Stormzy-backed Padel Social Club raises £5.5m to open three new sites May 6, 2026 Stormzy-backed Padel Social Club has raised £5.5m from new investors to open three new sites across London. It comes as the business prepares to add a total of 17 new courts at sites at the O2, in Kentish Town and Paddington this year. The fresh investment includes leading consumer investors Clark Group and Active Partners, [...]
Exclusive: OBR calculations suggest Reeves set for borrowing spree May 6, 2026 The Office for Budget Responsibility’s own calculations on the impact of a war in the Middle East suggest that Rachel Reeves is set to oversee a surge in borrowing, City AM has found. Sir Keir Starmer and Reeves have said that the government’s focus on “stability” has added protections to public finances and helped the [...]
Diageo shares jump as World Cup hype helps drinks giant back to sales growth May 6, 2026 Shares in Diageo jumped on Wednesday morning as high hopes for a high-drama World Cup has helped lift the drinks firm’s sales back into positive territory. The Guinness and Johnnie Walker maker, which has been battling a slowdown in demand for spirits, said it had seen “some benefit” of “advance sales” ahead of the start [...]
Santander to axe TSB from British high street ending 215 year run May 6, 2026 Santander plans to erase the TSB brand from Britain’s high streets after more than two centuries, just one week after completing its takeover over the UK lender. The Spanish bank is gearing up to drop the brand and run the combined business as Santander UK, once the integration of the two businesses is complete, according [...]
Two million global airline seats cut as jet fuel shortage grounds travel May 6, 2026 Airlines are preparing to slash millions of seats from this month’s schedule, as the Middle East conflict and soaring jet fuel prices drive up costs ahead of the industry’s busiest travel season. Some 13,000 flights have been removed from May schedules worldwide, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium. Istanbul, one of the [...]
Wetherspoon issues profit warning over ‘substantial’ cost hikes May 6, 2026 JD Wetherspoon has warned it could miss profit targets over “substantial increases in costs,” as pubs brace for soaring energy and shipping prices due to the Iran war. The UK’s best-known pub chain confirmed on Tuesday that the much-feared knock-on effects from the blockage to the Strait of Hormuz have begun to hit hospitality firms. [...]
Exclusive: Two Super League clubs circling Saracens’ Ben Earl May 6, 2026 Rugby league’s biggest clubs are circling England rugby union international Ben Earl after he made comments about switching codes. City AM understands that both Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors are looking at the Saracens back-row, potentially targeting the 28-year-old for a move north after next year’s Rugby World Cup. Super League clubs get salary cap [...]
‘Political choice’: Retailers urge government to act on rising costs May 6, 2026 Retailers have urged the government to cut tax and red tape to counter soaring energy costs caused by the Iran war. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), an industry trade body, has accused Labour of making a “political choice” not to cut energy taxes and delay costly regulation to avoid the worst shop inflation. The effective [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks jump; oil dips below $100 as Trump says Iran deal close May 6, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Brent crude dipped below $100 at Wednesday lunchtime after Donald Trump has hailed “great progress” towards a “final agreement” with Iran, prompting a rally in the FTSE, Asian markets and Wall Street. In a sudden reversal late last night, President Trump said he will pause [...]
Forvis Mazars UK CEO: We have what others are trying to buy May 6, 2026 Forvis Mazars UK boss tells Maria Ward-Brennan that the firm’s integrated, global structure is what competitors are now trying to acquire through mergers and investments Forvis Mazars has built an integrated firm from the ground up, something others are now trying to purchase, says its UK chief executive, who added that building integration from scratch [...]