Forget medal targets, Winter Olympics success will be decided on sofas not ski slopes February 5, 2026 Sports fans have a feast of action, from the Winter Olympics to the Six Nations and the T20 World Cup, to gorge on over the coming days, writes Ed Warner. Have you planned your viewing schedule for the next few days? Pushed the football to the margins of your calendar for once? Six Nations opener [...]
Anthropic’s new tool raises bar for legal AI startups February 5, 2026 A dramatic shift is underway in the legal tech landscape as AI advancements disrupt traditional industry leaders. This comes as the traditional research and analytics software businesses saw billions wiped out from their market share this week after Anthropic announced its new AI. San Francisco-based AI giant Anthropic, the firm behind chatbot Claude, revealed on [...]
‘Investors are nervous’ – will Google and OpenAI follow Anthropic with legal tools? February 4, 2026 Anthropic’s release of a legal plugin was “inevitable,” says the CEO of legal AI firm Wexler, who adds that investors’ surprising reaction may be due to nerves and a desire to find a reason to sell. Tech giant Anthropic unveiled a new tool aimed directly at in-house lawyers on Tuesday, but the move rattled investors, [...]
Capping ground rents is no way to help leaseholders February 4, 2026 The government’s plans to reform leasehold will deter investment in property and leave flat owners to pay the bill for the building safety agenda, says Natalie Chambers Governments in market economies are generally cautious about interfering in existing contracts, for good reason. Once that principle is weakened, confidence is difficult to restore. The draft Commonhold [...]
Drinks firms ‘have no choice’ but to increase prices, say industry bosses January 31, 2026 Top drinks businesses “have no choice” but to increase prices after facing steep cost hikes from rising alcohol duty, industry leaders have warned. In November’s autumn budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that alcohol duty would increase in line with Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation. It means that the tax charged on alcoholic drinks will increase [...]
Only pubs set to benefit from business rates U-turn as hoteliers barred January 21, 2026 Pubs will be the only businesses to benefit from the government’s business rates U-turn as other hospitality firms will be shut out from tax relief, Rachel Reeves has hinted. The Chancellor told reporters at Davos that pubs face a different situation to the rest of the sector, likely meaning hotels and other hospitality businesses will [...]
Next seals deal to acquire Russell & Bromley January 21, 2026 High street giant Next has stepped in to buy shoe seller Russell & Bromley in the latest in a string of acquisitions by the FTSE 100 retail giant. The sale will see Next acquire the Russell & Bromley brand, and three of its stores in Chelsea, Mayfair and the Bluewater Shopping Centre, in exchange for [...]
Business health check: the five-point plan to sharpen 2026 performance January 20, 2026 Businesses thrive on certainty, something that is frequently in short supply. That’s why now is a good time to check your business has the tools to withstand whatever the next 12 months might send your way. Prepare for what you know about – and what you don’t. Planning for the year requires getting comfortable with [...]
Sally Clarke’s Notting Hill bakery put up for sale after suffering losses January 16, 2026 A bakery business owned by seasoned restaurateur Sally Clarke has been put up for sale on an insolvency marketplace after suffering losses, City AM can reveal. The Notting Hill Bakery, which employs dozens of staff and makes nearly £6m per year selling artisan breads, cakes and cookies, is seeking buyers for all or part of [...]
Rising Fraud Puts Half of UK Retailers at Risk of Closing or Scaling Back in 2026, New Research From payabl. Finds January 16, 2026 Rising fraud is putting significant pressure on UK retailers, with half of businesses at risk of closing or scaling back in the year ahead, new research finds. The research from leading European financial technology provider payabl.’s Fraud in Europe report shows that the impact of fraud on retailer operations, margins and customer trust has become [...]