Europe’s boardroom pay gap with North America narrows amid battle for expertise September 15, 2026 European financial institutions have aggressively closed the transatlantic pay gap at board level, driven by efforts to attract top-tier and specialist talent as boards face into a growing range of complex challenges. An EY analysis of more than 2,000 financial sector directors shows European non-executive remuneration surged 10 per cent in 2025, more than double [...]
Global city rankings: London shines but appeal ‘hurt’ by cost of housing September 15, 2026 London’s ‘quality of life’ score has been dragged down by a housing affordability crisis as workers spend more as a share of their income on housing than residents of “nearly every city in the world”, a new report has found. The latest Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics found that Londoners’ financial wellbeing was hindered [...]
How much do regulations cost the average UK business in 2026? September 14, 2026 No one single regulation is responsible for businesses' current woes. The accumulation of taxes has become greater than the sum of its parts.
Claridge’s swings to £10m loss as luxury hotel warns on ‘adverse impact’ of tax hikes September 11, 2026 Claridge’s has suffered a loss of just under £10m as the iconic London business warned government tax hikes were taking their toll. The five-star Mayfair hotel, which opened its doors in 1898 before expanding via a five storey ‘mega basement’ in 2021, recorded a loss after tax of £9.7m for 2025, reversing a £2m profit [...]
Why middle eastern capital is becoming part of London’s fintech story September 11, 2026 London has spent years building one of the world’s most sophisticated fintech ecosystems. Its strength comes not only from technology, but from the combination of capital, financial expertise, regulation, legal infrastructure and access to international markets. Increasingly, another element is becoming part of that story: investment and commercial interest from the Middle East. Across the [...]
Wetherspoon boss: ‘Not up to Burnham’ to choose who is on the high street September 11, 2026 Britain’s pubs have few more committed defenders than Sir Tim Martin. The Norwich-born businessman founded JD Wetherspoon in 1979 when he bought his first pub in Muswell Hill, initially named Martin’s Free House. Since rebranding the pub to Wetherspoon – named after a former teacher of Martin’s who could not control his class – it [...]
UK economy grew unexpectedly after Burnham took over as Prime Minister September 11, 2026 The UK economy had surprise growth in the month Andy Burnham became Prime Minister. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed GDP expanded 0.4 per cent in July, racing ahead of City economists’ forecast of zero growth. This was led by 0.4 per cent growth in the UK’s mammoth services sector, [...]
KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to UK Logistics 2026-4 DAC September 10, 2026 KBRA UK (KBRA) is pleased to announce the assignment of preliminary ratings to five classes of UK Logistics 2026-4 DAC, a CMBS single-borrower transaction. The collateral for the transaction is a £613.7 million limited recourse, first lien mortgage loan expected to be originated by Barclays Bank PLC in September 2026. The floating-rate loan is expected [...]
London hotels call on GLA to halt overnight visitor levy plans September 10, 2026 The London Hotel Association is calling on the Greater London Authority (GLA) to pause progress towards the proposed Overnight Visitor Levy (OVL), warning that implementation is moving ahead before the potential economic, commercial and operational consequences have been properly assessed. Following a recent meeting with the GLA, a collective of London hotels from the London [...]
Dave’s Wine Bar: Why I think it’s a Toast the City star September 10, 2026 Dave’s Wine Bar is one of our Toast the City finalists. Libby Brodie visits to find out what makes it such a special drinking den Dave’s Wine Bar is tucked up St James Passage, a handily central space for a glass of great wine in the City. Named for David Howden, the CEO of Howden [...]