Inside the Belfast boutique hotel taking on Airbnb June 20, 2025 Can this hotel-private home crossover concept take on Airbnb? Julia Khamissa checked in to delve deeper THE CONCEPT Room2 bills itself the world’s first ‘hometel,’ a hybrid between hotel convenience, boutique design, and Airbnb-style autonomy. Think flexible booking, pet-friendly policy, and a kitchenette in (almost) every room. Room2 Belfast is set in a modern, curved [...]
Key streets are closing to allow outdoor dining in London this summer June 20, 2025 Londoners have a new way to enjoy this year’s summer heatwave. The mayor has announced that some of the capital’s streets will go car-free to provide more space for outdoor dining and drinks. The new Summer Streets scheme will pedestrianise roads in Westminster, Shoreditch, Brixton and Leyton. This project is being funded with £300,000 from [...]
Firms stumped up extra £29bn for ‘astronomical’ energy costs June 19, 2025 British industry has had to fork out an additional £29bn to fund rising energy costs over the past four years, a fresh analysis has shown, adding further weight to calls for government bring down energy prices for British firms when it publishes its industrial strategy. According to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), firms’ [...]
Microsoft: AI could redefine London’s 9-to-5 June 18, 2025 The age of the 9-5 workday may be over for London businesses, and artificial intelligence may be speeding up its demise. AI, email overload, and round-the-clock digital connectivity have upturned the rhythms of the modern workday, revealed Microsoft’s latest work trend index. But far from ushering in a smarter, more flexible future of work, the [...]
The Debate: Should MPs pass the assisted dying bill? June 18, 2025 As MPs prepare for a final vote on the assisted dying bill this Friday, we get two experts to outline the cases for and against.
Richard Caring apologises for supplier letter amid wave of criticism June 16, 2025 Richard Caring has been forced into an embarrassing apology after City AM revealed his restaurant group demanded suppliers take a “mandatory” 2.5 per cent pay cut. The founder of the Ivy Collection and Caprice Holdings endured a wave of criticism after our exclusive story last week, with the saga branded a PR disaster. Billionaire Caring [...]
Bob Bob Ricard boss: ‘Champagne is in our DNA’ June 12, 2025 Bob Bob Ricard has become that incredibly rare thing: a London restaurant that hasn’t been forced to close. It has outlasted a financial crash, a pandemic and a cost of living crisis, all because it is very, very good. The dining room is designed to make you feel like you’re careering through Europe on an [...]
How worried should Ed Miliband be about the CBI’s net zero U-turn? June 12, 2025 Is the CBI’s about-face on the cost of net zero a case of shameless opportunism or an overdue conversion to common sense, asks James Ford We are arguably living in an age of screeching political U-turns. The government’s abrupt volte-face over withdrawing the Winter Fuel Allowance is probably the most egregious example. Others would include [...]
British businesses celebrated in third year of The King’s Awards for Enterprise: June 5, 2025 The recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise have now been announced, celebrating the achievements of leading businesses from across the UK and Channel Islands and recognising their vital role in growing our economy to improve lives. This year, 197 businesses representing a diverse range of sectors, have been recognised by His Majesty The King [...]
Labour’s not for turning but the Inheritance Tax battle will rumble on June 5, 2025 Civil servants and politicians could not believe their eyes. As the hoarse grumble of diesel motors thundered along Whitehall, a fleet of tractors descended onto Parliament Square, heralded by a cacophony of honks to the tune of Aqua’s Barbie Girl. Beginning in November, farmers marched to Westminster to protest the government’s inheritance tax (IHT) reforms. [...]