Ministers ‘missed the boat’ over BBC licence fee reform, MPs warn March 25, 2021 The government has no choice but to maintain the BBC’s licence fee funding model for the foreseeable future due to its failure to find an alternative, MPs have warned. In an in-depth report published today, the DCMS committee said that while the £157.50 annual charge has a “limited shelf life” in the modern media landscape, [...]
Competition watchdog set to block £140m Seedrs and Crowdcube merger March 24, 2021 The competition watchdog has provisionally blocked the planned £140m merger between Seedrs and Crowdcube over concerns it would lead to less choice and higher fees. The two crowdfunding platforms announced plans to merge in October, saying the deal would create one of the world’s largest private equity marketplaces. But following an in-depth investigation, the Competition [...]
Tencent confirms talks with regulators amid China tech crackdown March 24, 2021 Tencent has confirmed it is in talks with Chinese antitrust regulators as authorities in Beijing ramp up the pressure on tech firms. President Martin Lau today said the company’s founder Ma Huateng had held a voluntary meeting with antitrust watchdog officials this month to discuss compliance at the company. He said the two sides had [...]
Shares in IT firm Softcat jump as pandemic drives up profit March 24, 2021 Shares in IT firm Softcat fizzed in morning trading after after the pandemic helped drive strong growth in both revenue and profit for the second half of the year. The FTSE 250 firm reported revenue of £577m in the six months to the end of January — up 10 per cent on the same period [...]
Ministers mull making home and flexible working a legal right March 24, 2021 The government is said to be weighing up an expansion of employees’ rights to work flexible hours or from home after a shift in habits during the coronavirus pandemic. A public consultation is set to be launched later this year on how the flexible approach to office life could be extended so that Brits can [...]
Intel to splash out $20bn on factories in new chipmaking push March 24, 2021 Intel has unveiled plans to spend $20bn (£14.6bn) on two new semiconductor factories as part of a radical turnaround plan aimed at restoring the company’s chipmaking prowess. Under a multi-year strategy outlined by new chief executive Pat Gelsinger, Intel will build two new plants in Arizona. It will also start outsourcing to other manufacturers and [...]
Surging services demand boosts UK business activity rebound in March March 24, 2021 Surging services demand boosts UK business activity rebound in March
Bloomsbury hikes profit forecasts again as Brits binge on books March 24, 2021 Bloomsbury today lifted its revenue and profit forecasts for the second time in as many months as it hailed “exceptional” sales as a result of the pandemic. The publishing house, best known for the Harry Potter series, said it expected revenue of £171m in the year to the end of February, while pre-tax profit is [...]
Hitting the right note: Piano Works to double bar tabs for May reopening March 23, 2021 After a year of closure caused by lockdown, fans of The Piano Works have not had much to sing about recently. But the iconic ivory-tickling venue today announced it will now be among the first to reopen in May, bringing some much-needed music to their ears. The singalong favourite is now taking bookings for its [...]
UK record label revenue grows as streaming offsets pandemic hit March 23, 2021 UK record label revenues ticked up last year as the booming popularity of streaming services helped to offset the impact of the pandemic. Recorded music revenue grew to £1.1bn in 2020, up 3.8 per cent on the previous 12 months and the highest level since 2006. It is also the fifth consecutive year of growth, [...]
