Rolex sponsored Wimbledon stars made to pay for own watches July 9, 2025 A Rolex sponsorship or ambassadorial contract is widely seen as a must-have endorsement by aspiring young tennis players, yet such deals can prove to be a mixed blessing. Such is the value and scarcity of the Swiss luxury watches that their endorsement department operates a strictly enforced tier system, with only their A-list clients such [...]
Starmer’s biggest barrier to growth is the Labour party July 7, 2025 A year into Labour rule, the UK economy shows resilience despite government missteps, but Starmer’s statist instincts and fiscal misfires risk stalling the very growth he promises to deliver, says Eliot Wilson Sir Keir Starmer has little in common with Liz Truss, but the two Prime Ministers agreed on one issue: the UK will only [...]
State pension could face insolvency by 2036 despite tax hikes July 6, 2025 Britain’s state pension could become financially unsustainable as early as 2036, despite recent increases in National Insurance contributions, according to new modelling by the Adam Smith Institute (ASI). The think tank warned the Treasury is on course to spend more on welfare payouts than it receives in National Insurance receipts within just over a decade. [...]
Taxpayers on the hook for at least £1bn after Lindsey oil refinery closure July 4, 2025 British taxpayers could be forced to pay up more than £1bn following the collapse of the Lindsey oil refinery in North Lincolnshire last week. Sources told the Times HMRC is owed unpaid taxes of around £250m, while the facility’s decomissioning costs could run from anywhere between £700m and £3bn. At least 420 jobs were put [...]
Government calls for investigation as Lindsey refinery owner folds July 1, 2025 The government has called for an urgent investigation after the group behind one of Britain’s largest oil refineries collapsed into administration, putting hundreds of jobs at risk. State Oil – the parent company of Prax Group, which owns the Lindsey refinery in North Lincolnshire – appointed administrators on Monday. A separate winding-up order has also [...]
Scrapping al fresco dining in Northcote Rd proves Labour hates fun June 24, 2025 Labour-run Wandsworth council has scrapped a popular pedestrianisation scheme, and Conservatives are fighting back.
Retail and construction lead insolvencies as UK firms in ‘perilous position’ June 20, 2025 Wholesale and retail traders and construction firms accounted for nearly a third of all insolvencies seen in the 12 months to April. Data published by the Insolvency Service has pointed to a further concerning trend in the UK economy as the number of companies insolvencies in May grew eight per cent month-on-month. The number of [...]
Reeves’ tax hikes lead to spike in pubs going bust June 16, 2025 The series of tax hikes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Autumn Budget last year has contributed to a spike in pubs going bust across the UK in April, according to new figures. A total of 67 pubs closed down during the month – the highest number since July 2024 when 75 entered insolvency [...]
Metro Bank receives private equity-backed takeover interest June 14, 2025 High street lender Metro Bank has been approached for a takeover which could take it off the London Stock Exchange, Sky News has reported. Bosses at Metro Bank have reportedly been approached in the last two weeks by private equity firm Pollen Street about an offer to take it private. The takeover would follow a [...]
Gino D’Acampo: Restaurant empire’s huge debts revealed before rescue June 9, 2025 The company behind TV chef Gino D’Acampo’s restaurant empire owed more than £11m as it collapsed into administration, it has been revealed. Upmarket Leisure Ltd, which controlled the former This Morning star’s venues, was served with a wind-up petition by HMRC in March and moved to appoint an administrator before being saved in a £5m [...]