Revive VAT-free shopping to boost high streets, Selfridges urges Burnham September 29, 2026 Selfridges has called on Andy Burnham to reinstate VAT-free shopping for international tourists as part of his push to revive British high streets and boost regional growth. The luxury department store chain hit out at then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to abolish VAT-free shopping in 2021, adding that it is “encouraged” to see the policy back [...]
Monzo in talks over £10bn sale to Nubank in blow to IPO hopes September 26, 2026 Digital bank Monzo is in early discussions over a sale to Brazilian fintech giant Nubank, in a move that could crush hopes of the British firm listing on the London Stock Exchange. The UK fintech has been approached by US-listed Nu Holdings and is understood to have tapped bankers at Morgan Stanley and Qatalyst to [...]
‘Last days of the honeymoon’: Anxious bosses prepare charm offensive at Labour conference September 25, 2026 Ahead of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday, and one month away from the Budget, businesses are feeling nervous, write Mauricio Alencar and Felix Armstrong Stepping onto an early-morning Avanti West Coast train from London Euston is now a familiar feeling for the Prime Minister. Andy Burnham is set to make the journey more regularly [...]
Court fast-tracks Victoria’s Secret PINK brand clash with London shirtmaker September 25, 2026 Lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret has secured a fast-tracked trial in the High Court in London in October to determine whether a London-based shirtmaker breached a legal contract with the lingerie seller over its ‘PINK’ trademark. The case stems from a High Court settlement between the two retail firms in 2015, in which the court ruled [...]
Olympia reborn: Inside a £1.3bn makeover for a 140-year-old icon September 25, 2026 Bringing a Victorian building into the modern age was a labour of love, but the method was “deceptively simple”, Olympia CEO Michael Volkert tells Andrew Busby Opened in 1886 as a Victorian temple to spectacle – trade fairs, Vivienne Westwood’s first runway show, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix under the same cast-iron roof – Olympia [...]
Conran and Partners Joins DLR Group September 24, 2026 The London and Hong Kong-based studio will be positioned as a luxury, boutique design brand within DLR Group, serving premium hospitality, residential, and workplace clients
Amanda Holden sofa range lifts DFS as profit jumps September 24, 2026 DFS has toasted its partnership with media personality Amanda Holden as the sofa seller saw profits jump by a third. The London-listed furniture store said its collaboration with the Britain’s Got Talent judge, which includes a range of three Amanda Holden-branded sofas, has lifted its performance. Steve Johnson, chairman of DFS, said that its partnership [...]
You can’t tax a casino if it’s closed September 24, 2026 Modern casinos are regulated entertainment destinations that invest in city centres, support skilled local careers and strengthen Britain’s visitor and night-time economy. Tax policy should recognise their full contribution, says Paul Willcock Politicians of every party say they want businesses to invest in Britain, regenerate city centres, create good jobs and attract overseas visitors. Genting is doing [...]
Burnham urged to boost West End with tax cuts and extra policing September 24, 2026 The West End risks losing its status as one of the world’s best shopping and hospitality destinations without immediate action to cut tax and boost policing, Andy Burnham has been warned. The New West End Company (NWEC), which represents 800 businesses involved in the world-famous district, has urged the government to slash business rates and [...]
The Investor revolution September 23, 2026 Following their inaugural sponsorship of The Investor Summit 2026, the flagship investor event in the UK, City AM sat down with James Deal, Co CEO of RetailBook THE THINKING BEHIND THE INVESTOR SUMMIT? It’s a common sense idea, if you want the public to participate in our public markets, you have to give everyday investors [...]