Spring Statement 2025: Reeves urged to fund Bakerloo Line and HS2 Euston March 24, 2025 London’s property sector has called on Rachel Reeves to introduce new funding models in the Spring Statement to prevent critical transport projects, such as HS2 Euston in the UK capital from stalling. The London Property Alliance, which represents real estate developers and investors, said the government “must be bold” if it wants to move forward [...]
Colliers label business rates bill ‘poorly thought out’ and ‘growth strangling’ March 24, 2025 Commercial real estate agents Colliers has said the Government’s business rates bill will strangle growth rather than succeeding in saving the high street. The Non-Domestic Rates Bill is currently on its third reading in the House of Lords before being sent back to the Commons. “The Government is rushing through Parliament new business rates legislation [...]
Buy Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey ahead of Spring Statement says broker March 24, 2025 Investment bank Jefferies has said investors should ‘Buy’ shares in UK housebuilders like Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey ahead of this week’s Spring Statement. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to present her Spring Statement later this week. Due to her commitment to just one major fiscal event, it was intended as an update rather than a [...]
Blackpool Pleasure Beach to close rides as costs spiral March 24, 2025 High inflation, interest rates and “significant increases” in the minimum wage have made turning a profit “harder to achieve”, the owner of Blackpool Pleasure Beach has said as it fell back into the red. The attraction, which dates back to 1896, also said the rising costs will force it to close some rides this year [...]
200,000 jobs to go after Labour’s inheritance tax raid March 24, 2025 Family owned businesses and farms across the UK are cutting jobs, halting investment and selling assets to stay afloat in response to sweeping tax changes. According to research by CBI-Economics, commissioned by Family Business UK, the government’s move to cap business property relief (BPR) and reform agricultural property relief (APR) has triggered a wave of [...]
Average price of pint to surge above £5 due to April cost hikes, say beer bosses March 24, 2025 The average price of a pint of beer is set to surge past £5 for the first time due to cost hikes hitting the sector next month, according to industry bosses. Pub sector chiefs have warned that prices for customers will have to increase in order to help keep venues running in the face of [...]
What NOT to expect in the Spring Statement March 24, 2025 The Spring Statement shouldn’t be a big thing, but it’s increasingly feeling like it could be. Here's what Reeves should do, but won't.
WPP bets big on AI to regain industry leadership March 22, 2025 Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just reshaping industries, it’s upending them. Nowhere is this more evident than in advertising, where AI is reshaping how brands create, deliver and optimise campaigns. While many firms are still finding their feet with AI, WPP is claiming it has hit the ground running. For the global communications giant, the AI [...]
London’s store closures finally return to pre-pandemic levels March 21, 2025 Retail closures in London stabilised last year after rising during the pandemic, according to a new survey. The capital lost about a store a day last year, with five stores closing and four new stores opening, according to PwC. Head of retail at PWC Jacqueline Windsor said the figures indicated “cautious optimism” for UK retail. [...]
Pershing Square: Deutsche Numis upgrades FTSE 100 trust March 21, 2025 Deutsche Numis has upgraded FTSE 100 trust Pershing Square, run by infamous hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, to a ‘buy’. In a research note, analysts upgraded three trusts to a ‘buy’: £8.1bn Pershing Square, £273.5m Aurora UK Alpha and £436.9m Schroder Asian Total Return. “Pershing Square benefits from a manager with a strong long-term track [...]