Investec eyes City hiring spree in major move into UK private banking May 21, 2026 Investec, the FTSE 250 financier, has unveiled plans to boost its UK private bank in a major strategic move that will include hiring new talent in the City. The expansion will boost its banking presence in London, as it seeks out wealthy clients for what will become a ‘full service primary bank”. It has identified [...]
No, London’s economy hasn’t lost its lustre. Here’s why May 21, 2026 The FT has once again remembered to write about London, the city in which the paper was founded and where the lion’s share of its staff, and its readership, is based. Though it turns out the pink’un hasn’t many nice things to say. London’s economy has lost its lustre, the paper writes. Among the evidence [...]
The Works shares soar as families look for ‘screen-free’ fun May 21, 2026 Shares in The Works soared on Thursday morning after the retailer said growing demand for “screen-free” entertainment is driving up revenue. The Aim-listed stock jumped 11 per cent on early trading, to 60p, after it reported revenue growth of more than three per cent to £260m in the year to May. The retailer saw like-for-like [...]
UNPACK ’26 SUMMER TRAVEL TRENDS: DOMESTIC DEMAND RISES AND HOTEL PRICES DROP IN POPULAR INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS May 21, 2026 Hotel hopping boom: travellers double up stays to chase live events and make the most of bleisure escapes this summer Kick Off or Take Off? Football fever sends fans to host cities as savvy travellers head elsewhere for deals Lights, camera… getaway: film and TV hits spark a summer surge in screen‑inspired travel
‘Manchesterism’ is a myth and you can’t trust Andy Burnham May 21, 2026 Andy Burnham says he wants to “roll back the 80s” but the growth of Manchester is down to the rolling back of socialism that began before he became Mayor, says Ayushma Maharjan Britain’s most popular politician is running on a myth, is not credible, and might out-do Starmer in U-turns. A recent Yougov poll found [...]
On This Day: Happy birthday Andrew Neil May 21, 2026 Today in 1949, Andrew Neil was born. He remains one of the most compelling figures in the British media landscape, writes Eliot Wilson In a media landscape of interchangeable and forgettable talking heads, Andrew Neil remains an unmistakable and forceful presence. Readers who can recall a time when he was not a well-kent face in [...]
New HS2 budget to blow £33bn hole in public finances May 21, 2026 The government will need to find as much as £33bn in additional cash from tax and spending measures or from other departments to fund its revamped plans to deliver HS2. According to a City AM analysis, the Department for Transport’s updated proposals for the rail line require between £18bn and £33bn of additional public money [...]
Britain’s fastest man Zharnel Hughes backs home Olympics bid May 21, 2026 Britain’s fastest man Zharnel Hughes has backed a plan to bring the Olympics back to the UK in the 2040s. The government is exploring a potential pathway towards an Olympics in the North of England in what would be the first version of the event in Britain since London 2012 over a decade ago. Anguilla-born [...]
In Other Worlds at the Barbican: Is this what the future looks like? May 21, 2026 In Other Worlds | The Barbican | ★★★★☆ The Barbican seems to have found its groove when it comes to contemporary art, utilising its modernist spaces to create sprawling, immersive exhibitions that couldn’t exist anywhere else. Last year Feel the Sound explored the concept of noise in all of its forms – scientific, spiritual, cultural [...]
London leads European investment despite wider UK decline May 21, 2026 London retained its crown as the most attractive destination in Europe for foreign direct investment last year, despite a fall in UK projects and overall numbers across the continent tumbling. Greater London outperformed both the wider UK and Europe by recording a five per cent year on year increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects [...]