‘Dwarfed by other costs’ – Why cutting business rates for pubs won’t save the sector July 24, 2026 Andy Burnham has unveiled his long-awaited support for the UK’s struggling pubs, but the hospitality industry is contending with far more pressures than just business rates Andy Burnham’s pledge to cut business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues is expected to save each venue more than £1,000 next year in a move that comes [...]
OBR misery makes tax rises inevitable July 24, 2026 The OBR’s dire fiscal risks report portrays a world in which the only possible solution to Britain’s economic state is tax rises, says Emmanuel Igwe In ancient Greece, devotees trekked to Delphi to be told in ambiguous prose by the Pythia that chaos was nigh and only sacrifice to Apollo could hold off punishment. These [...]
From Mongolian camels to Tibetan verbs: the absurdity Ed Miliband’s aid spending plans July 24, 2026 Ed Miliband want to increase aid spending to 0.7 per cent of GDP, but the history of aid spending is one of waste, corruption and cost to taxpayers, says James Price Last year, a 23-year-old in Ulaanbaatar proposed to his girlfriend. There was a helicopter ride, an expensive ring, and designer handbags, all lovingly documented [...]
Here’s how to fix London listings July 23, 2026 We need a whole of government effort to halt Britain’s companies falling prey to overseas bids, says Andrew Griffith Mitie’s takeover by rival facilities management group OCS marks the London Stock Exchange’s eleventh £1bn takeover so far this year. That’s before the Prologis bid for Segro. The cry will go up about the London Stock [...]
Is ABBA Voyage suitable for children? You bet it is! July 23, 2026 It’s one of those questions that follows a person for a lifetime: what was your first gig? The Spice Girls at Wembley, since you asked – a fact at which I cringed during my goth phase but of which I am now proud. A young person’s first experience of live music is a defining moment [...]
Aspire’s David Collyer: my curry catastrophe at the Cinnamon Club July 23, 2026 Square Mile and Me: We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, David Collyer, global senior vice president at Aspire, on being a Ferrari fan and a curry catastrophe What was your first job? A paper round – I used to dread Sundays because of the broadsheets but it’s where [...]
Wetherspoon shares dive as pub chain warns on profit again July 22, 2026 JD Wetherspoon shares slumped after it issued its fourth profit warning this year, as the pub chain grapples with surging food and energy costs and a rising business rates bill. Tim Martin, founder and chairman of the UK’s best-known pub chain, said: “Profits for the year are likely to be below market expectations, with marginally [...]
Stop peer pressuring young people into the student debt swindle July 22, 2026 One in four graduates will end up worse off than they would have been had they not gone to university, but that’s not just down to imperfect information, it’s down to expectations that need to change, says Paul Ormerod The holiday season is now in full swing. Relaxation for most, but in many households tensions [...]
The Debate: should Andy Burnham have made a woman his Chancellor? July 22, 2026 Rachel Reeves was proud to be Britain’s first female Chancellor but the Labour party have still never had a female leader. So should Burnham have put a woman in the finance brief? Two writers go head to head… Yes: economic leadership should reflect the economy it serves Labour doesn’t need a female Chancellor simply for [...]
Prologis pursuit of Segro descends into silver-haired scrap July 22, 2026 Prologis’s attempt to take over Segro has descended into a spat over the age of its chief executives as the US firm looks to convince the FTSE 100 company’s shareholders to accept its offer, City AM can reveal. New York-listed Prologis, the world’s largest listed real estate company, has warned Segro’s investors that 65-year-old boss [...]