St Austell Brewery has announced a £25,000 donation to A Band of Brothers (ABOB) Cornwall, a charity transforming the lives of young men through mentorship and long term community support.   Founded nationally in 2006 and active in Cornwall for over a decade, ABOB works specifically with men aged 18-25 who are facing significant challenges, often including trauma, addiction, offending, or social isolation. Its Cornwall branches in Penzance, Falmouth and St Austell, run entirely by trained male volunteers, deliver a powerful 12 week mentoring journey culminating in a ‘homecoming’ graduation ceremony that celebrates each young man’s progress.   Young men - often referred to the organisation by the judicial system to prevent them from ending up in prison - are supported by one-to-one mentors through their journey. Not only is St Austell Brewery helping to fund the vital group, but some of its staff are also training to become mentors.   Piers Thompson, Head of External Affairs for St Austell Brewery presented the donation cheque from St Austell Brewery’s Charitable Trust to the group last month.   Piers said: “A Band of Brothers is doing extraordinary, life changing work with young men across Cornwall, and we’re proud to support a programme making such a tangible difference in our communities. Our donation will help ABOB train more local mentors, expand the 12 week mentoring scheme, and provide ongoing community support for young men in Cornwall.” Mentor and local businessman Sam Galsworthy first discovered ABOB around five years ago through the Cornwall Community Foundation. After attending a graduation ceremony, he says he was “so moved” by what he witnessed that he knew he had to be involved.   Later, as High Sheriff of Cornwall, Sam made ABOB his chosen charity after a moment he describes as “a lightning strike.” While with the Devon & Cornwall Police forensics team in the emergency call room, he experienced a deeply affecting time.   Sam said: “Whilst working with Devon and Cornwall Police one evening, a hotline went off: a death - a young male, no suspicious circumstances. Half an hour later, another, the same again. Then another. Four calls in three hours. All young men and all from Cornwall. That moment crystallised for me just how urgent the situation was.” Recognising the crisis facing young men in the county, he joined ABOB as a mentor. He described the experience as transformative. “The most profound thing happens when you mentor, you get just as much back as the young men. At the passing-out ceremonies, the bravery of these young men - sharing their stories, often for the first time - is extraordinary.”   Four years ago, James was in a dark place. Drinking heavily, struggling with drugs, and not coping with the pressures of fatherhood, he said his life was “basically going downhill.” He was introduced to ABOB through the Wild Young Parents Project. After completing the rites of passage weekend and 12 weeks of mentoring, James turned his life around, eventually starting his own business. He has since referred four young men to the charity and even mentored two others. “It’s a place for men to find community, role models, to learn and grow. It helped me accept parts of myself I never could before.” One of the men James encouraged to join the programme was his colleague Seb. Seb, 20, was struggling with alcohol when he started working for James. Seeing the signs he once recognised in himself, James encouraged Seb to connect with ABOB.   “Taking that step was huge,” Seb said. I’d struggled with drinking for a while. But I’ve just graduated the homecoming and I’m proud of myself. I dropped out of school and college - I never had that end of year certificate. Seeing all those people there to support me was eye opening.”   Since 2003, the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust has been proudly supporting local charities, community causes, and individuals in need across the South West - helping to make a meaningful difference, close to home. More information on the trust can be found here.

A top BMX rider who has fought his way back from a major spinal injury is to compete in the sport’s world championships with help from geospatial data services provider ODCGIS. Under their partnership agreement, the Oxfordshire-based company is contributing towards the costs of Michael Whittaker’s travel and accommodation so he can represent Britain at the UCI BMX World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, in July 2026. Mike, 44, a chartered building engineer who works as a drove surveyor at Manchester Drone Surveys, said: “ODCGIS are one of two principal sponsors who are partnering on costs. Without them I wouldn’t be going. What really resonates with me about the support from ODCGIS is our shared mindset. In BMX racing, success is built on preparation, attention to detail and constant improvement." “The same can be said for the work ODCGIS do every day, taking complex information, analysing it properly and helping organisations move forward with clarity and confidence.Their backing means a huge amount to me. I’m extremely proud to have their name on the front of my race garments as part of this campaign.” The link with ODCGIS came about because of a family connection that the firm’s Director of Operations Rick Thompson has with Mike’s BMX club. Rick said: “This is the first time we have been a sponsor of an elite sports competitor. We’re thrilled to be on board with Mike and we wish him all the very best as he continues to prepare for Brisbane in the coming months." “We know that his road to the championships has not been the easiest one, so it’s especially satisfying to have the opportunity to support him.” After taking up BMX racing seriously in his early 40s, Mike suffered a severe injury that resulted in a spinal fracture. After a gruelling recovery he returned to the track in 2025 to compete at a regional and national level. Despite racing parts of last season with a broken hand, he is currently ranked third in the sport’s North Region and seventh in the UK nationally. More than 3,000 BMX riders from around the world are due to compete on the 400-metre race track at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane from 22 to 28 July. Australia previously hosted the UCI BMX World Championships in Adelaide in 2009, meaning this will be the first time in 17 years that the country has held the event. Mike, who will compete in the 40-44 Cruiser category, describes his forthcoming participation as the ‘pinnacle’ of his BMX journey. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said. “I believed the chance to reach the highest level of a sport had passed me by. The fact that hard work and perseverance have opened this door at 44 is something I can’t walk away from. The cost of travelling to Australia makes it impossible to do alone and that’s why I’m so grateful for the support from ODCGIS and my other sponsors.” Mike added: “As well as being an honour and a privilege, representing my country at a world championship will help me promote BMX in a positive light, particularly for adults, parents and those who believe it’s ‘too late’ to start something new after a certain age.” The sport of BMX began in southern California during the early seventies when groups of young riders modified their road bikes to try and imitate the motocross heroes they saw on TV. They would create dirt tracks in their gardens and neighbourhoods to perform stunts and race one another. By the late seventies, the influence of BMX was extending to other countries. The first official British BMX race took place in Redditch, in the West Midlands, in 1980. The sport has two main disciplines in the UK: racing and freestyle. While the first focuses on speed, acceleration and winning races on dirt tracks, freestyle is more about creativity, show and performance. BMX saw a renewed surge in popularity in the UK after a freestyle category was introduced during the Tokyo Olympics of 2020.

Champ Rugby is delighted to announce a multi-year partnership with contract caterer Elior UK, becoming the title sponsor of the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) Tier 2 competition, in a relationship built on shared values, community impact and a commitment to health and wellbeing. Under the new agreement, the competition will be known as Elior Champ Rugby. This is a significant new chapter for the league and a major step forward in Elior UK’s investment in sport, culture and social value. The agreement marks the first title sponsorship for the league in over six years and reflects a shift towards purpose-led collaboration, where commercial success and social impact go hand in hand. At the centre of the partnership is a strong alignment of purpose. Both organisations place people, wellbeing and opportunity at the centre of what they do – from Champ Rugby’s mission to grow competition following and interest, while strengthening clubs, players and communities nationwide, to Elior UK’s focus on nutrition, healthier lifestyles and its lifetime of enrichment social-value programme. Together, Champ Rugby and Elior UK aim to champion the role of food, health and community in supporting performance on the pitch and positive outcomes off it, helping players, fans and local communities thrive. Champ Rugby is English rugby’s biggest supporter, connecting grassroots communities with the professional game and providing a ‘Proving Ground’ for future stars. It is the second tier of men’s rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. Featuring 14 teams across the country, the league delivers strong regional reach, local engagement and a powerful platform for community support. Brian Facer, Head of Champ Rugby, said: “At Champ Rugby, we exist to grow the game, develop people and strengthen communities. Elior UK shares that same commitment to driving opportunity and long-term impact. This is about fuelling futures - investing in healthier lifestyles, stronger clubs and the next generation of players and fans.” “This is far more than a sponsorship - it’s a partnership built on shared values,” said Catherine Roe, chief executive officer at Elior UK." “We’re championing nutrition and healthier lifestyles and supporting local communities and future talent. This collaboration enables us to bring our purpose to life in a meaningful and impactful way.” Craig Stewart, divisional managing director, stadia at Elior UK added, “Our experience delivering food and hospitality in the stadia sector makes us a natural partner for Champ Rugby. This partnership allows us to apply that expertise in a way that supports clubs, communities and the future of the game.” Activation is now rolling out in the final quarter of the season, with the league transitioning to Elior Champ Rugby branding across broadcast, digital and in-stadium environments. Elior UK already has a strong presence within UK sport, including established partnerships at Scottish Rugby’s Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, and with Glasgow Warriors. The Champ Rugby collaboration builds on this foundation while extending Elior’s impact deeper into regional communities. Photo: Left to right: Craig Stewart, Managing Director, Stadia and Events, Elior UK / Catherine Roe, CEO, Elior UK / Leni Savva, CFO, Elior UK / Brian Facer, Head of Champ Rugby About Champ Rugby Champ Rugby is the professional second tier of rugby union in England. Featuring 14 teams across the country, it is English rugby’s biggest supporter and is the crucial link in the pathway from grassroots to the top of the game. On the field, talent is handed an opportunity at the elite level, off the field, Champ Rugby lives for the growth of the game, connecting people and communities. For further information view here . About Elior UK Elior UK operates high profile catering contracts across the B&I, health & care home, defence, education, stadia and heritage sectors. It provides customers with a bespoke offer that focuses on great food, drink and customer service and couples it with the benefits that a large company brings. Elior UK is part of Elior Group which operates worldwide with annual revenues of €5.8billion. For further information view here . About Elior Group Founded in 1991, the Elior Group is a world leader in catering and multiservice, and a benchmark in the world of business, education, health, social and leisure. Enjoying robust positions in 9 countries, the Group achieved pro forma revenue of €5.8 billion in 2023. Its 133,000 employees feed 3.1 million people every day in 20,200 restaurants on three continents and provide services in 6 countries. The Group is based on an economic model built around innovation and social responsibility. In 2004, the Elior Group signed up to the United Nations Global Compact, reaching advanced level in 2015. For more information view here .

Investment in a Nottingham based motor dealership is driving sales, service and recruitment through the roof after a newly launched van centre achieved 60 sales in just six weeks, smashing its annual target. NK Motors, which has new and used car centres in Nottingham and Derby, was exclusively selected at the end of January 2026, to become one of only 50 Kia PBV Van Centres in the UK. The Chilwell dealership in Eldon Road Business Park is the only site in Nottinghamshire where drivers can view and test drive Kia’s first dedicated electric van line-up – including the Kia PV5 Cargo and the new 7-seater passenger vehicle. Now, the dealership has revealed it has smashed the manufacture-set target of selling 60 vans annually, by making 60 sales in just 6 weeks. Sanj Kumar, group managing director, said: “Our success has been phenomenal. We’ve smashed our annual target and are motoring onward – literally going from 0-60 in 6-weeks." “Our reputation, investment in our people and places, plus the five-star service we provide, has never been doubted, but the speed at which these vehicles have driven off the forecourt is outstanding, surpassing even our expectations.” NK Motors has made considerable investments in its people and infrastructure over the years, but its latest cash injection has driven the dealership to further success. In November 2025, it announced £1m would be splashed at its Chilwell site. The expansion came in response to rapid growth in sales and service operations. As NK Motors in Chilwell shifts up a gear, the car showroom has now doubled in size, the dedicated van centre, which opened just one month ago, has expanded, and the accident repair centre and body shop has been fully upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment. Sanj said: “As a BSI-approved facility, (British Standards Institute) it is our priority to maintain the highest standards of quality and safety. Investment has been focused on acquiring the latest equipment and technology, ensuring our team can deliver efficient, precise, and reliable work." “This ongoing investment reflects our commitment to providing customers with a top-quality experience and maintaining our position as a trusted, industry-leading body shop." “No wonder our body shop and accident repair centre is fully approved and trusted by most major insurance companies and manufacturers to repair their vehicles.” Going on to praise the team at NK Motors, Sanj said: “We have a tremendous team of long serving and newly recruited staff who are valued for their loyalty and commitment to customer service." "As a family-run company, we cultivate a culture where colleagues support one another, celebrate successes together, and genuinely care about each other’s growth and wellbeing. This ethos supports high staff retention. However, thanks to our expansion, we now have a flurry of job opportunities.” The team of around 130 staff include 65 at the Chilwell site. It is Sanj’s intention to boost that figure to 80 by the end of the year. Current vacancies include roles for additional vehicle buyers, a dedicated van sales manager, a van service manager and a service advisor. Sanj added: “These roles reflect the strength of our growth and our commitment to building a team that can support our expanding sales and service departments." “We genuinely value our customers’ loyalty and by continuing to reinvest in our facilities and operations, we are ensuring that customers benefit from improved services, enhanced surroundings, and a team equipped to deliver the highest standards of care.”

UK top 10 accountancy firm Azets has appointed a new insolvency practitioner on the South Coast as business demand grows. Nick Cusack has joined as a Director in Restructuring & Insolvency team at the Southampton office. Previously based in Norfolk and across the southern region, he has worked in the profession for over 22 years been a licensed Insolvency Practitioner for over 10 of those. He has gained a breadth of experience in all types of corporate rescues, but with a particular focus on construction, retail, IT and pharmaceutical industries. Nick said: “I am looking forward to helping business owners and stakeholders across the south with any issues they might encounter." “The team at Azets is highly skilled and approachable, and the firm-wide collaborative approach means we are uniquely positioned in the area to offer bespoke solutions using our multi-discipline expertise.” Chris Tate, Southampton-based Insolvency & Restructuring Partner, said: “We welcome Nick as a seasoned all-rounder whose sector specialisms dovetail perfectly with those of the team here." “With businesses continuing to face challenging times this year due to rising costs, economic uncertainty, consumer cautiousness and other outside pressures, there will an increasing demand for insolvency advice and support and Nick’s experience will be invaluable.” Outside of the office Nick is a keen golfer and non-league football fan and speaks fluent German from a period spent studying abroad. The Southampton office of Azets , the UK’s specialist business advisor to SMEs, is handily located near the M3 in Gateway House at Tollgate, Chandlers Ford. The full-service team supports nearly 3,000 clients in the Southampton, Winchester and Romsey areas, with particular specialisms in healthcare, property and construction and manufacturing. Photo : Nick Cusack has joined UK top 10 accountancy firm Azets as a Director in Restructuring & Insolvency team at the Southampton office

Professor Sir Mike Ferguson, one of Scotland’s pre-eminent scientists, was recognised for his outstanding research career when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award during a night of celebration for the University of Dundee. He received the award in absentia at Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards 2026 ceremony in Glasgow due to a pre-existing commitment overseas. Three other University-linked finalists also emerged triumphant at the event. Dr Andrew Woodland, CEO of Dundee spinouts Tay Therapeutics and Hawkhill Therapeutics, won the Rising Stars: Extraordinary Talent Award, while PhaSER Biomedical, a Dundee spinout led by Professor Roland Wolf, won the Innovative Collaboration Award for their work with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The Abbott Group’s Dundee site – which began life as Dundee spinout Shield Diagnostics in 1982 – was nominated in the Outstanding Skills Development category. Professor Sir Mike, Regius Professor of Life Sciences at Dundee, was congratulated on his outstanding contribution to the industry and the impact of his research, which has helped establish the University as an international centre of excellence in life sciences. He said, "I am honoured to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scottish Life Sciences Conference and Awards. I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of the many colleagues with whom I have been fortunate to work on promoting both fundamental and translational life sciences in Scotland. I moved to Dundee in 1988 and have never looked back." “While there is still a lot to do, now is the time to look forward for a bright future for Scottish life sciences. Locally, this will include growing the Tay Cities biomedical cluster, providing employment for school leavers, graduates and post-graduates and retraining opportunities to contribute to the economy." Professor Sir Mike has published over 250 peer reviewed research papers and is known for solving the first structures of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) membrane anchors, which play important roles throughout eukaryotic biology. He obtained a PhD in Biochemistry at London University in 1982 and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Rockefeller University, New York, and at Oxford University. He took up a lectureship at Dundee in 1988 and was promoted to a personal chair in Molecular Parasitology in 1994. In 2013, he was appointed the first Regius Professor of Life Sciences. Recently, he has been integral to the development of the Growing the Tay Cities BioMedical Cluster component of the Tay Cities Deal and in 2019 was knighted for services to science. Last year, he received the extremely prestigious Leeuwenhoek Medal of the Royal Society. Dundee has been ranked as the UK’s top university for Biological Sciences research in the last two Research Excellence Framework exercises. Over the past year, Dundee was also crowned the UK’s Outstanding Entrepreneurial University of the Year (Times Higher Education Awards) and Innovative & Entrepreneurial University of the Year (European Triple E Awards).

Property finance lender MSP Capital has appointed its first dedicated IT & Transformation Director as it readies systems and processes for a projected loan book worth £750 million over the next five years. Richard Cargill has joined the Poole, Dorset-based firm in the latest move of a 40-year career involving technical and senior managerial roles including at global level. His appointment is one of three recent additions to MSP Capital’s top team alongside Ben Arnold, Director of Property Services, and Julie Davies, Head of Risk & Compliance. Richard began his IT career as a technical consultant supporting multinational corporations and government departments, representing leading technology companies including HP, IBM, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. He later transitioned into the financial services sector, where he held senior technology roles at organisations such as American Express, AXA, Aviva and Credit Suisse. Focusing his work within the UK, Richard went on to become Chief Technology Officer for a prominent hedge fund and subsequently undertook several interim leadership roles, including with the merchant banking group Close Brothers plc. Most recently, he served as Global IT Director at Advanced Instruments, where he played a key role in supporting the company’s mergers and acquisitions activity. On joining MSP Capital, Richard said: “MSP Capital is recognised for its speed, flexibility and strong, relationship‑focused approach. Supporting that is a sophisticated infrastructure that has strengthened its competitive position and fuelled sustained organic growth." “My priority is to enhance MSP Capital’s growing capability to deploy funds as a principal lender by leveraging market‑leading technology. I’m excited to be part of the team.” MSP Capital’s Chief Executive Leigh Bartlett said: “Richard’s appointment is all about embracing the technological expertise to help us expand. We welcome him as a major contributor to our growth strategy and capability to scale up for the future.” Richard, Ben and Julie’s arrivals follow MSP Capital’s launch of a package of lower rates on both development and bridging loans enabled by a landmark £350 million in new funding lines agreed last year. The facility, involving investment partners J.P. Morgan and Pollen Street Capital, is designed to strengthen scope for a loan book worth £750 million or more by 2030.

The UK economy unexpectedly failed to grow in January, ahead of the outbreak of the Iran war. Official figures revealed zero growth for the month – a much weaker figure than had been predicted and followed sluggish growth of 0.1% in December. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) described the figures as "subdued" and industry analysts said the economy was ‘flatlining’. The figures cover a period before the outbreak of Middle East conflict in Iran, which has caused a major energy price shock that could have a ripple effect on economies around the world. In response to the figures, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "Our economic plan is the right one, but I know there is more to do.” Analytics expert Raj Abrol, CEO, Galytix said: “When risk and uncertainty are at the top of the economic agenda, financial stagnation will inevitably become the new normal. In an increasingly complex world, mastering AI to navigate investments and assess market volatility will be an essential step forward, allowing organisations to manage and deploy capital as well as planning future investments and building accurate risk profiles.” Meanwhile Kenny MacAulay, CEO of Acting Office, a software platform for accounting practices added: “Businesses are facing the perfect storm of soaring hiring costs due to NI increases, AI disruption and geopolitical uncertainty, all of which have seen growth flatline. In uncertain times, firms will need a radical rethink of traditional business models, centralising tech systems to reduce costs and operate more effectively." "The fear for many is that this is just the beginning of an economic cliff edge and the government will have to move quickly to reassure nervous business owners that it has their back in difficult times.” The ONS said the services sector showed no growth in January, while production fell by 0.1%. Meanwhile the construction sector grew by 0.2%. In the three months to January, a less volatile measure in comparison to the monthly numbers, GDP grew by 0.2% - up from 0.1% in the three months to December.

Family and employee owned insurance firm, TL Dallas, is expanding its footprint in North Yorkshire with a new presence in Harrogate, as the Yorkshire-headquartered firm continues to invest in regional growth. The long-established insurance broking, risk management and financial services group will operate from premises at 36 Victoria Avenue, placing its team in the centre of Harrogate’s professional and commercial district and strengthening its service offering to both private and business clients across the town and surrounding areas. The move forms part of the firm’s wider strategy to build on sustained organic growth, whilst maintaining its position as one of the UK’s largest independent insurance brokers. Caroline Pullich, group head of private clients at TL Dallas, will lead the firm’s high-net-worth client offering from the new Harrogate base, working alongside corporate account executive, James Bright, who will focus on supporting commercial clients across the region. Caroline said: “Our expansion reflects both growing demand from existing clients and the company’s commitment to strengthening its presence in North Yorkshire. Harrogate has a vibrant professional and business community, and we have been working with clients here for decades. Establishing a dedicated presence at 36 Victoria Avenue allows us to build on those relationships, whilst also meeting new clients locally." “We see this as an important step in our continued investment for growth. TL Dallas has always focused on providing clear, independent advice and personal service, and having a base in Harrogate means we can be even closer to the people and businesses we support.” James added: “The town’s diverse economy made it a natural location for our next stage of development. Harrogate is home to a broad range of successful businesses, from professional services to healthcare and hospitality. Having a base in the town gives us an excellent platform to support both established organisations and growing companies with their insurance and risk management needs.” TL Dallas already works with a number of firms in the area, including healthcare provider Vida Healthcare and Harrogate-based Haddletons Solicitors. To mark the move, the firm has become a corporate patron of the Harrogate International Festival, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. James Rycroft, Managing Director of Vida Healthcare, said: “TL Dallas has provided us with consistent, transparent and clear insurance advice over many years. A trusting partnership was established from day one and combines value for money alongside the cover we need, which in turn gives us peace of mind.” Over the past five years, TL Dallas has expanded significantly acquiring a 40-strong team in Inverness, Elgin, and Orkney, which is now known as Nord Dallas and Caledonia Dallas respectively; launching specialist offices in Lincolnshire under the Dallas Scott Davey brand and North Yorkshire under the Dallas Wilding Drew brand; as well as opening a commercial and agricultural office in Cockermouth, Cumbria. Founded in 1919, TL Dallas employs more than 235 people across 15 offices throughout the UK and remains a fully independent, fourth-generation family and employee owned insurance and financial services group.

The uniqueness of Oxford’s retail market is a major contributor to the city’s success while other high streets are suffering, says a regional commercial property specialist. Mike Watson, partner at property consultancy Vail Williams, says Oxford continues to benefit from constrained supply, strong tourist footfall and high barriers to entry. And the future lies in conscious placemaking rather than blanket regeneration. Mike, whose clients include several of the key stakeholders on Oxford’s High Street, said “There is a shift towards more coordinated stewardship at a time when fragmented ownership can easily dilute long-term vision. Demand remains focused on smaller, character-led retail units, particularly those suited to independent operators, premium brands and food and beverage occupiers seeking prominent city centre locations.” At the same time, collaboration between local stakeholders is becoming a dominant theme in the future stewardship of the High Street and its environs. Lincoln College, All Souls College and Brasenose College are working together under the umbrella of The City Centre College Group to deliver a unique retail offer in the form of the Oxford Market Quarter – a crucial part of the city’s independent retail ecosystem, alongside Oxford City Council’s own reinvention of the Covered Market itself. Oxford Market Quarter is located in the city centre, stretching from Broad Street to the north with fantastic views of Trinity College, to High Street in the south and Corn market to the west. Within it sits Turl Street with its independent shops and eateries, as well as the Covered Market itself, and King Edward Street just to the east. Mike, who has almost 30 years’ commercial property experience in the city, added: “The ambition is to champion independent and artisan retailers, at a time when many UK high streets have become increasingly homogenised. The focus of the Oxford Market Quarter is on revitalising and delivering a range of quality retailers and hospitality, focusing on longevity and relevance, from high-end fashion and footwear, to a distinctive food and beverage offer with retailers that trade on craftsmanship and experience.” Oxford’s commercial story, and its retail property market, have evolved from Anglo-Saxon market stalls to historic, listed buildings housing shops and now into a multi-layered offering Mike said the historic city’s challenge today was how to continue that evolution without eroding the character that makes Oxford’s high street one of the most historically resonant in the country. On the edge of the city, destinations such as Oxford Retail Park provide large-format retail anchored by national brands. Move closer to the centre, however, and the offer becomes much more nuanced. City centre retail in Oxford is underpinned by the Westgate Centre, Cornmarket Street, Queen Street and Clarendon Centre. These boast a mix of major brands alongside long-established names and university buildings. “But it is as you approach the High Street itself that Oxford’s identity sharpens. Streets become more labyrinthine, shop units smaller, and the retail mix increasingly independent, artisan and experiential." “This gradual shift is not accidental. It reflects what visitors and locals increasingly expect from Oxford – that it does not act as a replica of every other UK high street, but offers something rooted in place.” Mike said demand remained focused on smaller, character-led retail units, particularly those suited to independent operators, premium brands and food and beverage occupiers seeking prominent city centre locations. However, he pointed out that many independent retailers in Oxford were feeling the pressure of rising rents and business rates, while the culture that they created was simultaneously celebrated and monetised. “That tension cannot be ignored. The success of Oxford’s High Street has always been built on small, distinctive traders, but the financial challenges they face are becoming increasingly burdensome." “Future regeneration must recognise these challenges, as well as the fact that heritage is not just architectural, it is economic and cultural too. Oxford’s High Street has not fundamentally changed in 400 years, but that does not mean it should stand still. The next phase of development will be defined by selective progress, careful curation, collaborative ownership, and investment that enhances rather than overwhelms." “If done well, the High Street in Oxford can continue to evolve as a place where history is not preserved behind glass, but is lived in - by independent retailers, artisans, students, locals and visitors alike." "Oxford’s retail longevity comes not from resisting change, but from shaping its future, with purpose, one which will see it through the next 400 years.” Vail Williams opened its office in Oxford in February 2024. The firm’s entry into the Oxford market sees the firm, which now has twelve offices across the UK, bridge the gap between its London, Reading and Birmingham offices, operating from premises at New Barclay House in the city. Vail Williams full-service property advice includes commercial agency, investment and development advice, building consultancy, property valuation, planning, lease advisory, property asset management, business rates and occupier consultancy.

To coincide with Food Waste Action Week (9-15th March), St Austell Brewery is marking one year of its award-winning waste initiative with a dramatic uplift in recycling and a new commitment to tackling food waste across its whole business. As part of the progress made so far, 100% of food waste from its 45 managed pubs across the South West is now diverted from general waste into anaerobic digestion or redistributed to local communities via Olio, a surplus food sharing app. Launched in 2025, Operation Segregation set out to improve how waste is sorted, measured and reduced across the company’s managed pub estate. Working in partnership with Biffa, the brewery introduced colour coded bins, improved signage and enhanced team training to make correct segregation easier across all sites. This has contributed to a 16% drop in general waste and a 49% reduction in total waste since 2023. Some pubs have also doubled their recycling rates. Emily Coon, Sustainability Manager at St Austell Brewery, said: “Operation Segregation is all about cutting waste at the source and ensuring valuable materials don’t end up where they shouldn’t. What’s been most inspiring is how quickly our teams have leaned into the change. When people understand the impact, positive behaviours naturally follow. This isn’t a project with a finish line - it’s the foundation for long-term cultural and operational transformation.” Helen Sprason, Area Manager at St Austell Brewery, added: “I am incredibly proud of what our pub teams have achieved over the past year. Seeing the waste numbers come down month by month has been hugely rewarding, but the shift in mindset is even more important." "Our dedicated teams have truly embraced the project, and I am so grateful for the energy and ownership they have brought to it.” A defining achievement of the past year has been the improvement in St Austell Brewery’s waste data quality. Although its reported food waste tonnage increased slightly year on year (still, fewer than eight tonnes), this reflects business growth and improved segregation rather than a rise in actual waste. Previously, a proportion of plate waste was incorrectly placed in general waste. With segregation now embedded and confidence in the data established, St Austell Brewery is launching phase two of Operation Segregation, focusing specifically on reducing food waste at source. In November 2025, the business completed its first food waste audit. Using 2025 as the benchmark, the company is committing to a 10% reduction in food waste in 2026 and a long-term ambition to reduce it by 50% by 2030. Operation Segregation sits within the brewery’s wider sustainability strategy - Crafting a Brighter Future - which includes a long-term commitment to eliminate edible food waste from operations by 2040 and transition towards becoming a zero waste business. As Food Waste Action Week highlights the scale of avoidable food waste across the UK hospitality sector, St Austell Brewery hopes its practical, data-led approach shows how targeted interventions can drive meaningful environmental change.

With artificial intelligence rapidly reshaping the modern workplace, many employees are caught between curiosity and concern.   New YouGov data reveals a nation divided: while 34% of adults say they use AI frequently, 37% admit they never use it at all.   And despite its growing presence, trust remains low - just 18% of people say they would trust AI to make decisions or take actions, while 72% wouldn’t feel comfortable allowing it to act on their behalf without approval.   But according to efficiency experts Kane Taylor and Jamie Burns from Ailsa , fears of AI replacing workers may be misplaced.   Instead of threatening jobs, they argue that AI has the potential to remove the mundane, time-consuming tasks that dominate many roles, freeing employees to focus on more meaningful, creative and complex work.   “I think it’s a big question on a lot of people’s minds at the moment, and a bit of fear, is this going to affect my job? Is this going to take my job?” said Kane.  “But I think we can twist this in a positive way. If AI can do all the remedial tasks in the background, it means we can upskill our workforces to do more interesting, or more complex things, that we can focus our time on." "Certainly, in my business, a lot of our time is going through a lot of admin and graphs, things that an AI could easily to, to allow us to focus on the more important things.”   “AI becomes a business enabler, rather than a risk and something to be scared of,” said Jamie.   “I think a lot of people are scared and worried about AI taking their job, but companies can use AI to streamline their processes and enable them to become a better business."   “One thing I would say, is that companies that incorporate AI into their businesses, and take away the more mundane tasks that people don't like doing, some of the admin functions that seem to take all day but need doing, that’s what you can use AI for and then use the people in the business to do the more complex and skilled stuff because you're always going to need people."   “We deal with data day in and day out, we deal with AI day in and day out, but it's never going to replace a person. Everything still needs a person, every interaction still needs someone there, because the whole personality and personal touch is what makes business operate." “AI then will become a thing that will streamline and take away a lot of the tasks that people don't like doing on a day-to-day basis.”  1. Learn to use AI so it works for you, not instead of you “A lot of people are asking whether AI is going to take their job, and honestly, it’s a fair worry. But the truth is, AI is much better at taking the boring stuff out of your job than taking the job itself. If you get used to using it day to day, it becomes something that helps you, not something that replaces you,” said Kane Taylor, efficiency expert at Ailsa “If the admin, the endless graphs, the time-draining background tasks can be handled by AI, that frees you up to do the more interesting, complex, valuable work. Getting comfortable with the tools puts you in the position of being the person who benefits from AI, not the one threatened by it.”   2. Lean into the human skills AI can’t touch “No matter how good AI gets, it’s never going to replace people. You still need real conversations, real judgement, and real emotional understanding, the things that make workplaces actually function. AI can process information, but it can’t bring personality, empathy, or the instinct that comes from experience." “So, focus on the parts of your job that rely on those uniquely human skills. The more you develop your communication, problem-solving, decision-making and creativity, the harder it is for any technology to step into your role.”   3. Build a reputation that people trust “AI can help with tasks, but it can’t build relationships. It can’t walk into a room and earn someone’s confidence, and it can’t replace the trust people put in someone they know will show up and do great work. That personal touch is what keeps businesses running."   “When you build a solid reputation, being dependable, consistent, easy to work with, you’re creating something AI can’t replicate. People work with people they trust, and that’s your edge.”   4. Get good at deciding what the real problem is “AI is brilliant at giving answers, but only if you tell it the right question. The real value comes from being the person who can step back, look at the situation, and decide what actually needs solving. That’s something humans are still far better at than any model."   “If you can identify the core issue, guide the direction, and then use AI to handle the grunt work, you become the one steering the process. AI supports the thinking, but it doesn’t do the thinking.”   5. Stay flexible and open to learning “The workplaces that use AI well are the ones freeing people from the boring, repetitive tasks. That means there’s a huge opportunity for anyone willing to adapt. The more open you are to learning new tools and approaches, the more valuable you become."  “Jobs aren’t disappearing, they’re shifting. If you stay curious and willing to update your skills, you’ll always have a role, and it’ll usually be a more interesting one than before.”