Business news in brief
Wagamama owner keeps one in 10 sites shut
The company behind restaurants such as Wagamama and Frankie & Benny’s has said that one in 10 of its sites will not reopen before the end of the year. The Restaurant Group said that the sites, largely in airports, will open next year at the earliest, as they are unlikely to attract enough customers to make reopening worthwhile. The affected sites are in areas “where footfall is anticipated to remain considerably week (primarily in some airport locations)”, the company said in an update for shareholders yesterday. The position raises concerns for the jobs of those who work at the sites, as the government’s furlough scheme, which covers salaries, will end in October. PA
Dixons Carphone bosses prepare for results
Investors will already have a good idea of what to expect at the top of Dixons Carphone’s balance sheet next week as the business reports its results for the 12 months to the start of May. Despite early predictions before lockdown that the company would endure a “significant reduction” in sales, the figures showed otherwise. The last time Dixons updated shareholders on its finances, it said sales had only dropped by 3 per cent in the five weeks to April 25. This means investors already more or less know what revenue to expect in next week’s results, which only take into account an extra week. PA
Workers ‘suffering anxiety and sleeplessness’
A “worrying” number of workers are suffering from the impact of the economic lockdown, ranging from a lack of sleep and energy to an increase in depression, a new study suggests. A lack of job security, rising workloads and poor communication from managers were blamed by many for the stresses they were suffering. A survey of 1,000 workers found that two in five said they were suffering from anxiety, a third from sleeplessness and a fifth from depression. Jobs site Glassdoor said its research also uncovered trends of a lack of motivation and energy among many workers since the lockdown was ordered in March. PA
The Gym Group has ‘lost 178,000 customers’
One of Britain’s biggest gym chains lost around one in five of its members during lockdown, even though it froze their payments. The Gym Group said that 178,000 people had cancelled their memberships with one of its 179 gyms, which are mainly across England. The announcement came as the business prepares to open its doors for the first time in four months after the government told gyms and nail bars they would be allowed to reopen from 25 July. Before lockdown, on 18 March, the company had 870,000 members. This had dropped to 692,000, at an average age of 32. PA
Ramsay: Lockdown showed ‘joy’ restaurants provide
Gordon Ramsay has said the lockdown proved “how much joy” people get from restaurants. The celebrity chef and restaurateur recorded a video message in which he said the coronavirus pandemic has brought the sector “to its knees”. He added that people working in the industry are ready to “celebrate that London is open for restaurants”. Ramsay added: “In a time where we are all kept all apart, we really do miss coming together and breaking bread with friends, family and colleagues.”PA