How Young’s is shrugging off hospitality gloom June 3, 2026 Like many of his Square Mile customers, Young’s boss Simon Dodd knows how to schmooze with booze. Three years ago, the listed pub chain exec invited rival Clive Watson, the founder of City Pub Group, for lunch at Smiths, the top-notch bar and grill atop Smithfield market, for a steak and a glass of wine. [...]
Freddie’s Flowers losses double after firm shuts London warehouse June 3, 2026 Freddie’s Flowers has incurred a more than doubling of its pre-tax losses after the firm closed its warehouse amid an outsourcing of operations. The London-based flower subscription business, which began operations in a gazebo in the garden of a residential street, posted a pre-tax loss of £2.1m in the year to August 2025, compared to [...]
Iran war triggers slump in selfies, ME Group warns June 1, 2026 Europe’s biggest photobooth operator has warned of a slump in selfies amid the fallout from the war in Iran. London-listed ME Group, which operates the Photo.me network of over 30,000 booths as well as an events selfie business, has reported a revenue decline as much as 17 per cent in the month of April alone, [...]
Tesco deal helps Esquires Coffee owner to surge in sales as it eyes 300 stores May 28, 2026 A fresh deal with Tesco helped the owner of the Esquires Coffee chain to a jump in turnover. Cooks Coffee Company, which is listed on Aquis, posted UK and Ireland store sales of £43.1m for the year to end March, a surge of 22.8 per cent. Pre-tax earnings rose 6.8 per cent to £529,000, while [...]
Adnams cuts alcohol content across range in beer overhaul May 27, 2026 Adnams has reported early signs of success in its beer range overhaul after reducing the alcoholic content across a number of products. The Suffolk-based brewer, famed for its 0.5 per cent Ghost Ship low-alcohol beer, took the decision last year to introduce more lower strength beers in a bid to capture consumer demand for lower [...]
TfL decommissions Oxford Circus air conditioning despite sweltering heat May 27, 2026 Temperatures may be hitting record highs in the capital but City commuters are unlikely to find relief from the heat underground, after TfL decided to decommission the air conditioning systems at one of its busiest stations. London’s transport operator unveiled plans in 2012 to install air cooling systems at Oxford Circus and Green Park, two [...]
Crude language is the least of BP’s Manifold problems May 27, 2026 Yesterday saw the ousting of BP chair Albert Manifold after less than one year in the role. According to various media reports, Manifold was “shouty” and “aggressive”, with a “volcanic temper”. But try as it might to escape crude language, BP’s board may soon suffer similar missives from its shareholders after another c-suite scandal left [...]
Cryptoasset approvals surge as FCA softens stance May 26, 2026 The approval rate for cryptoasset firm registrations has surged, City AM can reveal, in signs the UK’s financial watchdog is softening its stance towards the crypto industry. As many as 13 cryptoasset firm registrations were approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the year to April 2026, a more than doubling compared to 2024, [...]
The Rest is Investing: Gary Lineker-backed Goalhanger launches venture capital arm May 26, 2026 The UK’s biggest independent podcast group is launching its own venture capital arm, City AM can reveal, as it reinvests the fruits of its success by building stakes in other media startups. The Kennington-based business, which was co-founded by former BBC presenter Gary Lineker and produces The Rest is History, The Rest is Entertainment and [...]
Shawbrook weighs Aldermore bid as Firstrand looks to offload challenger bank May 25, 2026 Shawbrook is reportedly weighing up a merger with rival Aldermore after its owner put the challenger bank up for sale. The lender, which debuted on the London Stock Exchange last year, is in the early stages of considering a takeover, according to Sky News’ Mark Kleinman. South Africa-based financial services group Firstrand, which bought Aldermore [...]
