The chief executive of Lloyds bank is due to step down by the middle of next year after a decade in the top job.

Antonio Horta-Osorio, who was once Britain's best-paid banking chief, said he will leave at the end of June 2021, hopefully giving the coronavirus crisis enough time to settle down before a new head has to take over.

The Portuguese executive joined the bank after formerly heading Santander's UK arm.

He said: "It is, of course, with mixed emotions that I announce my intention to step down as chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group by June next year.

"I am lucky to have had the support of a superb board and executive team on whom I will continue to rely as we complete our current strategic plan, transforming the group into the bank of the future.

"Everyone at Lloyds has unified around our purpose of 'Helping Britain Prosper', and our customers and communities are seeing our commitment to that now, more than ever."

READ MORE: Jeremy Peat: 'We are at the most critical time since the end of the last war'

The bank also said it has found a new chairman in Robin Budenberg, who will take over when Lord Blackwell retires.

Lord Blackwell had already announced that he would be stepping down, and will leave Lloyds, which owns Bank of Scotland, early next year.

Mr Budenberg plans to join the board in October this year, before replacing Lord Blackwell in 2021.

He was formerly chief executive of UK Financial Investments, which manages the Government's stake in the banks it bought during the 2008 financial crisis.

He was appointed chairman of the Crown Estate in 2016, helping to manage a £14 billion portfolio. He will continue in this job, but step down from several others before becoming Lloyds chairman.

Lord Blackwell said: "I am delighted to welcome Robin Budenberg to the board as my successor. His knowledge of the group, combined with his broad experience in both financial services and other strategic advisory roles, give him an outstanding background to provide the board leadership required to support the continued transformation of the group."

Mr Budenberg said: "Lloyds will play a vital role as Britain recovers from the current crisis. It is a great honour and challenge to take on the role of chair at this time, and I hope to continue Norman and Antonio's work, initially alongside Antonio, in pursuing Lloyds' core purpose of Helping Britain Prosper and in building the culture of the bank in order to support that purpose."

An app service has been launched for pubs and restaurants across the UK to help them deliver contactless table service as they reopen their doors.

The technology from Glasgow-based firm Connect also allows hospitality firms to temporarily store the contact data of lead customers to assist with the country’s coronavirus tracing schemes.

READ MORE: Edinburgh trainer renovation entrepreneurs overcome coronavirus disruption

The UK and Scottish governments have both said all indoor hospitality is limited to table service as lockdown restrictions are eased, and guidance encourages minimal staff and customer contact.

The Connect technology enables business to receive their own branded app through a small monthly subscription service.

Customers browse the venue’s menu, select their food and drink, input their table number at the checkout and pay for their order online.

This dramatically reduces physical contact with staff, and as they will be using their own phones and not physical menus, it also addresses the risk of spreading infection.

The Connect technology includes the option of making bookings, which means basic customer contact data can be collected.

Hospitality firms are expected to keep temporary contact records to assist with NHS Test and Trace  - known as Trace and Protect in Scotland - requests for that data. With Connect, the individual clients own the data.

The platform is primarily designed for large national restaurant chains, but it can be used to create bespoke apps for smaller traders such as individual pubs.

Connect is also a home delivery app, which has recently helped traders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Connect is part of Galactic Experience, a division of the Galactic Media Group, based in Glasgow.

Stuart Stott, director of Connect, said: “The coronavirus outbreak has been devastating for the hospitality sector across Scotland and the UK, and it’s fantastic news that pubs and restaurants are starting to re-open their doors.

“But safety remains of paramount concern, and it’s important that measures are taken to reduce contact.

“The Connect platform wasn’t designed with a pandemic in mind, but the services it provides will help restaurants and bars as they adapt to new ways of working.

“With table service options and the ability to temporarily store contact data, hospitality firms can use Connect to ensure they operate safely and efficiently.”

Canada's biggest cinema chain is suing Cineworld for up to 2.2 billion Canadian dollars (£1.3 billion) after its British rival pulled out of a takeover deal.

Lawyers for Cineplex say that Cineworld breached its obligations when it withdrew from the 28 billion Canadian dollar (£1.6 billion) deal last month.

READ MORE: Butchers find new ways to make ends meet amid crisis

However, on Monday, the chain shot back: "Cineworld did not breach these (or any) obligations or duties and will vigorously defend this claim."

It said that, although the damages are high, Cineworld believes that its erstwhile ally's claim will be limited to the costs that Cineplex racked up when pursuing the deal, even if the claim is successful.

The deal would have created the biggest chain of cinemas in North America, adding 165 sites to Cineworld's 786 sites.

When it pulled out, Cineworld accused Cineplex of breaching parts of the so-called arrangement agreement between the two. On Monday it said it intends to launch a counter-claim against its former partner.

In a statement to shareholders, the company said: "Cineworld terminated the arrangement agreement because Cineplex breached a number of its covenants under the arrangement agreement."

Cineplex has denied any breaches as alleged by Cineworld in its potential counter-claim.