Wednesday newspaper round-up: Brexit, UK music industry, Amazon

Failure to strike a post-Brexit trade deal would cut the UK’s economic growth rate by more than half next year, delaying a full recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report. The accountancy firm KPMG said the economy would suffer heavily should the UK fail to secure a trade deal with the EU before the end of the Brexit. - Guardian

The UK music industry is set to halve in size this year as issues including an effective shutdown of concerts, gigs and festivals strip £3bn from its contribution to the economy. UK Music, the umbrella organisation representing the commercial music industry from artists and record labels to the live music sector, has revealed that the industry grew by 11% last year to be worth £5.8bn to the UK economy. - Guardian

Amazon is urging shoppers to buy their presents early as even the most advanced online retailers battle against supply chain chaos in the run-up to Christmas. The e-commerce giant has hired an extra 250,000 workers this year to staff its global network of warehouses - along with 100,000 temporary Christmas employees. - Guardian

Business leaders have warned the government that livelihoods are at risk because they are in the dark about what Covid-19 restrictions will be in place when England’s lockdown ends on December 2. Bosses told MPs yesterday that they needed clarity over the rules they would have to adhere to in the crucial Christmas trading period so that they could make plans for their staff, sites and suppliers. - Telegraph

It is perhaps no surprise that the word Covid appears 215 times in Airbnb’s 349-page float prospectus. The document, published on Monday night, shows just how bad it became for the home-sharing service in the worst months of the pandemic. This January, guests made a net 33.3 million bookings on Airbnb for rooms and “experiences” such as city tours, cookery classes and stand-up comedy workshops. In March, they made a net 4.1 million cancellations. Like the rest of the travel industry, Airbnb was in crisis. - Telegraph