Business

The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a formal investigation into three of the world’s largest hotel groups, Hilton, InterContinental Hotels Group and Marriott International, over concerns they may have shared “competitively sensitive” information through a third-party data analytics platform. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it is examining whether the hotel operators exchanged commercially sensitive data using STR, a widely used industry benchmarking tool owned by CoStar Group. Together, the three hotel groups operate...

Household energy bills could climb back towards crisis-era levels if disruption to Middle Eastern gas supplies continues, after wholesale prices surged in the wake of military escalation involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Analysts warned that annual bills could rise to around £2,500 if global gas markets face prolonged instability, undoing recent relief for consumers and reviving memories of the energy shock that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Britain’s benchmark wholesale gas price, NBP,...

Shop price inflation slowed more than expected in February, offering households tentative relief from cost-of-living pressures as retailers stepped up discounting and global food prices eased. New data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ showed shop prices rose 1.1 per cent year-on-year in February, down from 1.5 per cent in January. The deceleration reflects intensified competition across both food and non-food sectors, with retailers cutting prices to stimulate demand amid weak consumer confidence....

US technology group Avalara has acquired Manchester-based integration startup Versori in a deal that underscores the growing international appeal of the UK’s regional tech sector. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed, but it includes Versori’s proprietary technology platform and its 23-strong team. Co-founders Sean Brown and Daniel Jones will remain with the business, which will operate under the name “Versori, by Avalara”. Founded in 2022, Versori specialises in next-generation integration technology, enabling...

A Cambridge ag-biotech start-up aiming to reinvent crop protection has secured $3.8 million in early-stage funding to accelerate the development of next-generation herbicides and pest control products using artificial intelligence. Bindbridge, founded in 2025 by a trio of Cambridge University scientists, is building what it describes as a category-defining platform for agriculture: an AI-driven system capable of designing “molecular glues” to target and degrade specific proteins in weeds and pests. The company believes its approach...

What does it take to lead in two very different industries — automotive operations and golf management — and succeed in both? For Don Carlos Lee Gibson Jr., the answer is simple: structure, discipline, and people-first leadership. “I’ve always believed leadership starts with responsibility,” Don says. “If you take care of your people and your systems, the results follow.” His career tells that story. Early Life and Education: Where Discipline Began Don’s foundation started at...

Have you ever tried to send a huge document by email only to get the annoying “file too large” error? Or maybe you only needed to translimit one chapter from a 200-page report, but you sent the whole thing? You’re not the only one. Professionals, students, and anyone who works with digital files on a regular basis sometimes have trouble with big documents. The good news is? It’s easier than you might think to break...

The UK can be a very beautiful place. This nation is laden with spots and locations with historical, architectural and aesthetic value, many of which fall under the category of conservation areas. These are areas that local planning authorities determine to be of a certain interest and value, and then take careful steps to preserve them in terms of character. There are over 10,000 conservation areas in the UK, as designated by the Civic Amenities...

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recently unveiled a bold strategic expansion to position Bangkok as a premier leader in the global exhibition economy. By harmonising world-class infrastructure with exceptional service and sustainable governance, Thailand is evolving its portfolio to become a global hub for design and the creative economy. This shift signals the nation’s ambition to move beyond traditional trade, leading the next chapter of high-value, idea-driven international exhibitions. Thailand already ranks among...

BrewDog has been sold to US cannabis and craft brewing group Tilray in a £33 million rescue deal that will safeguard hundreds of jobs but see 38 bars close with the loss of 484 roles. The Scottish craft beer brand, founded in 2007 in Aberdeenshire, has been acquired by Tilray Brands, which owns a portfolio of US craft breweries and cannabis operations. Under the agreement, Tilray has purchased BrewDog’s UK brewing business and 11 of...