It is starting to look like a perfect storm. Inflation rose last month to 5.5 per cent, a level not exceeded since March 1992. The concern for Londoners is that this all comes ahead of the “great April squeeze”, which will see the 54 per cent rise in the energy price cap take effect, sending average bills to £2,000 a year.
This is also the month when the rise in National Insurance comes into effect, as well as the rise in council tax for Londoners.
Yesterday, the Office for National Statistics published new figures which showed that real-term wages are lower today than in the months leading up to the 2008 financial crash.
All this, in addition to spiralling transport and rental costs that further threaten the capital’s recovery. It is vital for Londoners — as well as the rest of the country — that it does not.
Michelin success
Congratulations to the London restaurants and their chefs who have been awarded Michelin stars. We raise our glasses to them all, from The Frog by Adam Handling, who cooked for the G7 in Cornwall, to the two-stars for Ikoyi and The Clove Club.
All that is left is to book a table and enjoy the gastronomical delights of the city. There’s never been a better time to eat your way around London.
