UK employment numbers suffer biggest fall for ten years as COVID continues to hit economy
Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the UK economy - with national employment falling by 220,000 between April and June; the biggest decrease seen since the financial crisis in 2009.
Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the UK economy – with national employment falling by 220,000 between April and June; the biggest quarterly decrease seen since the financial crisis of 2009.
According to The Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of employees on payrolls around the country is down by around 730,000 from early Spring.
The ONS also estimated that 7.5 million were temporarily away from work in June, with around three million of those absent for three months or even longer.
Deepening fears is the fact that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s furlough scheme – which was designed to support workers with 80% pay during the height of the pandemic – is set to end in October.
These latest reports will likely see more calls for the programme to be extended further.
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The number of people currently on the British furlough scheme – 9.6 million according to Statista – may also be masking the true extent of unemployment in the country.
Those who have been most adversely affected by the financial crisis so far are younger and older people – as well as those working in low-paying roles.
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Jonathan Athow, Deputy National Statistician at the ONS, said: “The groups of people most affected are younger workers, 24 and under, or older workers and those in more routine or less skilled jobs.
“This is concerning, as it’s harder for these groups to find a new job or get into a job as easily as other workers.”
A number of high-profile businesses across the UK have been forced to make wide-scale redundancies due to the fallout from the global pandemic.
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The travel industry has been hit particularly hard – with British Airways, Ryanair and EasyJet all axing jobs.
The UK high street has also suffered, with the likes of M&S, NEXT, John Lewis, Topshop & Dorothy Perkins cutting staff numbers.
Restaurant groups have had to let team members go, too, with the likes of Upper Crust and and Pret slashing their payroll by thousands.
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Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall
Emily Sergeant
A new era for The Orient is on the horizon, as the Trafford Centre has begun its months-long refresh of its iconic foodhall.
Forming part of its ongoing commitment to ‘enhancing the visitor experience’, the Trafford Centre is investing in a major refresh of seating and customer facilities within The Orient – creating a more vibrant and welcoming environment for guests to eat, meet and relax.
Works are now underway and will be delivered in phases over the coming months.
Improvements are being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to shoppers, while creating a more comfortable and contemporary dining environment at the same time.
The refreshed area will increase seating capacity by more than 60%, introducing a range of new seating styles in the process – including banquettes, family-friendly tables, accessible seating for guests with mobility requirements, and dedicated areas equipped with phone and laptop charging facilities.
The Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall / Credit: The Manc Group
Inspired by The Orient’s longstanding maritime heritage, the design takes cues from a contemporary cruise liner, and the space will also feature upgraded furniture and enhanced lighting, alongside flexible areas designed to encourage visitors to spend more time in there.
There’ll also be modern furnishings and a ‘refreshed’ colour palette to create a brighter and welcoming environment.
“The Orient is one of the most popular destinations within Trafford Centre, welcoming millions of visitors each year,” a Trafford Centre spokesperson said on the refurb.
“This investment reflects our commitment to continually improving the experience for our guests, creating a more modern, comfortable and social environment where visitors can meet, dine and spend time together.
“The improvements will not only significantly increase seating capacity but also deliver a much more flexible and accessible space for all visitors to enjoy.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Uber has officially started trialling driverless taxis in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… driverless taxis have hit the streets of Manchester.
As the leading transportation company looks to bring robotaxis to other major cities around the UK, it has been confirmed that a trial of autonomous vehicles is now underway in Manchester – with the services being operated using the technology of Uber’s partner firms, Pony and Verne.
Uber said it was ‘excited’ to take this first step toward ‘making this technology accessible’ to people across the UK.
The three companies first collaborated on the deployment of a commercial robotaxi service back in March of this year, combining Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework.
At this time, there has been no official application to launch passenger services in Manchester, according to The Guardian.
However, posts on various social media platforms – such as X, LinkedIn, and Instagram – by each of the companies this week have confirmed that trials are underway in the city.
“New technologies play an increasingly important role in the growth of our city region,” TfGM said. “But they need to be introduced responsibly, safely and with real thought about what it means for our residents.
“Safety will always be our top priority, and we will need strong assurances that no vehicles will operate on our roads that pose any risk to residents.”
Manchester, we’re on our way! Today, we’re announcing that we’re partnering with @Verne_robotaxi and @PonyAI_tech to pilot autonomous vehicles in Manchester. Building on our service together in Zagreb, Gen-7 Robotaxis are now testing in Manchester.
We’re excited to take this first step toward making this technology accessible to people across the UK. 🇬🇧
“By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology, Verne’s operational and market expertise, and Uber’s global platform, we’re taking an important step toward making autonomous ride-hailing available to more riders in more places.”
The Manc -
11th August 2020 
