Inside the Paris hotel straight out of a Wes Anderson film November 13, 2024 THE HOTEL: Now that the buzz from Paris’s Olympic summer has settled, this is the perfect time to visit the City of Light. The city’s infrastructure is in top form, primed for visitors who want to experience Paris without the high-season crowds. And if you’re looking for a stay that boldly proclaims “We’re in Paris, [...]
Streeting rolls out health service league tables to boost efficiency November 13, 2024 NHS trusts should be “turned into businesses”, a free market think tank has argued, amid Wes Streeting’s announcement of health service league tables in a bid to boost efficiency. The health secretary has confirmed failing hospitals will be named and shamed in league tables and managers sacked if they don’t improve patient care and take [...]
‘Disaster Budget will kill UK farming’, warns chicken king Boparan November 12, 2024 Entrepreneur Ranjit Singh Boparan, whose empire ranges from Bernard Matthews to Carluccio’s, has warned the autumn Budget is a “disaster for business” and will “deliver a final fatal blow to the thousands of small family-owned farms”. Boparan added that the “inheritance tax raid” on farms announced in the Budget on 30 October “risks supply being [...]
Struggles continue at Asda as new owner looks to turn around supermarket giant November 12, 2024 The continuing struggles at supermarket giant Asda have been revealed with both Tesco and Sainsbury’s hoovering up its market share in the UK, according to new figures. Sales at the Leeds-based grocer totalled £4.242bn in the 12 weeks to 3 November, 2024, down from the £4.490bn it reported for the same period last year, the [...]
How ‘technocrat’ Harris became more controversial that ‘populist’ Trump November 12, 2024 The real reason Harris’ Democrats lost the US election was their failure to acknowledge what many voters have sensed for a long time: that the bureaucratic class has increasingly (even if unknowingly) become an enemy of the people, says Mark Brolin Losing is never fun, especially not in the very public gladiator arena of politics. [...]
What business can learn from military drone tactics — and what to avoid November 11, 2024 Drone technology could transform how we do business, but brings practical and ethical difficulties with it, says Paul Armstrong For businesses, the military’s use of AI-enabled drones offers a potent model of efficiency: remote inspection, logistics, and hazard mitigation. Imagine swarming AI drones optimising supply chains or inspecting dangerous infrastructure. The capabilities honed in combat [...]
Iwoca: Fintech lender secures £200m debt to support larger SMEs November 11, 2024 Small business lender Iwoca has secured £200m of debt funding as the fintech looks to grow its market share through bigger loans.
Business Budget backlash builds as hospitality giants write to Chancellor November 11, 2024 The government is under increasing pressure to revisit its hikes to employer national insurance contributions and the minimum wage after a number of the UK’s largest employers voiced concerns about the impact of the changes on their costs and operations. Over 200 of the UK’s biggest hospitality businesses signed a letter to the Chancellor yesterday [...]
Time to take the handbrake off the City and unleash growth November 11, 2024 The Lord Mayor’s Show is a reminder that despite only being 1.12 square miles in size, there’s no limit to the City’s ambition and what it can achieve when it comes together, says Alastair King As the scaffolding comes down outside Mansion House and the majestic State Coach returns to the safety of the London [...]
Europe’s banks brace for tougher competition under Trump 2.0 November 9, 2024 Since early 2010, European banking shares have fallen ten per cent, while US lenders have more than tripled.