Business

For many music fans, 2025 will be remembered as the year Oasis returned. Their long-awaited reunion tour dominated the summer, reviving bucket hats, Britpop nostalgia and generating more than £300 million in ticket sales alone. Yet beneath the headlines and stadium sell-outs, a far less celebratory story is unfolding across the UK’s live music ecosystem. Just 11 of the 34 grassroots venues that hosted Oasis during their first tour in 1994 are still operating today...

British businesses are right to be concerned about the rise of Reform UK and should demand far tougher scrutiny of the party’s economic plans, according to Liam Byrne, the Labour chairman of the House of Commons business and trade select committee. In an interview with The Times, Byrne said that if Reform were to become the dominant force on the political right, companies would need to take a much closer look at its policies and...

Brits are on track to drink more than 200 million pints of low and no-alcohol beer this year, marking a record milestone that underlines a profound shift in the nation’s drinking habits. Consumption of “no and low” beers is forecast to rise almost a fifth from 2024 levels, when around 170 million pints were sold, according to research from the British Beer & Pub Association. The trade body expects around 22 million pints to be...

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to push Britain into significantly stricter net zero commitments as part of negotiations to rejoin the EU’s internal electricity market, a move that has triggered accusations from critics that the government is surrendering control over UK energy policy. The Prime Minister and Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, are in talks with Brussels over closer alignment with the EU’s electricity trading system, which treats the bloc’s 27 member states and Norway...

British farmers are voicing growing anger after a sharp rise in Australian beef and lamb imports, which they say is undercutting domestic producers and putting further pressure on an already strained livestock sector. New figures show that beef imports from Australia have surged since the UK-Australia free-trade deal came into force in May 2023. Volumes jumped by almost 200 per cent in the first year of the agreement, rose a further 170 per cent last...

Poundland is preparing to draw on emergency funding after a disappointing Christmas trading period intensified concerns over the discount retailer’s recovery. The chain is set to tap a £30m overdraft facility provided by its former owner, Pepco, after festive footfall and sales fell short of expectations. The move follows a tough few months for the retailer, which was rescued in the summer by distressed investment specialist Gordon Brothers in a court-approved restructuring deal. Gordon Brothers...

A British parcel entrepreneur forged documents as part of a failed attempt to seize control of Yodel, according to a damning High Court judgment that brings fresh clarity to one of the most chaotic corporate battles in the UK logistics sector. Mr Justice Fancourt ruled that Jacob Corlett conspired with his mother, Tamara Gregory, to falsify share warrant documents in an effort to overturn Yodel’s sale to Polish courier group InPost. The judge said the...

Britain’s long and often spectacular history of mismanaged inventions, doomed projects and ill-fated ideas is finally getting its own cultural institution. Next spring, the internationally touring Museum of Failure will open in the UK, celebrating everything from grand design disasters to corporate overreach – all viewed through the lens of learning rather than ridicule. Its founder, Dr Samuel West, believes the UK is the exhibition’s natural home. Having toured the museum across Europe, the US...

Major sports events are not just thrilling spectacles; they are economic powerhouses. These events ripple through various industries, driving significant economic activity. The betting sector, in particular, sees a notable surge in activity during such times. Global sports events such as the FIFA World Cup play a pivotal role in the economy by attracting millions of spectators and participants. These gatherings ignite a flurry of activities across sectors like hospitality, tourism, and media. The betting...

Boxing Day sales are expected to deliver a £3.6 billion boost to UK retailers this year, around £1 billion less than in 2024, as cost-of-living pressures continue to weigh on household spending. The forecast comes from Barclays, which tracks nearly half of all credit and debit card transactions across the UK. The anticipated decline represents a blow to retailers during their all-important “golden quarter”, traditionally the most lucrative period of the year. Seven in ten...