Features - Page 178

One can hardly help but wonder what F. Scott Fitzgerald would have made of the immersive staging of The Great Gatsby in the best of times. Yet a rendition of the classic with social distancing measures and audiences attired in masks may have proven a little much for the man himself.

Late last month the National Trust met with the digital, culture, media and sport select committee to ask for support, ideally that of the financial variety. This was particularly curious, considering the £1.3 billion of reserve funds the body has for occasions such as these.

In the most recent PMQs, held in accordance with current social distancing measures at the Commons yesterday afternoon, Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of ignoring his offer for help, issued over two weeks ago.

Banks have revealed that more than 50 per cent of payments in 2019 were made by card.

Historic England have revealed the 200 photographs of lockdown life which will be included in the nation’s archive following the Picturing Lockdown Competition launched in May.

Before the outbreak of Covid-19, the phrase “once in a lifetime” was seemingly attached to each and every exhibition. Yet it seems now that there were opportunities in which this epithet was entirely accurate, most notably the Raphael Exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome which reopens today, following a relaxation to Italy’s lockdown rules.

Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has accused Boris Johnson of “winging it” in the government’s decision to ease lockdown, making a “difficult situation 10 times worse”.

Rekha Agrawal is the vice president and general manager of Fire Suppression Products at Johnson Controls, a company dedicated to making buildings safer, more comfortable, and more sustainable. In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, Agrawal shares some insight as to how the business has responded to the pandemic and offers her view on what the future holds for businesses across the UK.

Budget airline EasyJet has announced that it hopes to resume up to 75 per cent of its routes by the end of August.

Struggling Irish Artists may find a lifeline in the Royal Hibernian Academy’s latest fundraising campaign, which is hoped to exceed €50,000.

As of mid-April, MPs have been able to contribute to parliamentary proceedings from afar by the use of video link. This afternoon, they will vote on whether or not to continue such measures as the Commons returns from its Whitsun recess.

In the past 137 years, the Metropolitan Opera has been through rather a lot. This year can now be included in the history books as its most challenging yet, in light of the decision to cancel of the fall season as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. This marks the longest hiatus in the company’s history, with no clear end point in sight.

On Tuesday June 2, British manufacturer Trimite Global Coatings launched its new ShieldmeTM range, offering new ways for public places to become coronavirus free.

In conversation with the Leaders Council of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, John Mestitz, managing director of Techna International Ltd, reflects on how the business has adapted to meet the unprecedented challenge of Covid-19 and offers his thoughts on the government’s gradual easing of lockdown restrictions.