Forget retail stores – watch collectors now hang at the clubhouse December 3, 2025 Just past De Beers on London’s Old Bond Street lies an anonymous-looking door. Look through to the lobby beyond it and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was an office block where boring admin-y things happen. In fact, if you take the lift up, the doors open to reveal a calm, cream space. To your [...]
London’s South Bank beefs up leadership team December 3, 2025 South Bank Employers’ Group (SBEG) has welcomed five new appointments to its board amid a modernisation drive. The not-for-profit membership organisation, which was founded in 1991, said it marked the end of a major governance review and the start of a “smaller, more agile board”. Chief executive Nic Durston said SBEG has “transformed the way [...]
Meet the hip young watch collectors blazing a fresh trail December 3, 2025 Go to most watch collector hangouts and you’ll be faced with a gang of 50-something-year-old men who love nothing more than to obsess over rare references. I know that because I’m one of them. Well, I’m slightly younger, but you get my point. As far as most people are concerned, that’s what a watch collector [...]
On the Beach shares rocket as firm gears up for record summer December 2, 2025 On the Beach is getting itself ready for a record summer season as consumers hold on to their overseas holidays despite feeling the squeeze. The travel retailer said its Winter bookings were 15 per cent ahead of last year while bookings for next summer were “encouraging” and likely to be the highest yet. Chief executive [...]
Don’t overlook UK stocks in 2026 December 1, 2025 The UK stock market has long been shunned by retail investors, as the AI boom, inflation woes and gloomy economic conditions spark the search for greater returns in overseas markets, particularly the US. While this narrative has held back many investors from tapping into the UK, the London index has bounced back in 2025, with [...]
Explore your horological obsession at Bucherer Masterworks December 1, 2025 Should haute horology be on your Christmas wish list this year, consider stopping by the breathtaking Masterworks showcase at the Bucherer store at Royal Opera House. Here you will find a watch-lover’s paradise – part clubhouse, part museum – where you’re encouraged to engage with watchmakers and watchmaking alike. “Whether you are a seasoned connoisseur [...]
Gail’s to open 40 bakeries after creating 500 jobs December 1, 2025 Bakery chain Gail’s is to open 40 new sites by the end of February after creating almost 500 jobs during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered business said the new locations will all be open by 28 February, 2026, and it has plans to launch similar numbers “going forward”. The expansion comes after Gail’s opened [...]
‘We’ve been lied to’: Hospitality in uproar over business rates overhaul November 28, 2025 A 5p reduction in business rates for hospitality and retail was held up by the Chancellor as a sign the government was listening to their concerns. But – writes Ali Lyon – as business owners calculated what it meant for their bottom line, they discovered that the devil was in the detail. It was supposed [...]
Banks keep up their end of Rachel Reeves’ tax bargain November 27, 2025 The banking industry has given Rachel Reeves some much-needed ammunition as she attempts to defend her tax-heavy Autumn Budget. After being spared from a highly-anticipated cash grab, a fleet of banks announced a fresh pump of capital in the UK economy. Britain’s largest retail bank Lloyds Banking Group unveiled £35bn of new finance for 2026 [...]
UK markets need radical reform, not the Chancellor’s endless tweaks November 27, 2025 ISA reform and stamp duty relief are sticking plasters for a stock market that needs major surgery, writes Tim Focas.