Can the ‘hotelification’ of the office beat working from home? March 8, 2025 London offices are offering monogrammed towels and rooftop gardens to tempt staff back into work, says Alex Morgan Some of the world’s largest companies are pulling the plug on hybrid working, but not without a hitch. In the US, Amazon’s return-to-office (RTO) mandate has been put on pause because of a shortage of desks in [...]
Drax ‘misled’ government over wood sourcing, ex lobbyist alleges March 7, 2025 Drax’s former public affairs lead has accused the company of “misleading the public, government and its regulator” over its sourcing of wood for biomass pellets. Rowaa Ahmar was employed by Drax in 2022 amid allegations in a BBC Panorama documentary it had sourced wood from environmentally important forests in Canada instead of using sawdust and [...]
Mid size firms stifled by export barriers and rising costs March 3, 2025 Increasing workforce costs and export barriers are threatening the growth of UK mid-size firms. According to new research from BDO, which surveyed 500 business leaders representing companies with turnovers between £10m and £300m, the sector cited international trade challenges as the top concern over the next six months. Over a third, 34 per cent, of [...]
Private enterprise is feeling positive about growth February 27, 2025 Despite what’s looking to be a tough year ahead, businesses are confident about their growth prospects in the next 12 months, says Euan West Everyone in the business world is talking about growth in 2025, but the big question on everyone’s lips is whether we will achieve it. Whether being used in a positive or [...]
Entain on a ‘losing streak’ as gambling giant battles legal problems February 26, 2025 Entain share price has fallen by over 20 per cent over the last year as the listed group's legal problems continue to cause a headache
‘Manchester is more attractive for business students than London’ – Gary Neville’s UA92 February 25, 2025 Manchester has become a more attractive destination for business students than London, according to the boss of Gary Neville’s University Academy 92 (UA92). Chief executive Sara Prowse pointed to the city’s recent growth as well as the relatively lower costs of living and of doing business and added that Manchester is “the new, more vibrant [...]
Economists warn of tax hikes after borrowing blow February 21, 2025 Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that tax receipts fell short of expectations in January due to the sluggish performance of the UK economy.
Everything you need to know about tariffs February 19, 2025 The threat of tariffs mean businesses must check their exposure and figure out what’s going on in their supply chains, says Tim Sarson I’ve decided to write an article on tariffs. I don’t do this lightly. Not only is it political, it is dominating the news agenda. So I’ll steer clear of the politics or [...]
UK fintech investment hits four-year low February 18, 2025 Fintech investment in the UK had another sluggish year with new data showing it sunk to a four-year low in 2024. KPMG’s bi-annual fintech report showed UK fintech investment fell by 27 per cent to £7.9bn last year, down from £10.1bn in 2023. Despite this, the UK managed to scoop up more funding than France, [...]
National insurance hike has ‘taken a bite’ out of London labour market February 14, 2025 Permanent placements made by recruitment firms fell for the sixth consecutive month in January, according to a survey from KPMG and the REC.