World Cup fever sent takings soaring at some pubs, but the final whistle brought Britain’s cost-of-living crisis roaring back. The gains were brief and uneven, restaurants largely missed out and spending quickly slumped—proving football may fill beer gardens, but it cannot fix hospitality’s deeper crisis. WORLD CUP CASH SPLASH DRIBBLES OUT The dataContinue reading “Football gave landlords a sugar rush—not a recovery”
Author Archives: Editor
Forget scale-ups… Britain’s growth starts with the smallest businesses
By Professor Mark Hart, Deputy Director, Enterprise Research Centre “Growth in Every Postcode”: A Scale-Up Target Measures the Wrong Thing Andy Burnham’s promise of “good growth in every postcode” struck a chord with Britain’s small business owners. But if the new Prime Minister wants to turn that ambition into reality, Professor Mark HartContinue reading “Forget scale-ups… Britain’s growth starts with the smallest businesses”
Young workers flood into construction as skills-card numbers surge
Britain’s construction industry is getting a much-needed injection of young talent, with nearly 100,000 under-25s gaining industry skills cards and strong growth in plumbing, electrics and plant operation. As housebuilding, infrastructure and green retrofitting drive demand, a new generation is discovering that construction offers skilled, technical and potentially rewarding long-term careers. YOUNG PEOPLEContinue reading “Young workers flood into construction as skills-card numbers surge”
Burnham’s early moves help, but so far they’re a miniscule drop in a very large ocean and the cost‑of‑living fight is far from over.
Inflation has fallen to 2.6% as supermarket price wars, cheaper fuel and summer clothing sales ease the pressure on household budgets. But with energy bills poised to rise and Middle East conflict threatening another surge in oil prices, families and small businesses should hold the champagne: the cost-of-living crisis is far from over.Continue reading “Burnham’s early moves help, but so far they’re a miniscule drop in a very large ocean and the cost‑of‑living fight is far from over.”
Job vacancies crash to five-year low as bosses freeze hiring
Britain’s jobs market is flashing red as vacancies plunge to 712,000, unemployment remains stuck at 4.9% and private-sector pay growth weakens. With employers freezing recruitment and small firms trapped in survival mode, Andy Burnham faces an early test of his promise to revive growth and living standards. JOB VACANCIES SLUMP TO FIVE‑YEAR LOWContinue reading “Job vacancies crash to five-year low as bosses freeze hiring”