London to lose out on major local growth funding in Spending Review June 10, 2025 The London Mayor has doubled down on his crusade against the terms mandated by the Treasury’s Spending Review amid concerns over losing access to local growth funds. London and other English regions could lose access to the £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Growth Hub Funding, and the £4.8bn Levelling-Up Fund. A source close to the [...]
UK to miss out on tourism boom due to ‘layer upon layer’ of taxes June 4, 2025 UK tourism is at risk of suffering a decline as visitors are deciding against going to Britain due to the Treasury’s stringent tax policies, a key industry official has said, in the latest sign of the toll tax hikes are taking. Julia Simpson, the former British Airways chief who now heads up the World Travel [...]
Tourist tax: Lisa Nandy says Labour may ‘explore’ restoring VAT free shopping April 16, 2025 Lisa Nandy has said the government “could explore” restoring VAT free shopping after hearing “very loud and clear” the calls from the industry to scrap the so-called tourist tax. The culture, media and sport secretary told Elle UK magazine that fashion was in the “soul of the nation” and ministers recognised its “centrality” to the [...]
Harvey Nichols: Losses near £100m at luxury department store chain as sales fall April 1, 2025 Harvey Nichols has now lost almost £100m since it last made a pre-tax profit, it has been revealed, after being hit by the cost-of-living crisis and high inflation during its latest financial year. Delayed accounts for the iconic retailer, which was founded in 1831, have revealed its pre-tax loss went from £21.2m to £35.3m in [...]
Will rising costs kill off Savile Row’s renaissance? March 25, 2025 On a Wednesday morning earlier this month, there was plenty of activity on the shop floor at the Georgian townhouse that plays home to Richard James’ bespoke suit-making. One staff member is on the phone discussing colours and time frames, another getting a glass of water for a customer in the changing room, and smartly [...]
What NOT to expect in the Spring Statement March 24, 2025 The Spring Statement shouldn’t be a big thing, but it’s increasingly feeling like it could be. Here's what Reeves should do, but won't.
Andy Burnham slammed for Manchester tourist tax plans February 21, 2025 Andy Burnham has been slammed by the chief executive of UKHospitality after backing plans for a new tourist tax to be introduced in Manchester. The mayor of Greater Manchester said earlier this week that tourists visiting the city region should pay a “proper” mandatory “tourist levy”. He added that he wanted to see Manchester city [...]
Waterstones: Return to the office helps profit almost quadruple January 21, 2025 The return of employees to offices in major UK city centres helped profit almost quadruple at Waterstones during its latest financial year. The bookseller cited the trend of the return to work as a key factor in its pre-tax profit surging from £11.2m to £42.9m in the 12 months to 27 April, 2024. In newly-filed [...]
Kurt Geiger: Record holiday trading as US expansion pays off January 15, 2025 Growth at Kurt Geiger outpaced expectations last year driven by American demand for the luxury footwear and accessories brand. Despite general gloom in the retail sector, December 2024 was the most profitable month in the brand’s history, with its 17 per cent growth credited to a 54 per cent rise in handbag sales and its [...]
Eden Project losses nearly double despite visitors spike January 3, 2025 A spike in visitor numbers failed to stop Cornwall tourist attraction Eden Project falling deeper into the red during its latest financial year. The site welcomed more than 604,000 visitors in the year to 31 March, 2024, up from the over 551,000 who went there in the prior 12 months. As a result, Eden Project’s [...]