The UK’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest in nearly fifty years but workers are still suffering sharp falls in real income as wage growth lags behind soaring inflation. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the country’s jobless rate dropped to 3.7 per cent from 3.8 per cent in the […]
Greggs has revealed that its sales in large cities and locations near offices are lagging behind those elsewhere in the UK as a result of the shift to home working. Roger Whiteside, the outgoing chief executive of the bakery chain, said transaction numbers in city centres were 10% below pre-Covid levels. “There are less people […]
A Cotswold-based authentic Italian food business set up by a couple who initially dreamed of sharing the classic flavours of Italy with the local community is showing no signs of stopping — having expanded its operation to two professional kitchens in just four years, alongside its first restaurant opening next month. Business owners Clara Cardillo […]
Tesco is to hand pig farmers £6.6m in additional support, taking the total to £10m, after warnings that a slew of producers could go out of business. The UK’s biggest supermarket said farmers would get £6.6m until August on top of £3.4m handed out since March under an “accelerated and enhanced payment plan”, after being […]
Ofgem has come under fire for extending rules that will effectively prevent energy suppliers from offering deals that are significantly cheaper than the price cap if wholesale costs fall. Martin Lewis, of MoneySavingExpert, said that the changes “sell consumers down the river” and were “killing hopes of firms launching cheaper deals”. Citizens Advice, the […]
A right royal knees-up might be occurring at the palace, but four in ten of Britain’s workers won’t be off work on the Queen’s platinum jubilee bank holiday. According to a recent survey 18% confessed they will miss out completely while one in ten are planning on taking it another day. And a further […]
The UK’s biggest business membership organisation, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), has launched a flagship new digital resources hub to support and encourage LGBT+ entrepreneurship, and promote inclusivity in workplaces. FSB’s ‘Let’s Grow Business Together’ initiative has been backed by the government’s Equalities Minister, Mike Freer MP. It is also backed by prominent […]
Home improvement business Screwfix is to create 800 retail jobs by January as part of plans to open 80 new shops across the UK and Ireland. The retailer’s sales were boosted during the pandemic as locked-down Britons hired tradespeople to spruce up their properties and gardens. Screwfix and B&Q owner Kingfisher enjoyed profits of […]
Lifestyle brand Made.com lowered its expectations for the rest of 2022, with both gross sales and revenue expected to drop 15 per cent and seven per cent respectively. These projected figures differ from the initial zero per cent and eight per cent expected in sales and revenue this year. Although MADE’s performance has remained […]
Too many entrepreneurs fail due to lack of research and attitude to hard graft, an investor in UK startups has warned. “We’ve had people using five-year future valuations, saying ‘my company will be worth £25 million in 2027, that’s my valuation, and we want £500,000 investment now’. Jeb Buckler is the founder and CEO […]