Square Mile authority tries to strip Andrew of City freedom April 16, 2026 A group of senior City of London officials have invited Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to relinquish his Freedom of the City, six months after the Royal Family stripped him of his royal titles. A spokesperson for the City of London said that members of the Square Mile’s local authority confirmed on Thursday had written to the former [...]
Original Factory Shop closes all stores amid collapse April 16, 2026 The Original Factory Shop has closed all 137 stores and its head office, after the retailer collapsed into administration amid growing industry fears over weak consumer confidence and high taxes. The discount department store was put into administration along with Claire’s Accessories earlier this year, as private equity firm Modella Capital said government policy was [...]
Trump-hating Fifa World Cup fans should have costs paid if denied visa April 16, 2026 Any fan who is denied entry to the Fifa World Cup by the US over their social media accounts should have their visa costs covered, UK politicians have said. US entry rules allow authorities to comb through five years of social media posts, denying entry to applicants should they criticise the government and President Donald [...]
‘Pet projects’: Tories slam pension mandation powers as Labour refuse to back down April 16, 2026 The Conservatives have slammed the controversial mandation powers in the Pension Schemes Bill, after parliament swept aside the amendments put forward by the House of Lords. Labour has come a step closer to finalising the bill, after it used its government majority to stamp out more than 80 amendments put forward by the upper house, [...]
Hoo Hing: London’s largest Chinese supermarket defies sterling slump to return to profit April 16, 2026 London’s biggest Chinese grocery group has returned to profit, despite being hit by a weaker pound and falling revenue. Dagenham-based Hoo Hing Holdings was founded in the 1970s and has superstores in Mitcham, Milton Keynes and Park Royal. It posted a small pre-tax profit of £167,559 for the 12 months to the end of June [...]
Northampton Saints appoint board member after £2.5m fund raise April 16, 2026 Northampton Saints have appointed wealthy rugby fan Steve Zander to their board after he led a £2.5m fund raise earlier this year. Zander was part of a raise worth £2.7m which saw him take the majority of nearly 2m newly issued shares, representing 14.5 per cent of the Prem Rugby club. He will join the [...]
Britain is underestimating the power of trade April 16, 2026 New figures show the UK conducts more than £5bn of trade every single day, yet we barely celebrate it, writes Carl Richardson.
Dyson, JCB and Global Brands: The firms facing a break-up after Labour’s tax grab April 16, 2026 The government’s inheritance tax crackdown has sparked a wave of warnings from entrepreneurs. We list some of the biggest names to have spoken out in opposition to the changes. To most avid followers of current affairs, the Autumn Budget of 2024 will feel like a lifetime ago. Since then, Donald Trump has been elected to [...]
Dunelm shares slump after Iran war profit warning April 16, 2026 Shares in Dunelm have slumped after the homeware and furniture store warned its profits could dip as the Iran war damages consumer confidence. The FTSE 250 firm’s share price fell as much as 7.9 per cent on Thursday, to 789p, leaving the stock down more than 26 per cent in the year so far. The [...]
Legal sector hits £60bn as top City lawyers pocket millions April 16, 2026 Despite a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, the legal profession has solidified its position as a £60bn powerhouse, with top City lawyers bringing home multi-million pound pay packets. Law firms are experiencing their highest growth in more than 15 years, according to a new report by the Law Society. The average earnings for law firms [...]