Vitabiotics: Profit cut ahead of of potential £1bn sale December 9, 2025 Profit at Vitabiotics, the pharmaceutical giant owned by former Dragons’ Den star Tej Lalvani, has been cut ahead of a potential £1bn sale. Reports emerged towards the start of 2025 that the London-headquartered business had revived plans to sell itself in a move which valued it at £1bn. At the start of December it was [...]
Ann Summers remains in the red as sales stall and jobs shed December 9, 2025 Ann Summers’ sales have stalled as it shed jobs and remained in the red during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The business has posted a turnover of £93.4m for the 12 months to 28 June, 2025, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The total comes after Ann Summers also reported [...]
Laurent-Perrier: King’s champagne supplier blames private school VAT for sliding sales December 9, 2025 Labour’s introduction of VAT on private school fees contributed to profit at Laurent-Perrier, which supplies King Charles III with champagne, being significantly cut during its latest financial year. The division of the French giant has said its sales were impacted not only by the Labour government extending VAT to school fees but also higher interest [...]
Townhouse: Sales double at luxury nail salon chain backed by Alton Towers owner December 8, 2025 Turnover at Townhouse, a luxury nail salon chain backed by the owner of Alton Towers, has more than doubled as it created hundreds of jobs during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. Townhouse Group has posted a turnover of almost £13m for 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The total is [...]
River Island sets sights on profit after losing almost £125m December 8, 2025 River Island lost almost £125m in the year before being saved from the brink of administration, it has been revealed. The high street retailer’s restructuring plan, which was approved in August, involved 33 stores being closed with the loss of hundreds of jobs. The proposal also included rents being reduced – some to zero – [...]
Trustpilot shares rebound after short seller attacks ‘mafia-style’ practices December 5, 2025 Consumer review website Trustpilot has seen its share price rebound after being forced to deny allegations from a US short-selling firm that likened its business model to a ‘mafia-style extortion racket’. Shares rose 9.7 per cent in early morning trading to 141.8p, bouncing back after £200m was wiped off the company’s market value yesterday following [...]
Benedict Cumberbatch sells major stake in his production company December 5, 2025 Actor Benedict Cumberbatch has sold a major stake in the production company he co-founded, it has been revealed. The Sherlock and Doctor Strange star set up SunnyMarch in 2013 alongside producer Adam Ackland. Since then the business has made the likes of The Mauritanian, The Courier, The Roses, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, and We Live in Time. [...]
Butlin’s back in profit after losing almost £75m December 4, 2025 Butlin’s has recovered from losing almost £75m to return to the black during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The holiday resort chain has posted a pre-tax profit of £28.3m for 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. That comes after Butlin’s fell to a pre-tax loss of £74.2m for 2023. [...]
Profit rockets at Lord Alan Sugar’s property empire December 4, 2025 Profit at Lord Alan Sugar’s property empire has rocketed after the sale of two investments despite a “difficult” London market. Amshold has reported a pre-tax profit of £14.1m for the 12 months to 30 June, 2025, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The new total comes after the firm turned a pre-tax profit of [...]
Is HSBC’s chair hunt really over? December 4, 2025 Safe, but surprising – that was the verdict across the City as Britain’s biggest bank unveiled its new chair after a twist-and-turn search. Brendan Nelson will take the post at HSBC, succeeding Sir Mark Tucker, whose exit in September left the bank without a permanent chair for weeks. Except for Nelson. Indeed, the seasoned accountant [...]