Could a tourist tax ever work in London? July 24, 2025 Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner, but I reckon there are few better tourist destinations. Our city is bursting with history and culture, boasts dozens of plush green spaces and has more Michelin Stars than New York. Should people pay to get in? Ours is one of the top cities on earth to visit, but [...]
Business lender Shawbrook plots £2bn London IPO July 23, 2025 Shawbrook is lining up a London IPO in the second half of the year in a much-needed boost to the capital’s public markets. The business lender is pressing ahead with plans that target a valuation of as much as £2bn, according to the Financial Times. The firm’s private equity owners had been seeking an exit [...]
Equinox losses nearly triple in the UK amid luxury sector woes July 23, 2025 Equinox has posted a near-tripling in its UK losses as the fitness firm became the latest to suffer amid a downturn in the luxury sector. The firm, which has just three sites in the UK – all in central London – posted a £21m loss for its 2024 financial year, a rise of 267 per [...]
One month on, the wheels are already coming off the government’s industrial strategy July 23, 2025 Today marks one month since the publication of the government’s shiny new industrial strategy. Businesses everywhere could hardly contain their excitement after hearing the scale of Downing Street’s ambitions. So, what has happened since? Here are some of the highlights. A biodiesel plant in Lincolnshire has been closed, as well as a nearby bioethanol plant. [...]
The ‘Tell Sid’ campaign should learn from the gambling industry July 22, 2025 There are two common explanations for why Brits invest so much less in stocks than our US counterparts. The first is we have a risk-averse culture, so cash is king. The second is we are a poor nation, and many lack the money. But here’s a counterpoint: gambling. By some measures, the UK has the [...]
Astrazeneca plots huge $50bn US investment after ditching UK expansion plans July 22, 2025 Astrazeneca has unveiled plans to invest as much as $50bn in manufacturing and R&D in the US after ditching its UK expansion plans in a blow to the government’s industrial strategy. The Cambridge-based pharma giant said it will spend the huge sum over the next five years, including on a new manufacturing facility in Virginia, [...]
Wise co-founders clash over New York listing plans July 21, 2025 A plan to move Wise’s primary listing from London to New York has been thrown into doubt after one of the firm’s co-founders urged shareholders to vote against the move. Taavet Hinrikus, who served as chief executive of the London fintech from its founding in 2011 until 2017, warned he was “deeply troubled” over the [...]
Wealth tax would be a ‘dangerous road to go down’, BNP investment chief warns July 21, 2025 The chief investment officer at BNP Paribas Wealth Management has become the latest senior banker to warn over plans to introduce a wealth tax in the UK, describing the move a “dangerous road to go down.” In an interview with City AM, Edmund Shing said the move was likely to discourage entrepreneurs from starting a [...]
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 [...]
Government must ‘take its head out of the sand’ after jobs plunge July 17, 2025 Small businesses have urged the government to “take its head out of the sand” over tax hikes and a flurry of fresh employment regulations after the Office for National Statistics reported another consecutive month of jobs losses. Responding to Thursday’s unemployment figures, the Federation for Small Businesses said the jobs plunge was “disturbing” and that [...]
