The UK’s gender pay gap will not close for another three decades if progress continues at its current rate, according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Analysis of official earnings data by the union body shows that the average disparity between men’s and women’s pay stands at 12.8%, equivalent to £2,548 a year. At that pace of improvement, the gap would not be eliminated until 2056, the TUC said. The gap varies sharply by sector....
BrewDog has been put up for sale after the Scottish craft beer group appointed restructuring specialists to explore fresh investment and strategic options. The Aberdeenshire-founded brewer has hired AlixPartners to oversee a structured process that could result in new investors coming on board or parts of the business being sold off. Founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog grew from a small Ellon-based brewery into an international brand with operations in the...
Sir Gerald Ronson’s forecourt empire has delivered a record profit, with the property tycoon’s service station business now valued at more than £1.5bn. GMR Capital, the parent of petrol forecourt operator Rontec, reported pre-tax profits of £98.4m for the 12 months to the end of September, up 6 per cent on the previous year and surpassing its earlier peak of £95.7m in 2022. The record came despite revenues slipping 7.7 per cent to £1.56bn, reflecting...
Former business secretary Sir Vince Cable has called for a police and government investigation into the conduct of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his tenure as the UK’s trade envoy, following the release of US justice department files that appear to show he shared official and commercial information with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The newly released documents suggest that Andrew, who served as Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011,...
Let’s get something straight right at the outset: The idea of banning working from home is not merely daft, not a bit ill-advised, but a spectacular, full-on intellectual car crash wearing a stupid hat. And the fact that this notion is being flirted with seriously in political circles tells you everything you need to know about how out of touch this country’s Westminster bubble has become. If you’ve been reading my scribblings on this subject...
Greene King is weighing up a fresh round of job cuts as Britain’s second-largest pub chain grapples with rising taxes, higher operating costs and mounting pressure on consumer spending. The 227-year-old company, which operates around 2,600 pubs across the UK, is understood to be reviewing its head office and central functions, with up to 100 roles potentially affected. No final decision has been taken. The move would mark the second major restructuring in under two...
Alphabet has unveiled plans to spend between $175bn and $185bn this year, sharply exceeding Wall Street expectations as it intensifies its push in the global artificial intelligence race. The capital expenditure target is well above analysts’ average forecast of about $115bn, according to LSEG data, and marks another escalation in spending among the world’s technology hyperscalers. The announcement came alongside strong fourth-quarter results. Revenue rose 18 per cent year-on-year to $113.8bn, narrowly ahead of forecasts...
Mark Dixon, the billionaire founder of IWG and architect of the Regus empire, has dismissed calls to ban working from home as “idiotic”, arguing that the future of productivity lies in better management, not compulsory office attendance. Speaking to The Times, Dixon responded to remarks by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who recently declared that people are not more productive at home and pledged to scrap the practice if his party ever came to power....
Across digital platforms, visual consistency serves as the quiet representative of brands. When users encounter websites, social media profiles, or marketing materials, they form immediate impressions based on visual elements. This pattern, or lack thereof, directly influences how trustworthy a brand appears. Consistent visual presentation communicates reliability and professionalism. This helps establish confidence among audiences and supports long-term business growth. Individuals notice repeating patterns. When elements like logos, colours, fonts, and images remain the same...
As European regulators refine the next chapter of the digital economy, the conversation has moved decisively away from speculative hype cycles toward the institutional realities of compliance and consumer protection. Against this backdrop, Cassator Corp., a US-incorporated firm with deep Ukrainian roots, is positioning its flagship “SocialFi” platform, Sl8, as a privacy-forward alternative to the data-extractive models of traditional social media. The company’s strategic pivot toward Europe comes at a critical juncture for the industry....
