By: Felix Armstrong

Retail Reporter Felix Armstrong is City AM's retail reporter, covering retail, hospitality and property news. He has previously written for The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The i Paper. Email Felix at Felix.Armstrong@cityam.com

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King’s favourite interior designer hits back at investor pressure

October 12, 2026

The under-fire chairwoman of King Charles’s favourite interior design firm has hit back at the “distracting” investor plot to remove her. Dame Dianne Thompson, chair of London-listed Sanderson Design Group, wrote to shareholders on Monday urging them to slap down a major investor’s “disruptive” attempts to oust her. LBV Asset Management, which owns 12 per [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 gains; oil rises despite Trump’s Russian diesel deal

October 12, 2026

Welcome back to City AM‘s FTSE 100 live blog. The UK’s blue-chip index is set to make gains on Monday morning, picking up where Friday’s rally left off. Oil prices fell in early trading, as Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil – dipped below $104 per barrel following President Trump’s plans to import [...]
One pub shuts every day as Burnham tax cuts ‘not enough’

October 12, 2026

A pub is set to have closed its doors every day this year, as hospitality leaders say Andy Burnham’s tax cuts for hospitality have not gone far enough. About 360 pubs are expected to have called last orders in the whole of 2026, with 295 watering holes having shut for good so far this year, [...]
Fiscal drag to the rescue – but Healey still faces £35bn inflation headache

October 12, 2026

Soaring inflation could force the Chancellor to commit to more government spending and tax hikes, posing a worse Budget headache than a narrowing fiscal headroom, a top think tank has warned. John Healey might have to top up department budgets by as much as £35bn by the end of the decade to stop the real-terms [...]
Healey rules out expanding mansion tax to £1.5m homes

October 11, 2026

John Healey has ruled out widening Labour’s so-called mansion tax to cover homes worth £1.5m, following warnings that the tax change would hammer middle-class homeowners in the capital. The Chancellor had been considering widening its council tax surcharge to cover homes valued at £1.5m or more, as the Treasury seeks extra revenue to fund cost [...]
Britain’s biggest bingo chain explores sale despite tax raid threat

October 11, 2026

The owner of the UK’s biggest bingo hall operator is exploring a sale of the company, even as gambling bosses warn a huge tax raid could threaten the industry. Asset manager ICG has appointed bankers to advise on discussions with potential buyers for Buzz Bingo, it is understood. The Nottingham-based chain is looking for a [...]
Britain ‘becoming incubator nation’ of firms that flee London

October 11, 2026

The UK is at risk of becoming an “incubator nation” which creates promising start-ups before losing them to rival markets, John Healey has been warned. The Chancellor has been told to take immediate action to revive the London stock market, as City leaders warned that the exodus of British start-ups is “not business as usual”. [...]
Economy set to shrink ahead of Budget in ‘difficult’ outlook

October 11, 2026

The UK economy is expected to have shrunk in August, despite hopes that the stronger-than-expected growth seen in June and July would continue. The latest gross domestic product (GDP) data, which will be released on Thursday, is expected to show a contraction of 0.1 per cent in August, according to City economists polled by Bloomberg. [...]
Retail bosses ramp up pressure on Healey to cut ‘ridiculous’ tax burden

October 11, 2026

The bosses of Marks & Spencer and John Lewis have piled further pressure on the government to slash the “ridiculous” tax burden facing high street firms. Stuart Machin, chief executive of M&S, called on Chancellor John Healey to “restore hope” within the retail industry by turning a corner from Labour’s last two budgets, which he [...]
Investor pressure mounts on boss of King’s favourite interior designer

October 10, 2026

A former National Lottery boss is under growing pressure to quit as chair of King Charles’s preferred interior design outlet over opposition to the group’s “lavish” relocation and “poor performance”. Dame Dianne Thompson is facing calls to resign from her role at Sanderson Design Group as part of a campaign against the wallpaper company’s drift [...]

City grandees call for revival of ‘animal spirits’ on Big Bang anniversary

Major Chinese brands drop Mbappe over Chairman Mao meme jokes

Why The Reeds at South Lodge is long weekend heaven

By: Felix Armstrong

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