Aer Lingus is moving closer to closing its Manchester Airport base, putting around 200 jobs at risk, after concluding that efforts to improve margins at the operation are no longer viable. The Irish flag carrier has told staff it will begin formal consultations in the coming days on “mitigating job losses which would occur in the event of a base closure”, while simultaneously confirming it will stop selling tickets for its long-haul routes from Manchester...
A high-profile £14 million divorce dispute involving the former manager of Australian rock band INXS has shone a spotlight on the growing complexity of modern family law cases, particularly where generational wealth, gifts and opaque asset structures are involved. Maria Christina Copinger-Symes, who previously managed the band during its global success, is now locked in a legal battle with her former husband, James Copinger-Symes, a former SAS major, after a financial settlement agreed following their...
When planning any construction project in the UK, building regulation drawings are essential documents that transform your design vision into a legally compliant reality. Whether you’re adding an extension, converting a loft, or constructing a new build, these technical drawings form the backbone of your Building Control application and ensure your project meets all safety and performance standards. What Are Building Regulation Drawings? Building regulation drawings are detailed technical plans that demonstrate how your proposed...
Anthony Galluccio is a Cambridge-based attorney known for his work in land use and permitting law. He is a law partner at Galluccio & Watson LLP, where he advises large institutional clients, property owners, and developers navigating complex local approval processes. His work is grounded in a rare combination of legal skill , land use law and direct experience in government. Galluccio grew up in Cambridge in a family shaped by public service. His father...
More than 5,500 small business owners from across the UK have written to the chancellor demanding an urgent review of the forthcoming business rates revaluation, warning that it risks forcing thousands of viable firms to close permanently. The open letter, coordinated by MP Rupert Lowe, has been signed by pub landlords, café owners, shopkeepers and local employers who say they are already operating at breaking point after a decade of relentless cost pressures. Addressed directly...
Senior figures from across the UK’s night-time economy have hit back at suggestions that forthcoming business rates relief will apply only to pubs, warning that such a narrow approach risks devastating the wider nightlife and cultural sector. Industry leaders say recent briefings implying pubs could be singled out for protection ignore the interconnected ecosystem that underpins Britain’s evening economy, including nightclubs, bars, casinos, theatres, live music venues and late-night cultural spaces, all of which are...
The government is expected to announce a partial U-turn on looming business rates increases for pubs within days, amid growing alarm over the financial pressure facing the hospitality sector. According to Sky News, ministers are preparing a targeted rescue package that would shield pubs from steep hikes triggered by business rates revaluations and the withdrawal of Covid-era reliefs. However, the move is understood to apply only to pubs, leaving other hospitality businesses such as hotels,...
The government has spent more than £30,000 of public money so far on rebranding England’s nationalised rail services under the new Great British Railways banner, amid mounting scrutiny over value for money. Great British Railways, the brand under which rail services in England will be brought into public ownership, was formally unveiled last month by Heidi Alexander. The new identity features a modernised version of the familiar double-arrow symbol last used when Britain’s railways were...
Hong Kong’s technology sector has enjoyed a standout presence at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, with local firms securing top industry awards and attracting strong interest from global buyers, investors and multinational brands. Led by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and supported by the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association, the city sent its largest-ever delegation of 61 technology companies to the annual Consumer Electronics...
The cost to UK businesses of Labour’s flagship overhaul of workers’ rights has been cut by billions of pounds after ministers significantly watered down the legislation, according to the government’s own updated analysis. A revised Whitehall impact assessment published on Wednesday estimates that the Employment Rights Bill will now cost employers around £1bn, a sharp reduction from earlier projections that put the figure as high as £5bn. The government said the lower estimate reflects a...
