What a science tour of Wales taught me about time, the earth – and my nan July 21, 2025 The history of time, and a touching family connection, brought Damien Gabet closer than ever to rural Wales During the war my grandmother, Gwyneth, would walk from her parents’ farm in the South Swansea Valley to a neo-gothic mansion called Craig-y-Nos. Once home to the fabled opera singer Adelina Patti, it had since become a [...]
Private equity boom: Nearly 9 in 10 accountancy firms approached last year July 21, 2025 The interest in UK accountancy firms from private equity houses is at an all-time high, as exclusive data revealed the appetite for 'a major injection of funds' is on both sides
HMRC cracks down on tax-avoiding restaurants and takeaways July 21, 2025 HMRC has put the restaurant sector firmly in its sights as it tries to hit ambitious targets set by the government. It has ‘named and shamed’ 98 restaurant businesses in a single day, according to accountants Hacker Young. The firms owe a collective £10.4m in unpaid tax and HMRC has issued them with a total of [...]
Mayor of London announces £1.4m sports fund for capital July 19, 2025 The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has this morning announced a £1.4m cash injection for community sport across the capital. Khan, currently in Africa on a trade mission, confirmed the fund in South Africa, alongside England Rugby World Cup Winner Jason Leonard OBE’s charity Atlas Foundation. The round of funding forms part of Go! [...]
Old Pulteney unveils its oldest-ever whisky July 18, 2025 Old Pulteney has revealed Polaris, a one-of-a-kind 47-year-old single malt whisky, ahead of the distillery’s bicentennial in 2026. The whisky will be exclusively available through the Distillers One of One Charity Auction in October 2025. Polaris stands as the oldest expression ever released by the coastal distillery based in Wick, Scotland. It has been matured [...]
A new LISA life: why the lifetime ISA needs reform July 18, 2025 While the Treasury Committee has criticised the Lifetime ISA (LISA) as poor value for money, helping young people get on the housing ladder remains a worthwhile goal, says Oliver Dean The Treasury Committee has raised valid concerns about the Lifetime ISA’s (LISA) value for money, concluding that in its current form the scheme is not [...]
Government to lower voting age to 16 and tighten donation rules July 17, 2025 The government will lower the voting age to 16 at the next election and tighten checks on political donations in sweeping reforms aimed at “restoring trust” in democracy and elections. In democratic changes led by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, the government said it would tighten rules on foreign donations to political parties, which it [...]
Lunchtime Tourism: The secrets of the Gherkin at St Mary Axe July 17, 2025 St Mary Axe is a five-minute walk from the commemorative plaque dedicated to the Aldgate Station 7/7 victims. There, in the shadow of one of London’s most famous buildings, is another monument to the innocent, an echo from our ancient past. The Gherkin, designed by starchitect Sir Norman Foster, changed the way we think [...]
Dubai first-time buyer scheme hopes to lure Brits, and keep them July 17, 2025 A new first-time buyer scheme in Dubai will keep expats in the country for longer and is likely to help lure even more ambitious Brits priced out of the property UK market to the gulf state, property experts in the Emirate have said. The city state’s Land Department unveiled its first formal programme to help [...]
The Debate: Should we turn empty City office blocks into nightlife venues? July 16, 2025 A new report has imagined a future where ravers head to the disused office blocks of the City on the weekends. Is it madness or genius?