UK business confidence bounces back from Trump’s tariff blow May 30, 2025 UK business confidence rallied in May as global financial markets made their recovery from President Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught. Lloyds Bank business barometer jumped 11 points over the last month to 50 per cent. – marking a nine month high. The lender surveys 1,200 companies and weighs up the percentage of firms that have a [...]
Civil service cull can save £5bn a year May 30, 2025 Civil service cull can save £5bn a year, Policy Exchange says Cutting 80,000 civil service jobs could save the Treasury as much as £5bn pounds a year, a new report has found, as the government seeks to rein in spending in a bid to stick to its fiscal rules. The research by Westminster think tank [...]
Burberry’s decline shows British brands can’t trade on heritage alone May 30, 2025 The decline of Burberry should be a cautionary tale for British luxury brands relying on heritage, writes Manfredi Ricca.
Is Asda’s ambitious turnaround starting to bear fruit? May 29, 2025 Asda has had a tumultuous year and a half. Since January 2024, the supermarket giant has undergone numerous leadership changes, IT issues, and sales woes. Its troubles began back in 2021, when it was bought in a debt-fuelled takeover by the billionaire Issa brothers – who have since departed the board – and private equity firm [...]
Avison Young loses over £100m for a second year as more jobs cut May 29, 2025 More than £100m has been lost for a second consecutive year by the UK and European arm of global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young as it continued to cut jobs, it has been revealed. The Birmingham-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax loss of £101.8m for 2024, having posted the same total for 2023. [...]
PureGym: Losses near £90m amid huge expansion drive May 29, 2025 Losses at PureGym widened to almost £90m as it created hundreds of jobs and opened new locations in 2024, it has been revealed. The Leeds-headquartered low-cost chain has posted a pre-tax loss of £88.5m for its latest financial year, after having also lost £77.6m in the prior 12 months. In 2024, PureGym increased its headcount [...]
Reeves’ tax raids crush business confidence – but worst is yet to come May 29, 2025 Business confidence plummeted in the three months to May as Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes took hold and firms have warned more pain is to come. Consumer services’ optimism marked its eight consecutive month of decline at -42 per cent, whilst levels of business value plunged to -56 per cent. This was down from -44 per [...]
Tom Sellers: My message for Gen Z chefs May 29, 2025 Twelve years ago Tom Sellers, aged just 26, launched Restaurant Story. The fine dining restaurant in Bermondsey went on to land two Michelin stars and became one of the most sought-after meal tickets in the land. The menu, which revolved around stories from Sellers’ life, was a hit with both diners and critics, with dishes [...]
AI isn’t undermining university, it’s exposing it May 29, 2025 The crisis in universities didn’t start with ChatGPT, it began when the acquisition of knowledge became a transaction. To tackle it, universities should rediscover their foundational purpose: intellectual innovation, says Eliza Filby Universities are at a tipping point with AI. One recent survey found 88 per cent of students have used Gen AI for written [...]
Grocery inflation jumps to highest level in more than a year May 28, 2025 Grocery price inflation shot up to 4.1 per cent in May, driven by chocolate and suncare products in the hottest start to the month on record. The rise follows a 3.8 per cent jump in April and a 1.8 per cent rise in March, according to Kantar. “This latest jump in grocery price inflation takes [...]