Beware of the big promises of AI – we’ve been here before November 18, 2024 AI hype is everywhere, but we've been here before. Ian Whittaker prescribes a healthy dose of scepticism in today's Notebook.
Pressure on incomes helps B&M grow as value retailer targets 1,200 stores November 14, 2024 Value retailer B&M Bargains has posted a tick-up in revenue as demand for bargain goods has remained high amid pressure on incomes and a higher tax burden. The Liverpool-based group, which included Heron Foods, said group revenue in the half year to 28 September increased by 3.7 per cent to £2.6bn. While this is lower than growth last [...]
Homebase sold in rescue deal to CDS but 2,000 jobs still at risk November 13, 2024 Homebase has been sold in a rescue deal to retailer CDS in a move securing up to 1,600 jobs and 70 stores, administrator Teneo has said, but around 2,000 workers and 49 shops still remain at risk.
Working mothers will pay for Labour’s tax rises November 13, 2024 Employers’ national insurance hikes will increase the cost of childcare and put nurseries out of business, making life for working mothers even harder than it already is, says Alys Denby Governments are notoriously bad at picking winners, but Britain is about to find out what happens when leaders are more interested in picking losers. From [...]
Rachel Reeves needs to get real with the fact that we have become too cautious November 13, 2024 Before the election, Rachel Reeves said she would “unashamedly champion” financial services “as one of the UK’s greatest assets”. This was music to the ears of our sector and the early signs in government have been positive. The question now is: what will this mean in practice? What is the Chancellor’s vision for financial services [...]
The Notebook: The consequences of spending, spending, spending November 11, 2024 Staggering government spending has become the norm since the pandemic, but the consequences are coming, writes Kokou Agbo Bloua.
Pizza Pilgrims’ co-founder on creating the perfect base for strong growth November 8, 2024 Pizza Pilgrim's co-founder Thom Elliot has hospitality in his veins. In just over a decade, he and his brother James have gone from growing up above a pub in Cornwall to opening their 25th pizzeria this November.
Labour’s ‘growth’ agenda already looks like a bad joke November 7, 2024 Well, that didn’t take long to unravel: the first Labour Budget for nearly 15 years, and the first ever by a female chancellor, saw the parallels with Kwasi Kwarteng’s infamous 2022 mini-Budget emerging within hours. The comparison was misguided, although the jittery reaction of financial investors and rise in government funding costs told its own [...]
Marks and Spencer shares up on double-digit growth as turnaround pays off November 6, 2024 Marks and Spencer has reported another bumper set of results ahead of the golden quarter as its turnaround plan continues to pay off. The company’s share price rose by nearly five per cent in early trades and reached a level not seen since 2016. Profit before tax rose 17.2 per cent to £407.8m, up £348.1m [...]
Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first Budget in 14 years, announcing £40bn of tax rises, Central London Alliance comments November 1, 2024 Given the straitened public finances it is understandable to leave no stone unturned when looking to balance the books, and we welcome the much-needed investment in the public services. But business owners, the ones creating jobs, are paying this bill. The likely outcome; job losses. Business owners are the lifeblood of the economy, driving growth [...]