Fuel retailers have been threatened with state intervention over prices by the business secretary, who urged companies “to take any steps necessary” to ensure affordable prices for drivers. In a letter to retailers on Thursday, Grant Shapps said the government “will not hesitate to act to ensure competition is healthy and consumers get a fair […]
The UK government has signed a 10-year deal with Moderna to produce upwards of 250m vaccines a year in the event of a pandemic. The investment will give NHS patients access to UK-made mRNA vaccines while a new innovation and technology centre will be created, with 150 highly skilled jobs. In a major boost for […]
Flexible office spaces in central London have seen their occupancy rates recover to pre-pandemic levels, new data shows. A majority of the world’s top 30 flexible workspace providers have seen now seen occupancy rates in their central London offices surpass levels of 60 per cent, a survey by Knight Frank shows. A further 88 per […]
The shopworkers union Usdaw has been given the green light by the supreme court to challenge Tesco’s controversial tactic of firing staff then rehiring them on less favourable contracts. The union was granted permission to proceed with a case after the appeal court overturned a high court ruling that banned Tesco from dismissing staff at […]
Do you have a book of stamps in your wallet, purse or drawer at home? Maybe you have stockpiled them to avoid future price rises. If so, you need to be aware that the official deadline for using up stamps without barcodes – notably the regular first and second-class “everyday” stamps featuring the profile of […]
Avanti West Coast has issued a ban on e-scooters across all its trains and stations over safety fears. The train operator said that from Tuesday 27 December the devices will be prohibited because of the risk posed by the lithium-ion batteries that are normally in e-scooters. It said these batteries can produce “a vapour of […]
Rail strikes could cost the hospitality sector more than £1.5 billion in lost sales amid an epidemic of cancelled bookings and customer no-shows. Some regions have reported shortfalls in takings of at least 40 per cent last week, normally the busiest week of the year for office parties as well as a peak period for […]
Regulated rail fares in England will increase by up to 5.9% from 5 March next year, the Department for Transport has announced. The increase is being imposed to support “crucial investment and the financial stability” of the railway, the department said. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “This is the biggest-ever government intervention in rail fares. […]
Sharing passwords for online streaming services with friends and family is against the law, a government agency has warned. Watching shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ without paying the relevant subscription breaks copyright law, the Intellectual Property Office said. But it said it is down to the companies themselves to take action through the […]
An insolvent solar farms empire which received hundreds of millions of pounds in funding from a debt-laden English local authority is being put up for sale. It is understood that Interpath Advisory, which was appointed administrator to Toucan Energy last month, will confirm on Friday that KPMG, the accountancy firm, has been hired to oversee […]