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The Revolution of Weightless Music
a manifesto by Vostok Lake, 2008
ROCK MUSIC IS DEAD. LET'S BURY IT.
Rock music was the music of the revolutionary youth of the Western countries coming out of the post-war boom and ending in the oil shocks of the mid-'70s. This is why rock music in itself - as Homer Simpson rightly said - reached perfection in 1975. Even punk - for all its conceptual "Year Zero" shock - was musically nothing that California garage bands weren't doing in the mid-60's. Everything interesting that has happened in rock music after that has either been in taking influences from other styles of music (Latin, hip-hop, Arab, reggae, etc) or by simply and grotesquely eating itself. The happening rock acts of today ever more shamefully knock off the Beatles, the Stones, early Zep, the Who, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, etc - or rip off bands that were originally ripoffs of those ideas themselves. Rock'n'roll is a tyranny of fashion and of zombie ideas. The idea that the music of the youth involves electric guitars and a drumkit has led more and more cookie-cutter outfits who think they're being radical up a standardised path into COMMODITY HELL. The record industry follows the rules of the capitalist economy and increasingly rewards standardised product. Right now just about all the new rock music in the charts sounds like Blondie or the Jam with the good bits taken out, or, God help us all, dumbed-down Oasis.
I'm not saying "stop playing rock music", any more than you should stop playing jazz, or Beethoven, or tinkly acoustic-guitar folk music. But we do have to recognize that it's an ossified form which doesn't realise it's dead and is shambling along like some kind of four-chord revenant.
LET US ONCE AGAIN HAVE BANDS THAT CAN RIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORT
People forget that - after electronic musical equipment ceased to resemble a telephone exchange, and before the Stock/Aitken/Watermanised late 80's - there was a period when "synth-pop" was genuinely "punk", in the sense of simultaneously democratic and threatening. Depeche Mode took their synths to gigs on the bus, sparing themselves the expense of big clunky guitar amps and a van to drive them around in. Three old-school monophonic synths and a drum beat recorded on tape were significantly cheaper than a drum kit and a Fender knockoff, so let's knock on the head this Roddy Doyle myth that synth music was made by art-school wankers funded by rich dads. Shall we also mention that a 61-note piano style keyboard is significantly easier to learn to play a tune or a riff on than a six- or four-string guitar? Not exactly rocket science. It was significantly crosscultural. Everyone knows how white America knocked off the music of the black South to create rock'n'roll. And urban black America in the 1980's were leaping on the new, not-human beats coming out of extremely white people in New York, London or even Dusseldorf. As Mark E Smith of the Fall said, you could go into the least reputable clubs in Detroit and all the "black guys with machine guns are listening to Gary Numan". Let's dispense with this fake egalitarianism that everything cool "comes from the street". The Bomb Crew's genuinely astonishing sample-collage beats for Public Enemy simply wouldn't have happened without nerds in places like Darmstadt pricking around with tape loops in the 60's.
THE SOFTWARE SYNTH IS THE MOST DEMOCRATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
But what about live performance? No-one particularly likes playing along to a fixed and therefore dead backing track, or even a sequencer which takes an effort to reprogram - we like to be able to control all parameters of the music as it happens. (Depeche Mode gave up and started putting 80% of their performance on tape, before surrendering to rock-music cliche in the mid 90's.) Well, urban black (and Hispanic) America were the first communities to realise what the 21st century media technologies meant for popular music. A hundred years ago, the rural African-American communities had taken the musical instruments and harmonic structures of the oppressor cultures and married them to what they had managed to preserve of their own musical traditions, in the form of blues or jazz. The same thing happened in the late 70's and early 80's - now a turntable, a mixing desk, or a sequencer could be the preferred weapon of the musician from below. These days, you'd have to include the laptop computer in that.
Monophonic synths were cheap and portable in the early 1980s. Now some synths are FREE and literally WEIGHTLESS - software synths written in open-source, that is. While the high-end audiophiles chase themselves ever further into the fetishism of the shiny Mac, at the real-world end of the scale, Ubuntu Studio is a professional-quality open-source suite available for making a computer produce pretty sounds - with its latest upgrades, to a fully professional level of capability and potential polish. However, Ben Watson has pointed out that art music performed on laptops usually ends up being some kind of dull Enya-like drone. For truly exciting music you need some kind of interface which can be operated in real time - which is why the piano-style keyboard (and to a lesser degree the foot pedal) is still the most efficient real-world device for on-the-spot electronic music making. A MIDI controller plugged into a laptop will be undoubtedly the instrument on which the music of the urban masses of the 21st century will be produced. Who knows but that new pieces of interface equipment (pedalboards, MIDI-based mixing desks, etc) won't evolve to mean that every aspect of the audio experience can be controlled in real time, by the guys onstage or the guys offstage, without having to run through a QWERTY-keyboard or a mouse.
GROUPS WITH GUITARS ARE ON THE WAY OUT, MR EPSTEIN
Vostok Lake is part of a movement towards the complete self-sufficiency of the composer/performer via portable computing. The infotech explosion has put the possibility of creating an entire musical soundscape - even of outputting it in SURROUND SOUND! - onto every desktop computer. The next step must be to step up to the LIVE challenge - to use laptops and MIDI controllers to create intelligent, mobile "bands in boxes" that need only to be plugged into a PA or even someone's home stereo to be able to make music of infinite flexibility, sonic depth and variety, whenever, wherever. We are a left-wing and libertarian institution and we are interested in making music that is infinitely portable and transmittable, open-source, and subversive.
This is a laptop.
This is open-source music software.
This is a MIDI controller.
NOW PLAY SOME GIGS!


In 2015, University of the Witwatersrand vice-chancellor Adam Habib had to leave a higher education transformation summit hosted by the department of higher education and training in Durban and rush back to Johannesburg.
Students had demanded his return so he could address them about a proposed 10% fee hike for 2016, which they rejected.
At the time, Habib was the chairperson of Universities South Africa and was scheduled to be one of the speakers at the three-day summit but he could not take the podium. He barely spent a minute inside the venue. Instead, he paced up and down outside the International Convention Centre, trying to manage the situation from Durban on his phone, but it didn't work.
So he gave up and returned to Wits and the striking students.
On the Monday, after the former minister of higher education and training, Blade Nzimande, had concluded the summit, the protests spread to other campuses. Soon after, in October 2015, there was a national shutdown of the universities. #FeesMustFall was born.
The anger swelled up and, on October 23 2015, thousands of students marched through the streets of Pretoria and headed to the Union Buildings where former president Jacob Zuma was locked in a meeting with the vice-chancellors to discuss a way forward. Ugly and violent scenes started playing out between students and the police after the students had waited for hours to hear an announcement by Zuma.
Before this, students from the Gauteng universities had marched to the ANC's Luthuli House headquarters to deliver a memorandum to the governing party, which had promised free higher education at its 2007 Polokwane elective conference. Standing outside the building, students had refused to be addressed by the ANC's then secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, who had come to accept the memorandum on behalf of the ANC, unless he sat down when talking to them. This is what they had demanded from Habib when he arrived from Durban to address them. Students wanted those in power "to sit down" and "humble themselves" when speaking to them.
Mantashe had addressed the students without sitting down.
Zuma then announced that there would be no fee increment in 2016. The students had won a concession to one of their demands.
Task teams were established to look at how the universities and government could pay for this, and many meetings were held between vice-chancellors and Nzimande to map a way forward.
The vice-chancellors were panicking. They still maintained that running universities without increasing fees would collapse them. But Zuma had made the announcement and there was no turning back.
His announcement, however, did not mean an end to students' problems. Although the issue of fees was the face of their struggle, there were other challenges in the background. They ranged — and still range — from a lack of student accommodation to historical debt, which prevented thousand of students from continuing with their studies, and the inefficiency of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in disbursing funding.
Given all these unresolved problems, the scenes at some of the country's universities this week were not a surprise. The calls made by students at Wits, the Durban University of Technology (DUT), the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the Mangosuthu University of Technology, the University of Johannesburg and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology were inevitable. Next week, more campuses are likely to join the protests.
This is not new. We have been here before. This is what happens when you don't resolve an issue.
There are structural challenges in the sector that need practical and urgent intervention by the government for the country to move forwards. As former South African Students' Congress president Ntuthuko Makhombothi said in 2015 during the national shutdown: "We are not opposed to studying; we are opposed to the unfair, harsh and unequal conditions under which we study." It seems simple; students want to study but many cannot do so because they do not have money to pay their historical debt. Many also have no place to stay and the NSFAS has rejected their applications, even though they qualify for funding.
Universities, on the other hand, have their own unresolved problems. Going back to the 2015 protests, vice-chancellors have maintained that clearing the millions of rand of historical debt owed to universities is not an option because it would leave them bankrupt and they would have to shut down within months. Universities, vice-chancellors have said, rely heavily on fees to keep functioning because government subsidies have been declining.
With their money, universities have to balance all sorts of different demands, such as the ordering of academic material from abroad, keeping the lights on, paying salaries and all the other things that keep them working.
Both sides are backed into an increasingly desperate corner. Universities have the power — inasmuch as they can ignore students, or call in private security guards.
As we have repeatedly seen in the past, this does not work. That led to the death of Mlungisi Madonsela, the student who was shot and killed this week, allegedly by a security guard at the DUT.
Without students, universities would not exist. But without working universities, students cannot realise their potential.


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Britain's managed pub and restaurant sales drop 72.6% in December
Britain's managed pub and restaurant groups saw total sales drop 72.6% over the festive season, in what should have been the sector's busiest trading period of the year, according to the latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker. Trading figures for the five weeks from 30 November to 3 January showed drink-led managed pubs and bars were worst hit, with total sales down 83.7% and 87.2% respectively on the same period last year.
Managed food-led pubs and pub restaurants were down 78.2%, while group-owned restaurants saw total sales drop 57.9%. Regionally, London, which was largely open at the beginning of December, also fared slightly better than the rest of the country with sales down 66.8% on last year, compared with 73.9% down outside the M25.
At the beginning of the festive period Tracker figures showed just over half of the country's managed pubs, bars and restaurants were trading again after November's lockdown. By the end of December the number was less than 10%. At the end of December, underlying annual sales for the whole market were down 50.5% on the previous 12 months. "Restaurants had a marginally less miserable time, benefiting from people out Christmas shopping at the start of month and more importantly from delivery business," said Karl Chessell, director of CGA, the business insight consultancy that produces the Tracker, in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM.
"Overall in December, delivery accounted for 23% of restaurant chains' sales. The tier system had already kept pubs and restaurants across large parts of the country closed from the start of the month, but the escalation of measures saw the sector effectively grind to a total standstill by the end of December." David Coffer (pictured), chairman of The Coffer Group, added: "With most operators now unable to create any turnover whatsoever the accrual of debt has become critical."
To read the rest of this story and the whole of our latest Morning Briefing, CLICK HERE
Hospitality job losses for 2020 hit 660,000 as workforce shrinks by more than a quarter
Hospitality job losses for 2020 hit 660,000, shrinking the workforce by more than a quarter over the past 12 months, according to new research by software provider Fourth. However, December saw the fewest job leavers since May, indicating the continuation of the furlough scheme is helping to protect and preserve a portion of jobs in the market place.
Fourth's data, which has been aggregated from analysis of more than 700 companies across the restaurant, pub, bar and quick service restaurant (QSR) sectors, revealed there were a further 8,591 workers who lost their jobs over the course of December, bringing the total number of sector job losses to roughly 660,000 for the year.
The data also revealed the workforce shrunk by 28% in December, compared with the same month in 2019. This can be broken down by sector, where pubs experienced the least negative impact with a year-on-year drop in labour of 22%. This is followed by QSRs with a drop of 30%, and the restaurant sector with a 31% drop. The most impacted sector, again, was hotels, where there was a 33% reduction in labour compared with last year.
Neame – I hope when we do open the restrictions that have been imposed on us are lifted in one go
Jonathan Neame (pictured), chief executive of Kent-based brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame, has said he hopes when the sector is allowed to reopen "the restrictions that have been imposed on us are lifted in one go". Talking on Propel's Lessons & Learning for Lockdown Three video, Neame said the sector should not be having to "fight tooth and nail for the right for bar service, for the right for two metre distancing, for this, that and the other". He said: "The critical thing is we are not put to the back of the queue. The real frustration in the autumn of being singled out as a separate environment was completely and utterly wrong. When non-essential retail opens, hospitality should be able to open, with the same restrictions, whatever they are. I think the battleground we are playing for is somewhere between the end of March and the end of April, so it is a relatively tight window and I am sure the health lobby will be pushing in the opposite direction to delay it for as long as possible, but as far as I'm concerned, we need to push back against this increasingly unacceptable authoritarian voice from health care. This is all about risk management. We have given up our freedom to manage the risk of death, and of course if the vaccines get rolled out, the risk of death is reduced by 90% or whatever the numbers are. At that point this becomes a disease we can live with, and people should be allowed to take their own view about managing their own risk. So, when we reopen we open as we were before. We volunteered to give up our freedom to protect the NHS, not for a social re-engineering exercise or for some form of long-term restrictions. We need to be pretty robust about that and stand up very strongly to this health authoritarianism."
Growing debt burden crippling operators, warns Scottish Hospitality Group
Companies in the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) have taken on more than £16m of debt since lockdown started to allow them to stay afloat, the trade body has revealed. It said if all of Scotland's 16,000 licensed premises were in the same position as its members, the industry as a whole would be carrying a debt burden of anywhere between £800m and £1.2bn. SHG said it expected this figure will rise significantly due to the worst-ever December trading figures and a "major shortfall" in government support, which in many cases is lower than what employers have to pay in national insurance, pensions and holiday accrual. The debt is a combination of funds from the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, bank loans, overdrafts and payment deferrals and is necessary to pay property and equipment rent, among other fixed costs. Servicing and repaying the debt will severely impact on firms' ability to bounce back from the pandemic and to invest for recovery, SHG said. Spokesman Stephen Montgomery said: "Our members don't have their usual Christmas reserves to see them through the quieter months and government help doesn't even cover the costs of employer furlough contributions for most operators. This debt is necessary to keep jobs alive, but it will come at a heavy price to the sector, and that's if we even survive. Businesses must have clarity and honesty about what's available and for that help to be in their hands much quicker than it has been so far." Last week, SHG reported its members took in only 20% of last year's earnings during December. The figures mean SHG members lost £9.6m of revenue – money that would normally keep businesses alive until the spring.
Caring eyes new openings, lines up former La Brasserie site in South Kensington
Serial sector investor Richard Caring (pictured) has lined up at least three new openings, including plans to open on the former La Brasserie site in London's South Kensington, Propel has learned. Caring, who backs Caprice Holdings, the Ivy Collection and Bill's, is believed to have secured the La Brasserie site in Brompton Road, which closed in 2017, for a yet unspecified, new restaurant project. Propel has learned he has also secured the former Le Pain Quotidien site next door to the Ivy Chelsea Garden in the Kings Road, to open an Ivy Asia. Caring currently operates two Ivy Asia sites in St Paul's and Manchester and is thought to be looking at further opportunities to expand the concept, either as standalone sites or adjacent to existing Ivy Collection restaurants. Propel understands Caring is also closing in on announcing what he plans to launch on the ex-Porsche Garage site in Mount Street, Mayfair. He is still working on plans to reopen the former Princess Garden of Mayfair site in North Audley Street, which he acquired in 2016. It had previously been earmarked for a Caprice Café concept but may now become another Ivy Asia.
Douglas Jack – forecasts adjusted for Loungers over lockdown but no negative impact on long-term valuation and growth
Peel Hunt Leisure analyst Douglas Jack (pictured) has adjusted forecasts for Loungers to reflect the third lockdown in England, which Peel Hunt assumes will end on 31 March, but believes it will have "no negative impact" on the business' long-term valuation and growth prospects. Issuing a 'Buy' note on the shares with a target price of 270p, Jack said: "Loungers' 25.1% like-for-like sales growth in the first half of its financial year was materially ahead of the sector. This converted to £53.5m of first half sales from just 12 trading weeks versus £79.8m of revenue from 24 trading weeks in the first half of 2020. However, we are adjusting our forecasts to assume just £24m of revenue in the second half. This reflects four weeks of 5% like-for-like sales growth in the early part of the second half, as the restrictions intensified; 16 weeks of full closure (November 2020 and January to March 2021); five weeks of heavily restricted trade in December and early January; and three weeks of disrupted trading in early April. We forecast £49m less sales to cause an £11m drop in Ebitda (IAS 17) after factoring in Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme compensation, lower purchasing costs, additional government grants and extra savings under lockdown. It equates to £0.5m Ebitda over the full year. Alternatively, first half Ebitda: £8.2m; five weeks of trading in the early part of the second half: £1.9m Ebitda; 16 weeks of full closure: £(7.4)m Ebitda; and seven weeks of heavily restricted trade: £(2.2)m." On expansion, Jack said forecasts now assume Loungers would open six sites this financial year, with three sites opening in April. He added: "The main impact of the third lockdown is to increase net debt forecasts. Our 2022E average sales forecast is similar to 2019's level despite the subsequent growth in like-for-like sales and the very high quality of new sites. We believe Loungers' organic expansion model should continue to generate high returns, with margins offering material upside over the long term. The shares are trading well below their peak of 270p in February, since when we believe the company's medium-term trading prospects have strengthened."
Hard Rock acquires casino premises licence from The Ritz Club in London
Entertainment and hospitality brand Hard Rock International has acquired the casino premises licence from The Ritz Club in London. The deal will allow Hard Rock to seek out and establish a new casino premises in the capital, "continuing Hard Rock's expansion into major cities around the world". Hard Rock International chairman Jim Allen said: "We look forward to expanding our brand offerings within London and bringing our award-winning hospitality, gaming and entertainment to the birthplace of Hard Rock." The move is expected to see "the creation of a casino that will complement the other company offerings in international gateway cities such as Florida, New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid and many more". The Ritz Club – which opened in 1998 – and hosted celebrities including Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Bill Clinton, announced in June last year it would not reopen after lockdown.
Marks – 'government has acted like a triage department', company looking at growth opportunities
Peter Marks (pictured), chief executive of Rekom UK, formerly Deltic Group, has accused the government of acting like a hospital triage department – "evaluating which sectors are going to live, and which are going to die". Talking on Propel's Lessons & Learning for Lockdown Three video, Marks said in terms of support the late-night sector has been "sent down the mortuary". He said: "I understand how difficult it is for the government but the only time we were being listened to in all seriousness about the state of our businesses was when everyone else was open, and we were the only people left on the subs bench. Then I felt we had a chance, but as soon as everyone else came back off the pitch and back on the bench with the lockdown in November, it was game over. Until Rishi Sunak's recent £9,000 grant, there were 11 strands of government support and we didn't qualify for eight of them, it was like it was trying to chisel out something that was never going to save the late-night economy, particularly a large, late-night economy business. It has been frustrating beyond belief and I don't think it is going to give us any more money." Scandinavian company Rekom Group, which operates circa 120 late-night venues across Finland, Norway and Denmark, acquired 44 out of Deltic's 55 sites out of administration last year and Marks said the business is now talking about growth and ready to look at opportunities for consolidation. He said: "In many respects we have the luxury of closure now, which allows us to do a lot more in terms of integration and planning and get things right so we can hit the ground running, than you normally would if you were acquiring or being acquired because you then have to carry on your business as normal in the background. To be talking about growth, which we are, and looking at opportunities, which we will be, given the last nine months is fantastic. Rekom has spotted the UK is a good market, and a lot larger than the rest of its markets (Finland, Denmark and Norway). Clearly there will be a lot of people out there who will throw the towel in or landlords who won't want to keep the same tenant or companies that will have to go through pre-packs, and that will bring opportunities to us. We have a different story and a different feel to our story moving forward now, and I am hugely grateful for that." Marks also revealed the group's site – Club Batchwood – in Batchwood Hall, St Albans, had become the first nightclub in the country to be used for the vaccination programme, after the business was approached by the local health authorities.
PM set to reject calls for dedicated hospitality minister
Prime minister Boris Johnson (pictured) is set to reject the idea of having a dedicated hospitality minister. MPs across the political spectrum voiced their support for creating the position during a debate on Monday (11 January) after more than 200,000 people signed the petition #SeatAtTheTable. However, responding to Catherine McKinnell, the Labour MP for Newcastle North, who led the debate into creating the role, Johnson said: "You're right to identify the troubles of the hospitality sector, and it has been through a very difficult time. We are doing everything we can to support it, and the chancellor, business secretary and I meet regularly with representatives of that sector. We have given all the grants, the recent increase in grants that you know of, on top of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and bounce back loans, the furlough scheme and many, many other forms of support, but the best thing for the hospitality sector is we all work together to defeat the virus, in the way I'm absolutely certain we can, with disciplined action and the vaccine roll out, and get it back on its feet, and I am sure that is the best thing for it." McKinnell tweeted afterwards: "Unfortunately the PM hasn't agreed to meet with @seatat_thetable @chefpublishing to discuss proposal for a dedicated hospitality minister. I will follow up with a letter and in my view, it is in his government's interest so it can get things right for this vital sector #seatatthetable." During the debate McKinnell highlighted hospitality was caught between "two crowded departments" – the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport – that "creates an incentive for passing the buck between departments, which reinforces the case for a minister for hospitality".
UKHospitality – government must extend loan repayment dates and amend furlough eligibility
UKHospitality has urged the government to extend the time allowed to pay back covid-related, state-backed loans and amend furlough eligibility requirements. The trade body has written to chief secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, with requests that would increase the chances of survival for hospitality businesses. The letter, signed by UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls (pictured), stated it was thankful for the announcement of additional grants on 5 January and recommended a package that could help the sector bounce back this year. UKHospitality has asked for an extension to the eligibility date for employees on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) – more commonly referred to as furlough. It added: "Many businesses in hospitality took new members of staff on during November expecting a busy Christmas. Government should extend the eligibility date for CJRS to include those employed at the end of December 2020, subject to having had a PAYE RTI submission made on their behalf (likely to be 23 December)." It also asked for an amendment to pay calculation because "pay for many still relates to the 2019-20 national minimum wage rates for some" and said this should be uprated in line with increased national minimum wage rates. It should also "allow furlough for employer-initiated notice periods" in relation to the government's intent to prevent furlough paying wages in the notice period of a member of staff made redundant, but "where the employee has initiated the notice, we believe this should be covered". UKHospitality added it is grateful for the government's move to extend applications for state-backed loans until 31 March 2021 but recommended the government also extend the repayment period for all government-backed loans to ten years; increase the interest-free period on loans for a further 12 months; promote new or increased loan facilities for businesses that need to borrow more; extend the Covid Corporate Financing Facility for new entrants and ensure flexible refinancing dates; and push back the date for repayment of deferred taxation to December 2021.
Hospitality and tourism sector calls for further extension of reduced rate of VAT to avoid 310,000 job losses:
The hospitality and tourism sector is calling on the government to apply a further extension of the reduced rate of VAT in a bid to avoid 310,000 job losses. A survey of 1,144 sector businesses by the Cut Tourism VAT (CTV) Campaign, UKHospitality, the Tourism Alliance and the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions demonstrated the importance of the decision by chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) to cut VAT to 5% for the industry. A total of 90% said the VAT cut was important, very important or crucial to their businesses with more than 75% saying they might not have been able to continue trading without it. Most businesses used some of the VAT reduction to meet the additional costs of covid compliance and the next most important use was to pay wages and suppliers. A total of 72% said if the reduction continued they would use it to fund investment. The survey showed if the VAT rate reverts back to 20% in April there will be further cut-backs and job losses and the CTV Campaign estimated this could mean the loss of 310,000 jobs in hospitality and tourism. It would also likely lead to an increase in prices to consumers just before Easter. The survey results suggested turnover in the tourism and hospitality sector would be £9bn greater with VAT at 5%, compared with 20%. UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: "The decision of the chancellor to cut VAT to 5% last July was one of the few bright spots of the year and stimulated economic growth before the second wave began to hit. If the government wants to see a turbo-charged recovery in communities right across the UK then an extension of the VAT cut is the surest way to do it." Kurt Janson, director of the Tourism Alliance, added: "We believe there is also a huge benefit in combining a reduction in VAT for the tourism and hospitality industry with a reduction in the VAT threshold for businesses."
Financial support must be expanded swiftly for Scottish operators following new takeaway rules, warns UKHospitality
Financial support must be expanded swiftly for Scottish operators following the tightening of rules around the sale of takeaway food and drink, UKHospitality has warned. Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) has banned people from drinking outside and making non-essential click-and-collect orders. From Saturday (16 January) people picking up takeaway meals will be barred from entering eateries, instead having to wait outside. Alcohol consumption outdoors in all level four areas of Scotland will be banned, under new regulations, meaning anyone who buys takeaway alcohol must consume it in their own home. In response, UKHospitality Scotland executive director Willie Macleod said: "Only this week we warned about the need for further support to secure the future of the hospitality sector in Scotland. It is now even more important that financial support be expanded swiftly in order to save as many businesses and jobs as possible. Before this tightening of restrictions, there was precious little way for a business in the hospitality sector to generate any revenue. One of the few avenues open to them has now been squeezed. An expansion of support has to come quickly if we expect hospitality to be in any sort of shape to aid the country's economic recovery after the crisis. An extension of the VAT cut and the business rates holiday are now a must. This has to be confirmed as a bare minimum as soon as possible."
US restaurants and bars able to apply for loans that convert to grants under revamped Paycheck Protection Programme:
US restaurants and bars are able to apply for loans that will convert into grants under the revamped Paycheck Protection Programme (PPP) – provided certain requirements are met. Operators can apply for a "second-draw" PPP loan if they meet all of the following criteria – their gross receipts declined by 25%; they were open for business by 15 February 2020, except for seasonal employers; they have fewer than 300 employees per location (first-time borrowers can have up to 500 employees per location); and they are not a publicly traded company. The forgivable loan is calculated at 3.5 times their monthly payroll, up to $2m. First-time borrowers can receive up to $10m. Those loans will convert to grants if businesses abide by a variety of strict requirements. These include spending at least 60% of the funds on payroll and maintaining their employee headcount. Loans under $150,000 will have shortened forgiveness applications, in an effort to attract borrowers who can't afford to employ professional accountants. Restaurants will also be able to use non-payroll funds to pay their suppliers for current or previous orders of "perishable goods" or "worker protection measures" such as drive-thru windows, air ventilators, health screening, and even outdoor dining build-outs. Businesses can elect to use the PPP funds over either an eight-week period, or stretch it out over a longer 24-week period. Any non-forgivable portions of the loan carry an interest rate of 1% and must be repaid within five years. Congress has made $284bn available through the revamped PPP, specifically targeting the hospitality industry for extra help – and setting aside aid for low-income communities and first-time borrowers who were shut out from funding last year. The debut $350bn round of funding last April was exhausted in under two weeks.
Supreme Court reveals date for FCA business interruption insurance judgement
The Supreme Court has revealed its judgement for the appeal of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)'s test case on business interruption insurance relating to the covid-19 pandemic lockdown will be handed down on Friday (15 January). An update on the court website said a judgment will be handed down at 9.45am. The judgement will be available to view live via the Supreme Court website. This judgement is the result of the four-day hearing that started on 16 November after six insurers – Arch Insurance, Argenta, Hiscox, MS Amlin, RSA, and QBE UK – and a policyholder action group joined the FCA on the appeal, which seeks to clarify whether policy wordings cover the business interruption caused by the nationwide coronavirus lockdown last March. The decision upheld by the Supreme Court will be the final say in the matter and could potentially impact 700 types of policies, 60 insurers, and 370,000 policyholders, including thousands of hospitality businesses whose insurers declined to pay out following the enforced closure of premises, resulting in billions in claims.
Hospitality sales fall more than 50% in 2020
Hospitality sales fell 51.38% in 2020, characterised mainly by a 98.3% decline in the second quarter driven by the first lockdown, according to analysis from S4labour, the online labour-scheduling management system from Catton Hospitality. In the first two months of the year, prior to the effects of the pandemic, revenue growth was 6.6%. As pubs and restaurants opened up from 4 July, consumers were hesitant leading to low demand levels, and revenue was down 50.9%. Overall, London was more affected, with a revenue decline of 56.0%, with sales outside the capital performing better, at a decline of 50.2%.
S4labour is a Propel BeatTheVirus campaign member
UKHospitality to press Welsh government for further support amid trading restrictions as £180m fund for covid-hit firms opens
UKHospitality Cymru has said it will continue to press the Welsh government for further support while trading restrictions remain as a £180m fund to support tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses launches. The Economic Resilience Fund package will open for applications at noon on Wednesday (13 January). The fund will remain open for two weeks or until funds are fully committed. The funding, announced in December, is part of a live £450m package of support the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors as well as their supply chains can access and will provide vital support to thousands of firms impacted by level three and four restrictions. The £180m is in addition to a £270m support package for businesses that pay non-domestic rates, which includes non-essential retail businesses, and is being delivered via local authorities. Welsh government estimates under the package of support a typical hospitality business in the country with the equivalent of six full-time staff could be eligible to receive between £12,000 and £14,000 in total. Economy minister Ken Skates said: "Our package of support is the most generous in the UK and since the beginning of the pandemic more than £1.6bn of Welsh government financial assistance has reached businesses. Many hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail businesses have already received payments of £3,000 or £5,000 in the past month and this additional funding will be absolutely crucial in supporting eligible businesses through the difficult weeks ahead." UKHospitality Cymru executive director David Chapman said: "We will continue to press for additional funds to help with extended lockdown. After almost a year of little or no trading we now need additional help to carry the companies and their workforces through to the better days we hope will be ahead soon. We call on Welsh government to put together a further package to operate from the end of the month if severe restrictions on trade are to continue."
Creams to open debut Wales site this month
Dessert parlour operator Creams is to open its first site in Wales, and 91st in total. Set to open in Cardiff's Queen Street on Monday, 25 January, the company-owned store will initially offer takeaway and delivery only via Just Eat, Deliveroo and UberEats, opening for dine-in when restrictions allow. Creams chief executive Adam Mani said: "Despite the challenges of 2020, I am immensely proud the brand has been able to continue with its expansion plans." Creams successfully pivoted its business in 2020 through the introduction of an online experience for delivery and click and collect. In October, the group reported a record-breaking October with sales of more than £4m across the estate. The brand has also opened three new stores since March 2020 with another five or six planned for the first quarter of 2021. Creams was founded in 2008 by Balal Aqil and Mani. The brand employs more than 1,400 staff and works with a variety of franchise partners across the UK.
McDonald's starts click and serve at its drive-thrus to reduce waiting times
McDonald's has introduced click and serve at its UK drive-thrus to reduce waiting times. UK chief executive Paul Pomroy said: "We have heard from some of you who have been unable to access our drive-thru lanes or McDelivery provision in recent days, and I am sorry for any disappointment that has been caused by this temporary change to our services. This week, we will begin reviewing our safety measures for walk-in takeaway, working with third-party experts to assess any changes we could make to enhance the additional safety measures put in place since re-opening our restaurants last year. In the meantime, the click and serve programme has been rolled out at all drive-thrus to help reduce waiting times in queues and for those customers with vehicles deemed unsuitable for the drive-thru lane. Designated parking bays are present in all drive-thru restaurant car parks, enabling you to park, order via the My McDonald's app, and have your order safely delivered to your vehicle in a numbered bay. We are reviewing how we might introduce a similar provision for customers on-foot and we will begin piloting this provision in the coming weeks. Once again, thank you for your continued patience. I know it is not the service you're used to, but I do hope you understand the reasons why we're taking these steps, slowing things down and reviewing our enhanced safety measures. I will continue to write to you regularly with updates as we review, pilot and reintroduce our services."
New round of Scottish grants not enough to prevent business failures, warns UKHospitality
The new package of financial support for Scottish operators will not be enough to prevent some sector businesses from failure and jobs being permanently lost, UKHospitality has warned. The Scottish government has announced, in addition to the grants businesses receive through the Strategic Business Framework Fund, businesses closed by level four restrictions are to receive a one-off grant of up to £25,000. The £25,000 grant is being made available to larger hospitality businesses on top of the four-weekly £3,000 through the fund. Meanwhile, smaller hospitality businesses will get £6,000 on top of the four-weekly payment of £2,000. UKHospitality Scotland executive director Willie Macleod said: "Additional financial assistance is always welcome, but the reality is this is not going to be enough. We are talking about businesses that now have no revenue, or next to no revenue, whatsoever. The sector's ability to generate any sort of income is almost non-existent, particularly for businesses in mainland Scotland. Financial support must go further if we want businesses to stay afloat and jobs to survive. We need confirmation the VAT cut and business rates holiday will be extended. This will, at least, give hospitality businesses some sense of stability and allow them to plan for what is going to be a very difficult year." Finance secretary Kate Forbes said: "Crucially this essential funding will also help to close the gaps in UK-wide support for these impacted sectors and our one-off support for larger hospitality premises of £25,000 is considerably more generous than the £9,000 grant on offer in England. Of course we are acutely aware this support can never compensate for the full impact on business, but we must work within the resources that are available to us, and we continue to respond to the evolving economic challenges arising from the pandemic."
Sunak – important hospitality industry is given every possible chance to succeed and flourish
Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) has said as the UK comes out of the covid-19 crisis it will be important the hospitality industry is "given every possible chance to succeed and flourish". Speaking in the House of Commons and replying to a question on future further support for the sector, Sunak said: "I will bear in mind other avenues for future support. As we come out of this it will be important the hospitality industry is given every possible chance to succeed and flourish." However, he was less forthcoming on what that support would look like, side-stepping a question on the possibility of extending business rates relief and the current VAT cut, and refusing to be drawn on whether the furlough scheme could be extended past the end of April.
Pubs will be calling 'mayday' if they cannot reopen until May, warns BBPA
Pubs across the UK will be lost for good if they cannot reopen until May and do not get extended financial support from government, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has warned. The trade body has also said Downing Street needs to be clear on its roadmap for the reopening of pubs. BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: "We really hope the speculation about pubs being forced to stay closed until May is not true. We strongly believe pubs are safe places to socialise and can play an important role in our social and economic recovery. If pubs are forced to stay close until May, it would mean they have faced 14 months of lockdowns and restrictions. How on earth could the government expect them to survive? UK pubs will be screaming 'mayday' long before a May reopening without significantly more financial support from government. The government has a duty to tell publicans when it plans to let them reopen with a clear roadmap alongside the vaccination programme. If it won't be until May then it needs to extend financial support for them to survive and to brewers whose businesses also face jeopardy. In the more immediate future this means an extension to the chancellor's latest grant support package and not just for pubs, but also breweries. In the longer term it means extensions to the business rates holiday and VAT cut, as well as a beer duty cut throughout 2021 and beyond. Without such support, local pubs in communities across the country will be lost forever."
MPs launch urgent inquiry into covid-19 and the night-time economy
The newly formed All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the night time economy has launched an urgent inquiry into the devastating impact of covid-19 on British nightlife. The inquiry is being led by APPG chair Jeff Smith, who worked in the sector for several years in his earlier career. The APPG is calling for evidence from night-time economy businesses, employees, freelancers and consumers to share their views on the challenges facing the sector, its importance to society and economy, and how nightlife can be reopened. Consultations will run throughout the month of January for a report scheduled to be released in February. Evidence for the inquiry can be submitted via an online survey accessed at www.ntia.co.uk/appg. The group will also be contacting several night-time economy organisations and representatives from the government and local authorities to provide written testimony. The APPG was formed in December to provide a cross-party voice for the sector in parliament. Smith said: "As we move now into a third national lockdown, there has never been a more important time for government to address the urgent needs of night-time economy businesses, their supply chains and those that rely on them for employment. Despite playing such a vital role in our local communities and UK economy, nightlife businesses have been repeatedly overlooked by the government, and we are determined to ensure the specific challenges facing the sector are addressed. This inquiry will be a vital first step in our work."
Half of businesses in accommodation and food services have less than three months' cash left
More than three quarters of businesses in the accommodation and foodservice sectors, including hotels and restaurants, experienced a drop in profits and turnover during the past few weeks compared with expectations in normal times, new data suggests. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found half of businesses in the accommodation and foodservice sectors that took part in the latest poll had less than three months' worth of cash reserves left. Some 28% of surveyed accommodation and food firms said they had no or low confidence that they would survive the next three months, the ONS' latest voluntary fortnightly business survey covering the period from 14 to 23 December said. In the latest survey period covered, 41% of businesses in the accommodation and foodservice sectors were temporarily closed or paused trading, compared with 13% across all industries. The ONS said: "When splitting the industry into finer detail, the accommodation industry had 28% of its businesses temporarily closed or paused trading, compared with 43% in the food and beverage service activities industry."
Gravity to debut in London with 'future of the high street offer'
Experiential leisure operator Gravity is make its London debut at Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, for an 80,000 square foot entertainment venue set to launch in the former Debenhams in summer 2021. Gravity started as a trampoline park company in 2015 and has since expanded into innovative entertainment concepts, helping to revitalise shopping centres and the high street across the UK. The Southside site will feature gaming experiences such as e-karting, augmented reality bowling, crazy golf, pool, ping-pong and shuffleboards. It will also offer an array of dining and drinking options, including a noodle kitchen, American diner and cocktail bar. The Southside joint venture (a joint venture between Landsec and Invesco Real Estate) and Gravity are investing £4m to redevelop the former Debenhams department store unit as part of a combined strategy to reimagine the destination and incorporate new and innovative concepts. David Heaford, managing director, development, at Landsec, said: "Leisure is an increasingly important component of a complete destination and Gravity is a significant addition that complements Southside's existing offer. Southside is designed to offer everything the community needs, and this signing, at a challenging time for the industry, is a testament to the strength of our customer base and the centre's appeal. Gravity's exciting concept will inspire locals and draw people from across London, so we are excited to see this prominent site come to life later this year." Harvey Jenkinson, co-founder and chief executive at Gravity, added: "This is a huge milestone for Gravity as we look to not just grow our business, but also the types of venues we are creating. We believe concepts like this will be the future of the high street and shopping centres, offering a solution for landlords who are looking to diversify and secure the future of their assets. This exciting entertainment hub will showcase Gravity's ability to create venues that cater to a varied audience, which is so immersive they will feel like they could be in a completely different place in the world."
The Breakfast Club appoints Be At One co-founder as interim MD
All-day concept The Breakfast Club has appointed Steve Locke (pictured left), co-founder of the Be At One cocktail chain, as its interim managing director, Propel has learned. Locke, who remains committed to Lockes, the bar he launched in 2019 in Covent Garden, left Be At One in 2018 after the 33-strong chain's circa £50m sale to Stonegate Pub Company. Locke formed Be At One with Rhys Oldfield and Leigh Miller in 1998. Propel revealed The Breakfast Club had begun the search for a managing director last November as it looks to grow the Charlie McVeigh-chaired, 12-strong business to 30-plus sites. Co-founder Jonathan Arana-Morton told Propel: "In November, I signed up to a LinkedIn premium account and made my first ever LinkedIn post, a speculative job advert for a managing director. The response (more than 3,000 views and 70 applicants) from people in and outside this industry was phenomenal and completely unexpected. I had the pleasure of spending most of December meeting some wonderfully talented people. This industry is in good hands. A process like this leads you to a solution you weren't necessarily expecting. We are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Locke as managing director of The Breakfast Club. The appointment is initially on an interim, part-time basis, to help set the business on a course to fly out of the post-pandemic traps. Steve comes from a background that puts 'arms wide open' hospitality front and centre. I've always maintained great hospitality will be the key driver as we move out of a covid eat-at-home, delivery-driven world. Steve is also one of only a handful of people in our sector who has made the exact journey we're embarking on. His experience in scaling a business our size is priceless and as I said to him after our first meeting 'you had me at Be At One' – I'm a huge fan. Steve will be tasked with building the structure to enable The Breakfast Club to scale over the next five years. But this is not just about the next five years, he is also here to help us build a vision for a business we can be proud of 30 years from now. This is about building a legacy brand – we want to be the nation's best-loved 'caf' and we hope these are the next steps on that journey." Locke said: "Jonathan's post really resonated with me as it had so many parallels with the Be At One journey. Everything I have ever done has been about working with great people and building personal relationships and Jonathan evidently sees things the same way. Together, we see plenty of opportunities in the hospitality industry as we move into 2021." McVeigh added: "Our great challenge for 2021 is to remake The Breakfast Club into a business that is ready to grow to 30-plus sites when we bounce out of this crisis. Steve's job is to get us 'set for success' on people, systems and mindset as we prepare to navigate the new normal that awaits."
Wing Wing signs for flagship Chinatown site
West End landlord Shaftesbury has announced the signing of Wing Wing, the London-based Korean crispy chicken specialist, for a site at 47-49 Charing Cross Road, Chinatown. Wing Wing takes inspiration from Korean food and popular culture, with a dining offer focused on 'Chimaek' – a combination of chicken and maekju, the Korean word for beer. Light, crispy wings come in a variety of flavours – each piece cooked to order and hand-brushed with a signature glaze – and sit alongside burgers, wraps, rice boxes, and salads on the brand's menu. Wing Wing was also the first UK brand to have 'bottoms-up' beer dispensers that allow customers to serve themselves beer at the table. The Chinatown London restaurant, spanning 2,500 square foot across three floors, will be Wing Wing's flagship location, and its third in the capital following Tavistock Square and Hammersmith, also featuring event spaces and KTV karaoke rooms. The store is set to open in spring 2021 and will implement appropriate covid-safe protocols and follow government guidelines for both the restaurant and event spaces. Carl Kjellqvist, managing director at Wing Wing, said: "Wing Wing brings two Korean institutions together – food and music. Our signature, hand-glazed crispy chicken has been incredibly popular since we started in London a few years ago, and we cannot wait to open the flagship restaurant in Chinatown, in the heart of cosmopolitan London and the ideal place to have a flagship for any east Asian brand."
Propel launches BeatTheVirus campaign
Propel has launched a campaign called BeatTheVirus to help operators through the coronavirus crisis.
We have teamed up with Propel Multi Club conference series partners to offer the sector their expertise. Partners will offer more general advice and highlight some of the initiatives they are doing.
Companies supporting the BeatTheVirus campaign include Airship, Bums on Seats, CACI, Christie & Co, COREcruitment, CPL Learning, Cynergy Bank, Elliotts, Hastee, haysmacintyre, John Gaunt & Partners, KAM Media, Prestige Purchasing, S4labour, Startle, Ten Kites, The NPD Group, Toggle, Trail, Venners, Wireless Social, Yapster and sector trade body UKHospitality.
Propel managing director Paul Charity said: "It is amazing to see how the industry has come together during this crisis and here at Propel we want to do our bit. This is why we are working with Multi Club partners to offer expert support and advice to our readers and to answer their questions at what is a tough time for everyone."
Readers can email questions for our experts to paul.charity@propelinfo.com. Please use BeatTheVirus in the subject line.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Unwrapping optionals in Apple's game code project template In the small sample of Apple's code which is created when you make a new game project in Xcode, the GameScene has several functions which use an unwrapping pattern I've not come across, & I fail to see the point of it -
if let n = self.spinnyNode?.copy() as! SKShapeNode? { ...code... }

Two questions - (1) is this dangerous, & (2) why not use the more common pattern -
if let n = self.spinnyNode?.copy() as? SKShapeNode { ...code... }

I can find nothing relating to this on SO or Google...

A: Lets break down the original line of code:
if let n = self.spinnyNode?.copy() as! SKShapeNode? { ...code... }

*

*self.spinnyNode is declared as an SKShapeNode?. In other words, it's an optional SKShapeNode.

*SKShapeNode inherits from NSObject which provides the copy method. The copy method is declared to return Any.

*self.spinnyNode?.copy() will return an Any? with a value of nil if self.spinnyNode is nil or it will return a non-nil Any? if it's not.

So the compiler thinks that self.spinnyNode?.copy() will return an Any?. But we know it will really return a SKShapeNode?. Since we know what it will really be we can safely use as!. And since we know it will return a SKShapeNode?, we use as! SKShapeNode?.
At this point we could have:
let n = self.spinnyNode?.copy() as! SKShapeNode?

where n will be a SKShapeNode?.
Since we now want to safely unwrap the result, we add the if in front of the let:
if let n = self.spinnyNode?.copy() as! SKShapeNode? { ...code... }

and inside the block we know that n is a non-nil SKShapeNode.
With all of that, let's answer your questions:

*

*Is this dangerous? No, not in this case since we know for sure that self.spinnyNode?.copy() will always result in a SKShapeNode? we can safely use as! to cast it to SKShapeNode?.

*Why not use the more common as? SKShapeNode pattern? We could but that pattern is used when you don't know for sure that the result is actually a SKShapeNode.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Article about Lee Young, a black visiting lecturer at Bowdoin College "
Article about Lee Young, a black visiting lecturer at Bowdoin College and his dream of establishing the Contemporary Black Institute (CBI) in Maine. To it he hopes to bring black scholars who will work on solving short-term and long-term problems of black Americans.
"Article about Lee Young, a black visiting lecturer at Bowdoin College and his dr" (1972). Maine News Index – Maine Times. 756.


text:
A Tree Is Standing Next To A 40 Foot High Building. The Tree Has An 18 Foot Shadow, While The Building Has A 16 Foot Shadow. How Tall Is The Tree, Rounded To The Nearest-foot?
Call me Rae..? answered
Ok, this may be confusing, but this is how I would figure it out. First you determine that since the building is 40 ft tall, and the shadow, 16 ft, is 40% of the size of the building itself. (4 goes into 40 and 16 evenly, so 16/4=4 40/4=10 So 4/10=40%) So now we need to figure how tall the tree is. If 18 is only 40% of the size of the tree, then we do this: 18/4=4.5 (Because if the shadow=40%, we can reduce this and find out what 10% is equal to of the height of the tree, to make the process simpler) So now we have 10% of the tree, which is 4.5, and all we do is multiply(4.5) times 10 to equal 100% of the tree's height. 4.5x10=45. The tree is 45 ft tall.
Did lil wayne cut his hair
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Measurements and Units
How many concrete blocks do I need to build a wall 140 feet long by 8 foot high?...
How To Build A 20 Foot Octagon Roof?
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Joe, Who Is 5 Feet 6 Inches Tall, Casts A Shadow 11 Feet Long. The Shadow Of A Nearby Tree Is 20 Feet Long. How Tall Is The Tree?
I would use ratios. Let x=height of the tree FYI 5'6" is = 5.5' (6"/12"=.5) 5.5/11=20/x Cross multiply...
How To Build A Bridge Over A Stream In A Forest With Only Trees, Bamboo ,rope ,chainsaw, Axe , And The Stream Current Is Strong , It Has 500 Crocodile In There. At The End Of The Stream Is A Water Fall?
Get all the stuff together and starting building the bridge on your side (where there's land and your...
Carpet Stain Protector Costs $0.65 Per Square Yard To Apply. How Much Will It Cost To Apply The Protectant To A 16–foot × 18–foot Carpet?
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A 6-foot tall man is standing near a tree on level ground as shown in the picture above.if the man's shadow is 4feet long, how many feet tall is the tree? The only thing it show's in the picture is 18feet! So?
The sun is in such a position that the man's shadow (4ft) is equal to two-thirds of his actual height...
A 10 foot ladder is leaning against a house. The bottom of the ladder is 5 feet from the building. How high is the top of the ladder? How do I round to the nearest hundredth?
We can regard the ladder, the floor and the house wall as forming a right angled triangle with the ladder...
Jules needs to purchase a ladder that just reaches the top of a 16-foot building. If the bottom of the ladder will be placed 12 feet from the base of the building, how long should Jule's ladder be?
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A tree which is 93 feet tall casts a shadow of 26 feet. Find the angle of elevation of the sun?
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Growing Our Local Food Economy (GOLFE), is a new project coordinated by LESS and funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. GOLFE, as its name suggests, hopes to strengthen and grow Lancaster's local food economy.
Pear Trading, a local trade tracking system, will be supporting LESS in tracking local-to-local food spending and purchasing throughout the local food supply chain. The aim of this collaboration is to increase the turnover of the local businesses involved with food and to thereby increase the quality and range of local foods available to be tasted and experienced by local people. Pear Trading will be developed by Michael Hallam of The Small Green Consultancy and the member businesses of The Ethical Small Traders Association (ESTA).
Connect consumers with where their food comes from.
Identify and remove the barriers to buying and selling local food.
Track the benefits that local spending can bring.
What do we mean by local food?
Producers of 'raw' ingredients within 20 miles of Lancaster Town Hall.
Businesses selling locally and ethically produced goods within Lancaster district boundaries. This could include businesses from the wider (20 mile radius) area that operate a delivery scheme or market stall within Lancaster district.
Households and shoppers living or working within Lancaster district.
Seasonal local food tends to be fresher, tastier and more nutritious.
Local food is generally linked to a lower carbon footprint than imported food due to the reduced need for transport, refrigeration and packaging.
Buying local helps to keep local farmers and shopkeepers in business, rather than handing even more wealth and power to a few big global businesses.


text:
Guitar.com (UK), by Neil Crossley July 22, 2021:
When someone of the stature of Buddy Guy starts telling anyone who will listen that you are "the next explosion of the blues" then it's safe to assume you are doing something right. Such is the case with Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, the prodigious guitarist from the town of Clarksdale, Mississippi, who emerged onto the scene in 2019 at the age of 20 and became a contemporary torchbearer for Delta and Chicago blues.
No Depression, by Grant Britt, July 22, 2021
"Get up early in the morning / stay up all night long / drive 500 miles / just to play a coupla songs / Ain't no shortcuts, that's what you do for the blues," Christone "Kingfish" Ingram says on "That's What You Do," from his latest Alligator release, 662. "Live out of suitcase / no time to wash my clothes / love to stick around / but I gotta hit the road," Ingram tells any would-be entanglers of his dedication to his craft.
Rolling Stone France, by Xavier Bonet, July, 19 2021
In Mississippi where he was born (Clarksdale), everyone moving from near or far in and around the blues sphere has had Chimene's eyes on Christone Ingram since the first day he took to the stage.
Logically, since the one who is no longer a kid (22 years old) has always glued his audience with what he is able to do with a guitar in his hand. It remained to not go too quickly in work with him on the pretext that we held there potentially "a" future of the blues.
NPR Listening Party, July 23, 2021
Join us in an online listening party for Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's new album 662. With World Cafe contributor and Music Inside Out host Gwen Thompkins, we'll feature a live conversation with the blues guitarist.
Blues Magazine (Netherlands), July 17, 2021
Blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Christone "Kingfish" Ingram will release his album '662' on July 23 through Alligator Records. '662' is the 22-year-old artist's second album, following his 2019 debut album 'Kingfish'.
In 2020, Ingram won a whopping five Blues Music Awards, including Album Of The Year, Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year, Best Emerging Artist Album, Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year and the coveted award for Best Guitarist. In 2021 he again won the awards for Contemporary Blues Male Artist Of The Year plus Best Instrumentalist at the BMAs. He has also won four Living Blues Awards, including Album Of The Year and Artist Of The Year! Not nauseous for a 22-year-old!
Blues Rock Review, by Willie Witten, July 20, 2021
Following his critically-acclaimed eponymous debut, Kingfish, Christone Ingram returns with an album whose content and character similarly reflect its title. If Kingfish were the person, 662 is the place, and the music within reaches beyond the straightforward blues-guitar explosion of the first offering, while simultaneously providing listeners with a more intimate look at the man behind the guitar.
Glide Magazine, by Jim Hynes, July 20, 2021
When Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram broke through two years ago this writer began his review for another outlet with these words "Welcome to the anointing." By now, blues fans already have accepted the young phenom as the future of the blues. Glancing at this summer's various festival lineup 'Kingfish' not only appears as a headliner at blues festivals but at roots and rock festivals too. He's got some pressure on his shoulders now, carrying the torch of traditional electric blues to the younger generation. On 662, named for his birthplace, the area code for the six counties in Northern Mississippi, the now 22-year-old 'Kingfish' acknowledges both maturity and the mantle he wears.
Holler., by Mark Hagen, July 22, 2021
662 is an outstanding collection of music from an outstanding talent. If you have any interest at all in what traditional electric blues can do in 2021, then you need to hear this.
Rock And Blues Muse, by Mike O'Cull, July 22, 2021
22-year-old blues phenomenon Christone "Kingfish" Ingram blows past all expectations on his brand new Alligator Records release 662. The record drops on July 23rd, 2021 and shows the young guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter growing and maturing in a very public way. Kingfish again worked with Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge on the set and the pair created a pumped-up and profound batch of new music that's sure to be another important chapter in Ingram's already-illustrious story.
Blues Enthused, July 21, 2021
Now, I know what all the guitar freaks will be asking about this second album from Clarksdale "prodigy" Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram: is the kid still the next generation fretboard hero? So let's address that point right away, shall we? Yep, have no fear, the Kingfish continues to shine when it comes to the plank spanking. Me, I'm more interested in the big picture – the guitar for sure, but also the songs, the arrangements, and Ingram's singing. From that standpoint, the opening title track '662' ticks all the boxes.
Rockin' Magpie blog, by Jack Kidd, July 17 2021
Sophomore albums are always real tricky, especially when your debut effort gained so many accolades and won so many awards, eventually being nominated for a Grammy. For a young man such as 22 year old Christone "Kingfish" Ingram being born and bred in the 'Birthplace of the Blues,' has somehow given him more than enough ammunition to avoid the well documented pitfalls that beset so many follow ups
Blues Blast, by Marty Gunther, July 15, 2021,
Already an incomparable talent in his early teens, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram was a star long before he went into the studio to record his first album. Since the release of Kingfish in 2019, he's reached the stratosphere in the blues world, earning seven Blues Music Awards and a Grammy nomination in the past 18 months alone. But as great as those accomplishments have been, the 22-year-old powerhouse is headed for new heights with this CD.
Paris-Move/The Blues France, by Patrick Dallongeville, July 13, 2021
Native of Clarksdale (in the heart of this famous Mississippi Delta which gave the blues so many of its historical figures), the young guitarist-singer Christone "Kingfish" Ingram published, two years ago (and at barely twenty-two), his first album on the most prestigious label in this register. It had to be promising, since godfathers such as Keb 'Mo, Buddy Guy and Billy Branch vouched for it. Rightly presented by Bruce Iglauer in person as one of the most plausible challengers to embody the new generation of blues, this boy now faces the always delicate test of the second album. "662" is the Mississippi dialing code that saw him birth and flourish, and where he still resides today.
Blues Rock Review, video interview by Pete Francis, July 5, 2021
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram joins the Blues Rock Review to discuss what prompted his quick ascension in blues rock, potentially collaborating with Gary Clark Jr., Robert Johnson's mysterious past, whether he would be interested in being cast in a Crossroads movie reboot, and his new album, 662, available July 23.
KCRW, Top Tune, July 2021
Temperatures are rising all over, but Christone "Kingfish" Ingram is really turning up the heat with a scorching track called "662," named after the area code for Ingram's hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he is redefining the blues via killer guitar work and heartfelt lyrics.
Concert Monkey (Belgium):
Born on January 19, 1999, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Christone Ingram fell in love with music as a small child. There was always music in the house. His family sang (and continues to sing) in their family church. His mother, Princess Pride, is the first cousin of country music legend Charley Pride. Christone started playing the drums at the age of six and started playing the bass at the age of nine. Around that time, his mother enrolled him in a program at the Delta Blues Museum. He got his first guitar when he was eleven. The young prodigy has recorded music from Robert Johnson to Lightnin' Hopkins, from B.B. King to Muddy Waters, from Jimi Hendrix to Prince.
Guitar World, my Michael Astley-Brown, May 14, 2021
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram is one of today's leading blues torchbearers. The 22-year-old phenom celebrates his Mississippi roots with a driving, sizzling new single, 662. 662 packs a spanky riff and Chuck Berry shuffle, punctuated by Kingfish's trademark beyond-his-years phrasing and rich vocals. And just when you think the track is over… another monster of a lead rears its head.
Guitar World, by Jackson Maxwell, May 14, 2021
Only 22, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best, and undoubtedly most exciting, blues guitarists in the world. On 662 though, Ingram takes things all the way back to the place that shaped him, his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Anchoring the song with a hot-rodded, Delta–by-way-of-Chuck Berry riff, and punctuating the proceedings with sweet touches of high-gain, fleet-fingered blues guitar glory, Ingram gives a perfect tribute to the birthplace of the blues, showing all the while that the genre is still incredibly vital.
The Bluegrass Situation, May 13, 2021
In Their Words: "'662' is an ode to my roots, a nod to the area where I was born and raised. This is a track that encompasses how a small corner of the Earth influenced my view of life and music. This song also points to the growth I have had since my debut album. As much as I have been fortunate to get 'Outside of This Town' [his breakout single], I do want people to know that the '662' will always be a major part of who I am." — Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Live For Live Music, May 11, 2021:
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram paid tribute to his hometown with his latest single, "662". The song, released digitally on Tuesday, will appear as the title track to his new album slated for a July 2021 release.
Rolling Stone, by Brian Hiatt, February 29, 2019
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, the 20-year-old blues prodigy from Clarksdale, Mississippi who made Rolling Stone's Hot List last year, is already having a big 2019: He just signed to Alligator Records, with his first album, Kingfish, due in May. He's also opening for one of his mentors, Buddy Guy, this spring, and he's spending August and September reaching a very different audience on the road with Vampire Weekend.
Rolling Stone, by Brian Hiatt, October 31, 2018
Blues prodigy Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, 19, grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 10 minutes away from the crossroads where Robert Johnson supposedly did some business with Beelzebub. Ingram swears he hasn't done the same ("Nah, I didn't do any of that") but he's one of the only young people he knows of in 21st-century Clarksdale with any interest in the city's musical legacy: "The only people who care are pretty much the elderly people," Ingram says. "I do think I have an old soul, that I've been here before."
Blues Blast Magazine, March 22, 2018
Kingfish Ingram… Young Blood Old Soul Blues.
Christone Ingram's mom Princess loves the lessons her son has learned in the Delta Blues Museum Arts and Education Program in Clarksdale, Mississippi, but she's not quite sure she likes the way bluesman and instructor Bill Howl – N – Madd Perry called him out at the guitar classes.
Jambands.com, August 21, 2019
Vampire Weekend are on a southern US tour swing with opener Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, a young blues guitarist from Mississippi, and on Tuesday evening in Austin, TX—the first of three shows in the city—the headlining band welcomed out Ingram for a Neil Young cover during their set for ACL Live at The Moody Theater.
Billboard, by Gary Graff, May 8, 2019
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram hails from Clarksdale, Miss., and, yes, has been to the infamous crossroads. He's never met the devil there, but he did catch the music buzz and is about to release his debut album, Kingfish, whose "It Ain't Right" is premiering exclusively below.
HuffPost, by Amanda Scherker, December 6, 2017
It doesn't seem like coincidence that 15-year-old blues musician Christone Ingram boasts the nickname "Kingfish." After all, his greatest inspiration is B.B. King, the ultimate rhythm and blues icon. And Christone wants to join his ranks, as reported by My Fox Memphis.
First Lady Michelle Obama, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, and Shelley Ritter, Director of the Delta Blues Museum. Christone performed at The National Arts and Humanity Youth Program Award Ceremony at The White House.
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Johnny Depp Wished to Write 'Pirates 6' With Disney to Give Jack Sparrow a Correct Goodbye
Jack Sparrow is one of the most beloved characters, and many think that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 won't be the same without Depp.
Johnny Depp reveals that he wanted to help write Pirates of the Caribbean 6 to give Jack Sparrow a proper ending before Disney fired the actor over the domestic abuse allegations.
Johnny Depp Says He Wanted to Give Jack Sparrow a 'Proper Goodbye' https://t.co/ruXxfBv5AL
— Variety (@Variety) April 25, 2022
Depp during the defamation trial against Amber Heard was asked if would return to the Pirates franchise after being hacked.
To this, the Fantastic Beasts actor replied that he won't, even if he is offered $300 million. It was reported that the actor has earned that much by playing the role of the pirate in the first five films. His firing was criticised by fans and even more so now, as fans believe he is innocent.
I didn't quite understand how after that long relationship and quite a successful relationship, certainly for Disney, that suddenly I was guilty until proven innocent…" Johnny Depp said. "I, in fact, had been approached to take part in writing Pirates 6…" he revealed. "My feeling was that these characters should be able to have their proper goodbye, as it were," Depp added.
"A franchise can only last for so long, and there's a way to end a franchise like that. And I thought that the characters deserved… to end their franchise on a very good note. I planned on continuing until it was time to stop," he continued.
Not just Pirates of the Caribbean 6, Johnny Depp's role as Geralt Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise was also sacked and went to Mads Mikkelsen. His general career in Hollywood also took a dip, especially after 2018 op-ed written by Amber Heard.
Now, as per the insider, Disney wants Johnny Depp to return as Jack Sparrow in 'Pirates of the Caribbean 6'.
Disney is reportedly in talks with Johnny Depp to return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as Captain Jack Sparrow.
The entertainment media giant has even offered $300 million to the Edward Scissorhands star as they are looking forward to the actor's forgiveness, claimed insider.
Jack Sparrow is one of the most beloved characters, and many think that Pirates of the Caribbean 6 won't be the same without him.
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R. Kelly arrives for a hearing on sexual abuse charges in Chicago on May 7, 2019.Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images file
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx told reporters that her office believes "justice has been served" against Kelly, who has been convicted in federal court.
An Illinois prosecutor dropped 10 charges of sex abuse against the singer R. Kelly on Monday, saying the cost was one of the factors she weighed in her decision.
Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is already serving a 30-year prison sentence on charges of federal racketeering and sex trafficking after he was convicted in New York last year.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx told reporters that her office believes "justice has been served" with the two convictions. She said her office's "limited resources and court time" were the ultimate factors, noting that it found the accusations to be credible.
"Mr. Kelly is looking at the possibility of never walking out of prison again," Foxx said.
Kelly is set to appear Tuesday in Cook County Court, where the charges will be formally dropped. The state has accused Kelly of sexually abusing four people, three of whom were minors.
Foxx announced the state's case in 2019, saying the incidents occurred from May 1998 to January 2010. Kelly had faced three to seven years in prison for each charge if he were convicted.
The women in the case were identified in the indictment only by their initials. Multiple women have come forward with allegations over the years.
Lifetime aired a six-part docuseries, "Surviving R. Kelly," in January 2019 in which multiple women alleged Kelly subjected them to mental, physical and sexual abuse. Foxx urged potential victims to come forward to speak with her office about possible criminal activity after the series.
Foxx said Monday that she consulted with the women in the indictment before she decided to drop the charges, acknowledging that some might be disappointed.
"I know firsthand how difficult it is for you to tell your stories," Foxx said. "Four years ago, I stood at this podium and shared my story of having been a survivor and my full understanding of what it means to have to go before strangers to discuss what is arguably one of the most horrific experiences one could have. And these women, all of them Black, came forward, believing that they would be heard."
Kelly also faces state charges in Minnesota, where he has been accused of soliciting a minor for sexual purposes and engaging in prostitution with a minor.
In the New York case, Kelly was convicted on nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking. Jurors found that he set up a criminal enterprise that enabled him to recruit and transport underage girls for sex.
Months later in Chicago federal court, he was convicted on six counts of sexual exploitationand enticement of a minor. He is scheduled to be sentenced on those charges Feb. 23.
Kelly's attorneys have said he plans to appeal both federal convictions.
Source: NBC NEWS
Renowned music engineer Brad Sundberg's laptop was stolen this week during a break at one of his "In The Studio With MJ" events in Brussels, leading to the leaks of several unreleased songs by the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Sundberg's laptop contained a significant amount of unreleased material by the iconic singer, predominately from the late 1980s and early 1990s. He would play them for fans who attended the events over the years.
The stolen songs, which were recorded during Michael's "Bad" and "Dangerous" eras, have now surfaced on various online platforms, causing a frenzy among the fans. This is not the first time that unreleased material by Michael has been leaked, but under the circumstance of the theft, it's certainly the most shocking and disappointing.
Fans have urged others to refrain from sharing or downloading the leaked songs, as they were not intended for public release and may contain unfinished versions of the tracks, as well as damage any plans for potential future releases.
We at MJWN are deeply saddened by the events. We hope those involved will be brought to justice. We will not be posting any links to the stolen material, nor naming the songs that have been leaked.
Michael's Estate has yet to release a statement on the matter.
Source: MJWN
Lisa Loring, the first Wednesday in 1964's 'The Addams Family', dies at 64
Actress Lisa Loring, best known for her portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the iconic TV show, "The Addams Family," has died.
Her daughter, Vanessa, tells TMZ … Lisa passed away Saturday at a hospital in Burbank, CA, after she suffered a stroke due to high blood pressure.
Everett Collection
Lisa was just 6 when she landed the role of pig-tailed Wednesday Addams in the 1964 dark comedy sitcom. Although she played the part for only 2 years, her depiction of the character inspired other actresses who portrayed Wednesday in later films based on the TV show.
Jenna Ortega, who took on the role of Wednesday in the recent Netflix series, also gave props to Lisa in an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.
After "The Addams Family," Lisa stayed mostly in TV with appearances in "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," "Fantasy Island" and "Barnaby Jones." She also played Cricket Montgomery on "As the World Turns" in the early '80s. Her final credit was the 2015 movie, "Doctor Spine."
Lisa was 64.


Is it possible to go to FAQ directly from Ingrid?
Yes, it is possible. Go to Profile, click on Settings and choose FAQs & help. It will send you directly to the FAQ and next time you don't have to search for FAQ in our emails etc.
Martina is the author of this solution article.


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The X Factor star Lucy Spraggan slams ITV for failing to provide after-care and claims the 'suicides won't stop' as channel axes The Jeremy Kyle Show
By Jason Chester for MailOnline
Published: 11:49 EST, 15 May 2019 | Updated: 11:54 EST, 15 May 2019
Lucy Spraggan has accused beleaguered programming network ITV of failing to offer reality show contestants adequate after-care following the suicide of a guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show.
Kyle has been indefinitely cancelled following the death of Steve Dymond, whose body was found a week after the 62-year old grandfather failed a lie detector test while featuring on the daytime show.
The incident comes little more than two months after former Love Island contestant Mike Thalassitis hung himself in woods close to his north London home, and Lucy – who found fame after appearing on The X Factor in 2012 – has urged ITV to do more for those who participate in their roster of shows.
Hitting out: Lucy Spraggan has urged ITV to do more for reality show contestants following the suicide of a guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning, she wrote: 'It's not about axing shows. Love Island is about to start again. It's about ITV actually caring about guests/contestants/reality TV stars.
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'As soon as the show is finished, that's it. Why isn't there support? Does it cost too much? More than a life? The suicides won't stop.'
Reflecting on her own reality show experience, she added: 'ITV, change the way you see your responsibility to the people on your shows. Start/improve aftercare, accept responsibility, give them HELP.
Do something: The X Factor star expressed her views after taking to Twitter on Wednesday
Old times: Lucy found fame as a contestant on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2012
'As one show is axed another will begin and the perpetual process will start again. I've been there, it's f***ing lonely.
'And believe me, I have a lot more to say about it. Which I will. It's a f***ing tragedy and seemingly ITV will not learn. They have had plenty of opportunities to.'
Spraggan made it through to the live shows during her stint on The X Factor, but opted to voluntarily leave the show ahead of its fifth week after falling ill, paving the way for James Arthur to win.
Tragic: Kyle has been indefinitely cancelled following the death of Steve Dymond, whose body was found a week after the 62-year old grandfather failed a lie detector test while featuring on the daytime show
Responding to a fan when asked how much support she received by ITV at the time, she wrote: 'None.'
ITV have vowed to continue working with Jeremy Kyle despite axing his controversial talk show after the death of Mr. Dymond, one week after filming.
More than 3,000 episodes of The Jeremy Kyle Show have been on ITV since July 2005, when it replaced Trisha Goddard's chat show which switched to Channel 5.
MailOnline has contacted an ITV representative for further comment.
The X Factor star Lucy Spraggan slams ITV for failing to provide after-care
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