Guinness has partnered with housing charity Threshold to set up a dedicated freephone helpline to support workers in the hospitality sector impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in Ireland. The service will be available from tomorrow, 27 March and is being financed as part of the €1.5 million Guinness Fund announced last week.The service will provide tailored advice to anyone who is worried about their ability to pay rent as a result of the current situation. "As the only charity in Ireland specialising in the Private Rented Sector, we advise and assist tenants across the range of issues, mediating and negotiating with landlords, ensuring renters get access to housing supports and protecting tenancies," John-Mark McCafferty, CEO, Threshold said.
Japan's factory output likely slowed in February and retail sales dropped for a fifth straight month, a Reuters poll showed on Friday, as the coronavirus outbreak took an increasing toll on businesses and consumers, reports Reuters. Japan has recorded 2,113 cases of the virus and 57 deaths so far as the disease races across the world, prompting the Bank of Japan to expand stimulus while the government works to nail down a support package that sources say will total at least €124 billion.
McDonald's Corp has said that it will temporarily remove some items from its US menu as it focuses on simplifying operations in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. Restaurants in the United States have been forced to either shut doors or limit service to delivery and takeaway, pressuring operators that are struggling with staffing and plunging traffic, among other issues. "To simplify operations in our kitchens and for our crew...we are working with our franchisees and local restaurants to focus on serving our most popular choices and will begin temporarily removing some items from the menu over the next few weeks," said Bill Garrett, senior vice president of operations for McDonald's USA, in a statement to Reuters.
French consumer confidence dipped at the start of March, before the government imposed a nationwide lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak, a monthly survey showed on Friday. INSEE, the official stats agency, said that its consumer confidence index fell to 103 from 104 in February. Survey responses were collected from 26 February to 17 March, mostly before the lockdown was imposed on 16 March it pointed out.
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