The Notebook: Jimmy McLoughlin on Nick Hungerford’s legacy, the decline of City events and the PM’s chess move August 8, 2023 Where interesting people say interesting things. Today, it’s Jimmy McLoughlin, former No 10 advisor and now podcast host. Cause or correlation? Either way, a charity worth supporting Nick Hungerford, the well-liked and respected entrepreneur behind Nutmeg, passed away last month aged just 42. Before he died, he and his wife set up a charity – [...]
Retail investors poised to spend near £100m on Oxford Street this year August 7, 2023 Retail investment in central London is expected to exceed £1bn this year, with up to a tenth of that set to be spent on Oxford Street, raising fresh hope for the future of the London shopping destination. Some £810m was splurged on retail investments across London in the first half of the year, new figures [...]
None for the road: Takeaway pints banned as Home Office ends pub pandemic scheme August 7, 2023 Bad news for punters who enjoy a cold pint on the go as the government has decided to put an end to the Covid-19 scheme which allowed pubs to sell takeaway pints. Pubs were allowed to sell alcoholic drinks in plastic cups to customers on the street in 2020, when businesses could not trade normally [...]
FTSE 100 close: London flat after US jobs figures fuels Fed rate speculation August 7, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 opened the week in sluggish fashion as investors take in fears across the pond that the Fed could hike rates again. The capital’s premier blue chip index closed on 7,556.41 points, 0.11 per cent down, while the FTSE 250, which is more aligned with the domestic market, was also broadly flat on [...]
More support with energy bills unlikely this winter, admits Grant Shapps August 7, 2023 Grant Shapps has warned households are unlikely to receive fresh support from the government this winter for their energy bills.
Last orders! Rate of pub closures reaches decade high as rate hikes and inflation bites August 7, 2023 The number of pub closures in the UK reached its highest quarterly figure in over a decade, new data reveals, as soaring costs force more of the country’s local watering holes to close their doors for good. Some 223 pub businesses entered insolvency in the second quarter of this year, up from 200 in the [...]
A nation driving innovation – why the UK is still a great place for global fintech companies August 4, 2023 Martin Heraghty, Regional Director Europe, Paymentology As an international financial powerhouse, the UK – and in particular London – is a great place for a fintech company to be based – even when times are tough. Despite the economic fallout of Brexit, soaring inflation and the cost of living crisis, the UK is still ranked [...]
FTSE 100 close: London markets flat as WPP shares slide on tumbling profits August 4, 2023 FTSE 100 was flat on Friday ending the week in subdued fashion, as advertising giant WPP’s tumbling profits led to its share price sliding. London’s flagship index was hovering between being up and dipping into the red throughout the day, and finished up at the close by almost half of one per cent. Meanwhile the [...]
Faberge boss eggs on UK to bring back tax-free shopping to lure back wealthy tourists August 3, 2023 The boss of Faberge has joined calls for the UK to scrap the so-called ‘tourist tax’, which a new study has claimed is costing the UK over £10bn a year. Faberge chief Anthony Lindsay has urged for the return of tax-free shopping after a recent study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) [...]
Bank of England lifts interest rates to fresh 15 year high in smaller than feared 14th straight hike August 3, 2023 The Bank of England today hiked the UK’s official interest rate for the 14th time in a row but by a lower degree than some had feared. Members of the nine-strong monetary policy committee (MPC) voted 6-3 in favour of a 25 basis point rise, smaller than the 50 basis point lift some in the [...]