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1 week ago | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | James Green |Sarah Dunsby |Letitia Randell |Robert Lane
Total like-for-like retail sales in discretionary categories fell by -1.2% in May, compared to a positive base of +2.3% in the same month last year, according to BDO’s latest High Street Sales Tracker. The decline was driven in part by the fall in non-store retail sales, which dropped by -3.1% compared to May 2024. This is the first negative result in online sales since March 2024, outside of Black Friday in November last year. All discretionary categories saw poor performance in May.
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1 week ago | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | James Green |Sarah Dunsby |Letitia Randell |Robert Lane
The number of electric vehicle charging points has declined in some parts of northern England since the beginning of 2025, Department of Transport figures have revealed. Now, experts from LeaseLoco.com are calling for more to be done to upgrade EV infrastructure across the country. The number of charging points per 100,000 of population has fallen slightly in the North East region since the beginning of January and now stands at 95.
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3 weeks ago | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Sarah Dunsby |Letitia Randell |Robert Lane
New OECD data shows export restrictions for critical raw materials are becoming increasingly widespread as demand surges, driven by the green and digital transitions and rising concerns over economic security. The OECD Inventory of Export Restrictions on Industrial Raw Materials offers key insights for policymakers and stakeholders to help identify less restrictive ways to meet both the security of supply needs of importing countries and the development goals of resource-rich nations.
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1 month ago | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Sarah Dunsby |Letitia Randell |Robert Lane
The mental health struggles of the UK’s small business community must take centre stage this Mental Health Awareness Week, says Purbeck Insurance Services, the provider of personal guarantee insurance to small business owners. A Purbeck survey of SME owners/managers highlights how financial pressures, long working hours, and the inability to ‘switch-off’ at home or on holiday, are taking a toll on business owners’ mental wellbeing.
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1 month ago | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Linh Tran |Sarah Dunsby |Letitia Randell |Robert Lane
UK-listed companies issued 62 profit warnings during Q1 2025, an 11% year-on-year fall, however the proportion of listed firms to warn in the last 12 months remains high (18%). EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report found that the leading factor behind profit warnings in Q1 was contract and order cancellations or delays, cited in 40% of warnings – the highest percentage recorded for this cause in 25 years of EY’s analysis.
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2 months ago | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Sarah Dunsby |Sara Pineros |Hani Abuagla |Robert Lane
Have you ever wondered why some websites dominate the top spots on Google while others struggle to be seen? In 2025, the competition is tougher than ever, and backlinks remain a key factor. Backlinks are links from other websites that tell search engines a website is trusted and important. Quality backlinks help businesses get more visitors and better search rankings. This is why many businesses work with link-building services to stay ahead of the competition.
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Mar 4, 2025 | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Sarah Dunsby |Hani Abuagla |Robert Lane
AI is bringing change to recruitment processes around the world, offering unmatched speed, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making. From scanning thousands of applications in seconds to predicting the potential long-term success of candidates, AI holds the promise of revolutionising the recruitment space. However, is this promise too good to be true? While AI tools can streamline hiring and potentially reduce unconscious bias, they also introduce a number of difficulties.
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Mar 3, 2025 | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Mark Channer |Sarah Dunsby |Hani Abuagla |Robert Lane
The DUP leader Gavin Robinson has said the order for 5,000 air defence missiles from Thales in Belfast is “hugely significant” for the workforce. On Sunday the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the lightweight multi-role missiles will be made at the Thales weapons factory in Belfast for Ukraine which will create 200 jobs.
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Mar 3, 2025 | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Sarah Dunsby |Hani Abuagla |Robert Lane
Business volumes in the services sector are anticipated to decline (-23%), driven by a predicted fall in business & professional services (-14%) and the weakest expectations for consumer services (-55%) since September 2022. Distribution sales are also expected to fall significantly in the three months to May (-24%). But in contrast, manufacturers anticipate output to return to growth (+8%).
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Mar 3, 2025 | 
londonlovesbusiness.com | Mark Channer |Sarah Dunsby |Hani Abuagla |Robert Lane
UK betting comparison website Betting Sites Ltd has a front-row seat to a 007 frenzy, punters are betting millions on Theo James, the brooding Gentlemen star, to snag the James Bond role at a sizzling 5/1 odds. With cash flying faster than a Bond car chase, the firm’s reporting a betting avalanche that could crown James the people’s pick for Bond 26. “Theo James is the punters’ golden ticket,” said Kevin Daylesford, Betting Volume Analyst at Betting Sites Ltd.
