Economic prospects for 2026
By any judgment, 2025 was not a stellar year for the UK economy, with sluggish growth and sticky inflation as the core problems. This was set against a
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Tough times for hospitality businesses, but worse is yet to come
The UK’s pubs, bars and restaurants have three main costs: energy, labour and business rates. All three of these have risen sharply in the last four years and
Rising insolvencies, Zombie companies and the UK economy
Business failures are on the increase again, with a 12% month-on-month and 16% year-on-year rise in October 2025. This obviously creates concern and wonder what this surge says
The 2025 Budget: What does the Budget mean for businesses?
At last, after months of anticipation and uncertainty, the waiting was finally over this week and the Chancellor (with some unwelcome advance assistance from the OBR) announced her
British pubs in battle to survive
The poet William Blake commented in the early 19th century that a pub had much in common with a church, except it was warmer and there was more
Economic overview for November 2025
Whilst global news is awash with policy change, tariff threats and global ‘peace making’, here in the UK it is well nigh impossible to escape the pre-math of