House builder blames ‘broken planning system’ and interest rates for loss August 7, 2025 In independent house builder has blamed the “broken planning system” and high interest rates putting off first time buyers for it falling into the red. Cheshire-based Eccleston Homes has reported a pre-tax loss of £1.2m for the 12 months to 31 October, 2024, down from the £2m profit it achieved in the prior year. New [...]
House prices rise ahead of key Bank of England rate decision August 7, 2025 House prices rose at their fastest pace since the start of the year in July, as buyers shake off concerns about higher property taxes and push ahead with purchases. Prices rose 0.4 per cent in June, according to the latest index from Halifax, with the average property price now £298,237 compared to £297,157 last month. [...]
LIVE: Bank of England cuts interest rates to four per cent August 7, 2025 The Bank of England has slashed interest rates to the lowest level in more than two years at four per cent. The decision to cut rates from 4.25 per cent comes after members were told to vote for a second time after facing a split decision. It follows the Bank’s chief economist, Huw Pill, telling [...]
Mortgage recovery hinges on a Bank of England interest rate cut August 6, 2025 Homeowners across the UK are catching a break as mortgage arrears fell for the first time since the cost-of-living crisis began – but a full recovery will hinge on the Bank of England’s decision on Thursday. Missed mortgage payments in the second quarter fell by 4.4 per cent across the UK, whilst direct debit rejections [...]
Simmons: Bar chain owed millions to OakNorth, tax collectors before entering administration August 6, 2025 Simmons owed millions of pounds in debts to OakNorth bank and tax collectors before it was put into administration, fresh corporate documents have revealed. The London-based cocktail bar chain has made at least 30 staff redundant alongside closing several sites as founder Nick Campbell battled to secure rescue funding to buy the company in a [...]
Construction sector contracts at the fastest pace since 2020 August 6, 2025 Activity in the UK’s construction industry is contracting at the fastest rate since the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 as high costs and tax hikes bite. The sector is vital for the Labour government’s plans for a house building boom and improvements in infrastructure, with the private sector expected to help boost the UK’s economic growth. [...]
Metro Bank trebles profit amid pivot to specialist lending August 6, 2025 Metro Bank more than trebled its profit in the first six months of the year as its transformation strategy gained pace. The high street lender recorded an underlying profit before tax of £45m, compared with £12.8m in the second half of 2024. Revenue grew 22 per cent to £286m whilst operating costs fell eight per [...]
Birmingham Phoenix tee up Castore as Hundred teams ditch New Balance August 6, 2025 Birmingham Phoenix have agreed a kit deal with Castore for next season, with The Hundred’s long-term apparel supplier, New Balance, increasingly being phased out by the franchises that are under new ownership. City AM revealed last week that London Spirit are also dropping New Balance after the current campaign, with their new co-owners, Cricket Investor [...]
Zempler Bank grows profit on the back of high interest rates August 6, 2025 Zempler Bank has recorded its third consecutive year of profitability after a cheering jump in customer deposits and a strong performance in interest income. The UK fintech – formerly known as Cashplus – recorded a 58 per cent leap in pre-tax profit to £5.2m for the year ending March 31 2025. It comes as deposits [...]
The Bank of England’s trouble-free decision to cut interest rates August 6, 2025 The Bank of England has long suffered from the accusation of groupthink. Reforms have been mooted – and some have been implemented – but it has struggled to shake off the charge. Economists at the Cato Institute and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) have, for example, pointed the blame at Threadneedle [...]