary time to live in .
My advice to anyone struggling in lockdown would be just that : do not dwell on what you would be doing right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is not productive and it will not make you feel better .
You are going to have a lot of free time , particularly if you have been furloughed .
Use it .
Get a new hobby .
I am currently making papier-mache plant pots for my tiny back garden .
A writer friend has begun a blog of her life now isolating in her home town , like a modern-day Samuel Pepys .
My drag queen friends are making my Thursday nights so much funnier with their live streams .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing what he loves - producing music .
It seems a long way off now but your lives will go back to normal at some point .
My life will not go back to normal .
It might never go back to normal .
Things have changed for me too though - I am used to going to the hospital every couple of weeks for physiotherapy or occupational therapy , and this obviously can ’ t happen anymore .
They have changed all face to face appointments to telephone consultations .
But how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to replace a 20-minute long appointment with a physio using specialist equipment ?
I am so very hopeful for the future ( Photo : Meg Fozzard ) I fear that disabled patients ’ progress is really going to suffer whilst we battle coronavirus .
Many are facing cancellations of life-changing treatments and operations , leaving them in pain .
Some disabilities are placing people in the high-risk group , meaning that they are advised to not leave their houses at all .
Most upsettingly , some in this high-risk group have been sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or do not resuscitate .
That is unimaginably horrible and no surprise that some disabled people feel completely abandoned over the past few weeks .
One thing is for certain - the world will be a much different place once all of this is over , and that is going to be a good thing .
I 'm hoping it means that society will be more empathetic towards disabled people .
Thousands more people have had to deal with the nightmare that is the benefits system and understand what it feels like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house .
Workplaces and universities can no longer say that working from home adjustments ca n't be made for people with disabilities .

I don’t remember anyone ever telling me that I was disabled. When I lay in the hospital bed last year, I just assumed that I would be able to get out and walk again whenever I wanted to.
The physios explained to me that the reason that I couldn’t walk was a combination of things. Firstly, I had been lying in bed for weeks on end without using my legs. Secondly, I’d suffered a hypoxic brain injury when I had a cardiac arrest.
It happened one night whilst I was lying on my bed texting my friends. My brain was starved of oxygen for almost half an hour, damaging some of the connections in the brain, which has made walking more difficult. It also meant my speech can be slurry and I have conditions called ataxia and dystonia, meaning my hands shake and it is difficult to use them.
As you can tell, my life has changed massively in the past year and more than most, I was really looking forward to this summer. I spent most of last summer either in hospital or in a rehabilitation centre, which really sucked. Although I was lucky that my friends could come and visit me, it was not the same as being in the pub with them.
Before my cardiac arrest I was fiercely independent. The year before I was in hospital, I lived alone whilst I studied at film school, and I loved it. I learnt to really love my own company and I relished being alone. Nowadays I am completely reliant on my Mum, who has quit her job up in Nottinghamshire, and my boyfriend. During the week, my Mum comes down to London to help care for me and my boyfriend takes over on the weekend. They help me to have a shower, get dressed, make my meals and take me to my hospital appointments.
I do feel like becoming disabled has prepared me for lockdown. I am used to being home for long periods of the day whilst the people around me are working. Of course, a lot of disabled people will have had a totally different experience than I have had. I am really lucky because I have my Mum, boyfriend and housemate to look after me and keep me company. I know how it feels to be restricted in where you can go. I know how to spend my hours and how to make little achievements feel like big wins.
When I first became disabled I constantly compared my life to what it was before and I’d think about what I would be up to now if I hadn’t had a heart attack. But dwelling on these things was not useful. I had to live in the now, even if the now was a particularly scary time to live in.
My advice to anyone struggling in lockdown would be just that: do not dwell on what you would be doing right now if you were not in this situation. It is not productive and it will not make you feel better. You are going to have a lot of free time, particularly if you have been furloughed. Use it. Get a new hobby. I am currently making papier-mache plant pots for my tiny back garden. A writer friend has begun a blog of her life now isolating in her home town, like a modern-day Samuel Pepys. My drag queen friends are making my Thursday nights so much funnier with their live streams. A friend who is a DJ is doing what he loves – producing music. It seems a long way off now but your lives will go back to normal at some point. My life will not go back to normal. It might never go back to normal.
Things have changed for me too though – I am used to going to the hospital every couple of weeks for physiotherapy or occupational therapy, and this obviously can’t happen anymore. They have changed all face to face appointments to telephone consultations. But how is a two-minute long phone conversation supposed to replace a 20-minute long appointment with a physio using specialist equipment?
I fear that disabled patients’ progress is really going to suffer whilst we battle coronavirus. Many are facing cancellations of life-changing treatments and operations, leaving them in pain. Some disabilities are placing people in the high-risk group, meaning that they are advised to not leave their houses at all. Most upsettingly, some in this high-risk group have been sent forms asking them to consent to DNR, or do not resuscitate. That is unimaginably horrible and no surprise that some disabled people feel completely abandoned over the past few weeks.
One thing is for certain – the world will be a much different place once all of this is over, and that is going to be a good thing. I’m hoping it means that society will be more empathetic towards disabled people. Thousands more people have had to deal with the nightmare that is the benefits system and understand what it feels like to be restricted in movement and leaving the house. Workplaces and universities can no longer say that working from home adjustments can’t be made for people with disabilities.
It’s unbearably sad that it has taken a global pandemic to make people understand what being disabled feels like, but I am so very hopeful for the future.
Meg Fozzard is a disability rights campaigner and writer


inews--2020-04-28--State pension and coronavirus: Concerns raised about whether older people are accessing their pensio

State pension and coronavirus: Concerns raised about whether older people are accessing their pensions during lockdown

State pension and coronavirus : Concerns raised about whether older people are accessing their pensions during lockdown 'It is worrying that less than 30,000 people have been contacted to discuss alternatives to get their money' A former pensions minister has raised concerns about whether older people are struggling financially during the coronavirus lockdown because they may not be accessing their state pension .
Around 900,000 people - who may not have a bank account or who rely on cash - usually have to leave their home to get their state pension or benefits cash at the Post Office .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most vulnerable Post Office card account ( POca ) customers about alternative ways to access their money amid the pandemic .
Steve Webb , now a partner at pension consultants Lane Clark & Peacock , warned that some pensioners , who had not been notified of another option , might have stopped trying to collect their money because they felt unsafe if they left home .
`` We launched a new service on 10 April through which we have contacted 27,000 citizens who have POca accounts and we considered who may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state pension payment , '' he said , according to his written Parliamentary statement about how the Government is supporting pensioners amid the pandemic .
The people who have been contacted are likely to have been deemed as `` clinically extremely vulnerable '' to Covid-19 by the NHS - regardless of their age .
They have been strongly advised to stay at home at all times until at least the end of June and `` shield '' themselves .
They should avoid face-to-face contact with others , and ask friends and family to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was pensions minister during the coalition government , welcomed the DWP 's scheme to support the most vulnerable , but said there were still concerns about the hundreds of thousands of older people who had not been contacted but who should be staying at home as much as possible during the lockdown .
`` It is worrying that less than 30,000 have been contacted directly by the DWP to discuss alternative ways of getting their money , '' said Mr Webb .
Some people might give their POca details to someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk being scammed , he said .
Others might be struggling without any cash during the lockdown .
`` This is particularly important for older pensioners who should be shielding from the virus and can not get to the Post Office in the normal way . ''
Mr Webb called on the DWP to publish data on how many pensioners had stopped collecting their state pension since the outbreak of coronavirus and to launch a strategy to reach out to them .
The Post Office says that POca customers should not give their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get their payments , but they can nominate someone they trust to become a Permanent Agent on the account .
This person will be given their own card and PIN to collect cash on the individual 's behalf .

A former pensions minister has raised concerns about whether older people are struggling financially during the coronavirus lockdown because they may not be accessing their state pension.
Around 900,000 people – who may not have a bank account or who rely on cash – usually have to leave their home to get their state pension or benefits cash at the Post Office. But the Government has only told about 27,000 of the most vulnerable Post Office card account (POca) customers about alternative ways to access their money amid the pandemic.
Steve Webb, now a partner at pension consultants Lane Clark & Peacock, warned that some pensioners, who had not been notified of another option, might have stopped trying to collect their money because they felt unsafe if they left home.
The Government says people aged 70 and over are “likely to be more seriously affected” by coronavirus and has advised them to be “particularly stringent in following social distancing measures” to protect themselves.
‘Worked tirelessly’
Pensions Minister Guy Opperman said the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had worked closely with the National Shielding Service to contact older, vulnerable people about their pensions and benefits.
“We launched a new service on 10 April through which we have contacted 27,000 citizens who have POca accounts and we considered who may need support to access their benefit or state pension payment,” he said, according to his written Parliamentary statement about how the Government is supporting pensioners amid the pandemic.
The people who have been contacted are likely to have been deemed as “clinically extremely vulnerable” to Covid-19 by the NHS – regardless of their age.
They have been strongly advised to stay at home at all times until at least the end of June and “shield” themselves. They should avoid face-to-face contact with others, and ask friends and family to deliver food and medicine.
Mr Opperman said the DWP had “worked tirelessly to identify those older, vulnerable customers who urgently require help to access their payments”.
Alternative options include arranging payments through Royal Mail Special Delivery with guaranteed next day delivery.
‘It is worrying’
Mr Webb, who was pensions minister during the coalition government, welcomed the DWP’s scheme to support the most vulnerable, but said there were still concerns about the hundreds of thousands of older people who had not been contacted but who should be staying at home as much as possible during the lockdown.
“It is worrying that less than 30,000 have been contacted directly by the DWP to discuss alternative ways of getting their money,” said Mr Webb.
Some people might give their POca details to someone else to retrieve their state pension and risk being scammed, he said. Others might be struggling without any cash during the lockdown.
“It is vitally important that people who normally get their cash from a Post Office know what alternatives are in place,” Mr Webb told i.
“This is particularly important for older pensioners who should be shielding from the virus and cannot get to the Post Office in the normal way.”
Mr Webb called on the DWP to publish data on how many pensioners had stopped collecting their state pension since the outbreak of coronavirus and to launch a strategy to reach out to them.
The Post Office says that POca customers should not give their card or PIN to somebody else to get their payments, but they can nominate someone they trust to become a Permanent Agent on the account. This person will be given their own card and PIN to collect cash on the individual’s behalf.
A DWP spokesperson said: “This is an unfair and inaccurate interpretation of the Government’s swift action to support the most vulnerable.
“We are committed to supporting people through these challenging times, working closely with the Post Office and National Shielding Service, to ensure everyone is protected.
“We’ve contacted tens of thousands of pensioners who have no alternative payment arrangements in place, and a range of other payment options already exist for hundreds of thousands of Post Office card account holders.”


inews--2020-04-28--Talking Heads: BBC to make new series of Alan Bennett's monologues with Jodie Comer, Imelda Staunton

Talking Heads: BBC to make new series of Alan Bennett's monologues with Jodie Comer, Imelda Staunton and Martin Freeman

Talking Heads : BBC to make new series of Alan Bennett 's monologues with Jodie Comer , Imelda Staunton and Martin Freeman Two new Bennett scripts will feature in the BBC 's first drama production to be shot in a studio during lockdown Jodie Comer , Imelda Staunton and Martin Freeman are among the star names who will appear in a lockdown remake of Talking Heads , Alan Bennett ’ s classic BBC series of poignant monologues .
Two new Bennett scripts will be included in the twelve 40-minute films , which will be shot at Elstree Studios using strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ link .
Originally broadcast in 1988 and 1998 , the themes of isolation and loneliness in Bennett ’ s monologues provide resonant material for the current moment , said Nicholas Hytner , Bennett ’ s long-term collaborator and producer on the remakes .
Dame Harriet Walter , Kristin Scott Thomas and Tamsin Grieg are among the performers who have agreed to take on the scripts originally performed by , among others , Maggie Smith , Julie Walters and Patricia Routledge .
Two of the original monologues have been dropped ; one focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 100-year-old woman awaiting her telegram from the Queen .
Hytner said he did not wish to put older actresses at risk by participating in the first BBC drama to be shot in a studio since lockdown .
Thora Hird 's Talking Heads episode will not be remade due to restrictions ( BBC ) Fortunately , Hytner remembered that Bennett , who embraced the remakes , had sent him a pair of new monologues last year , which the director had “ forgotten '' about .
Bennett said : `` In such difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remount both series of Talking Heads , and produce two entirely new ones , is a comfort and a huge compliment.
” One of the new scripts , The Shrine , starring Monica Dolan , was inspired by the flowers left by a Yorkshire roadside following a fatal accident , Bennett said .
Hytner said it was “ spooky ” shooting in a deserted Elstree , with a skeleton crew using existing sets left by productions which have been halted .
Hytner said : “ Everyone involved has been working in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , entirely rethinking ways of filmmaking that until a few weeks ago seemed routine .
`` The shoot will never bring any of us within touching distance of each other , but I hope that in every other way it will reach out and touch millions of viewers.
” The actors will be paid a month 's maximum furlough wages of £2,500 instead of their usual fee .
The difference will be donated to NHS Charities Together .
He added : “ Covid-19 has laid waste to drama production in the UK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : how do we adhere to restrictions while still offering British viewers the chance to lose themselves in great stories at this time of national need ?
”

Jodie Comer, Imelda Staunton and Martin Freeman are among the star names who will appear in a lockdown remake of Talking Heads, Alan Bennett’s classic BBC series of poignant monologues.
Two new Bennett scripts will be included in the twelve 40-minute films, which will be shot at Elstree Studios using strict social distancing measures and directed over video link.
The actors will be sent make-up kits and given Zoom consultations on applying it themselves.
Resonant themes
Originally broadcast in 1988 and 1998, the themes of isolation and loneliness in Bennett’s monologues provide resonant material for the current moment, said Nicholas Hytner, Bennett’s long-term collaborator and producer on the remakes.
Dame Harriet Walter, Kristin Scott Thomas and Tamsin Grieg are among the performers who have agreed to take on the scripts originally performed by, among others, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters and Patricia Routledge.
Josie Rourke joins a line-up of celebrated directors guiding the actors, from a distance.
Two of the original monologues have been dropped; one focused on a 75-year-old widow and the other on a 100-year-old woman awaiting her telegram from the Queen.
Hytner said he did not wish to put older actresses at risk by participating in the first BBC drama to be shot in a studio since lockdown.
‘Forgotten’ Bennett scripts
Fortunately, Hytner remembered that Bennett, who embraced the remakes, had sent him a pair of new monologues last year, which the director had “forgotten” about.
Bennett said: “In such difficult circumstances, that the BBC should choose to remount both series of Talking Heads, and produce two entirely new ones, is a comfort and a huge compliment.”
One of the new scripts, The Shrine, starring Monica Dolan, was inspired by the flowers left by a Yorkshire roadside following a fatal accident, Bennett said.
‘Spooky’ scenes
Hytner said it was “spooky” shooting in a deserted Elstree, with a skeleton crew using existing sets left by productions which have been halted.
BBC1 will air the series, thrown together in 40 days using Hytner’s contacts book, over “the coming months”.
Hytner said: “Everyone involved has been working in an unprecedented way, rigorously observing social distancing, entirely rethinking ways of filmmaking that until a few weeks ago seemed routine.
“The shoot will never bring any of us within touching distance of each other, but I hope that in every other way it will reach out and touch millions of viewers.”
BBC drama challenge
The actors will be paid a month’s maximum furlough wages of £2,500 instead of their usual fee. The difference will be donated to NHS Charities Together.
Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, said: “Full of insight, wit, daring and compassion, these are stories of individual lives – but of great resonance.”
He added: “Covid-19 has laid waste to drama production in the UK, but it has also posed a challenge: how do we adhere to restrictions while still offering British viewers the chance to lose themselves in great stories at this time of national need?”
Talking Heads 2020


inews--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: 'I don't want to be a statistic' says pregnant healthcare worker as bosses are accused

Coronavirus: 'I don't want to be a statistic' says pregnant healthcare worker as bosses are accused of putting staff at risk

Coronavirus : ' I do n't want to be a statistic ' says pregnant healthcare worker as bosses are accused of putting staff at risk i spoke to women who were removed from patient-facing roles , but still mix with colleagues potentially exposed to Covid-19 While the current evidence does n't suggest pregnant women are any more at risk , they are included in the Government 's list of vulnerable people .
Updated guidance by professional medical bodies states that women in their third trimester ( beginning at 28 weeks ) , or those with underlying health conditions , should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier on in pregnancy can continue working in public-facing roles when a risk assessment supports this .
There are no figures on how many women are impacted , but a petition on workers ' rights campaign platform Organise has garnered more than 21,000 signatures .
A spokesperson for the site said its study found 187 cases in which a worker has reported someone is pregnant and still working at their hospital .
It also found that at least one pregnant member of staff at 43 per cent of UK trusts had reported being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home .
The group said they knew about an expectant recovery nurse in London working with patients suspected of having coronavirus , and a pregnant respiratory doctor in Merseyside who was redeployed to a different ward , but who now has colleagues who have been infected with Covid-19 .
The findings come after the death of nurse Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong , 28 .
The Luton and Dunstable University Hospital worker tested positive for Covid-19 on 5 April and had an emergency C-section to deliver her baby , who survived .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracted the virus .
Ms Agyapong was eight months pregnant when she died and stopped working at 28 weeks , as permitted in official guidance .
However , her death has led to renewed calls for a rethink . '
I 'm still exposed working behind the scenes' A pharmacy technician at a London hospital , who is 20 weeks pregnant , told i that she was ordered to work from an office where her colleagues were also working on the wards .
`` It 's a small office with computers side by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very difficult to social distance , '' she said .
`` It feels like a token gesture , if they are potentially exposed to Covid-19 then so am I .
`` I feel just being in the hospital is not a safe environment for myself and my unborn baby as the risks are not fully understood .
I can ’ t even bring my partner with me to my next scan but I am expected to work in the hospital . ''
She felt that she had no choice but to get signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like I shouldn ’ t have had to take that step and feel let down by the NHS .
The guidance has been continuously changing .
I don ’ t want to be the statistic that will change the current guidance . ''
A nurse wears a protective visor while working at St Johns Medical Centre in Altrincham – but not all staff have been as lucky , as there has been a national shortage of PPE ( Photo : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images ) '' I 've been removed from seeing patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I was were , '' she said .
`` It 's impossible to social distance from them .
I can work from home in two weeks ' time but I was told due to operational demand I could n't work from home any sooner .
`` My colleagues are not being given personal protective equipment ( PPE ) unless patients have symptoms .
But we know not everyone has symptoms and people can be contagious without symptoms .
I asked if we can wear our own PPE but was told no in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels the new guidance – which has been devised by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists ( RCOG ) , Royal College of Midwives ( RCM ) and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine ( FOM ) , and is supported by the four UK Chief Medical Officers – is too `` vague '' .
`` I 'm only entitled to 10 days sick pay , '' said the medic who was signed off a month ago .
`` My union is pushing for me to be medically suspended so I 'm on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight for this . ''
A healthcare assistant at a Liverpool hospital , who is 15 weeks pregnant , has been signed off after having panic attacks when her request to not work with patients was denied .
`` I 've never had panic attacks before , but just thought of being around patients who could have Coid-19 just made me so incredibly nervous for my baby , '' she said .
`` I 've heard from colleagues that they still do n't have enough PPE .
An apron does n't really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was on a month 's full pay and now it 's halved in my second month .
I 'm now worried about my maternity pay because it 's calculated on your average earnings over at least eight weeks up to and including the last payday before the end of your qualifying week .
There is currently no evidence that Covid-19 is linked to miscarriage ( Photo : Aditya Romansa on Unsplash )

Pregnant healthcare workers have accused NHS bosses of putting them and their unborn babies at risk of coronavirus by forcing them to keep working.
Many have revealed that even when they have been removed from patient-facing roles, they are still mixing with colleagues that have potentially been exposed to Covid-19.
While the current evidence doesn’t suggest pregnant women are any more at risk, they are included in the Government’s list of vulnerable people. Updated guidance by professional medical bodies states that women in their third trimester (beginning at 28 weeks), or those with underlying health conditions, should stay at home. It says those earlier on in pregnancy can continue working in public-facing roles when a risk assessment supports this.
There are no figures on how many women are impacted, but a petition on workers’ rights campaign platform Organise has garnered more than 21,000 signatures. A spokesperson for the site said its study found 187 cases in which a worker has reported someone is pregnant and still working at their hospital. It also found that at least one pregnant member of staff at 43 per cent of UK trusts had reported being told they were not allowed to stay at home.
Worried for safety
The group said they knew about an expectant recovery nurse in London working with patients suspected of having coronavirus, and a pregnant respiratory doctor in Merseyside who was redeployed to a different ward, but who now has colleagues who have been infected with Covid-19.
A separate survey by Pregnant Then Screwed, which supports women who have faced maternity or pregnancy discrimination, suggested a quarter of pregnant NHS workers were coming into contact with patients who could have Covid-19, and that 24 per cent were worried about their safety.
The findings come after the death of nurse Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28. The Luton and Dunstable University Hospital worker tested positive for Covid-19 on 5 April and had an emergency C-section to deliver her baby, who survived. It is not known if the little girl has contracted the virus. Ms Agyapong was eight months pregnant when she died and stopped working at 28 weeks, as permitted in official guidance. However, her death has led to renewed calls for a rethink.
‘I’m still exposed working behind the scenes’
A pharmacy technician at a London hospital, who is 20 weeks pregnant, told i that she was ordered to work from an office where her colleagues were also working on the wards. “It’s a small office with computers side by side and no windows so it’s very difficult to social distance,” she said. “It feels like a token gesture, if they are potentially exposed to Covid-19 then so am I.
“I feel just being in the hospital is not a safe environment for myself and my unborn baby as the risks are not fully understood. I can’t even bring my partner with me to my next scan but I am expected to work in the hospital.”
She felt that she had no choice but to get signed off sick with anxiety. “I feel like I shouldn’t have had to take that step and feel let down by the NHS. The guidance has been continuously changing. I don’t want to be the statistic that will change the current guidance.”
‘I’m getting no pay’
A paramedic manager who is 26 weeks pregnant and working for a private care firm at a prison says she’s been forced to also sign off sick with stress.
“I’ve been removed from seeing patients but staff who came into the office where I was were,” she said. “It’s impossible to social distance from them. I can work from home in two weeks’ time but I was told due to operational demand I couldn’t work from home any sooner.
“With it being a remand prison, people are in and out and that feels risky to me. I know we’ve had many coronavirus cases.
“My colleagues are not being given personal protective equipment (PPE) unless patients have symptoms. But we know not everyone has symptoms and people can be contagious without symptoms. I asked if we can wear our own PPE but was told no in case it creates hysteria.”
She feels the new guidance – which has been devised by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM), and is supported by the four UK Chief Medical Officers – is too “vague”.
“I feel it gives employers too much wiggle room to make women under 28 weeks pregnant work in risky environments,” she said.
She claims she hasn’t had a risk assessment at all while she’s been expecting, which is a legal requirement for pregnant workers. If employers cannot remove the risk they should find an alternative role or suspend the employee on full pay.
“I’m only entitled to 10 days sick pay,” said the medic who was signed off a month ago. “My union is pushing for me to be medically suspended so I’m on full pay but I shouldn’t have to fight for this.”
‘I had panic attacks’
A healthcare assistant at a Liverpool hospital, who is 15 weeks pregnant, has been signed off after having panic attacks when her request to not work with patients was denied. “I’ve never had panic attacks before, but just thought of being around patients who could have Coid-19 just made me so incredibly nervous for my baby,” she said. “I’ve heard from colleagues that they still don’t have enough PPE. An apron doesn’t really fit a pregnant belly too.
“I was on a month’s full pay and now it’s halved in my second month. I’m now worried about my maternity pay because it’s calculated on your average earnings over at least eight weeks up to and including the last payday before the end of your qualifying week.
“This is the last thing we need when you’re pregnant and should be minimising stress.”
Demand for urgent action
Pregnant women have been asked to isolate for 12 weeks as a precautionary measure, but the RCM says there is no evidence to suggest pregnant women are more likely to be vulnerable than other people.
On 18 March, the RCOG published a report in which it stated that two cases of “possible vertical transmission (transmission from mother to baby antenatally or intrapartum)” had been reported. Then on 9 April scientists in China said the chance that Covid-19 may be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy “cannot be ruled out”.
Yet experts say there is no evidence of an increased risk of miscarriage.
Researchers from Lund University suggest that women closer to their due date are likely to experience more severe Covid-19 symptoms. They say during pregnancy a woman’s immune system is naturally weakened, so as not to attack the genetically different baby growing inside her, making the mother-to-be more susceptible to viral infections.
However, the take away message is that pregnant women should be cautious as there is limited evidence on what effect the virus can have.
Nat Whalley, CEO of Organise, said trusts need to take responsibility for their workers’ health. “It’s amazing to see our online community teaming up and raising the alarm like this,” she said. “We’re seeing hundreds of pregnant NHS staff join Organise, and thousands more are signing their petition in support and emailing NHS Trust CEOs demanding urgent action. Together we’re making sure pregnant NHS staff are heard by their bosses.”
Edward Morris, president of the RCOG, said: “We have made some amendments to our occupational health guidance in response to feedback from individuals and charities supporting pregnant women, to clarify that responsibility for risk assessment in the workplace lies with the employer.
“Pregnant women can only continue working where the risk assessment supports this. The evidence underpinning this guidance and the fundamentals agreed with the UK Chief Medical Officers remains unchanged.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our guidance clearly advises pregnant women to reduce social contact through social distancing measures – no matter their job occupation. We expect all NHS Trusts and all care homes to follow this national guidance and no pregnant woman should feel they have to work in an environment that is unsafe for them and their child.”
Do you have a real life story? Email claudia.tanner@inews.co.uk


inews--2020-04-28--Children and coronavirus: Matt Hancock says he is 'worried' about new 'inflammatory condition' which

Children and coronavirus: Matt Hancock says he is 'worried' about new 'inflammatory condition' which could be linked to Covid-19

Children and coronavirus : Matt Hancock says he is 'worried ' about new 'inflammatory condition ' which could be linked to Covid-19 Mr Hancock told LBC : 'It 's a new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the Covid-19 virus . '
Matt Hancock has said he is `` very worried '' about a rare disease in children that could be linked to coronavirus , after an NHS alert was sent to doctors warning of a `` Covid-19 related inflammatory syndrome '' on Sunday .
The alert , sent on 25 April , said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sars CoV-2 ( Covid-19 ) related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK , or that there may be another , as yet unidentified , infectious pathogen associated with these cases . ''
It also talked about atypical Kawasaki disease , which predominantly affects children under the age of five .
The Paediatric Intensive Care Society circulated the alert from NHS England , which has also been sent to GPs , but said that `` if you are a parent please be assured that serious illness as a result of Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event in children '' .
Matt Hancock said the new disease was being investigated .
( Photo : LBC ) '' We put out at the weekend a call across the NHS because some cases of this have been identified , and this call essentially says to doctors in other parts of the country - have you seen this condition ?
`` And then they collate the information and find out what ’ s going on .
We haven ’ t seen information about this from elsewhere in the world . ''
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care system in the UK means `` we can spot relatively rare conditions that happen in a number of different hospitals '' , adding : `` We are worried about it , we are looking into it . ''
`` We 're not 100 per cent sure because some of the people who got it had n't tested positive .
We 're doing a lot of research now but it is something we 're worried about .
`` What I would also stress is that it is rare .
Although it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it the number of cases is small . ''
'Look into this as a matter of urgency' National Medical Director at NHS England , Stephen Powis , during a media briefing in Downing Street , London , on coronavirus ( Photo by Pippa Fowles/10 Downing Street/Crown Copyright/PA Wire ) “ Both Chris ( Whitty ) and I are aware of that , and we have asked our experts , I have asked the national clinical director for children and young people to look into this as a matter of urgency .
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitty added : “ This is a very rare situation but I think it is entirely plausible that this is caused by this virus , at least in some cases .
“ Because we know that in adults who of course have much more disease than children do , big problems are caused by an inflammatory process and this looks rather like an inflammatory process , a rather different one .
“ Therefore , given that we have got a new presentation of this at a time with a new disease , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we need to look for other causes as well – but the possibility that there is a link is certainly plausible.
” 'This is very rare' He said : “ We already know that a very small number of children can become severely ill with Covid-19 but this is very rare – evidence from throughout the world shows us that children appear to be the part of the population least affected by this infection .

Matt Hancock has said he is “very worried” about a rare disease in children that could be linked to coronavirus, after an NHS alert was sent to doctors warning of a “Covid-19 related inflammatory syndrome” on Sunday.
Mr Hancock said experts are “looking into it with great urgency” during a call in on LBC on Tuesday.
The alert, sent on 25 April, said: “There is a growing concern that a Sars CoV-2 (Covid-19) related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK, or that there may be another, as yet unidentified, infectious pathogen associated with these cases.” It also talked about atypical Kawasaki disease, which predominantly affects children under the age of five.
The Paediatric Intensive Care Society circulated the alert from NHS England, which has also been sent to GPs, but said that “if you are a parent please be assured that serious illness as a result of Covid-19 still appears to be a very rare event in children”.
‘I’m very worried’
Mr Hancock told LBC: “I’m very worried about the early signs that in rare cases there is an impact of an autoimmune response in children that causes a significant disease.
“We put out at the weekend a call across the NHS because some cases of this have been identified, and this call essentially says to doctors in other parts of the country – have you seen this condition?
“And then they collate the information and find out what’s going on. We haven’t seen information about this from elsewhere in the world.”
He said the advantages of having a centralised health care system in the UK means “we can spot relatively rare conditions that happen in a number of different hospitals”, adding: “We are worried about it, we are looking into it.”
The Health Secretary said: “It’s a new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the Covid-19 virus.
“We’re not 100 per cent sure because some of the people who got it hadn’t tested positive. We’re doing a lot of research now but it is something we’re worried about.
“What I would also stress is that it is rare. Although it is very significant for those children who do get it the number of cases is small.”
‘Look into this as a matter of urgency’
Speaking during Monday’s media briefing National Medical Director of NHS England Professor Stephen Powis said: “We have become aware in the last few days of reports of severe illness in children which might be a Kawasaki-like disease.
“Both Chris (Whitty) and I are aware of that, and we have asked our experts, I have asked the national clinical director for children and young people to look into this as a matter of urgency.
Read More Coronavirus: NHS warning of rise in children showing symptoms similar to toxic shock syndrome and atypical Kawasaki Disease
”Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty added: “This is a very rare situation but I think it is entirely plausible that this is caused by this virus, at least in some cases.
“Because we know that in adults who of course have much more disease than children do, big problems are caused by an inflammatory process and this looks rather like an inflammatory process, a rather different one.
“Therefore, given that we have got a new presentation of this at a time with a new disease, the possibility – it is not a definite, we need to look for other causes as well – but the possibility that there is a link is certainly plausible.”
‘This is very rare’
Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), urged parents to remember that Covid-19 is not severely affecting children at present.
He said: “We already know that a very small number of children can become severely ill with Covid-19 but this is very rare – evidence from throughout the world shows us that children appear to be the part of the population least affected by this infection.
“New diseases may present in ways that surprise us, and clinicians need to be made aware of any emerging evidence of particular symptoms or of underlying conditions which could make a patient more vulnerable to the virus.
“However, our advice remains the same: parents should be reassured that children are unlikely to be seriously ill with Covid-19 but if they are concerned about their children’s health for any reason, they should seek help from a health professional.”
Additional reporting by Press Association


inews--2020-04-28--Foster carers risk losing children and income if they become ill with coronavirus

Foster carers risk losing children and income if they become ill with coronavirus 'This is their home .
Our whole life can change in a day' Maude* , who looks after four boys under 15 for three years on average , worries that she and her husband , who is undergoing cancer treatment , would have the children removed from their care if one of them fell ill with the virus , and would be forced to self-isolate alone .
Maude and her husband ( not pictured ) would not be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP ) under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' I ’ m on immune suppressants because I have vasculitis , so I 'm on the high risk list , '' she said .
`` My husband is undergoing chemotherapy for bowel cancer .
I ’ m a lot stronger than him at the moment , so I need to look after the kids more .
If he has a bad day , the work is on me . ''
`` I have to make sure I take the four kids for exercise each day , but in an area with as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed , and we live in a city , so it 's hard to find somewhere that does n't put us all at risk , '' she said .
'Our whole life can change in a day' If the couple lose the boys , Maude says there would be financial and emotional repercussions .
As well as losing the boys , the carer said she would not be allowed to claim universal credit or any of the government 's freelance fund .
`` If that child goes on , that money stops on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the carer said .
`` If we caught coronavirus , the local authority would take the boys because we 'd have to self isolate .
It would be highly disruptive for them .
We would n't get paid as we get paid for each day we look after the boys .
Carers are self-employed workers , but they can not claim from the government 's freelance hardship fund ( Photo : Pexels ) She continued : `` With no money coming in , we 'd have to defer our mortgage for a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finance , and that would have to go .
If we had to downsize and sell our house , could we take the boys back , would we have the space ?
This is their home .
Our whole life can change in a day , '' she added .
Ken Millard , vice-chair of the IWGB Scottish Foster Care Workers branch , says : “ Foster carers shouldn ’ t have to choose between our health and the children in our care .
With most fostered children out of school and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left alone on the frontline , charged with seeing these children through the pandemic .
We are stepping up to the task but we need the right to sick pay and we need it now .
”

Foster carers say they have been “left alone on the frontline” and could lose their children and their income if they catch coronavirus.
Carers who look after vulnerable children and teenagers could see their families torn apart if they contract the virus, risking a losing the children without any right to sick pay while they recover.
Campaign for Statutory Sick Pay
Roughly 55,000 foster carers work in the UK. Under current contracts, the self-employed workers are not entitled to any Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or income support.
Maude*, who looks after four boys under 15 for three years on average, worries that she and her husband, who is undergoing cancer treatment, would have the children removed from their care if one of them fell ill with the virus, and would be forced to self-isolate alone.
“I’m on immune suppressants because I have vasculitis, so I’m on the high risk list,” she said. “My husband is undergoing chemotherapy for bowel cancer. I’m a lot stronger than him at the moment, so I need to look after the kids more. If he has a bad day, the work is on me.”
Maude said she has struggled to find a quiet area to take her four boys, who have behavioural problems like ADHD and autism, which has made her worry about the family’s health.
“I have to make sure I take the four kids for exercise each day, but in an area with as few people as possible. Everywhere’s closed, and we live in a city, so it’s hard to find somewhere that doesn’t put us all at risk,” she said.
‘Our whole life can change in a day’
If the couple lose the boys, Maude says there would be financial and emotional repercussions. As well as losing the boys, the carer said she would not be allowed to claim universal credit or any of the government’s freelance fund.
“If that child goes on, that money stops on the day they leave you,” the carer said. “If we caught coronavirus, the local authority would take the boys because we’d have to self isolate. It would be highly disruptive for them. We wouldn’t get paid as we get paid for each day we look after the boys.
She continued: “With no money coming in, we’d have to defer our mortgage for a few months. We have a car on finance, and that would have to go. If we had to downsize and sell our house, could we take the boys back, would we have the space? This is their home. Our whole life can change in a day,” she added.
Data released by Foster Care Associates to coincide with the launch of Foster Care Fortnight shows a huge gap in how many children need foster care, with a shortfall of 7,600 foster homes in the UK sparking fears that vulnerable children and carers could suffer without the right support.
IWGB union have launched a petition asking Parliament to grant Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) urgently.
Ken Millard, vice-chair of the IWGB Scottish Foster Care Workers branch, says: “Foster carers shouldn’t have to choose between our health and the children in our care. With most fostered children out of school and all respite cancelled, we’ve been left alone on the frontline, charged with seeing these children through the pandemic. We are stepping up to the task but we need the right to sick pay and we need it now.”
i has contacted the Department for Health and Social care for comment.
* name changed for confidentiality reasons


inews--2020-04-28--Michelin-starred restaurant The Oxford Kitchen plans to reopen as a casual 'bistro' to survive after

Michelin-starred restaurant The Oxford Kitchen plans to reopen as a casual 'bistro' to survive after lockdown

Michelin-starred restaurant The Oxford Kitchen plans to reopen as a casual 'bistro ' to survive after lockdown The Oxford Kitchen will reopen as 215 Kitchen and offer the same quality food and standout dishes , but will adapt its concept in a new world Hospitality businesses are already being forced to adapt in an environment unimaginable at the start of the year , when dining out was common and menus inspiring .
With social distancing measures likely , customer spend earmarked to fall , and the probability of an unwillingness in some quarters to eat out entirely , one Michelin-starred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , altering its approach to accommodate in a decimated industry .
Welburn , who trained for a time under the late Gary Rhodes and appeared in the 2014 series of Great British Menu , said to i : `` We 're going to try something more casual .
We need to give ourselves the best chance of survival .
`` We want to look to the future and build again .
It 's going to be a very different landscape to before .
`` We just do n't know how many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money people will have .
Ingredients costs will probably rise and business will be tough - so we 're going to strip everything back and start again . ''
While Welburn will make concessions - his history and expertise is in high-end , fine dining ; The Oxford Kitchen was a destination restaurant as well as a neighbourhood joint - he is adamant that the quality that earned the fixture a star will not waiver .
`` We 're not turning the restaurant into something generic , it 's just about simplifying and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want from the industry .
Where The Oxford Kitchen previously sold evening tasting menus for £59 and £69 per head , 215 Kitchen will be more relaxed , with dishes to share and the option to have a main meal and a bottle of wine rather than having to commit .
When restaurants return , many will have to tweak prices .
Affordability will be as important as health and safety .
But businesses still need to make money , and with hospitality margins notoriously low , it is n't the case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will still be classy ( Photo : TOK ) An inspector at a leading restaurant guide told i : `` There is no model that allows restaurants to instantly continue as they were , and , even post-vaccine , will diners want the same ambition-based scoring and awards guidebooks currently offer ?
`` Simpler food eaten locally rather than destination-style dining that relies on PR , high guide scores and media coverage is likely to become prevalent , typically with delivery , retail and takeaway options added to fill the income gap caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will be fascinating to see how guides can adapt to service radically different preferences to eating out in a climate with less disposable income , less willingness to enter social spaces , a much greater willingness to cook at home , and more varied restaurant business models . ''
The inspector added that while restaurants will need to reshape offerings in a new climate , it is equally integral to maintain that same lure that has got people so excited about the British hospitality industry .

As restaurant owners and chefs look beyond lockdown, there is no gaurantee of anything other than uncertainty.
Hospitality businesses are already being forced to adapt in an environment unimaginable at the start of the year, when dining out was common and menus inspiring.
With social distancing measures likely, customer spend earmarked to fall, and the probability of an unwillingness in some quarters to eat out entirely, one Michelin-starred restaurant will reopen as a “bistro”, altering its approach to accommodate in a decimated industry.
The Oxford Kitchen, in affluent north Oxford, will relaunch as 215 Kitchen and Drinks – when it is allowed – with chef Paul Welburn stepping away from a more formal tasting menu concept.
Starting afresh
Welburn, who trained for a time under the late Gary Rhodes and appeared in the 2014 series of Great British Menu, said to i: “We’re going to try something more casual. We need to give ourselves the best chance of survival.
“We want to look to the future and build again. It’s going to be a very different landscape to before.
“When we opened, we grew with the community, and built a loyal customer base. That came to an abrupt end.
“We just don’t know how many people will be dining out, how much money people will have. Ingredients costs will probably rise and business will be tough – so we’re going to strip everything back and start again.”
While Welburn will make concessions – his history and expertise is in high-end, fine dining; The Oxford Kitchen was a destination restaurant as well as a neighbourhood joint – he is adamant that the quality that earned the fixture a star will not waver.
“The food will be the same quality, it won’t be food people can cook at home,” he added.
“We’re not turning the restaurant into something generic, it’s just about simplifying and adjusting so we can gauge what people want from the industry.
“Something horrendous has happened and our lives have changed. We’ll have to go backwards to move forwards. We’ll find a balance.”
Where The Oxford Kitchen previously sold evening tasting menus for £59 and £69 per head, 215 Kitchen will be more relaxed, with dishes to share and the option to have a main meal and a bottle of wine rather than having to commit.
When restaurants return, many will have to tweak prices. Affordability will be as important as health and safety. But businesses still need to make money, and with hospitality margins notoriously low, it isn’t the case of simply heaving pounds off dishes.
New industry
An inspector at a leading restaurant guide told i: “There is no model that allows restaurants to instantly continue as they were, and, even post-vaccine, will diners want the same ambition-based scoring and awards guidebooks currently offer?
“Simpler food eaten locally rather than destination-style dining that relies on PR, high guide scores and media coverage is likely to become prevalent, typically with delivery, retail and takeaway options added to fill the income gap caused by lower covers and prices.
“It will be fascinating to see how guides can adapt to service radically different preferences to eating out in a climate with less disposable income, less willingness to enter social spaces, a much greater willingness to cook at home, and more varied restaurant business models.”
The inspector added that while restaurants will need to reshape offerings in a new climate, it is equally integral to maintain that same lure that has got people so excited about the British hospitality industry.
“I don’t believe ‘becoming a bistro’ is enough,” he said.
“It will be important to see closer links between restaurants and local communities with tighter, more personal feedback loops around what customers want that negate the use online review sites.
“And, finally, shorter, simpler menus that are commended not just based on ambition but quality, value, fun, accessibility and safety.”