UK houses lost value in real terms in 2025 and significantly underperformed equities, according to new research by Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups. Its annual report, “Don’t Bet the House”, which compares gains from investing in residential property with typical stock market portfolios, warns property is no longer a reliable investment for people seeking short or mid-term growth. Over the past year, UK house price growth has continued its slump, rising just 1.7% - only half the pace of inflation. Whereas a simple investment mix of 25% UK equities and 75% international equities rose by 11.8% before dividends, Rathbones analysis showed. This is not a one-year wobble. After adjusting for inflation, the average UK home was worth less in 2025 than in 2016, with the proceeds of a typical house sale buying less than they would have nearly a decade earlier. Adam Hoyes, Senior Asset Allocation Analyst and author of the research, said: “We believe there’s been a structural shift, with recent performance reflecting weakness in the drivers of UK house prices rather than short-term volatility. This is not a one-off, rather it extends a poor run for UK house prices going back almost a decade.” The report built on Rathbones’ 2025 analysis and examined recent performance of the UK housing market and fresh factors shaping UK house prices, including slower real income growth, higher mortgage costs, and a more demanding tax and regulatory environment around buy-to-let investments. It notes a particular collapse in London, where house prices fell in 17 of the 32 boroughs in 2025, a total 1.7% fall across the capital. This masks dramatic falls in some places, such as Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, where prices plunged 14% and 7% respectively. Charlie Newsome, Senior Investment Director at Rathbones, said: “We’re seeing many people selling their buy-to-let and other rental properties because they no longer make sense as short to medium-term investments, and they are putting that money into invested portfolios instead. Right now, residential property isn’t seen as a driver of wealth for later life and retirement for most people.” “Houses have a special role in British attitudes to wealth,” he continued. “But we need to think long term for our clients, helping them navigate economic shifts in order to still meet their goals.” Rathbones’ new research also examined house prices in the 25 local authorities in England with the highest density of second homes, given their common role in financial planning. It found that areas with high concentrations of second homes have also seen prices fall disproportionately, with 19 of the 25 recording declines in 2025, compared to 26% nationally. This had risen to 20 of 25 by the first quarter of 2026. In its first “Don’t Bet the House” analysis of investment in residential housing versus invested portfolios last year, Rathbones concluded that there was a golden age of property investing in the UK, from the mid 1980s, when returns exceeded other investments over thirty years. Longer-term trends however, before and since, lacked the policy and economic drivers of this growth, resulting in more sluggish growth.

For generations, the family business has been the backbone of economies the world over; a story of shared sacrifice, inherited grit, and the stubborn belief that what you build together endures. But today, that story is under greater strain than ever before. The greatest threat? Not recession, not disruptive technology, not even a difficult marketplace. It is the moment when one generation must hand the keys to the next. Succession planning, or the chronic failure of it, stands as the defining challenge facing family businesses in the modern era. The statistics are quietly devastating. Only around 30 per cent of family firms survive into the second generation. Fewer than 15 per cent make it to the third. Behind each of those lost businesses lies not merely a failed commercial venture, but often a fractured family, a squandered legacy, and a community diminished. What makes this so difficult is the uniquely human tangle at its heart. Unlike a publicly listed company, where leadership transitions are governed by boards, contracts, and institutional pressure, a family business carries the full weight of personal history into every boardroom decision. The question of who takes over is never purely strategic. It is freighted with love, rivalry, pride, fear, and sometimes, grief. The Founder's Dilemma At the root of many succession failures is a founder who simply cannot let go. This is not a character flaw so much as a deeply human response to having built something from nothing. For many entrepreneurs, the business is their identity. To step back is, in some profound sense, to disappear. Without a clear sense of what life looks like beyond the office, many founders delay, defer, and, fatally, leave succession too late. The next generation, meanwhile, occupies an uncomfortable position. They may harbour ambitions of their own, or quietly dread the weight of expectation. Siblings who present a united front at Christmas lunch can find themselves in bitter disagreement over questions of control, direction, and fair reward. In family businesses, these disputes rarely stay in the boardroom, they come home. The Governance Gap Compounding matters is the fact that most family firms lack the formal structures that might otherwise cushion these transitions. Without an independent board, a family constitution, or clearly defined decision-making protocols, the business is left entirely vulnerable to the personalities involved. When things are going well, this informality can feel like a strength making the business environment feel nimble, trusting and personal. When succession looms, it becomes a liability. Many family businesses would benefit enormously from separating two distinct but often conflated things: family governance and business governance. The former concerns how the family itself makes decisions, manages conflict, and defines shared values. The latter concerns how the company is run. Conflating the two, as so many firms do, means that a falling-out over inheritance can bring an otherwise healthy enterprise to its knees. The Professionalisation Question Alongside succession sits a related and equally fraught question: when does a family business need to look beyond the family itself for leadership? Bringing in an experienced external chief executive can inject fresh thinking and hard-won expertise. It can also cause profound resentment, particularly if family members feel bypassed or diminished. There is no universal answer, but the businesses that navigate this best tend to be honest with themselves about the difference between loyalty and competence. Promoting a family member into a role they are ill-equipped to fill — out of sentiment, obligation, or the desire to avoid an awkward conversation — rarely ends well for the business or the individual. Equally, the retention of talented non-family staff is a perennial challenge. Capable employees who see the path to senior leadership perpetually blocked by the founder's offspring will, eventually, seek their futures elsewhere. The perception of nepotism, even when unfounded, can quietly hollow out a firm's best talent over time. Old Values, New World None of this exists in isolation. Family businesses today are also grappling with rapid digital transformation, shifting consumer expectations, and a generational divide in how work itself is understood. The founder who built a logistics empire on handshakes and long hours may find himself at odds with a son or daughter who wants to automate the warehouse and introduce a four-day working week. These tensions are not simply generational friction — they are genuine strategic disagreements about what the business is and where it is going. When they coincide with a succession in progress, they can become explosive. The Path Through Family businesses that navigate succession well tend to share certain habits. They start the conversation early, ideally a decade or more before any transition is planned, rather than treating it as something to be dealt with when the time comes. They bring in independent advisers who can say what family members cannot say to one another. They put things in writing: a family charter, a shareholders' agreement, a clear governance framework. Most importantly, they treat succession not as a single event but as a long process of preparation, trust-building, and gradual transfer of responsibility. The next generation earns authority; it is not simply conferred. The Hardest Conversation Is Also the Most Important The family business is one of the most resilient and admirable forms of enterprise humanity has ever devised. It operates on a timescale that puts quarterly targets to shame — thinking not in fiscal years but in generations. That is its great strength. But that same long view demands a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about mortality, fairness, and the limits of loyalty. The businesses that will thrive over the coming decades are those with the courage to have the hardest conversation of all: what happens when you are gone? Ask it early, answer it honestly, and put the structures in place to make the answer stick. The alternative, silence, delay, and the hope that things will somehow sort themselves out, is not a plan. It is a slow goodbye. Family businesses account for over 60 per cent of all private sector employment in the United Kingdom. Their success, and their survival, matters to all of us.

A mother and son team have gained major backing for a company aiming to radically change the way the food and beverage industry responds to incidents. Friday4:30, an end-to-end platform enabling food brands and manufacturers to manage and log issues from first alert to resolution, has gained a £335,000 investment from venture capital company Haatch. London-based Friday4:30 is the brainchild of incident management expert Emma Sykes and her son Jack, who created a platform based on his mother’s knowledge. The Sykes’ say incident management is too often unprepared, disorganised and frequently leads to a ‘Friday 4.30 moment’, where a response is created ad hoc, late in the day. “Food and beverage has and always will face incidents, from single product failures to full scale production line shutdowns. But, in a world where news travels faster than any response can, the stakes have never been higher." “I've personally dealt with hundreds of incidents. Every single one needs to be handled in a systematic way” said Emma Sykes. Sykes worked directly with food brands helping them overcome issues and incidents. “Over the years, I built a structured approach, and often said: ‘I wish someone could take what’s in my head and create software from it.’ When Jack decided to do just that, I was really thrilled by the possibilities." “The businesses that come through incidents well aren't the ones with the biggest teams. They're the ones who are prepared." Jack Sykes ran his own business while studying at Edinburgh University, creating work experience places for students at start-ups. His interest in technology first began when he took an online course run by Harvard University during the Covid period. “I am not a coder, but I knew what I wanted to achieve, and there are some incredible tools that meant we could create a prototype of the product." “I’d picked up so much over the years from listening to Emma and had a pretty clear idea of what incident response and preparedness involved. It's about bringing together the many moving parts. Incidents aren't always about a product or a service. They can be industry or business-wide." “The platform removes the need for crisis manuals, the scramble to get the right people in a room, and the age-old problem of institutional knowledge walking out the door, whether that's someone on holiday or someone who's left the business entirely." The efforts of the Sykes impressed investors at Haatch, which has invested a six-figure sum. The investment means the company has the capital to launch and onboard its first customers. Charlie Weavers-Wright, principal seed investor at Haatch, said: "Friday4:30 is exactly the kind of business we love at Haatch. Emma has spent decades solving one of food and drinks’ most costly and underserved problems - and most companies are still managing product recalls and supply chain crises on spreadsheets and email chains." "She and Jack are now encoding that hard-won expertise into software that makes professional crisis management accessible to every mid-market brand, not just those who can afford a retained consultant." “The business already has real revenue, real customer intent and a clear gap in the market to fill. We couldn't be more excited to back them.” Friday4:30, which is based in London, was launched in July 2025 and incorporated in September 2025. The company has built an advisory committee drawing on expertise from the UK and USA across food and drink, quality assurance, customer service, technology and professional services “We wanted to do this properly from the outset so we formed an advisory committee in July last year to guide us on our journey. “Now, with the investment and support from Haatch, we are ready to take this to market,” said Emma Sykes. About Friday4:30 Built for Fast Moving Consumer Goods brands and manufacturers, Friday4:30 is the only end-to-end platform keeping brands and manufactures ahead of emerging issues and ready to manage everything from first alert to resolution when things go wrong. Because incidents aren't always about a product, they can be industry-wide or business-wide. And no other platform covers all of it About Emma Sykes Emma Sykes is co-founder and Executive Chair of incident management platform Friday4:30. Emma is also the founder of Care & Reputation, a consultancy focused on customer care, crisis response and reputation. She has spent years advising food and drink businesses from around the world including brands such as Sarson's, Branston pickle, Tilda rice and Ella's Kitchen. About Jack Sykes Jack Sykes is co-founder and CEO of incident management platform Friday4:30. Jack started his first business while studying at Edinburgh University, helping students find work experience places at startups. After his degree he spent a year working before setting about building the prototype that would become Friday4:30.

A Lake District spa resort is to host Cumbria's inaugural Gingerbread House Festival, a national celebration and bold re-imagining of a centuries-old culinary and cultural tradition for creative bakers. Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa is working in partnership with Grasmere Gingerbread to deliver the event on the shores of Windermere over the weekend of 20-22 November. The festival, which has been endorsed by Cumbria Tourism, will showcase ‘gingerbread house’ designs created by a host of competitors, including bakers, confectioners, and individual creators and crafters from across the UK. The brainchild of Grasmere Gingerbread co-director Joanne Hunter, the launch of the Gingerbread House Festival has been marked with the opening of an official entry website to coincide with National Gingerbread Day. “As The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop is the best-known, real life gingerbread house in the country, our Lake District home is the natural location for a national celebration of ‘gingerbread house’ creations that are both eye-catching and edible,” she said. Mark Needham, general manager of Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa – a short distance from The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – is thrilled to host the culinary competition which will raise funds for Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity. “The Gingerbread House Festival will bring together families, friends and visitors in the Lake District in a pre-Christmas gathering to celebrate exceptional British imagination, craftsmanship and creativity,” he said. For Ben Berry, managing director of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, The Gingerbread House Festival is an example of Lake District businesses working collaboratively to enhance the tourism ‘offer’ to visitors and holidaymakers. “Grasmere Gingerbread has been a supplier across our venues for over 25 years, and as another family run businesses in the heart of the Lake District, we're proud to be working together with them,” he said. “We've always regarded their high quality, artisan produce as part of our collaborative efforts with suppliers to provide the very best for our guests. It is longstanding business relationships such as these that help us all to pool resources, come up with innovative, creative ideas and enhance what we all have to offer.” Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, said the event would further cement the county’s reputation for innovative and exciting tourism: “As Grasmere Gingerbread is synonymous with the Lake District, it is fitting that, together with Low Wood Bay, it will host the inaugural Gingerbread House Festival this November." “I am already looking forward to entrants using our inspirational landscape and scenery to create magical ‘gingerbread houses’ in the heart of Cumbria.” Entrants are encouraged to let their imagination go wild. From traditional country cottages, elegant stately homes and global cultural landmarks to famous pieces of brutalist architecture, iconic modes of transport or even ‘emergency’ accommodation, The Gingerbread House Festival will shed a spotlight on all kinds of ‘gingerbread house’ designs. “Although we are in the middle of summer and the dark nights of November seem a long way away, I would encourage people to start thinking about the kind of ‘gingerbread house’ they might wish to enter,” added Joanne Hunter. The Gingerbread House Festival will involve fabulous prizes, with the best entry winning the accolade National Gingerbread House of the Year 2026. To enter and find out more about The Gingerbread House Festival, visit here.

Lytchett Minster School’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has secured some heavily discounted storage thanks to two former students. Lucy and Sophie Maidman run Store and Secure in Hamworthy, Poole, and along with their colleague Kavan Wood made space available for their alma mater. The PTA is a dedicated group of parents, carers and school staff working together to support the school community. Its aim is to enhance the educational experience of all students by organising events, fundraising and fostering strong relationships between families and the school. Being so successful, the PTA has a great deal of stock for all the events it organises and runs. And now, thanks to the partnership with Store & Secure, it has somewhere to store everything. James Merrick, from the PTA, said: “We are so grateful to Store & Secure and to Lucy and Sophie, who have proved what generous people the school produces." “We now have a dedicated storage unit which is safe, secure and easily accessible when we need it. We are a new PTA team in our first year and while we've already organised several successful events, including the upcoming Summer Fayre, we're still very much in the early stages of our journey." “We're excited about building on this momentum and creating even more opportunities to support the school and its students in the years ahead - that's why the support from Lucy and Sophie means such a great deal to us." “As parents of current students and volunteers doing our best to support the school community, having access to secure storage removes a significant challenge and allows us to focus more of our time and energy on fundraising and organising events that benefit the students.” Kavan from the company said: “Both of my directors attended the school and have many happy memories from their time there. The school played an important part in their upbringing, so being able to give something back feels very special." “When I was approached about providing a storage space, there was no hesitation. I was delighted to offer a storage room to help the school and support the fantastic work it continues to do for local children and families” Photo: Kavan Wood (left) from Store & Secure with James Merrick from Lytchett Minster School PTA

HMG Paints Ltd, the UK’s leading independent paint manufacturer, has partnered with specialist commercial contractors Anglia Decor to successfully deliver a comprehensive refurbishment of a Self-Storage warehouse unit. Utilising HMG’s advanced "1K DTM" (Direct to Metal) system Anglia Decor transformed the tired yellow unit into a completely refreshed white and red livery. The project highlights how high-performance coatings can streamline commercial transformations with zero operational downtime. Operating within a live commercial environment presented a unique set of logistical challenges. Anglia Decor was tasked with executing a complete coating upgrade while ensuring minimum disruption to customers accessing their storage units. Overcoming these strict site constraints required a combination of skilled application craftsmanship and a rapid turnaround, which was enabled by HMG’s highly efficient coating system. Anglia Decor chose HMG Paints over competing manufacturers due to HMG's product coverage capabilities, ease of ordering and exceptional technical service provided by representative Roger Blinco. To minimise on-site delays, HMG coordinated direct-to-site deliveries, ensuring all coatings arrived precisely when needed to support a seamless setup and an efficient workflow. Steve Massey, owner of Anglia Decor said: "We would recommend using HMG products and support service; we have found the 1K DTM has great coverage and gives a uniform finish." "The ease of order and quick delivery time made it incredibly easy to set up the job, get started, and achieve a high-quality result on a busy, live site." The 1K DTM system utilised on the project is engineered to combine primer and topcoat properties into a single, high-performance formulation. Formulated for direct application to metal substrates, the product offers excellent adhesion, corrosion resistance, and colour retention. Applied via spray application by the Anglia Decor team, the coating delivered an impeccable, uniform finish across the facility's surfaces, significantly upgrading the units aesthetic appeal and long-term durability. Roger Blinco, HMG Technical Sales Manager, commented: “It’s clear to see why Anglia Decor were asked to travel halfway across the country for this project when you see the transformation from a tired looking yellow unit to the stunning new red and white livery.” The team have done a great job on this project and we’re proud to have worked with them to identify the right product specification and provide technical support.” The collaboration highlights HMG Paints' commitment to supporting independent commercial contractors with agile manufacturing and personalised account management. From technical support and initial order placement through to precise site delivery, the streamlined process allowed Anglia Decor to optimise their daily business operations and deliver complete building solutions for a variety of customers. Anglia Decor is a premier commercial painting and protective coatings contractor specialising in large-scale industrial, commercial, and retail refurbishments across the UK. Guided by core values of integrity, customer satisfaction, and a well-trained workforce, the company are specialist contractors in resin and epoxy flooring, industrial roofing, cladding installation and industrial painting. 1K DTM is available direct from HMG Paints or via their nationwide distribution network. For more information on the HMG Paints range of cladding and industrial coatings or for technical support visit here.

Family-owned painting and decorating specialist Bagnalls has successfully completed a significant refurbishment project at NatWest's Granby Street branch in Leicester, further demonstrating the quality and professionalism that has underpinned the business for generations. Commissioned by workplace experience and facilities management company ISS, Bagnalls was tasked with carrying out a comprehensive redecoration of both the banking hall and back-of-house areas within the busy city centre branch. Among the standout elements of the project was the restoration of the building's intricate domed ceiling – a feature that required specialist access equipment and exceptional attention to detail. In total, Bagnalls' Leicester team prepared and redecorated 3,777 square metres of space throughout the branch. Extensive preparation work was undertaken to achieve the desired finish, including sanding uneven wall surfaces and applying the appropriate undercoats before painting commenced. Gloss finishes were applied to selected areas, while previously varnished surfaces were carefully restored to their original appearance. Working to the specified design requirements, the team applied two coats of Ultra Flat Matt paint, delivering a smooth, high-quality finish that has transformed the banking environment. The refurbishment of the decorative dome presented a particular challenge. To safely access the elevated structure, Bagnalls deployed a combination of spider lifts, towers and scissor lifts, with its fully trained operatives adhering to rigorous health and safety procedures throughout the project. The company also placed a strong emphasis on safeguarding the physical health and mental wellbeing of its team while working at height. Despite the scale and complexity of the work, the entire project was completed within just four weeks and in line with the client's expectations. To minimise disruption to customers and staff, all painting and decorating activities were undertaken outside of the bank's operating hours. The revitalised banking hall and staff breakout spaces now provide a brighter, more welcoming and polished environment for employees and visitors alike. The quality of the workmanship drew praise from the client, particularly in relation to the restored dome ceiling, with one representative commenting: "You have done a great job on the dome!" The project is another example of how family business Bagnalls continues to combine traditional craftsmanship with modern expertise, delivering exceptional results for some of the UK's most recognisable organisations.

Aberdeen-based brewery Fierce Beer marks ten years as an Aldi Scotland supplier, launching its latest beer, ‘Hometown’ ahead of the World Cup. Aldi Scotland is celebrating a decade of partnership with Aberdeen craft brewery Fierce Beer, one of its longest-standing craft beer suppliers. Over the past 10 years the duo have put more than two million beers into the hands of Scottish shoppers since the relationship began in 2016. Fierce was still in its first year of trading when Aldi Scotland became its debut retail customer, welcoming the brewery into its inaugural Scottish Beer Festival. In the decade since, the partnership has flourished, with the supermarket stocking over 50 different Fierce beers ranging from IPAs, lagers, stouts, and sours to low and no-alcohol options, and a run of collaboration brews under the 'Fierce and Friends' banner that brought together breweries from across the UK. Founded in Aberdeen with bars in both Aberdeen and Edinburgh, Fierce Beer produces an award-winning range of vegan and gluten-free beers across its core and seasonal lines, making craft beer accessible to a wide range of drinkers. The brewery has built a reputation for innovation, responding quickly to shifting consumer tastes and bringing new styles to a mainstream audience. Cloud Cover and Hop Property have been the standout sellers with Aldi customers throughout the partnership. More recently, the exclusive collaboration and festival releases, including the 'Fierce and Friends' ranges and IPA exclusives, have performed particularly strongly during Aldi Scotland's Beer Festival periods. Alongside the milestone, Fierce has a new beer landing exclusively in store. Hometown, a 4.2% Scottish lager, arrives on 8 June, ahead of Scotland's opening World Cup fixture on 14 June. Designed to capture the excitement and sense of occasion that a major tournament brings, it is crisp, refreshing, and easy-drinking, and something people can enjoy while watching matches at home with friends and family, while still carrying the bold character Fierce Beer is known for. The launch also reflects the growing popularity of limited-edition event beers that have become a significant part of the Aldi Scotland partnership in recent years. Craig Cargill, Sales Director at Fierce Beer, said: "Aldi Scotland was our very first retail customer, and that still means a great deal to us. Those early festival listings gave us a platform and a confidence we could not have built on our own." "Over ten years, the relationship has grown into something genuinely collaborative. We started with a festival slot and have since developed exclusive ranges, larger seasonal programmes, and projects like the 'Fierce and Friends' series together. Aldi has given us the space to innovate at scale, and that has shaped what Fierce Beer is today. “Looking ahead, we want to keep bringing exciting new beers to Aldi Scotland customers, exploring emerging styles and continuing to showcase the best of Scottish craft brewing. Above all, we want to keep making great beer accessible to as many people as possible.” Alan Leslie, Buying Director at Aldi Scotland, said: "Ten years with Fierce Beer is something everyone at Aldi Scotland can take real pride in. When we first started working together, they were a new brewery just finding their feet in retail. To see what they have built since, the awards, the venues, and the reputation for doing something different every year, is inspiring." "What has made this partnership work is the willingness on both sides to keep pushing. Over two million beers is a striking number, but what it really reflects is the quality and consistency Fierce has brought to the shelf, and the appetite our customers have shown for the exclusive and collaborative releases we have developed together. "Hometown is a timely addition. It is exactly the kind of product our customers will be reaching for ahead of the World Cup, and a fitting way to mark ten great years." Hometown Scottish Lager (4x330ml, £4.99) is available across all 113 Aldi Scotland stores from 8 June, while stocks last.

A North Lancashire hotel has strengthened its ties with a Portuguese drinks supplier with a port wine sampling evening and expert talk on the industry. Lancaster House Hotel hosted a delegation from the House of Sandeman, a leading producer of fortified port wines originating from the vineyards of the Douro Valley in Portugal, for an evening of insight, expertise and sampling. A group of 25 port wine enthusiasts participated in the event which included an enlightening talk on port wine production from Rui Santil, brand ambassador for the House of Sandeman. The group also enjoyed a tasting menu of delicious canapé treats in the hotel’s Dalton Suite, with each course or dish paired with a vintage, reserve or tawny port specially selected to enhance the flavour and enjoyment of their food. The partnership between English Lakes Hotels and the drinks supplier goes back more than 30 years, with the Lancaster venue’s Sandeman Bar being named after the Portuguese company when it first opened. On a flight home from Spain in the 1990s, former English Lakes Hotels director, Douglas Dale, struck up a conversation with fellow passenger David Sandeman, the managing director at the time. On discovering their mutual interests in the hospitality industry, Douglas proposed naming the hotel bar after the Portuguese company, as well as establishing a supplier relationship. Rui Santil commented: “It’s been great to visit the historic city of Lancaster and an honour to come to Lancaster House Hotel for an evening of port sampling in the newly refurbished Sandeman Bar." “Our connection with the hotel goes right back to when it was first opened in the 1990s and Douglas Dale’s chance conversation with David Sandeman, so it was a real pleasure to meet Douglas and raise a glass to the enduring relationship between the two family businesses." “It was also a lovely opportunity to talk to fellow port enthusiasts, share our knowledge on production and enjoy a range of our classic tawny ports.” Lancaster House Hotel general manager Emma Underwood added: “From our highly popular White Sandeman’s Port Cocktail as a pre-dinner drink to a 20-year-old tawny port evening nightcap, our port sampling evenings have always proved popular with hotel guests and local wine enthusiasts." “It’s fantastic that our longstanding relationship with the House of Sandeman has continued to flourish. This event was an opportunity to celebrate that and for participants to find out more about the history of port production from Rui and his team, as well as sampling some classic ruby, white and tawny ports.” For further information about upcoming port and cheese nights at Lancaster House Hotel, visit here.

Aldi has officially been crowned ‘Best Value Brand of the Year’ by the UK’s trusted consumer champion, Which. The supermarket giant fought off stiff competition from brands including Lidl to scoop the prestigious title, which recognises brands that offer outstanding value and high-quality products to customers. The highly scrupulous Which? judges commended Aldi in particular for“consistently providing high quality, budget friendly options”. The win comes following Aldi’s dominance in the Which? monthly Cheapest Supermarket comparison – where the discounter has come out on top every month in 2026. The beloved supermarket also took the title of ‘Which? Cheapest Supermarket of the Year’ for 2025, which consistently proves its value promise to UK families. From award-winning wines to everyday essentials and its famous Specialbuys aisle, Aldi continues to prove that great quality doesn’t have to come at a high price. Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be named ‘Best Value Brand of the Year’. At a time when household budgets are being squeezed, we are more committed than ever to providing our customers with the best quality products at the lowest possible prices." “This award is a testament to the hard work of our colleagues and suppliers, and we want to thank the millions of shoppers who put their trust in us and continue to choose Aldi.” A Which? spokesperson, said: “Aldi has secured this award by delivering the highest number of Which? Great Value products across the widest variety of test categories during the 12-month judging period. The supermarket consistently provides budget-friendly, high-quality options, ensuring consumers do not have to compromise on performance to save money on everyday essentials.”

New parents in Scotland could be missing out on free support to help with the cost of everyday baby essentials. Britain’s biggest discounter is continuing to give away a £100 Aldi voucher to one family every week as part of its Mamia New Parent Fund, to be used on everything from nappies and wipes to toiletries. It comes as new Aldi analysis reveals parents who choose Mamia nappies, baby wipes and formula could save over £550 during their baby’s first year compared with leading branded equivalents. Since the initiative launched earlier this year, Aldi has already gifted thousands of pounds in vouchers to parents across the UK. Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: “The reality is that the costs don’t stop once you’ve bought the pram and decorated the nursery - it’s the everyday essentials that really add up week after week for parents." “When you’re suddenly buying supplies like nappies and baby wipes alongside your normal shop, even small savings can make a meaningful difference over the course of a year." “That’s exactly why we continue to invest in keeping everyday baby essentials affordable through our Mamia range, while our New Parent Fund is another way we’re helping families during those early years.” New parents in Scotland who want to apply for Aldi's Mamia New Parent Fund should email mamiaparentfund@aldi.co.uk with a receipt showing their latest Mamia purchase. One family will be chosen each week throughout 2026 to receive a £100 voucher to spend in any UK Aldi store. For full terms and conditions, visit here. Aldi was named Supermarket of the Year by Mother&Baby, confirming that families can trust Aldi to deliver unbeatable value across their entire shop.

Multi-award winning commercial and office cleaning company Cleanology has promoted Juliet Widdicombe to be its new Managing Director. The move marks a meteoric rise for Juliet who only joined Cleanology four years ago as Operations Director before achieving a promotion to Associate Director two years ago. The top post is a reward for South African-born Juliet establishing herself as an integral member of the leadership team and impressing with her dedication, innovation and people-first approach, which has played a key role in shaping the family owned 1400 employee business during a period of significant growth. Juliet said: “The most enticing factor about working at Cleanology is that it allows you to be brave. We have a dynamic leadership team which isn’t scared to push forward and back bold decisions. We are constantly pushing boundaries to elevate the business as well as the wider industry and there is a real shared ambition across the business to keep raising standards for our clients and our people." “We have also made a substantial investment into our new Learning & Development department this year to create clear pathways for our staff. The feedback already from new staff is that they have never previously experienced training of such depth and support. We attach huge importance to this because we want a committed, motivated and happy workforce with genuine opportunities to progress." Juliet added: “I’m especially excited to now be leading the Operations and Business Support Teams as we continue driving customer excellence across the business. We have also welcomed some amazing new directors into the Operations Team who bring years of experience, energy and talent, and I am confident that we will collectively achieve our objectives over the coming years." “In the four years I have been at Cleanology I have come to really value the stakeholder relationships I have developed. These strategic partnerships are vital for us and deliver consistent quality for us. There is an alignment in our approach to sustainability and social impact and we continue to hold one another to account." Cleanology, which is headquartered in Vauxhall, South West London, and has regional offices in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Scotland, enjoyed an outstanding 2025 winning new business in a range of sectors from law and education to leisure and energy. Juliet, is based in Sevenoaks, Kent, and in her limited free time enjoys watching her young family at various sporting events and is an avid Arsenal supporter. Mark Little was recently appointed as Cleanology’s new Chief Executive Officer. He is also playing a pivotal role supporting the £25 million turnover company’s ambitious plans to double in size. A successful 2025 saw Cleanology win dozens of new contracts across multiple sectors, including the company’s biggest ever mobilisation with over £2 million of new contracts mobilised in just one month. Welcoming Juliet to her new post, Mark said: “Juliet’s promotion marks an exciting new chapter for Cleanology. She has made a tremendous impact since joining the business and brings real passion, operational expertise and a people-first leadership style to everything she does." “As we continue our ambitious growth journey, Juliet will play a vital role in strengthening our Operations Team, supporting our people and ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional service and customer excellence for clients nationwide. There is fantastic momentum across the business right now and Juliet is absolutely the right person to help lead Cleanology into this exciting next phase.”