‘A tax burden without precedent in the 21st Century’: Pub chain McMullen’s blasts government tax hikes June 6, 2025 One of Britain’s biggest pub chains has taken aim at the government’s “damaging” tax hikes, warning they will lead to lower demand and investment and have forced the hospitality sector to “bear the brunt” of rises in government spending. Hertford-based McMullen’s, which operates around 120 pubs in London and the home counties, including the Old [...]
Beyoncé London review: the protest vibe feels a bit thin June 6, 2025 Beyoncé London review: there’s no denying that belt, even if the protest aesthetic doesn’t quite work No one can doubt Beyoncé. At least, not in terms of her belt and ability to deliver an incredible show. Give her any piece of music from operatic to country, and as she proved last night in London, she [...]
Wise’s London listing snub shows the need for urgent City reform June 6, 2025 The loss of the primary listing of the fin tech Wise from London is another body blow to those seeking to reboot its fortunes as the international market where the best ideas find the best capital, writes shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith. Coming on the eve of London Tech Week it’s a real downer and [...]
Pret owners in discussions for IPO or possible sale June 6, 2025 Pret’s parent company JAB Holding has engaged advisors to explore options for the sandwich chain, which include a potential sale or stock market float. Luxembourg-based JAB, which bought Pret for £1.5bn in 2018, told the Financial Times that it was not “currently” considering a sale, but added: “As we move closer to a potential IPO, [...]
The high-profile non-doms that have quit Britain since the Budget June 6, 2025 If the pleas of wealth advisers and tax lawyers are to be believed, since the Chancellor’s Autumn fiscal crackdown, non-doms have been leaving Britain in droves. We’ve listed the most high-profile departures since the Budget. Having made it almost exactly halfway through her maiden Budget, the UK’s first female Chancellor was beginning to find her [...]
Labour exploring plans for ‘Britcard’ digital ID to curb illegal migration June 6, 2025 Labour is exploring a new national, universal digital ID card for every adult in the UK to tackle illegal migration. The ID is being tentatively branded as ‘Britcard’, and could be downloaded onto a smartphone in the shape of a “free verifier app”. Plans for the digital ID were laid out in detail by the [...]
Farage considered ‘more working class’ than Starmer, polling finds June 6, 2025 Reform leader Nigel Farage is seen by voters to have more solid working class credentials than Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, fresh polling by More in Common has found. 19 per cent see the Reform leader as a member of the working class. For Starmer, the number is 17 per cent. This follows Farage’s claim [...]
A Wise storm has rocked the London Stock Exchange’s fintech dream June 6, 2025 Hopes of a fintech-powered City markets revival may have been crushed on Thursday after money transfer firm Wise ditched its primary listing. The embattled London Stock Exchange was dealt its latest blow as the UK fintech opted for a dual listing across the Atlantic but with the US acting as its primary base. It’s no [...]
Has Klarna’s buy now, pay later bubble burst? June 6, 2025 Buy now, pay later services have exploded in the last decade and industry titan Klarna has spearheaded growth. The global BNPL market is expected to top $560.1bn (£412.8bn) in 2025 with 13.7 per cent annual growth. Swedish fintech Klarna has historically dominated the space, notching a net operating income of $1.087bn in 2020. The firm [...]
LTA pledges equal prize money at Queen’s Club by 2029 June 5, 2025 The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has pledged to award equal prize money to men and women at its events at Queen’s Club and Eastbourne by 2029. A women’s tournament has been added to the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, which begins next week, and will offer prize money totalling $1.4m (£1m). That is the highest [...]