Data centre planning applications rocketed more than 60 per cent in 2025 January 13, 2026 Data centre planning applications hit an all-time high in the UK in 2025, City AM can reveal, as investors rushed to gain a foothold in the burgeoning AI market. More than 60 separate planning applications for the construction of new data centres were filed in England and Wales over the course of the year, according [...]
Immigration law firm put up for sale on insolvency market amid visa crackdown January 13, 2026 A London law firm specialising in immigration services has been put up for sale on an insolvency marketplace in an early sign the government’s crackdown on visas has sparked a slump in applications. Woolwich-based A Vincent Solicitors, which employs more than two dozen staff and has a second office in Manchester, offered multi-lingual support services [...]
TfL to spend £100m a year on cleaning tubes amid graffiti spat January 13, 2026 Commuters will foot an annual £100m bill for cleaning tubes and buses over the next five years, City AM can reveal, with transport officials hoping a new provider will help to wipe out graffiti across the network. Transport for London (TfL), which is chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan, revealed it signed a contract with the [...]
From Elton John to Kylie: 10 best alcohol free wines for Dry January January 12, 2026 The best alcohol free wines to try this month Put down that sad glass of tap water. If you are taking a break from alcohol, I have some of the very best options out there, none of which involve pretending you enjoy drinking London’s chalky, limestone-heavy water. Spoil YourselfEven in the driest of months, there [...]
‘Extreme shareholder destruction’: Fitzwalter dials up assault on Auction Technology Group January 12, 2026 Auction Technology Group management have been accused of overseeing a period of “extreme shareholder destruction” by its largest shareholder, in the latest salvo of a feud that has seen the auction platform provider rebuff 11 takeover approaches from the firm. In a blistering update to markets on Monday, Fitzwalter Capital said Auction Technology Group’s (ATG) [...]
BCG warns the era of ‘wait and see’ is dead as global risks hit all-time high January 12, 2026 As concerns over global policy uncertainty reached a 20-year peak in 2025, BCG is warning that the issue must be a core business capability, with dedicated teams. Business leaders cite trade reconfiguration, weakening multilateral institutions, and the weaponisation of economic tools as persistent threats to business continuity and competitiveness. However, a report by the IMD [...]
Mark my words: Starmer is set to approve China’s ‘super embassy’ January 12, 2026 Keir Starmer is set to travel to China and has appealed for business leaders to accompany him. You don’t do that if you’re anticipating holding a foreign government to account, says Eliot Wilson At the end of this month, Sir Keir Starmer is due to travel to China for the first visit by a British [...]
From Brexit to Berne: Financial services enter a new era of global cooperation January 12, 2026 2026 will be a year for collaborating with international partners to tackle shared challenges, reduce cross-border financing barriers, and promote investment, says Dame Susan Langley Henry Ford once said that “coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, but working together is success”. As global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services sector, my goal for 2026 is [...]
Donald Trump credit card cap sends Barclays shares tumbling January 12, 2026 Barclays shares were the worst performing on the FTSE 100 on Monday morning after fears over fresh plans by Donald Trump to curb credit card costs sent the stock tumbling. The bank’s shares, which had risen by around 80 per cent over the past year, suffered a 5 per cent slump to 462p in early [...]
Loungers creates 900 jobs as major expansion plans continue January 12, 2026 Cafe-bar and restaurant chain Loungers created more than 900 jobs in the year it quit the London Stock Exchange’s AIM, it has been revealed. The Bristol-headquartered business delisted in February last year after being acquired by Fortress Investment Group for £338m. The Cosy Club and Brightside owner was founded in 2002 by Alex Reilley, David Reid [...]