Business Matters

Chipmunks return: why waiting a decade for the right deal paid off
Scrap the triple lock and save £60bn, Burnham told
West Northants streets to gain 3,000 EV charging sockets in £2.85m rollout
Stripe and Advent swoop on PayPal with $53bn takeover bid
Khosla backs robot bricklayers with $32m as UK trades shortage bites
Half of London firms fear policy will worsen growth, LCCI warns
Cologne in four hours: the start-up taking on ‘lacklustre’ Eurostar
Late payments fall to lowest level on record as landmark bill looms
600 global investors head to Farnborough with capital to let fly

Alvin, Simon and Theodore are heading back to work, and the deal behind their return is a quiet masterclass in how a family business should treat its most valuable asset.

Chipmunks return: why waiting a decade for the right deal paid off

Alvin and the Chipmunks return in a digital-first reboot with a 2028 film. What the family-owned franchise teaches UK SMEs about IP and licensing.

British business travellers could be boarding a direct train from London to Cologne by 2030, after start-up operator Gemini Trains vowed to break Eurostar's 32-year grip on the Channel Tunnel with new routes, new stations and introductory Paris fares of about £59.

Cologne in four hours: the start-up taking on ‘lacklustre’ Eurostar

Gemini Trains plans direct London-Cologne services and £59 Paris fares by 2030, challenging Eurostar’s Channel Tunnel monopoly. What it means for SMEs.

The small businesses behind Britain's live music industry have been handed a rare piece of good news, as the government's first long-term music strategy promises a £45 million growth fund, lighter-touch festival licensing and a two-year freeze on business rates bills for venues.

Festivals get longer licences and red tape cut in £45m music plan

The government’s new UK music plan promises festival licensing reform and a £45m growth fund. What Turn It Up means for venues, clubs and small firms.

Banker who bought Northern Rock named to lead audit watchdog

Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, ex-Virgin Money chief, is the government’s pick to chair the FRC. What the audit watchdog’s new leadership means for UK firms.

Business owners bracing for a Burnham premiership have been offered a rare note of reassurance from one of the City's most respected voices. Jim O'Neill, the economist and former Treasury minister, says the probable next prime minister will not arrive in Downing Street with a fresh round of punishing tax rises.

Burnham will not ‘tax the hell out of you’, says Jim O’Neill

Jim O’Neill says Andy Burnham will not ‘tax the hell out of you’ but must scrap the triple lock and overhaul welfare. What it means for your business.

In their most simple forms, expense policies are designed to control costs, ensure fairness and reduce financial risk. On paper, most organisations already have these documents in place, often reviewed annually and signed off by finance and HR teams. In theory, they should provide clarity and consistency.

Red card for red tape: 96% of firms say regulation is failing them

96 per cent of firms told the government’s own red tape survey that regulators create unnecessary problems. What the findings mean for UK SMEs and owners.

The sat-nav maker written off when Google made navigation free in 2009 is now the location technology inside Microsoft, Uber and Huawei, and its comeback offers one of the sharpest survival lessons any UK business owner will read this year.

The sat-nav maker Google ‘killed’ now powers Microsoft and Uber

TomTom lost 97 per cent of its value when Google made navigation free. Its pivot into maps licensing offers hard survival lessons for UK business owners.

The founders of UK fintech GoCardless are set for a significant financial windfall after the payments company agreed to be acquired by Dutch rival Mollie in a deal valued at €1.05bn (£920m).

Monzo founder Blomfield joins Anthropic as AI talent war escalates

Monzo founder Tom Blomfield has joined Anthropic’s compute team, the latest coup in the AI talent war. What his move signals for UK founders and SMEs.

Banker who bought Northern Rock named to lead audit watchdog

Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, ex-Virgin Money chief, is the government’s pick to chair the FRC. What the audit watchdog’s new leadership means for UK firms.