Business Live - UK Business news, analysis & Thought Leadership

'Real scale and a clear purpose': New B&M CEO Tjeerd Jegen has big ambitions for the discount retail giant Incoming boss has been leader at companies from Woolworths Australia to e-bike giant Accell Group

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Pub operator and brewery business Butcombe hails 'record' performance

Company Results

The group consists of more than 120 pubs, bars and inns across the South of England and Channel Islands

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Imperial Brands CEO Stefan Bomhard to step down

Stefan Bomhard joined the Bristol-headquartered tobacco giant in July 2020

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Evri to merge with DHL eCommerce in latest delivery sector consolidation

Evri and DHL eCommerce will merge, creating a business that is set to deliver over a billion parcels every year, with 30,000 couriers and 12,000 office staff, DHL said

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Make your working day better: University and HR experts team up to study the way we work

Better Working Lives research links the University of Salford with HR firm Peninsula

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Greggs to launch after-school and holiday care for families after 25 years of breakfast clubs

Newcastle-based bakery giant Greggs is set to introduce after-school and holiday care as well as other crisis support for families as it expands its community work

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Liverpool to Manchester rail line 'can balance UK economy' with £15bn boost

New line could provide better economic growth than anywhere else in the UK, Metro Mayors will argue today

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Motor retailer Vertu sees profits fall in year of significant challenges

The year saw cost reduction exercises in anticipation of Government-related cost pressures

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North East set for Government jobs boost as Whitehall roles move out to the regions

The Government wants 50% of UK-based senior civil servants to be based in regional offices by 2030

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JLR posts highest profit in a decade

Jaguar Land Rover

Car maker enjoys healthy sales and profits but cannot shake spectre of debt

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Jet2 opens fully-funded pilot training programme for 60 trainees

Boss Steve Heapy said he knows the cost of training is an obstacle to many who dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot

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10 photos that will inspire your next holiday

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Employment Corporate Britain needs to 'wake up' to potential talent of ex-offenders, charity boss says

Eva Hamilton MBE says horse therapy could ease strain on UK's prison system and is calling for government support

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More than third of major airports raise drop-off fees

The RAC has said it is "bordering on the ridiculous"

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Bank of England should cut interest rates to help households, says Monetary Policy Committee member

Bank Of England

Swati Dhingra said the Bank of England should cut interest rates in order to help stop the squeeze on living standards

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£62m battery energy storage development planned for Teesworks following EOS deal

The announcement comes on the back of a number of renewable energy projects set to come to the Teesworks site

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West Midlands gigafactory team says next Government must attract more battery investment to the UK

Greenpower Park says UK is falling behind other countries

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Enterprise

Professional Services North West insolvency activity outpaces rest of UK as high costs ‘pushing many firms to the brink’ Warning firms in hospitality sector are being particularly hard hit

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Amity Brew Co secures £150k funding amid brewery expansion

Founder Rich Degnan says the label hopes to reach a much wider customer base

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West Midlands firms see modest decline in new business - report

The latest NatWest Regional Growth Tracker also showed further reductions in output and jobs

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United Utilities' profit jumps significantly ahead of water bill hikes

The Warrington-headquartered firm, which serves customers in the North West of England, has also proposed an increase to its final dividend of 4.2 per cent to 34.6p.

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Housing association Beacon Cymru Group to build 500 new homes

It has secured a £115m new lending facility from NatWest to deliver the new homes as well as improving the energy efficiency of its existing housing portfolio

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Technology

By City AM Government urged to break up Apple and Google's duopoly over app stores

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) must be "beefed up" to deliver faster and more forceful interventions in digital markets, especially against "exploitative practices" like excessive commission fees charged by Apple and Google

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Filtronic scoops significant Airbus satellite contract with potential for more to come

It is another valuable European space sector deal for the North East firm

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Sage hails AI progress as it books substantial margin and earnings growth

Company Results

The global tech giant's Tyneside team has fundamental in developing its AI assistant, Sage Copilot

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Space Forge in biggest ever Series A fundraising round in the UK's space sector

The Cardiff-based start-up has secured a £22.6m investment from a consortium of global investors led by the NATO Innovation Fund

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US web hosting giant GoDaddy's UK division returns to profit after $70m loss

The Nottingham-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax profit of $4.2m (£3.15m) for 2024

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Retail Consumer

Retail & High Street 'Real scale and a clear purpose': New B&M CEO Tjeerd Jegen has big ambitions for the discount retail giant Incoming boss has been leader at companies from Woolworths Australia to e-bike giant Accell Group

Bookmark

Pub operator and brewery business Butcombe hails 'record' performance

Company Results

The group consists of more than 120 pubs, bars and inns across the South of England and Channel Islands

Bookmark

Greggs to launch after-school and holiday care for families after 25 years of breakfast clubs

Newcastle-based bakery giant Greggs is set to introduce after-school and holiday care as well as other crisis support for families as it expands its community work

Bookmark

Motor retailer Vertu sees profits fall in year of significant challenges

The year saw cost reduction exercises in anticipation of Government-related cost pressures

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Rolex, Patek Philippe and Omega at risk as US-Switzerland trade talks go down to the wire

Swiss watches are facing a 31 per cent tariff on US exports from July 1, but the country is locked in negotiations to avoid this scenario and save the luxury watch industry from chaos

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Commercial Property

West Midlands Property firm expands Birmingham presence with deal

Principle Estate Management has acquired a portfolio of sites from a rival business

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Listed landlord Grainger toasts rising revenues and profits buoyed by new openings

The Newcastle based listed landlord has seen recent openings in Oxford and Birmingham

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Vaulkhard Group snaps up Barluga to reinforce commitment to Newcastle’s hospitality scene

The transaction has been backed by a further £5.2m funding package from HSBC UK

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Housebuilder Persimmon sells broadband service FibreNest in £100m deal

The Persimmon board said it plans to use the proceeds from the sale to invest further in its growth strategy

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Thousands of civil service jobs to move to new Manchester 'flagship digital campus'

Commercial Property

Major regeneration scheme being developed on former retail park site

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Professional Services

By City AM Natwest shares hit decade high as government continues to reduce stake

The government is continuing to reduce its stake in the lender, with the FTSE 100 giant's stock up nearly 1% and touching highs of 498.8p

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'Investment magnet' financial services injected huge £281bn into UK economy

Financial services have been a key battleground in the spat between the UK and EU over market access, with the UK government recently unveiling plans to make the City more competitive

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Direct Line suffers shareholder revolt over huge payday for insurance giant's chief

Direct Line Group has seen 36.5% of shareholders vote against the directors' remuneration report after it was revealed that chief executive Adam Winslow was paid more than £7.8m for the firm's latest financial year

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Make your working day better: University and HR experts team up to study the way we work

Better Working Lives research links the University of Salford with HR firm Peninsula

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Zopa Bank raises £80m in bond listing as it prepares for current account launch

The lender, which will convert to an unlisted public company within six months of the transaction, is gearing up to launch current accounts

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Economic Development

UK Government Wales now has a £25bn super pension fund

The Welsh Pension Partnership is looking to deploy more funds to back Welsh companies and projects

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Rachel Reeves's economic strategies spur UK growth, overshadowing looming US tariffs

The UK economy surged by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of the year, official data has shown, suggesting firms boosted production ahead of Rachel Reeves's tax rises in April and the threat of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

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Andy Burnham says case for new Manchester to Liverpool railway has 'landed' after pitch in London

The Greater Manchester mayor and his Liverpool City Region counterpart Steve Rotheram were in the capital on to pitch their plans for a new railway line

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Work under way on £38m leisure and wellbeing hub in Caerphilly

The project is being delivered by Alliance Leisure

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UK SMEs owed £112bn in late payments, stifling economic growth and investment opportunities

The UK's smallest firms are owed an average of £42,000 in overdue invoices, new research has suggested

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West Midlands Maritime Transport to operate new £1bn West Midlands Interchange New logistics hub will be served by West Coast Main Line and strive to move more freight traffic on the UK rail network

Discover a new home for your business: Mandale Group’s new business parks soar in Teesside

Partner Stories

Stockton-based developer brings its Hybrid Industrial Units to Middlesbrough, Stokesley and Eaglescliffe

Black Friday sale: Get 75% off our business of football newsletter

Stay up to date with the biggest financial deals in football with The Bottom Line newsletter - subscribe this week to get 75% off

165 room hotel and leisure complex will act like a traffic-free ski resort for the Derbyshire Peaks

Commercial Property

£300m site will be a car-free hub – taking guests into the Peaks for biking and hiking, nature, heritage, sport and culture

North Somerset estate agent's Parker's appoints new manager at Backwell office

Simon Russell joins the team from Ocean Estate Agents

North West Liverpool to Manchester rail line 'can balance UK economy' with £15bn boost New line could provide better economic growth than anywhere else in the UK, Metro Mayors will argue today

'Real scale and a clear purpose': New B&M CEO Tjeerd Jegen has big ambitions for the discount retail giant

Retail & High Street

Incoming boss has been leader at companies from Woolworths Australia to e-bike giant Accell Group

Filtronic scoops significant Airbus satellite contract with potential for more to come

It is another valuable European space sector deal for the North East firm

Housing association Beacon Cymru Group to build 500 new homes

It has secured a £115m new lending facility from NatWest to deliver the new homes as well as improving the energy efficiency of its existing housing portfolio

Vaulkhard Group snaps up Barluga to reinforce commitment to Newcastle’s hospitality scene

The transaction has been backed by a further £5.2m funding package from HSBC UK

Professional Services North West insolvency activity outpaces rest of UK as high costs ‘pushing many firms to the brink’ Warning firms in hospitality sector are being particularly hard hit

Amity Brew Co secures £150k funding amid brewery expansion

Founder Rich Degnan says the label hopes to reach a much wider customer base

Wales now has a £25bn super pension fund

The Welsh Pension Partnership is looking to deploy more funds to back Welsh companies and projects

Rachel Reeves's economic strategies spur UK growth, overshadowing looming US tariffs

The UK economy surged by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of the year, official data has shown, suggesting firms boosted production ahead of Rachel Reeves's tax rises in April and the threat of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Andy Burnham says case for new Manchester to Liverpool railway has 'landed' after pitch in London

The Greater Manchester mayor and his Liverpool City Region counterpart Steve Rotheram were in the capital on to pitch their plans for a new railway line