Ofwat to be replaced with ‘new regulator’ amid Thames Water crisis July 18, 2025 Ofwat, the water watchdog, is expected to be abolished and replaced by a new body next week after facing intense scrutiny over sewage firms and the poor performance of major companies including Thames Water, according to reports. A consultation on the creation of a new regulator is expected to be announced next week after results [...]
Losses continue at Simon Cowell’s talent agency YMU amid high-profile departures July 18, 2025 Losses continued at the London talent agency which represents the likes of Simon Cowell, Graham Norton and Ant and Dec in the period it was sold for £60m, it has been revealed. YMU, whose clients also include Stacey Solomon and Davina McCall, was taken over by Permira Credit in March 2024. The deal, which saw [...]
Microsoft offers ‘pay-as-you-go’ software concession to cloud rivals after bowing to pressure July 18, 2025 Microsoft will allow its cloud rivals to offer ‘pay-as-you-go’ software to their customers after bowing to pressure over its licensing practices. The US tech giant attracted criticism for the way it offered exclusive software deals to customers of its Azure cloud platform, which rivals said made it difficult for them to compete. But in a [...]
Insolvencies ease in signs of UK businesses’ resilience July 18, 2025 Insolvencies declined slightly in June in signs UK businesses under pressure from higher costs have weathered through tax rises and low national spirits. In new data published by the Insolvency Service, company insolvencies fell by eight per cent in June compared to the month before. The number of insolvencies – 2,043 – was also 16 [...]
World Matchplay: Darts event extends deal with sponsor Betfred July 18, 2025 Betting giant Betfred and darts’s World Matchplay have extended their title partnership though until the decade. The deal covers the Professional Darts Corporation competition until 2030 with the partnership between the two organisations reaching a decade by the agreement’s conclusion date. The World Matchplay gets underway at Winter Gardens on Saturday with the winner taking [...]
Game over for Tomb Raider composer after Covid loan fraud conviction July 18, 2025 A video game composer and sound designer best know for his work on the Tomb Raider series has been jailed for fraudulently applying for a Covid loan. Peter Connelly, who is based in Durham, overstated his company’s turnover to obtain a second Bounce Back Loan of £37,500 in 2020 when businesses were only entitled to [...]
Snoop Dogg joins Luka Modric as co-owner of Swansea City July 18, 2025 Drop It Like It’s Hot rapper Snoop Dogg has joined Luka Modric as a co-owner of Championship club Swansea. The Welsh club announced Croatian footballer Modric as a part-owner of Swansea City earlier this year and have added Snoop as a co-owner and investor. Snoop Dogg’s sporting associations of late have included the Fifa video [...]
Old Pulteney unveils its oldest-ever whisky July 18, 2025 Old Pulteney has revealed Polaris, a one-of-a-kind 47-year-old single malt whisky, ahead of the distillery’s bicentennial in 2026. The whisky will be exclusively available through the Distillers One of One Charity Auction in October 2025. Polaris stands as the oldest expression ever released by the coastal distillery based in Wick, Scotland. It has been matured [...]
Can British and Irish Lions tour save rugby in Australia? July 18, 2025 It is a crying shame to see rugby union drop so far behind Aussie Rules, the NRL and football Down Under, even as the British and Irish Lions get set to take on the Wallabies in the first of three Tests this weekend. But I am not surprised, given the state of Australian rugby at [...]
Doctors strike: Streeting floats student loan write-off in BMA meeting July 18, 2025 Wes Streeting could offer to write off student loan debt for doctors to persuade the British Medical Association (BMA) to call off a planned strike. The idea came up in an extended meeting between the health secretary and the medical union, just a week out from a five day walkout which could involve as many [...]