In Conversation with Nickie Aiken

London’s hospitals are under a lot of pressure from Covid right now. One of the Capital's hospitals for instance normally has 44 intensive care beds - today they are ventilating over 120 patients. Jeremy Cordingley, a consultant in intensive care medicine works at St Bartholomew’s Hospital - he joins me in this episode to explain what they’re dealing with. We can help them by staying at home.&nbsp...

Central London is struggling without its office workers supporting their coffee shops, sandwich bars, pubs and theatres. People need to feel safe using public transport and we need to encourage them back to work even if it’s for part of the week. I brought together some of our major employers in the City and the West End, who between them have tens of thousands of staff, and we discussed practical...

Our fantastic and vibrant city of London needs all the support it can get from visitors and returning workers as it gradually recovers. Joining me to discuss the Central London economy are: Sir Nick Kenyon from the Barbican Centre, Ruth Duston from Cheapside Business Alliance, and Gareth Banner who runs the Ned in Poultry (where we record this episode). 

Covid has put our theatres and cultural venues in a perilous position. As things stand, 70 per cent of theatres and cultural venues will run out of cash by the end of the year. If these theatres and venues do not survive, the entire West End ecosystem is at risk of collapse. Theatres bring in visitors who stay in hotels, visit bars, eat at restaurants and go shopping. In this episode, I'm joined b...

Did you know 98 per cent of businesses in the City are small and medium sized firms? They, along with the banks and larger companies, are going to be crucial in leading the whole of the UK to recovery once we beat this pandemic. Pleased to be joined by Catherine McGuinness from the City of London Corporation to discuss this and more. Once again, please forgive the sound quality as I’m recording th...

I’m proud to see Westminster pulling together to look after vulnerable and isolated people as we get through this horrific COVID-19 crisis. I’m pleased to be joined by Cllr Rachael Robathan, Leader of Westminster Council, to discuss some of the challenges the community is facing - as well as how you can get involved in the huge volunteering effort. Forgive the audio quality, these episodes are bei...

Did you know we only test our newborn babies for 9 diseases in the UK, compared to 30, 40 or even 50 diseases in countries like Italy, Portugal and America? We are lagging behind - and if we don't act now, we risk our children becoming the sick kids of Europe, at risk of severe disability or even death. Join me as I talk to Georgina Morton from Archangel MLD trust and Bobby Gaspar, Professor of Pa...