Construction sector surges thanks to interest rate cuts and planning reform October 4, 2024 "UK construction companies indicated a decisive improvement in output growth momentum during September," Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence said.
Rightmove warns almost £25bn needed to insulate 2.9m UK homes by 2030 October 4, 2024 There are 2.9 million houses that will require £23.4bn in improvements to meet the government’s energy performance certificate (EPC) standards by 2030, according to Rightmove. New analysis from the property portal found that an average of £8,074 will have to be spent on rental homes to upgrade them to a C rating by EPC standards. [...]
Shepherd Neame: Britain’s oldest brewer ups dividend on ‘positive and encouraging’ results October 2, 2024 Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame have reported record revenue for the full financial year despite ongoing cost headwinds. The Faversham-based brand, which owns and operates 291 pubs across the southeast, told markets this morning that revenue for the 53 weeks to 29 June grew by 3.6 per cent to a record £172.3m, from £166.3m in [...]
Parkdean Resorts suffers £100m slump as post-pandemic holiday competition heats up October 1, 2024 The return of short-haul travel following the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to holiday park operator Parkdean Resorts’ pre-tax loss widening by almost £100m during its latest financial year. The business, which is headquartered near Newcastle upon Tyne, has reported a loss of £135.2m for 2023, having previously posted a loss of £36.4m in 2022. The last [...]
Tech and taxes: What do SMEs want to see in the upcoming Budget? September 30, 2024 Small businesses have called on the government to prioritise growth in the upcoming Autumn Budget in order to avoid a slowdown of growth.
Profit slashed at King Charles’ bed maker Sleepeeze ahead of takeover September 30, 2024 Profit at Sleepeeze, King Charles’ favoured bed maker, was slashed by more than 50 per cent in the year before it was acquired, it has been revealed. The Kent-headquartered business has reported a pre-tax profit of £159,261 for 2023, down from the £360,565 it reported for 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show its [...]
Pirelli: ‘Strong’ UK price rises helps sales near £500m at tyre giant September 30, 2024 The UK arm of Pirelli has said “strong” price rises helped its sales and pre-tax profit accelerate during its latest financial year. The company has reported a turnover of £471.3m for 2023, up from the £419.3m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show its pre-tax profit improved from £11.5m to £14.3m [...]
Mitchells & Butlers: Sales at Toby Carvery and All Bar One operator outperform September 26, 2024 Restaurant, pub, and bar operator Mitchells & Butlers, which owns the Toby Carvery and All Bar One brands, has reported rising sales in a slowly recovering industry. Like-for-like sales at the no-frills pub chain grew by 5.2 per cent during the 51 weeks to 21 September, driven by growth of 7.7 per cent in the [...]
Britain’s last coal-fired power station set to close in landmark moment September 26, 2024 The UK’s last remaining coal-fired power station is to shut at the end of September, drawing to a close Britain’s 142-year reliance on the fossil fuel to produce electricity. Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station has been generating electricity since 1968 via its four coal-fired boilers, eight vast cooling towers and 199-metre tall chimney, which occupies a prominent [...]
A lesson from King Canute for the EV transition: You can’t force hype September 25, 2024 European politicians need to learn a few lessons about demand, writes Paul Ormerod