‘Devastating’ tube strikes: Pubs brace for 40 per cent sales hit April 20, 2026 London’s pubs and restaurants are bracing for a knock of as much as 40 per cent of daily sales from this week’s tube strikes as industry leaders warn of the “devastating” impact on hospitality. The capital’s hospitality industry is set to be the hardest-hit from the industrial action, which is due to begin at noon [...]
Ministers urge cyber crackdown as Anthropic AI fears grow April 20, 2026 Ministers have ramped up pressure on UK businesses to strengthen their cyber defences amid concerns that the next generation of AI could supercharge hacking threats. In a new push led by cyber minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra, nearly 200 business leaders were told to sign a new “cyber resilience pledge”, as fears mount that powerful [...]
Pension schemes need more carrot and less stick to back the UK April 20, 2026 The Pensions Bills Scheme will empower the government to tell pension schemes where to invest. But telling always ends badly.
Top civil servant calls on lawyers advice over Mandelson vetting dismissal April 20, 2026 Sir Olly Robbins, who is set to answer MPs’ questions over Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment, is reportedly taking legal advice after he was ousted over the vetting scandal. Last week, Robbins, the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary, was dismissed after it emerged that the disgraced Mandelson had been denied clearance in a security vetting process. Mandelson [...]
EV sales surge as oil shock drives shift from petrol April 20, 2026 Electric car sales are accelerating across Europe, as rising fuel prices and tensions linked to the Iran conflict push drivers away from petrol and diesel. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations jumped 51 per cent year on year in March across 15 European markets, with over 224,000 new electric cars sold in one month, according to [...]
AI could be picking your coffee as startup takes £2m April 20, 2026 An AI-powered coffee vending machine which tells its users when and what it might like to drink is set to spring up in forecourts, gyms and campuses across the country. Unity Coffee, which uses AI to offer tailored discounts based on the time and user behaviour, has completed a £2m fundraising and aims to “disrupt” [...]
ETFS are no longer a side experiment after record 2025 growth April 20, 2026 Global ETFs are no longer functioning as solely investment products, after record growth last year cemented its position as a “backbone” of portfolios and the use of active strategies gained popularity. The global exchange traded funds (ETF) market jumped 32.8 per cent last year from $14.8 trillion to $19.8 trillion according to the latest findings [...]
Let’s be honest, not all small businesses are meant to survive April 20, 2026 The fact that not every small business survives is far from a bad thing; in fact it's the sign of a healthy economy, writes Alexandra Rosen.
Scrap Saturday 3pm blackout for women’s football, MPs urge government April 20, 2026 MPs have urged the UK government to intervene and remove the Saturday 3pm blackout for women’s football in order to inspire the next generation of Lionesses. The Culture, Media and Sport select committee says ministers should demand English football chiefs exempt the Women’s Super League from the ban on matches being broadcast live in the [...]
Constitution Hill flat racing switch helps horse racing attendances surge April 20, 2026 Former Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill’s shift to the flat has been cited for an increase in horse racing attendances across the UK. Nearly 700,000 people attended a British racecourse in the first quarter of 2026, up nearly five per cent on last year and up on 2024. With hard numbers fueled by a huge [...]
