Franco Manca shuts 16 restaurants, blaming ‘disproportionate’ taxes April 15, 2026 Franco Manca has taken aim at “disproportionately high” taxes facing the hospitality sector after the pizza parlour shut 16 restaurants in a structural overhaul. The privately-owned restaurant chain said it is suffering from high VAT and “significant” hikes to national insurance and minimum wages, with the site closures to cost hundreds of jobs. The move [...]
Pizza king points to youth joblessness as restaurant group eyes takeovers April 15, 2026 The boss of restaurant group Bow Street raised concerns over youth joblessness as the firm behind Dim T slipped into an annual loss, but outlined his dealmaking plans. David Page, now the chief executive of the Aim-listed firm, is a former boss of Pizza Express and played a key role in the expansion of Franco [...]
Standard Life snaps up Aegon UK for £2bn to create savings giant April 15, 2026 Standard Life has snapped up the UK’s largest investment platform Aegon UK in a £2bn deal. The FTSE 100 giant – previously known as Phoenix Group – said the deal would create the UK’s top retirement savings and income business with near 16m customers and £480bn in assets under administration. Standard Life expects an annual [...]
Britain is far poorer than people think April 15, 2026 Most Brits do not realise they are poorer than the average Americans, Swiss, Australians or Singaporeans. When asked to rank the UK among 50 US states on GDP per capita, on average people placed the UK 7th, richer than 43 states. The truth is far more miserable – we are last, says Callum Price There’s [...]
AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc Announces Pricing of Capped Cash Tender Offers for Part of Its 3.375% Notes Due 2028, 3.750% Notes Due 2030 and 6.500% Notes Due 2040 April 14, 2026 AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc (the “Offeror”), a company incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man, announces today the pricing of the previously announced capped cash tender offers that the Offeror commenced on March 30, 2026 (the “Offers”), for up to $650,000,000 aggregate purchase price (exclusive of Accrued Interest), for part of its outstanding [...]
IMF slaps UK with biggest growth downgrade of any G7 country April 14, 2026 The UK economy has suffered the biggest growth forecast downgrade of any country in the G7 in the International Monetary Fund’s spring economic outlook report, dealing a blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she struggles to overcome setbacks sparked by the Iran war. Growth this year was revised down by 0.5 percentage points as trade [...]
AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc Announces Early Results of Capped Cash Tender Offers for Part of Its 3.375% Notes Due 2028, 3.750% Notes Due 2030 and 6.500% Notes Due 2040 April 14, 2026 AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc (the “Offeror”), a company incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man, announces today the early results of the previously announced capped cash tender offers that the Offeror commenced on March 30, 2026 (the “Offers”), for up to $650,000,000 aggregate purchase price (exclusive of Accrued Interest), for part of its [...]
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Names Jessica Kirby Country Manager, UK, and Chris Nixon Head of Executive & Professional Lines, UK April 14, 2026 Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) today announced the promotion of Jessica Kirby to Country Manager, UK, subject to regulatory approval. She succeeds Nick Major, who is retiring from the company and the London Market. “Jess has been instrumental in building our Executive & Professional Lines business and bringing the full value of BHSI’s tailored solutions, [...]
From Jaffa Cakes to National Insurance: How to fix Britain’s mad tax system – according to the experts April 14, 2026 In its latest report, the OECD scolded the UK for its illogical and growth-impeding tax system. Ali Lyon speaks to five tax experts to work out how to fix it. Potato crisps and their corn chip cousins are – as indulgent savoury snacks go – undeniably similar. They taste alike and are a similar size. [...]
The government is about to find out you can’t please the people and the bond markets April 14, 2026 In the next phase of the Iran crisis, investors will demand fiscal discipline; electorates will demand intervention. In a supply-driven stagflationary environment, it may be impossible to satisfy both, says Helen Thomas A severe physical supply shock is rippling through the global economy and unlike recent crises, this is not one policymakers can easily offset. [...]