Greene King boss: Pub industry ‘reaching breaking point’ October 20, 2026 The finance boss of Greene King has warned that soaring taxes and employment costs have pushed the UK’s hospitality industry to “breaking point”. Jonathan Fearn, finance chief of the privately-owned pub chain, said decisions taken by the Labour government have “created a cocktail of costs, which have made it ever harder for a pub to [...]
When will Burnham bring his whole self to work? October 20, 2026 There have been relatively few Budget leaks ahead of next week’s fiscal event but the little we have been able to discern, while still technically in the realms of speculation, has been depressing. The latest suggestion – that people handing over the reins of a family business to the next generation could be hit with [...]
Sir James Dyson calls for more ‘technical universities’ to help Neets October 19, 2026 Sir James Dyson has called for “a new wave of technical universities” to be opened in the UK in order to boost young people’s skills. Dyson has endorsed a report by Policy Exchange demanding the opening of new engineering and construction qualifications in order to reduce the number of young people not in employment, education [...]
BOSS PARFUMS and HYROX Announce Multi-Year International Partnership Across Europe to Celebrate Performance, Ambition and Personal Success October 19, 2026 BOSS PARFUMS, part of Coty’s prestige beauty portfolio, and HYROX, the world’s largest fitness racing series, have announced a multi-year international partnership across DACH, UK&I, Spain, the Nordics, Benelux, and Poland. The collaboration combines the global reach of HYROX, expected to attract more than 2 million participants during the 2026/27 season, with the ambition, confidence, [...]
B&M joins battle to ‘cherry pick’ Poundland stores in sale October 19, 2026 Discount retailer B&M has joined the tussle to pick off select Poundland stores as its Boston-based owner Gordon Brothers eyes a rushed sale of the company. London-listed B&M European Value Retail is interested in acquiring a small number of Poundland stores, should the retailer be broken up if a buyer for the whole company is [...]
FCA sounds the alarm on rise of unregulated AI financial advice October 19, 2026 The City watchdog is calling on AI providers to go further in protecting consumers as more people turn to the technology to make financial decisions. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is urging AI firms to do more to help consumers who are increasingly relying on generic platforms and chatbots, such as Gemini and Chat GPT, [...]
Tories call for urgent action on youth unemployment in Budget October 18, 2026 Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately has said the government needs to “take action in the Budget” to “back businesses to employ more young people”, referring the one million young people who are not in employment, education or training (Neets). Talking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, Whately said the Labour party have [...]
HMRC investigations into football net extra £110m October 16, 2026 HMRC investigations into the UK’s football industry netted the organisation an extra £110m last season, new data has claimed. A total of 68 tax investigations were opened in the year to April across players, clubs and agents – down on 118 from the previous accounting period – and netted an extra £110m for HMRC coffers, [...]
Are NIMBYs or migration driving the UK’s housing shortage? October 16, 2026 NIMBYs and rising migration have both been blamed for the UK's housing shortage. What's the actual problem, asks Ben Hopkinson.
Lidl eyes Poundland bargain as sale of discount retailer ramps up October 15, 2026 Discount supermarket Lidl has tabled a bid for a single Poundland shop in the hope of scooping up more stores if the retailer is broken up, City AM has learned. The German grocery chain has put in an offer to Gordon Brothers, which owns the retailer, in which it would initially buy one store if [...]