Vanquis and Barclays lead surge in bank complaints amid motor finance May 7, 2025 Banking complaints rocketed by 76 per cent in the second half of 2024 as the motor finance scandal continued to haunt the sector, according to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The regulator revealed of the 141,846 complaints made to the FOS, 77 per cent were related to banking and credit at 109,155. This also marked [...]
Sadiq Khan is squandering the success of the Elizabeth Line May 1, 2025 Despite the popularity and success of the Elizabeth Line, other major transport projects in the capital are in limbo, writes James Ford Everybody loves the Elizabeth Line, right? There are the sleek, open-plan trains, the breathtaking, well-designed stations and, perhaps best of all, there are the smooth and swift journey times that have created new [...]
Mini Aceman is an electric SUV with more character than most April 30, 2025 It has been nearly a quarter of a century since BMW revived the Mini. Reinterpreting an icon held close to many hearts is a risky business, as proven by Jaguar’s controversial rebrand and Ford’s attempt to revive the Capri. However, BMW’s Mini is one of the most successful comebacks for a classic name, making the [...]
Ford is killing off the Ford Focus – but why? April 29, 2025 Thirty years ago, one in five new cars sold in Britain wore a Ford badge. The Escort was the nation’s favourite – as it had been for decades – followed by the Fiesta in second place and the Mondeo in third. Today, Ford has slipped to fifth place in the UK market, behind Volkswagen, BMW, [...]
Eat, Drink, Sleep, Repeat: Our top food columnist on his favourite New York dining spots April 24, 2025 Restaurants can have a greater purpose than simply offering heightened hospitality; this week I met the CEO’s of the ‘Only a Pavement Away’ charity and ‘Not for sale’ movement, both of which I worked with for the past eight years as CEO of Gaucho and M restaurants. OAPA identifies disadvantaged, vulnerable people often due for [...]
Black cabs stand ready to compete with Uber, but not in a race to the bottom April 24, 2025 The London tax trade is a rigged market where app-based operators have enjoyed years of political indulgence while black cabs are subjected to an ever-tougher regulatory environment, says Mark White James Ford’s recent City AM column – ‘The London taxi trade is dying – and it’s not Uber’s fault’ – is less a diagnosis than [...]
Ford on the hook for £61m in motor finance scandal April 22, 2025 Ford has set aside as much as £61m as it becomes the latest company to be stung by the motor finance scandal. The American car manufacturer’s subsidiary FCE Bank made the provision for its British motor finance division in its latest accounts. The Essex-based FCE Bank said the provision reflected “estimated economic outflow” should a [...]
Councils turn digital as budget pressures mount April 17, 2025 Councils across the UK are ramping up spending on technology and service design as financial pressures mount and demand for services grows. The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology hopes that digitising public sector services could unlock up to £45bn a year in productivity gains. “This makes digitisation the most powerful lever available to drive [...]
The London taxi trade is dying, and it only has itself to blame April 17, 2025 A new report has predicted the demise of the iconic London taxi, and Uber isn't to blame, writes James Ford.
Jaecoo is the new SUV in town and it’s coming for Land Rover April 12, 2025 You’ve probably never heard of the car brand Jaecoo before, but you’re about to start seeing a lot of them. The Jaecoo 7 boasts the three things most motorists in the UK are looking for in a new set of wheels: It’s a mid-size SUV; it’s hybrid with fantastic fuel economy and all the latest [...]