New pub planning protections announced by Angela Rayner will not stop closures, industry figures warn, with Camra reporting 1,836 pubs shut since 2025.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Au Vodka agrees sale to Sazerac in reported £500m deal
Au Vodka sale: Sazerac, the US owner of Southern Comfort and BuzzBallz, has agreed to buy the Swansea vodka brand in a deal reported to be worth £500m.
Start-ups ‘losing faith’ in government as tech champion, report says
UK start-ups are losing faith in government procurement, the Startup Coalition reports, with 84 per cent of tech spend going to just 150 businesses.
Anthropic could be valued at more than $2trn in record IPO
The Anthropic IPO could value the Claude maker at more than $2 trillion, passing SpaceX’s record, when the AI firm lists in New York this autumn.
Aviva and Aberdeen bosses urge Healey to stop pre-budget tax leaks
Aviva and Aberdeen chiefs urge John Healey to stop budget leaks after pension tax speculation led savers to withdraw cash before the last two budgets.
Government opens review of EV sales targets ahead of 2030 phase-out
ZEV Mandate review: the Government has opened a consultation on EV sales targets ahead of the 2030 petrol and diesel phase-out, running to 23 October.
Meta glasses banned from courts across England and Wales
Meta glasses are now prohibited in courts and tribunals across England and Wales, with security staff instructed to hold the devices at the entrance.
China on course to export up to 10 million vehicles this year
Chinese car exports have driven charter rates for large car carriers to $70,000 a day, Clarksons data shows, with vessels booked years ahead.
Entain warns against lumping betting shops in with gaming arcades
Entain chief Stella David said betting shops should not be grouped with adult gaming centres under reforms to the Gambling Act’s aim to permit rule
Harvey Nichols sold to Frasers Group through pre-pack administration after beating Next
Frasers Group has bought Harvey Nichols out of administration in a pre-pack deal covering about 1,000 jobs, six UK stores and the online business.
Shein loses High Court copyright case against Temu
Shein has lost its High Court copyright case against Temu after Judge Kelyn Bacon dismissed the fast-fashion group’s claims over photographs of clothing.
First all-British chocolate bar since 1932 made with cocoa grown in Reading
Scientists at the University of Reading have created the first chocolate bar made entirely from British ingredients in almost a century, with cocoa beans grown, harvested and processed in Berkshire.
Istanbul overtakes Heathrow as Europe’s busiest airport in July
Heathrow lost its title as Europe’s busiest airport in July, handling 7.86m passengers against Istanbul’s 8.15m, as it renewed its case for a third runway.
Skills shortage on dairy farms threatens UK food security, Arla warns
Arla Foods warns a shortage of skilled farm workers threatens UK food security, with 82 per cent of dairy farmers reporting few or no qualified applicants.
Zoom rejects Andy Burnham’s criticism of video job interviews
Zoom has hit back at Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s criticism of video interviews, saying candidate performance depends on the interviewer, not the format.
