Poundland owner weighs break-up of retailer it bought for £1 September 30, 2026 A flurry of bids for just some of Poundland’s 600 shops could prompt Poundland to consider a break up of the retailer, City AM understands. US investment firm Gordon Brothers initially sought offers for the entirety of the business, but may instead opt to sell Poundland’s stores to a number of different buyers, sources told [...]
AI voice firm Elevenlabs hits $22bn valuation in fresh boost for UK tech September 30, 2026 London-based ElevenLabs has hit a $22bn (£16bn) valuation after completing a $300m employee share sale, marking another sharp jump in value for one of Britain’s fastest-growing AI firms. The voice AI group’s valuation has doubled since its $11bn Series D in February, when it raised $500m, and is now more than 2,000 times the $9m [...]
Britain’s oldest brewery mulls future as cost pressures bite September 30, 2026 The family-run company behind Britain’s oldest brewery is exploring its future after wrestling with soaring costs and sliding sales. Shepherd Neame, which was founded in 1698 in Faversham, Kent and is the firm behind classic British beers Spitfire, Bishop’s Finger and Whitstable Bay, said it had begun a strategic review into its brewing operations “to [...]
Burnham to ‘keep distance’ from Manchester City case – yet thanks Abu Dhabi September 30, 2026 Andy Burnham has vowed to not interfere in the Premier League’s battle with Manchester City but admitted he hopes it will not harm relations with Abu Dhabi. The Prime Minister said he would not get “directly involved” in the long-running case that has seen the club found guilty of more than 100 charges by an [...]
‘Not sustainable’ – French borrowing costs soar amid Budget and election uncertainty September 30, 2026 France is facing a period of acute bond market stress that could last several years unless the presidential frontrunners for next year’s election commit to tackling its gaping deficit, analysts have warned. The difference between French and German government borrowing costs – a key metric used to determine French debt risk – widened beyond 120 [...]
Andrew Griffith: Burnham’s only belief is that the state knows best September 30, 2026 Andy Burnham has offered up a ten-year plan for socialism. Conservatives would do things differently, says Andrew Griffith I sat down to watch Andy Burnham’s conference speech on Tuesday with trepidation but a genuine interest in what he was going to lay out for people who create jobs, take risks in starting their own businesses [...]
NFL cut ticket prices to fill Tottenham Hotspur Stadium September 30, 2026 The NFL has cut ticket prices for this weekend’s fixture between the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders in a bid to fill the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Some high-end category seats at Sunday’s game – the first of three across London in October – have been reduced to less than £80 each. It follows concerns that [...]
Mike Ashley continues leisure push with Boom Battle Bar deal September 30, 2026 A company backed by Mike Ashley has snapped up Boom Battle Bar for £11m, extending the retail tycoon’s push into leisure and hospitality. Leisure operator We Do Play, which is backed by Ashley’s Frasers Group, has bought back the business its bosses founded from experiential leisure group XP Factory. Mike Ashley began his retail empire [...]
Can Brewdog get ‘equity punks’ onside in bid to move on from James Watt? September 30, 2026 Craft beer giant Brewdog has launched a reset under its American owners Tilray. Felix Armstrong explores whether the company can truly move on from James Watt Dessert-flavoured beer, provocative ad campaigns, waxy-mustached artisans – much about Brewdog’s long-anticipated reset feels familiar, as if the recently-collapsed craft brewer is really getting back to its roots. But [...]
MI5 warns UK academics have been aiding Chinese spies September 30, 2026 British academics have been taking part in Chinese-funded research designed to enhance Beijing’s espionage capabilities, according to a dramatic intervention from the UK’s security services. Chinese intelligence tried to “covertly benefit” from British AI and technology research, security minister Dan Jarvis has warned, after MI5 accused a Beijing-linked institute of using UK academics to boost [...]