Only 156 Bank of England employees have shown interest in relocating to Leeds, raising questions about how Britain’s central bank will meet its target of 500 staff in the city by 2027.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
UK chemicals industry ‘heading for extinction’ warns Jim Ratcliffe
Ineos boss Jim Ratcliffe blames high energy costs and carbon taxes for the closure of his synthetic ethanol plant at Grangemouth, warning that UK chemicals are at risk.
Rachel Reeves’ China visit restores crucial links with world’s second-largest economy
Agreements worth £600 million, potentially adding £1 billion in value to the UK economy, have been secured following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ trip to Beijing.
Rachel Reeves weighs a ‘hotel tax’ as treasury battles to fill funding gap
Rachel Reeves is considering a UK-wide ‘hotel tax’ amid surging borrowing costs and pressure to protect her fiscal rules, sparking industry backlash.
Chancellor heads to China in search of growth amid surging borrowing costs
Chancellor Rachel Reeves eyes economic opportunities in China while sticking to her strict borrowing limits, as the UK faces rising bond yields and mortgage uncertainties.
Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies retakes Crafter’s Companion reins amid pre-pack rescue
Sara Davies, Dragons’ Den entrepreneur, returns as CEO of Crafter’s Companion through a pre-pack insolvency deal, aiming to save 100 jobs and refocus on core paper crafts.
UK government debt sell-off accelerates as borrowing costs reach post-2008 peak
UK’s 10-year gilt yield hits 4.82%, its highest since the global financial crisis, fuelling inflation concerns and threatening the chancellor’s fiscal targets.
Emma Watson’s gin brand nets £5m as Renais plots global expansion
Renais, the premium gin brand co-founded by actress Emma Watson, has raised £5m to expand into new markets including Dubai, Canada and the US, backed by InvestBev and Maison Villevert.
Food inflation poised to jump above 4% as levies and wage rises weigh on retailers
Britain’s supermarkets brace for a 4.2% surge in food prices this year, warns the BRC, as higher employer NI contributions, wage hikes and packaging levies push costs upward.
Sterling tumbles as bond yields soar, fanning fears over UK public finances
Sterling posts its steepest three-day loss in nearly two years as surging UK bond yields reach multi-decade highs, stoking concerns over fiscal policy and growth.
Kevin O’leary joins billionaire’s bid to buy TikTok as US ban deadline nears
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary joins billionaire Frank McCourt in a bid to buy TikTok as a looming US ban deadline puts pressure on ByteDance to sell.
Rachel Reeves to lead Davos 2025 delegation in bid to win over foreign investors
Rachel Reeves heads a government delegation to Davos 2025, meeting global investors and British business leaders to boost UK infrastructure and green energy funding, amid tensions over higher employer national insurance.
Director behind 400 companies banned for nine years after ‘subverting insolvency system’
Neville Taylor, linked to more than 400 UK firms, has been banned from directorships for nine years after an Insolvency Service probe found he helped struggling businesses dodge millions in debts, “subverting the insolvency system.”
Asda’s Christmas slip leaves it trailing rivals amid growing competition
Debt-laden Asda has emerged as the weakest performer among Britain’s biggest supermarkets this festive season, as new data from Kantar shows a steep 5.8 per cent drop in sales over the 12 weeks to 29 December, dragging its market share down from 13.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent.
Shein’s London float in jeopardy as MPs denounce ‘disrespect’ over forced labour questions
Shein faces fierce scrutiny from UK MPs over forced labour concerns in Xinjiang, casting serious doubt on its proposed London IPO and £50bn valuation.
