Week 17 lockdown: Greenshoots or just not ripe enough to tell yet?

Posted on July 12, 2020 by Chris Warburton

With lockdown easing, it feels we are all seemingly trying to return to normal (with even a £30bn package to help us do so). Hotels, B&B’s, and holiday accommodation are starting to open and bookings have gone through the roof. We have not shaken the pandemic yet but it does feel we just want to take a break and just enjoy the summer at least. Observations for the week…

  • Being couped up so much, I realized this week I have been watching many TV shows filmed in sunnier climes… googling the filming locations and then planning (what will likely be imaginary) future holidays… too much time at home!
  • We have also been locked down so long, I have also noticed some reminiscences starting to creep in… ah the early days of lockdown… wasn’t good when we all used to get together on zoom… or the jokes on WhatsApp… weren’t they hilarious (or not?). The mind does strange things sometimes.
  • Workwise, the rolling extension of the payment holiday schemes across market sectors and of course the summer statement & economic stimulus was news… crunch time is gradually creeping up on us and from a few fronts it feels.

More this week no doubt… have a good week everyone… @chris_w_tweet

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Insulating the economy?: Weekly Roundup 10 July 2020

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Chris Warburton

A key theme for me this week has been the announcement of more financial assistance to get people back to work. In the UK chancellor’s summer statement £30bn of measures were announced; from VAT relief for the hospitality industry, a stamp duty cut, to funding for younger workers and those on furlough returning to work. It was about getting the economy moving again.

And this is needed with the economy across Europe and the UK starting to struggle. Both in the numbers and on the ground.

One benefit of lockdown has been the environment. We have reduced the amount of travelling, commuting and related fossil fuels use as a result. However, energy use at home has increased, with homes being generally less fuel efficeint than the office. All of this could take us away from net zero, and the funding announced to assist with insulating homes was nice to finally see. It has the added benefit of extra employment too.

In financial services news, a couple of other key announcements this week

  • The extension of the payment holiday scheme for credit cards came into effect.
  • New guidance for motor loans was also announced, with a 3 month extension for the scheme

Interestingly in Australia; the initial 6months (which we have in the UK) has just been extended by another 4months. Is this the sign of things to come here too?

We will need to watch all this carefully on how this plays out, especially with local lockdowns coming more into play. It could all get very complex.

Finally, other interesting news to monitor

  • The pandemic is changing the way we eat. A return to home cooking and comfort food of our younger selves?
  • Businesses continue to look at efficiencies in the new way of working. Yet more announcement of permanent home working and how this may change the structure of retail forever.
  • With the much discussed on the (maybe too early) demise of cash, EU banks are working on their own payment infrastructure as an alternative to the likes of VISA and Mastercard.
  • Lastly, an interesting article on AI and its acceleration. Digital underpins a lot of the changes we are seeing, so we should expect more (or is that ‘Moore’) in this space

Have a good weekend everyone… @chris_w_tweet

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Week 16 lockdown: Starting to glimpse the future?

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Chris Warburton

Lockdown really started to relax this week, with traffic jams to the coast, pubs open, and even getting your haircut. As it relaxes, is a little glimpse of our future normal now being seen? Observations for this week.

  • Watching how homeschooling has evolved it is interesting just how prevalent video calling with friends has become… and not just friends in the same school but even different countries… geographic distance has really shrunk… video is here to stay
  • I was out in the car this week, and after 16 weeks largely locked down driving felt very unnatural… it soon came back, but was interesting how skills really need continual re-enforcing
  • Workwise, everyone is saying that working from home is intense, especially with no travel… brains feel fried at the end of the day… maybe we learn from the youngsters and virtual video coffee breaks are the answer? One to mull over

Have a good week everyone… @chris_w_tweet


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