Yorkshire Baking Co. has unveiled its fresh new look ahead of Yorkshire Day on 1st August 2026, aiming to both strengthen its presence and support the exciting next phase of the cake brand’s growth. Rolling out across the ever-popular MEGA Loaf Cake range, the refreshed packaging celebrates Yorkshire Baking Co.‘s heritage while creating a stronger, more contemporary presence on shelf. The new design features an illustrated landscape, a prominent “Yorkshire’s Finest Cakes” seal of approval and the new brand strapline, “Good Honest Cake,” reinforcing the company’s commitment to quality baking which will appeal strongly to shoppers nationwide. The re-brand has also been extended to one of Yorkshire Baking Co.‘s most loved varieties, Yorkshire Parkin, with a distinctive identity across the MEGA Loaf Cake, cakes slices and smaller formats. Heritage-inspired colours and messaging, including “Rooted in Tradition,” will inspire cake lovers to try one of Yorkshire’s finest. The new look MEGA Loaf Cake ranging comprises of Classic Madeira, Lemon Crunch, Double Choc Chunk, Deliciously Cherry, Juicy Sultana, Jam & Coconut, Sticky Toffee, and Yorkshire Parkin - with an exciting array of NPD on the horizon to further drive brand appeal. The new packaging has been developed to provide greater shelf impact while creating a flexible platform for exciting future product development, seasonal launches and collaborative brand partnerships. Arainn Cleland, Sales Director at Yorkshire Baking Co., said: “This is an important milestone for Yorkshire Baking Co. as we continue to invest in our much-loved and rapidly growing cake brand. Our new identity reflects our heritage, our values and delivers quality consumers expect from our products, ultimately appealing strongly to all shoppers seeking “good honest cake’’ “Our MEGA Loaf Cakes are already a firm favourite with shoppers nationwide, and we are confident that our fresh new look will strengthen engagement with existing consumers, attract new shoppers to the brand and create further opportunities for growth with our retail partners.”

Nearly a century of Lancashire cheesemaking, tested by fire and emerging stronger. On the evening of Monday, November 6, 2023, Matthew Hall was fast asleep when his mother began throwing stones at his bedroom window. Outside, the Lancashire night sky was lit not by stars, but by a blaze consuming Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses’ office and packing site in Longridge. "Mum told me there was a fire," he recalls. "That word can mean so much, can't it? You light your fire in your house; you have fire on a candle. But this was not a fire. This was a blaze. Straight away, your legs go to jelly. It's all a little overwhelming, looking at the place you love so much in flames." What Matthew saw that night was its site on Shay Lane, Longridge, being consumed by an inferno. It took 60 firefighters to bring the flames under control with crews on site for nearly a week. A warehouse the size of two football pitches was destroyed. Hundreds of tonnes of stock, cheese in maturation, cheese being prepared for despatch, the result of months of skilled, patient craft, was gone. Six weeks before Christmas. It was, by any measure, a catastrophe. What followed was a masterclass in resilience, family, and a refusal to be defined by disaster. Richard and Annie's Farm The story of Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses begins in the fields of rural Lancashire in 1932, when Richard and Annie Butler purchased Lower Barker Farm in Inglewhite. From the very beginning, the farm was given over to cheese, handmade, carefully crafted, and sold locally to neighbours who recognised quality when they tasted it. Richard and Annie built something that would outlast them by generations. All four of their sons came to work in the family business, and cheesemaking rooted itself deep in the family's identity. The name Blacksticks, which would eventually become the business's most celebrated brand, came from a collection of tall chestnut trees on the Goosnargh-Chipping border, the name of the farm owned by one of the founders' four sons. The second generation nurtured what Richard and Annie had started. Jean Butler, now 87 and the last surviving member of that generation, remains a living link to those earliest days. When King Charles III visited the new Butlers cheese campus in February 2026 to officially open it, he sat with Jean, reviewed historical records, and listened as she recounted stories from nearly a century of cheesemaking history. The third generation expanded the business further. Gillian and Colin Hall, Gillian being the daughter of the Butler family, broadened the range and built the commercial foundations that would eventually take Butlers cheeses into supermarkets and delis across the country. Farmhouse Cheesemaking Craft At the heart of Butlers' identity is a commitment to milk, where it comes from, how it is treated, and the effect it has on the quality of the final product. All of the milk used at Inglewhite comes from the family's own herd, with the remainder sourced from farms within a ten-mile radius, many of them operated by family relatives. In an age when food provenance is increasingly important to consumers, Butlers has practised what it preached since 1932. The cheeses are made by hand, using traditional methods handed down through the generations. The range spans hard, blue, and soft cheese in cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk, with everything from classic Lancashire cheese to those inspired by those on the continent. The flagship is undoubtedly Blacksticks Blue. Distinctive for its distinctive orange colour, a result of the annatto natural colouring added to the milk, it is matured for eight weeks, during which time it develops a smooth, creamy texture and a flavour that manages to be both gently tangy and approachably mild. It has been credited as the first contemporary British blue cheese to demonstrate that the country could produce something genuinely exciting beyond Stilton, and it has won admirers at the very highest levels, from celebrated chefs to King Charles, who sampled it with blackcurrant jam on a ginger biscuit during his 2026 campus visit, declaring it something that would be "great as a dessert." Beyond Blacksticks, Butlers’ range includes Trotter Hill — a crumbly aged Lancashire-style cheese — Kidderton Ash, a delicate goat's cheese dusted with charcoal ash, Parlick, a ewe's milk cheese, and Tunworth, a soft, continental-style cheese revered by Michelin-starred restaurants and independent delicatessens alike. Following the acquisition of the Hampshire Cheese Company in 2024, Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses is now the largest independent soft cheesemaker in the UK. Head Cheese Grader Bill Yates, who has worked at Butlers for 36 years, and Head Cheesemaker Tim Fisher, with 35 years of service, are testament to the kind of institutional knowledge and deep craft that no manual can fully replicate, the sort of expertise that can only be accumulated through decades spent honing their craft. The Night Everything Changed When the fire broke out at Longridge, the dairy at Inglewhite, a separate site, was spared which meant the cheesemaking itself could continue. But the packing, maturation, and office operations that had been housed at Longridge were entirely destroyed. The company was suddenly making cheese at full capacity with nowhere near the space or infrastructure to store, mature, or despatch it properly. "We lost the entire operation overnight," says Matthew simply. Yet within hours of the blaze, the response had already begun. Milk was being turned to cheese within hours, plans were being made, calls were being placed, and the family and workforce were gathering themselves for what lay ahead. The local business community rallied. Customers, including the major supermarket chains, offered patience and support. Operations were moved entirely to the Inglewhite dairy, which meant working in a space a fraction of the size of what had existed before, with milk tankers and cheese wagons making journeys that an integrated site would have made unnecessary. "Since the loss of Longridge," the company wrote on its website a year after the fire, "we have managed to operate entirely from the dairy, but with limited space we are unable to mature our cheese on site. This means extra wagons to take our cheese to and from the dairy and extra milk tankers, as we are unable to use all our milk." The financial impact was severe with multi-million-pound losses and the time taken for insurance to come through. And yet, at no point did supply to customers break down entirely. Throughout the rebuild, Butlers maintained continuity of supply, an achievement that, given the circumstances, amounts to something close to a minor miracle of logistics and willpower. Building the Cheese Campus From the very beginning of the crisis, the family took a decision that would come to define the next chapter of Butlers' story. This would not simply be a case of rebuilding what had been lost. "Cheesemaking is at the very heart of our business," said Matthew. "Operating entirely from the dairy was not without its challenges, but it ignited our desire to nurture our cheese from beginning to end on the farm." "We saw an opportunity to not simply replace what we lost, but to build something that would serve our business and our community for the next 100 years. This generational investment in our new cheese campus brings tradition and technology together to protect our craft now, and in future." "In the summer following the fire, Butlers entered into discussions with Preston City Council about an entirely new vision: a purpose-built cheese campus at Wilson Fields Farm, Inglewhite, the home of the original dairy, that would bring every stage of production under one roof for the first time in the company's history. Planning permission was granted in early 2025. The investment would total £15 million. The campus was designed in harmony with the surrounding countryside, largely invisible from the road, its building footprint kept deliberately modest, its materials and architecture grounded in the agricultural landscape of rural Lancashire. Crucially, 80% of the construction work was carried out by local Lancashire businesses. The rubble from the Longridge fire site was transported to Inglewhite and used to create the connecting pathways between buildings, a detail of striking symbolic power: the destruction of one chapter becoming, quite literally, the foundation of the next. The centrepiece of the new campus is a state-of-the-art maturation shed, specifically designed to meet the individual needs of Butlers' three distinct cheese categories, hard, blue, and soft, which require markedly different conditions of humidity, temperature, and airflow. The shed can hold up to 130,000 individual cheeses at any one time. The campus also includes new cheesemaking facilities, a product development area, and offices, all interlinked by those paths made from Longridge rubble. Alongside its traditional cheesemaking techniques that have been passed down through the generations, the campus incorporates modern systems, technologies and data-led insights that help Butlers optimise production, maturation and quality while preserving the craftsmanship that sits at the heart of the business. The sustainability credentials of the new campus are substantial. By consolidating all operations onto a single site, Butlers has reduced its road traffic and food miles by approximately 50% compared to operating across two locations. Pre-fire, milk, cheese, and staff were travelling between Longridge and Inglewhite constantly; at the new campus, the journey from family herd to finished, packaged product takes place within the boundaries of the farm. A Royal Seal of Approval On 10th February 2026, King Charles III visited Inglewhite to officially open Butlers’ new cheese campus. He toured the facilities in the company of three generations of the family, Jean Butler, Gillian Hall, Matthew and Daniel Hall, as well as Bill Yates and Tim Fisher, and a gathering of the farmers, suppliers, contractors, and customers who had helped make the rebuild possible. The Mayor of Preston, Councillor Sue Whittam, who attended the opening, described the occasion with evident pride: "After a devastating fire two years ago, the family-owned business has focused on rebuilding with sustainability at its heart. The King was very impressed with the new state-of-the-art facilities." On his departure, the King offered a verdict that Matthew will likely carry with him for the rest of his life: Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses was, His Majesty remarked, "an exceptional family business." The Fourth Generation — and the Fifth Matthew, 35, studied business management at Lancaster University before working in marketing at Sara Lee and then Bel UK. He returned to the family business and now leads it as Commercial Director, alongside his brother Daniel. The fourth generation has brought with it an appetite for innovation that sits alongside deep respect for the traditions from which the business grew. Under Matthew and Daniel's stewardship, the business has increasingly focused on making farmhouse cheese more discoverable and accessible to a new generation of consumers. While respecting the traditions that have defined Butlers for nearly a century, they have challenged some of the cheese category's long-held conventions. From positioning Blacksticks Blue as an everyday cheese rather than a cheeseboard or Christmas purchase, to experimenting with new formats, pairings and usage occasions, the aim has been to encourage more people to explore the breadth and versatility of British farmhouse cheese, more often. "We've got very strong foundations, a rich history, and a product that's well-known nationally and internationally, which brings us a whole set of opportunities to build on,” says Matthew. “Now, we're looking to turbocharge the British cheese revolution without having to start from the ground up again.” That phrase carries a particular resonance given everything the family has been through. They did, in a very real sense, have to start from the ground up, or at least, they had the option to. They chose instead to use the catastrophe as a catalyst for something more ambitious than anything they had previously imagined. As for the fifth generation, Matthew, married with three young children, is philosophical rather than prescriptive. "There will be no pressure on the fifth generation," he has said. But given the depth of the family's roots in this craft and this landscape and given what the fourth generation has just built from the wreckage of a November fire, it is difficult to imagine the story ending here. A Lancashire Institution Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses has been making cheese in Inglewhite for nearly a century. It has survived wars, agricultural upheaval, the industrialisation of food production, and a blaze that would have ended many businesses overnight. It supplies all the major supermarket chains alongside independent retailers and Michelin-starred kitchens. It is a Made in Lancashire ambassador, a holder of multiple national and international awards, and now, officially, a recipient of a royal seal of approval. Today, Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses has entered the next chapter of its story. With foundations rooted in family, farming and cheesemaking craft, the business is firmly focused on the future and unlocking the full potential of its new cheese campus. By marrying tradition with technology, Butlers is protecting its craft for future generations while introducing British speciality cheese to a new generation of consumers. Richard and Annie Butler would, one suspects, find the new cheese campus rather extraordinary. But they would recognise, in every wheel and round and truckle that leaves it, exactly what they started all those years ago. ________________________________________ Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses is based at Wilson Fields Farm, Inglewhite, Lancashire. The range is available from major supermarkets, independent retailers, and at butlerscheeses.co.uk.

Higher rates of top income tax in Scotland are driving high earners to consider commuting to well paid jobs from England, according to Rathbones Group, the largest wealth management firm in both the UK and Scotland. In a new analysis, Rathbones shows top earners could save more than £46,000 in income tax over five years by moving to England and commuting to their jobs, instead of remaining Scottish taxpayers. The cross-border commuter trend is emerging through conversations with Rathbones clients and prospective clients who work in Scotland but are increasingly questioning where they should live as the gap between Scottish and rest-of-UK income tax rates continues to widen. Rathbones’ analysis shows that someone earning £250,000 could pay around £8,900 less income tax in the first year alone if subject to the income tax rates that apply in England rather than Scotland. Assuming salary growth of 2% a year, the cumulative difference could exceed £46,000 over five years. The findings reflect the Scotland’s devolved income tax system. Scotland currently operates six income tax rates above the Personal Allowance, ranging from 19% to 48%, while England, Northern Ireland and Wales have three main rates of 20%, 40% and 45%. Rathbones recently warned that Scotland’s divergent income tax regime could hamper efforts to attract investment, entrepreneurs and skilled workers. Gordon Lawrie, Head of Rathbones’ Edinburgh office, says: “For higher earners, the tax map of the UK is becoming harder to ignore. A worker can live on one side of the border, work on the other and, depending on their tax residence, face a materially different income-tax bill." “High earners ask us a very simple question, namely can I save tax if I live in England and continue to work in Scotland? Someone earning £250,000, the difference could exceed £46,000 over five years, which is enough to make tax part of the conversation alongside housing, commuting and wider lifestyle considerations.” For someone earning £150,000, the potential difference is around £5,900 in the first year and more than £30,500 over five years. The potential five-year income tax difference ranges from approximately £12,300 for someone earning £80,000 to more than £46,000 for someone earning £250,000. The analysis also highlights the significant impact of the Personal Allowance taper. Between £100,000 and £125,140, taxpayers effectively face a marginal income tax rate of 60% in England. For Scottish taxpayers paying the 45% Advanced Rate, the equivalent effective marginal rate can rise to 67.5% while the Personal Allowance is being withdrawn. Rathbones, which has offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, argues that policymakers should place greater emphasis on Scotland’s long-term competitiveness through a simpler and more competitive tax system, in turn strengthening the country’s appeal as a place to live, work and do business. Adam Drummond, Head of Rathbones’ Glasgow office, says: “There is also a broader economic question for Scotland. If tax policy starts driving higher earners elsewhere policymakers should consider what that means for Scotland’s long-term competitiveness, its ability to retain and attract investment and entrepreneurs to drive growth.”

A spa resort on Windermere is playing host to an award-winning ‘artist in residence’ who will be available to talk to visitors and guests about his on-site exhibition. From 3-7 August, renowned North West artist Norman Long will be working in situ in the latest Art in the Atrium gallery at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa. The ‘Multitude’ titled display features a range of Norman’s recent works, including San Marco Flight, Beach Scenes and Twisting by the Pool. A large ‘work in progress’ triptych called ‘Frieze’ is the focal point of the Multitude exhibition and Norman will be working on this painting throughout the summer. During his week as ‘artist in residence’, Norman will be painting in the atrium or in the hotel grounds between 2pm and 5pm each afternoon. He will be available to talk to guests and visitors keen to find out more about his work, fine art techniques and handy tips for budding artists. The quarterly gallery exhibitions at Low Wood Bay have been established through a partnership between English Lakes Hotels and Gavagan Art. “Norman’s latest paintings include a number of large figurative compositions and smaller observational studies which capture the relationship between people in a range of public spaces and settings,” explains Mary Gavagan from Gavagan Art. “From the mingling of a townscape crowd to social interactions on the beach, his paintings recreate all the bustle and excitement of those situations, often focusing on one or two individuals within the larger group – just as we observe people in daily life.” Executive chairman of English Lakes Hotels Simon Berry says: “Our idea with the Art in the Atrium gallery is to make fine art more accessible and introduce some of the UK’s most talented contemporary artists to our guests and a wider audience in Cumbria." “The regular displays are now an established feature at the venue, not only for staying guests but also for local people to come and spend an hour or so browsing the exhibited works. An in-house art gallery within the hotel offers the immersive experience of curated exhibitions with our luxury accommodations and spa services too.” Norman Long’s accolades include the de Laszlo Award from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. His paintings have been exhibited with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the New English Art Club. For further information, visit here. Photo: Norman Long showcases his work in the Art in the Atrium gallery at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa.

Visitors to the third annual South Coast Wine Festival at Highcliffe Castle (14-16 August) will have the opportunity to check out the latest and greatest premium all-terrain models in the Range Rover, Discovery, and Defender ranges, thanks to a new collaboration with Hendy Land Rover, one of the region’s leading automotive retailers. As well as providing essential funding to help organisers deliver the popular event, Hendy will showcase a selection of vehicles across the weekend, with a dedicated team of Hendy experts on hand across the weekend to help festival visitors learn more about each vehicle and become better acquainted with the Land Rover range. As one of the event’s main sponsors, Hendy will have four models on display in the castle grounds including the elegant Range Rover Sport SV and Range Rover D350 as well as the rugged Defender 110 and Defender OCTA. In the lead-up to the festival, Hendy’s collaboration with the event has included the filming of a docuseries profiling vineyards across the South Coast, with presenters using iconic off-roaders supplied by Hendy Land Rover to visit some of the amazing wine-producing businesses in the local area, such as The Hambledon Wine Estate. John Stone, Regional Director at Hendy Group, said: “The South Coast has a truly diverse range of long-standing wine producers and suppliers, and at 166 years young, we are proud to stand alongside many of them at this year’s festival. Hendy Land Rover and Highcliffe are a perfect pairing, and we look forward to meeting the many locals who make these regional events such a success." “Obviously, we can’t offer test drives at a wine festival, but we would encourage those curious about our cars to come and take a look around the products, ask any questions and book a test drive at our Southampton or Christchurch showrooms.” Further information is available at: Hendy Land Rover | New Land Rover Cars for sale in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire

Crieff Hydro has secured planning permission for Padel Barn, a new three-court indoor padel facility at its flagship Perthshire resort, with the courts due to open in Early September. Padel Barn will repurpose the resort’s former indoor riding arena to create a modern, year-round facility for hotel guests, Country Club members, local residents and day visitors alike. One of the world’s fastest-growing sports, padel’s social format and straightforward rules make it easy for first-time players to pick up, while offering a fast-paced and competitive game for those with more experience. The three courts will operate through a self-service model, with players able to check availability and book sessions using the Crieff Hydro app and Playtonic. The exciting new development will continue a racket-sport tradition at Crieff Hydro, stretching back more than a century. Crieff Hydro's tennis courts date back to 1913 when the Tennis Club was established - and they remain available for guests, members and locals to book today. Padel Barn builds on that heritage, introducing a new generation of players to one of the world's fastest-growing sports. The new facility also reflects the philosophy on which Crieff Hydro was founded. When Dr Thomas Henry Meikle opened the Strathearn Hydropathic Establishment in 1868, exercise and physical activity were central to his belief in restoring the body and mind. More than 150 years and six generations later, Padel Barn will bring that founding principle into the present day, creating a new way for guests and the local community to get active, enjoy time together and experience the resort. Richard Leckie, Associate Director of Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said: “Racket sports have been part of life at Crieff Hydro for more than a century, with the resort’s tennis facilities dating back to 1913." “Padel Barn is an exciting opportunity to build on that heritage and introduce a new generation of players to a sport that is social, accessible and great fun." “Crieff Hydro has always evolved, but being active and bringing people together have remained at the heart of the resort since it opened in 1868. Padel feels like a natural next chapter in that story." “With planning permission now secured, we’re looking forward to beginning work and creating a high-quality, year-round facility for hotel guests, local residents and visitors.” Bookings will open soon through the Crieff Hydro app and Playtonic, with court hire priced from £40. For further information and to be the first to hear about Padel Barn news visit here. From left to right: Louisa Leckie, Charlie Leckie, Stephen Leckie (CEO), Fiona Leckie, Sarah Leckie and Richard Leckie. Richard and Charlie are both Associate Directors.

Whartons Garden Roses is one of British horticulture's great success stories, a family business that grew from a modest rented nursery in post-war Norfolk into the largest wholesale grower of garden roses in the United Kingdom. Spanning nearly eight decades and three generations of the Wharton family, the story of Whartons Roses is one of determination, craft, and an enduring passion for the world's most beloved flower. Humble Beginnings: John Wharton and the Post-War Vision The story begins with John Wharton, who first learned his trade working for Morse Roses, a well-established nursery near Norwich. It was there that he developed the horticultural knowledge and love for roses that would shape the rest of his life. Ambitious and entrepreneurial, John eventually struck out on his own, renting a small set of greenhouses and a corner shop in the market town of Harleston, in Norfolk's Waveney Valley. The early business was a balancing act of practicality and aspiration. In the corner shop, John sold fruit and vegetables to make ends meet, while on the nursery he cultivated tomatoes, cut flowers, and the roses that were his true calling. The Second World War, however, brought John's fledgling rose enterprise to an abrupt halt. With food production a national priority, ornamental horticulture was largely set aside. John was obliged to concentrate on food crops, but, with characteristic foresight, he secured permission to retain a small stock of propagating material, keeping his rose varieties alive through the difficult wartime years. A New Beginning: Whartons Nurseries Ltd, 1947 When peace returned, John was ready. In 1947, with his preserved propagating stock and years of accumulated expertise, he formally established Whartons Nurseries Ltd, setting the business on a professional footing. The post-war years brought renewed public interest in gardens and home life, and demand for quality roses grew steadily. John proved equal to the moment, steadily expanding the nursery's production and reputation across the region. Growth Across the Generations Over the decades, the nursery grew from a local enterprise into a nationally recognised name. John's son Robert Wharton took over the running of the business, carrying forward his father's commitment to quality and specialist knowledge. In time, Robert's son Paul Wharton joined the family business, representing the third generation to tend the rose fields of Norfolk. Today, the business is run by Robert and Paul together, a continuation of the family tradition that John started more than seventy-five years ago. The Waveney Valley: Home to a Rose Empire Whartons' nurseries are rooted in Norfolk's Waveney Valley, close to the Suffolk border, a landscape of gently rolling farmland and rich agricultural soils well suited to rose growing. The business operates across three production sites and, at any given time, has field production covering over 60 hectares of land. Around 1.5 million roses are propagated each year, with as many as 3 million plants in field production at any one time. The scale is remarkable, yet the business retains the character of a specialist family nursery, employing 50 full-time staff, many of whom possess highly specialised horticultural skills built up over years of hands-on work. The Production Process: Four Years in the Making Growing a rose at Whartons is a patient, painstaking business. It takes almost four years from first planting to the moment a rose reaches a garden centre shelf. The process begins with land preparation. Because roses are sensitive to soil-borne diseases, Whartons requires a minimum ten-year gap between successive rose crops on any given piece of land, which means the nursery regularly exchanges land with local farmers to ensure suitable growing conditions. In the second year, rootstocks are planted in early spring and then budded in summer, with scion wood taken from the desired mother variety carefully grafted on. Keeping the newly budded plants free of weeds is critical to their development. By autumn, the growth above the new bud is cut back to encourage establishment. In year three, the budded roses flourish, flower, and are lifted in autumn for grading and trimming. Potting then begins, continuing through winter and into spring, with cold storage used to extend the available season. By year four, the potted roses are set out on growing beds. Depending on variety and timing, they are either ready for despatch or allowed to develop further until their buds are on the cusp of opening. The roses are then picked to order, carefully prepared, and packed for delivery to retailers across the country. A Range Built for Every Garden Whartons supplies a comprehensive range of over 300 varieties, covering bush roses, patio roses, climbers, ramblers, shrub roses, and standards. Plants are available as bare root stock or in pots, catering to the full range of retail customers from specialist garden centres to supermarkets. The nursery stocks several well-known branded rose collections, including Home Florist Roses™, Flower Carpet®, Precious® Roses, and Peter Beales® – World Leaders in Classic Roses. New varieties are rigorously trialled before inclusion in the range, with Whartons working closely with rose breeders from around the world to identify the best performing, most beautiful, and most disease-resistant plants. Whartons also participates in the prestigious Rose of the Year trials, established in 1982, which pit varieties from international breeders against one another in growing conditions spanning Aberdeen to Hampshire, Northern Ireland to East Anglia. These trials, judged by both amateur and professional horticulturalists over two years, help identify the finest roses available to British gardeners. Community, Sustainability, and Looking Ahead Beyond commerce, Whartons has maintained strong ties with the communities of Norfolk and Suffolk. The nursery has opened its rose fields to the public in support of local charities, including St Elizabeth Hospice, allowing visitors to experience the extraordinary spectacle of millions of roses in full summer bloom. Sustainability is also an increasing focus, as the nursery looks to combine its specialist production methods with responsible land stewardship for the decades to come. From John Wharton's wartime corner shop to a 60-hectare family enterprise producing 1.5 million roses a year, the history of Whartons Roses is a testament to the enduring appeal of the rose, and to the generations of skilled hands that have nurtured it in the fields of Norfolk. As the business passes further into the capable hands of the third generation, the story of Whartons looks set to bloom for many years yet.

Glasgow-headquartered family investment business has expanded its team to support the company’s growth ambitions. The hires are the latest in a series of developments for Turner, which operates across the UK and Europe. The two recruits join Investment Director Jason Cohen who was appointed last year, while earlier this year the company returned to the heart of the city’s business district after four decades in Govan. The relocation follows the sale of Turner Aviation last year, which further strengthened the company’s position to invest in growth opportunities. Murray Foggo previously of AAB joins as an Investment Executive and Aaron Marshall from PWC takes up the role of Portfolio Manager. Both will support the investment team in identifying, evaluating and executing investment opportunities, while working closely with existing portfolio companies to create long-term value. The business is looking to partner with ambitious management teams in industrial and business service markets, with the aim of growing its portfolio across the UK. Turner is fourth generation family business which has been building private companies for more than 100 years. Its portfolio of businesses’ turnover is more than £90 million with a combined balance sheet value of over £150 million. Craig Campbell, CEO of Turner, said: “There’s a real sense of momentum in the business right now following the sale of Turner Aviation, our return to the city centre, and the vital hires we’ve made to bolster our team." "The moves we’re making are being noticed in the market, where we’re strengthening our reputation as a forward-looking private capital investment firm. One thing that remains the same though is our focus on targeted sectors where we see the greatest potential for sustainable, long-term returns, within industrial services, energy transition and technology-enabled businesses.” Jason Cohen, Investment Director, said: “It’s been less than a year since I became part of the growth team at Turner and already the volume of quality conversations across the whole business means we’ve had to hire two new colleagues to help us with assessing the opportunities available. Murray and Aaron join us at the perfect time given how our networks are expanding, not just in the heart of Glasgow’s business district but across the UK. We’re really pleased to have them on board.”

Independent family brewer Shepherd Neame is proud to continue its long-standing partnership with the Faversham Hop Festival as principal sponsor for this year’s event. The annual festival, now in its 36th year, will bring live music and family entertainment to five main outdoor stages and Shepherd Neame’s nine Faversham pubs, as well as other venues throughout the town. Faversham, home to the historic Brewery since 1698, will once again be transformed into a bustling hive of bands and singers, Morris dancers, market stalls, street food, funfair rides and hop crowns on Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6. The Brewery Stage in Court Street, hosted by Shepherd Neame, will see 13 acts perform over the weekend from 10.35am on the Saturday and 10am on the Sunday. Bands set to perform on the stage, located just outside the walls of Britain’s oldest brewer, include Taking Care of Vegas, Paragraph 1, Curb Pilots, FNKHAUS and Marylebone Jelly. There will also be a Hop Blessing ceremony on the Sunday morning to celebrate Faversham’s hop growing heritage and mark the end of the harvest. Several of Shepherd Neame’s vintage vehicles will feature in the morning parades through the town, which traditionally open each day of the festival, organised by not-for-profit company Community Heritage Events Ltd., on behalf of Swale Borough Council. Beer lovers will be delighted to hear that seasonal favourite Late Red (4.5%) will be on offer at selected pubs during the weekend, alongside this year’s limited edition green hop ale Hop Pocket (4.5%). Beer is usually brewed with dried hops, but Hop Pocket will be made using fresh green hops which go from bine to beer in a matter of hours, giving it a delicious aroma and earthy kick. The popular Brewery tours are also available both days, including the chance for families to visit, exclusively for the festival weekend. A family tour for two adults and up to four children costs £37.50, and a traditional tour is priced at £23.50 per person. Mini tours will also be available for £18.50 per person. Chief Executive Jonathan Neame said: “We are delighted to once again support the Faversham Hop Festival, one of the town’s biggest events and a much-loved celebration of our hop heritage." “The festival is a fantastic opportunity to not only showcase our beers, Brewery and pubs, but also for the local community to come together and sample the very best that Faversham has to offer. I can’t wait to see everyone enjoying the live music at our Brewery Stage!” For more information and a full line-up of bands at Shepherd Neame’s pubs, visit here. To book a brewery tour visit and click on Special Events.

Edinburgh and Glasgow | Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups and one of the largest in Scotland, has called for a renewed focus on Scotland’s long-term economic competitiveness to attract investment, skilled professionals and entrepreneurs. Rathbones makes its intervention following Anas Sarwar’s appointment as Minister of State for Trade in Andy Burnham’s new UK Government. The wealth manager, which employs more than 400 people across its two offices in Scotland, said Sarwar’s role creates an opportunity to put investment and business in Scotland higher up the national agenda. Rathbones acts for a range of clients across Scotland, including professionals in key sectors such as energy, law and accounting, business owners, as well as charities and IFAs. The wealth manager highlighted Scotland’s devolved income tax regime as ripe for review. Scotland has six income tax bands, compared with three in England and Wales. Higher earners in Scotland pay 42% income tax from £43,663, compared to 40% elsewhere in the UK, while top earners face up to 48%. Rathbones said this complexity and divergence from the rest of the UK risks becoming a barrier when employers are trying to recruit experienced talent or persuade people to relocate north of the border. Gordon Lawrie, Head of Rathbones’ Edinburgh office, said: “Having a senior Scottish Labour figure at the heart of government in Westminster presents an opportunity to strengthen Scotland’s voice on the factors that will shape its long-term competitiveness. Across Scotland, we act for people in leading businesses and world-class universities and see the challenges they face in attracting and retaining skilled senior people.” “There is a clear tension between Scotland’s devolved income tax regime and wider UK growth ambitions. The current system is significantly more complex than elsewhere in the UK and places a materially higher burden on many professionals, business owners and senior executives. Our advisers see individuals who work in Edinburgh but choose, for tax reasons, to live south of the border and commute – this is not good for Scotland.” Rathbones said the new administration looking to drive growth across the UK should champion policies that strengthen competitiveness, encourage investment and support the attraction and retention of talent. Adam Drummond, Head of Rathbones’ Glasgow office, said: “The income tax regime may be a deliberate policy choice, but it has consequences. A more punitive and complex tax system risks weakening Scotland’s attractiveness as a destination for investment, entrepreneurship and skilled workers at a time when growth is the priority. “Ensuring Scotland remains an attractive place to live, work and build a business should be central to the UK’s growth agenda. A simpler, more competitive system would help Scotland benefit fully from the talent and investment it needs.”

St Austell Brewery and North London craft brewer Jiddler's Tipple have secured a nationwide listing in more than 400 Sainsbury's stores for Proper Tipple, a limited-edition collaboration IPA inspired by St Austell Brewery's flagship Proper Job. The launch brings together the scale and heritage of one of the South West's leading independent brewers with the creativity and modern brewing approach of a fast-growing craft beer brand. The collaboration was conceived during discussions between St Austell Brewery, Jiddler's Tipple and the Sainsbury's buying team at Brew London, where the idea of reimagining Proper Job first emerged. Brewed to 5.5% ABV on a backbone of heritage malts, Proper Tipple balances brewing tradition with contemporary innovation. Galaxy, Citra and Nelson Sauvin hops deliver vibrant citrus, grapefruit and gooseberry notes, while a new yeast strain creates a crisp, clean and highly drinkable finish. While the canned variant was developed for national retail, the partnership extended beyond the supermarket launch. Jacob Liddle travelled to Cornwall to brew a small-batch cask and keg edition of Proper Tipple at St Austell Brewery, which made its debut at London Craft Beer Festival ahead of the national retail rollout. Georgina Young, Brewing Director at St Austell Brewery, said: "Proper Job is a beer our brewers know inside out, so handing it over to Jacob and seeing what he'd do with it was genuinely exciting. He's brought a completely different perspective - bolder hop character and a real sense of playfulness - while creating a beer that still feels unmistakably Proper Job at its core." Jacob added: "I've been an avid Proper Job drinker for many years, so I was incredibly excited when the opportunity for a collaboration came along. The idea was born over a beer at Brew London while chatting with the Sainsbury's buying team and St Austell Brewery." "It's been great to bring together the heritage and classic recipe of Proper Job while adding a modern twist through new-fangled yeast and hop varieties. Nelson Sauvin, Citra and Galaxy have amplified the beer's fruit-forward character, delivering notes of melon, grape, citrus and tropical fruit. It's a Proper Tipple!" True to Jiddler's Tipple's distinctive brand identity, the cans feature the brewery's signature eclectic design, inspired by Jacob's equally eclectic shirt collection and created to stand out in a crowded craft beer fixture. Proper Tipple is available now in more than 400 Sainsbury's stores nationwide as part of a 12-week limited-edition listing.

Award-winning East Midlands funeral directors A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service has announced its biggest acquisition in more than 20 years, officially making it the largest independent funeral business in the UK as it takes ownership of Gillotts Funeral Directors. The family business, which has operated across Nottinghamshire for almost 120 years, will bring Gillotts' five funeral homes in Eastwood, Kimberley, Stapleford, Heanor and Selston into the A.W. Lymn group, while maintaining Gillotts’ strong independent presence, brand and identity in the communities it serves. It comes as owners Barry and Elaine Hutsby prepare for retirement. The acquisition follows a strategic period of growth for A.W. Lymn, which recently announced the acquisition and rebrand of G.D. Hall Funeral Directors in north Nottinghamshire, which came swiftly after it acquired Serene Funeral Planning in early 2025, Staffordshire’s Hammerwich Cemetery and Crematorium in 2024 and Radcliffe-on-Trent’s M.A. Mills in 2023. This latest purchase is the largest in the company’s history, with the exception of when it acquired Ilkeston Co-Op Funeral Service in 2003. Matthew Lymn Rose, fifth generation and Managing Director of A.W. Lymn, said: “This is a really proud day for our two family businesses, both synonymous with exceptional care for and dedication to the bereaved across our counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Gillotts is, like my family business, steeped in generational history and known for operating with a high standard and quality of care for each and every family its team serves." “Our family has always enjoyed a strong relationship with Gillotts, formed on mutual respect and admiration. My father, A.W. Lymn Company Chairman, Nigel Lymn Rose and Partner at Gillotts’ Barry Hutsby have both served as Presidents of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), and as two East Midlands family businesses in the funeral industry, we have seen how our values, ethos and approach seamlessly and enduringly align." “We are honoured to have been entrusted with the next chapter of their business. This new partnership will enable us to share our resources to give our communities the highest level of service and access to a wider range of funeral offerings than ever before.” Gillotts has operated in the East Midlands for more than 150 years as a family business, and under the leadership of Barry and Elaine, has provided a complete funeral service since 1973. With their expertise, the business has continued to grow, all while maintaining the same core values and family-centric approach instilled by its founders in the 1800s. Since 2001, Joanne Hutsby, Barry and Elaine’s oldest daughter, together with Anthony Topley who joined his father-in-law Jack Gillott at the business in 1986, have managed the day-to-day operations of the business, and will continue to play a key role in the business going forward as Business Managers and Funeral Directors. Gillotts has two Jaguar hearses and three Jaguar XJ limousines along with ambulances and conducts more than 500 funerals through the combined branches each year. All Gillotts staff will remain part of the business, continuing to work in the same way for families which have known and trusted the funeral directors for more than a century. On behalf of Gillott’s Funeral Directors, Anthony Topley said: “This new chapter in the history of Gillotts gives us an opportunity to bring together generations of family history and service to families from both businesses. We are looking forward to working together to provide an even better service to local families, and also to meet some of the challenges which now face traditional funeral firms, such as the growing influence of national firms advertising direct cremation." "We want to spread the message that your local family funeral home should be the starting point for discussing your needs and options no matter what kind of send-off you want for you or your loved one." “Our two businesses have always respected each other and have much in common, and Joanne and I are excited to work closely with Matthew and his team to make sure that the service we provide remains second to none. We expect very little to change for our clients and staff except where we can work together to do things better and more efficiently, allowing the Gillotts team more time to dedicate to caring for the needs of our client families.” Established in 1907 in Nottingham when Arthur William Lymn conducted his first funeral, today the business is known as A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, now operating 36 funeral homes across the Midlands in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and one in Leicestershire, as well as Hammerwich Crematorium