Silence over lamb: The terrible politics of the dinner table April 12, 2025 Why is the dinner table the setting for so many epic family battles? Anna Wolfe explores the psychology of dining and asks if boomers and Gen-Z are destined to clash over roast potatoes Sunday lunch, a cherished ritual where families gather to share a meal, exchange pleasantries, and, more often than not, step into a conversational [...]
Trump, tariffs and GDP: How do you forecast uncertainty? April 12, 2025 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), one of the UK’s central forecasters, prepared itself for President Trump’s tariff war – or at least partially. At a presentation after Chancellor Reeves’ Spring Statement, OBR chair Richard Hughes admitted the fiscal watchdog’s central forecast risked being completely undermined by global events. Hughes came up with three possible [...]
L’Oreal: UK sales top £1.5bn for the first time April 11, 2025 Sales at the UK arm of L’Oreal topped £1.5bn for the first time in 2024 as its profit continued to surge, it has been revealed. The division of the French cosmetics giant has posted a turnover of £1.55bn for its latest 12 months, up from the £1.43bn it reported for 2023. New accounts filed with [...]
Britannia: Millionaire ‘Asylum King’ hotel tycoon rakes in the cash April 11, 2025 The millionaire hotel tycoon dubbed the ‘Asylum King’ is still raking in the cash despite his Britannia chain being ranked the worst in the UK. Alex Langsam founded Britannia Hotels in 1976 after opening his first site in Manchester. Langsam remains the company’s chief executive and largest shareholder while his empire also extends to budget [...]
Consumer confidence flattens as recovery stalls despite wage growth April 11, 2025 Consumer confidence was flat in the first quarter of the year despite high wage growth, as economic uncertainty weighs on Brits. Overall consumer confidence rose 0.3 percentage points in the first three months of 2025, with sentiment towards the UK economy at its lowest level in over a year, according to Deloitte. “The consumer recovery [...]
Welcome to the era of the £6 pint April 11, 2025 The average price of a pint in London is set to hit £6.06, almost £1 over the national average. Our pubs urgently need business rates reform to save jobs and boost growth, says Emma McClarkin British pubs have been hit as hard as any business by the government’s economic policies, and it’s starting to cost [...]
Life on the edge: A deep dive into the crazy world of Margate April 10, 2025 Five years ago, some dilapidated public urinals in a park in Margate were sold at auction by the council to a private bidder for £11,000. The shabby little structure is barely visible from the path, a graffitied block hidden behind shrubs with weeds winding through the roof and floor. The original glazed urinals are exposed [...]
Tesco: Supermarket giant’s profit beats City expectations but ‘trolley wars’ hit outlook April 10, 2025 Supermarket giant Tesco has beaten profit expectations as it continues to speed ahead in the competitive UK grocery market, but it warned that high competition will affect profit next year. Tesco shares slumped more than seven per cent in early deals. The UK’s biggest supermarket told markets this morning that group adjusted operating profit rose [...]
Bionow Awards honour our greatest Innovators April 9, 2025 The Bionow Awards are given to honour those most deserving for their ingenuity and dedication, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition. With a prestigious history of more than 20 years, the awards have become the leading life sciences accolades in the UK; highlighting the achievements of the sector, shining a [...]
City slashes UK growth forecasts radically in wake of Trump tariffs April 9, 2025 City forecasters have radically cut UK growth forecasts as President Donald Trump’s tariffs are widely expected to cause great damage to the global economy. Markets across Europe are sliding again today after tariffs came into effect, a clear sign that economists and investors are fearing hits to profit. New research by the polling firm Consensus [...]