Usher Travel Worldchoice is the latest UK travel firm to cease trading this year, after Balkan Holidays Ltd (April 2025), Jetline Travel (March 2025), and Great Little Escapes LLP (June 2025) all shut their doors.
Bookings have been impacted by the closure of Usher Travel Worldchoice(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
An independent travel agent has ceased trading – the latest in a worrying run.
Now, Usher Travel Worldchoice is joining them. The independent firm, based in Wallasey, Merseyside, has ceased trading. Usher shut up shop on 16 October 2025. “We are now treating this company as a financial failure,” announced ABTA, the UK’s largest travel association that offers financial protection to holidaymakers.
The news was followed by an emotional message from director Gavin Morton, who has been with the business for 35 of the 60 Usher was trading. He described the decision to close as “quite literally one of the most heartbreaking moments” of his life.
“Covid took much away from us. And while we came through the other side, three years of heavy travel restrictions and in many cases a loss of client confidence in travel left a financial burden that was becoming more and more difficult to manage,” he said.
“The loyal clients, many of whom have become friends and helped create the relaxing and fun atmosphere in the office, will be something the team will miss in our day-to-day lives.”
Anyone who has a holiday booked with the firm will be contacted shortly with regards to ticket arrangements. Forward bookings will be transferred from the agency to clients’ tour operators, Mr Morton said.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused, but rest assured we will be assisting ABTA and Worldchoice in the smooth transition of booking ownership.”
ABTA has the following advice for Usher customers:
“If you booked a holiday through Usher Travel Service Ltd, the tour operator or principal travel business with whom Usher Travel Service Ltd booked your holiday will be named on your paperwork or ATOL Certificate if it was a flight-inclusive holiday; this would be stated on your ATOL certificate under ‘Who is protecting your trip.’
“To ensure your holiday can continue as planned, you will need to contact your tour operator or other principal travel business with whom you have a contract (you should ask to speak to the credit control department). They should confirm that your booking will continue as normal and they will now be your direct point of contact.
“If you booked a flight-only with Usher Travel Service Ltd and were issued with a ticket or e-ticket, you will need to contact the airline, but your tickets should be valid for travel.”
The Facebook announcement on Friday prompted an outpouring of support from loyal customers and rivals.
Mary Dibbert wrote: “So sorry to hear this. You have been part of Wallasey for so long. All of the staff there were always friendly and you all went out of your way to help people. I wish you Gavin, Barry and Laura every best wish for the future. Many thanks for all the times you booked my trips and gave holiday advice.”
Travel Counsellor George Triggs, who worked at Going Places in the same town, added: “Ushers were always our biggest competitors. But truth be told, one of the most respected too. You and your team were always spoken about with such admiration locally, and that’s something to be incredibly proud of.”
A MASTERCHEF star has announced the closure of all of his UK pastry shops, after struggling to cope with climbing costs.
Graham Hornigold, who has also appeared on Junior Bake Off co-founded gourmet doughnut brand Longboys back in 2019, but just six years later, the business has gone bust.
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Longboys has closed after six yearsCredit: instagram/@longboys_uk
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The pasty business was famous for it’s finger-shaped doughnutsCredit: instagram/@longboys_uk
The brand’s three London sites, in Liverpool Street, Coal Drops Yard and Market Halls Canary Wharf have all closed their doors for their final time.
Writing on Instagram, the pastry chef explained: “You’ve probably noticed we’ve been a little quieter than usual.
“The truth is, with rising inflation, changes to NI, and product costs spiralling, the past few months have been incredibly tough.
“Like so many small independents across the UK hospitality industry, we’ve felt the impact hard.
“You may have seen that we made the difficult decision to close all Longboys sites in the hope of reopening. Sadly, we won’t be able to bring them back.
“But this isn’t the end -it’s a redirection.”
Graham added that himself and his team will “dust ourselves off and go again”.
Longboys was famous for its finger shaped doughnut and eclair hybrids, filled with creative flavours, such as Sticky Toffee Pudding and Raspberry Rose Lychee.
Commenting under the post, pastry fans shared their devastation at the closure.
One person said: “Gutted to hear this news!
Bertucci’s Closes Another Location After Third Bankruptcy in Seven Years
“Look forward to your return soon.”
A second person said: “Your lychee raspberry donuts will be living rent-free in my mind forever.”
A third person added: “Sorry to hear this news. I enjoyed many visits to your Coal Drops Yard shop.”
More restaurant closures
And Longboys isn’t the only eatery that’s struggled to stay afloat.
Rick Stein’s Marlborough restaurant could be set to close its doors for good, just five years after being saved.
A spokesperson for Rick Stein Marlborough told Gazette and Herald: “We can confirm that we are proposing the closure of our Marlborough restaurant and are consulting with the team to explore whether this can be avoided.
“Our other restaurants and rooms continue to trade well, but this particular site has not delivered the same level of return.”
And last month, Channel 4 chef Dom Taylor announced he is closing his Marvee’s Food Shop in Ladbroke Grove, West London, due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
The Caribbean restaurant only opened a few month’s prior, in May, as part of the music and events space UNDR, near the famous Portobello Road.
New research has shown the UK towns and villages that have been developing new housing, with the new build capital likely to surprise many as it’s a quiet UK village
The government have pledged to construct 1.5 million new homes by 2029(Image: Peter Fleming via Getty Images)
A quaint UK village has been crowned as the ‘UK’s new build capital’, according to recent research.
The Labour Government had pledged in their election manifesto to construct 1.5 million new homes by 2029, a promise that is central to their housing policy.
So far, it’s estimated that the Government has managed to erect around 200,000 homes since taking office, falling short of the average annual target by 100,000. Despite this, New Housing Secretary Steve Reed remains hopeful about reaching their goal, stating last week his ambition was to “build baby build,” echoing Donald Trump’s oil drilling pledge.
Fresh research conducted by buy-to-let insurance specialists at Alan Boswell Group reveals the UK towns and villages leading the charge in new housing development, with the top spot likely to raise eyebrows.
Banwell, a charming village in Somerset, tops the list with 180 new build sales in 2023-24, offering some food for thought for the housing department as they strategise on delivering much-needed homes.
New builds made up over 65 per cent of all house sales in Banwell, the highest percentage across the UK, marking the village as a contemporary housing hotspot, reports the Express.
The town, which boasts a history dating back to the Bronze Age, has a modest population of just over 3,000 but witnessed 275 house transactions in the year 2023/24. Kent’s Swanscombe secured second place, with the compact town also witnessing a building surge.
Research experts behind the study explained: “Thanks to its proximity to London and lower property prices, Swanscombe offers a realistic alternative for those seeking a new build lifestyle near the capital without the hefty city price tag, making it ideal for both first-time buyers and landlords seeking rental demand near the commuter belt.”
The ancient, medieval settlement of Arundel claimed third spot, with 359 new builds sold out of 766 total transactions, representing a 46.87% new build share.
Speaking for the buy-to-let insurance specialists at Alan Boswell Group, Heath Alexander-Bew commented: “The UK’s housing demand remains intense, especially in large cities where new build construction often can’t keep up with population growth.
“However, this data clearly shows that regional development hotspots, even in smaller towns like Banwell or Swanscombe, are filling that gap.
“For buyers, especially families or first-time homeowners, these areas represent opportunities to secure modern, energy-efficient homes in growing communities.
“The proportion of buyers moving into detached homes has grown from 25% to 32% over the past decade, highlighting a steady shift in preference toward more spacious living. In our study, detached properties made up 13.87% of all new build sales between 2023 and 2025, underlining their continued appeal.”
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ITV’s Coronation Street aired shock scenes on Monday night which saw a villain killed off without any warning after subjecting two characters to a load of abuse
21:00, 22 Sep 2025Updated 21:29, 22 Sep 2025
The homophobic church clerk has been wrapped up in a whole load of drama concerning Todd and Theo (Image: ITV)
Coronation Street aired shock scenes on Monday night in which a villain was killed off without any warning. Richard Winsor, 43, has been playing homophobic church clerk Noah Hedley on the long-running serial for the past few months, and was placed at the centre of a controversial storyline.
When Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) made his debut on the programme, he was introduced as a married man who had two kids with wife Danielle (Natalie Anderson) before it was revealed that he had been put through conversion therapy earlier in life. After his wife left him once his affair with Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) was exposed, she struck up a relationship with Noah, and he has been on a campaign of hate ever since.
In the latest trip to the nation’s favourite street, viewers watched as Theo geared up for a custody hearing concerning his children Millie and Miles, with Todd and Noah sitting in on the whole thing in court as well. Throughout it all, Noah made homophobic comments , which led to an outburst from Todd. He left and waited at home, where Theo told him he had been granted a ‘shared care agreement order,’ and the pair went to the Bistro for lunch.
However, Noah turned up and things between them immediately got heated as he subjected Todd and Theo to a torrent of abuse as he revealed that Danielle was set to appeal the decision.
He told them: “I’m concerned. People like you are allowed to live near kids, twisting their little minds so they end up like you.” Todd interjected with, ‘That’s enough!’ but Noah shot back: “I don’t think it, not while disgusting perverts like you are allowed to do what they want.” He labelled homosexuality as ‘a form of mental illness,’ and when Theo simply told him he ‘couldn’t get to them’ now, Noah simply said: “We’ll see…” and walked out.
A short time later, Todd and Theo had been joined in the Bistro by Todd’s adoptive daughter Summer (Harriet Bibby) and Dee Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) to celebrate. But things took another dramatic turn when Natalie burst into the restaurant that Noah had died.
Looking for answers, she demanded: “What did you do to him? What did you do to Noah?! He’s dead! The last I heard he was coming to see you.” When asked how Noah had died, she explained through tears: “I found him in his front room, I called 999. The paramedic said he’d had a heart attack.”
Dee Dee assured Danielle that no one could make someone have a heart attack and it must have been an underlying condition. Danielle, hysterical by this point, then proclaimed: “This is all my fault. I did all this! Come on, Theo, you hate me!” but he insisted that was not the case, and they will always be connected in some form because of the children they have together.
Back at their flat, Theo had burst into tears over the shock news and admitted there was a time in his life that he ‘loved’ Noah. He explained: “He wasn’t always the bad guy. He was my friend. Maybe the best friend I’ve ever had. That’s why it was so much harder when he started to change. I loved him. I looked up to him. I thought he cared about me but maybe it was never real. Do you know what? I hate myself for saying this but I miss him. I always will.”
In recent weeks, viewers have seen Todd become a victim of control as he was forbidden from seeing former boyfriend Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank), and in disturbing scenes that aired last month, Theo grabbed hold of him and forced him to eat a kebab. The night before Noah’s death, Todd had thrown a small gathering to celebrate moving into their new flat together, but Theo took issue with the whole thing and made Todd sleep in the spare bedroom.
At the end of Monday’s episode, Theo told Todd: “I can’t do this without you. I mean it. If you ever left me…” before Todd assured him he wouldn’t. Theo warned him: “You’d better not!”
Coronation Street runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1. Episodes can also be downloaded on ITVX.
A SCHOOLGIRL has tragically died at her home, as friends and family pay heartbreaking tributes.
Emergency services attended a property on Manor House Lane, Preston, on Monday morning after reports of a sudden death.
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Nina Papierniok was found dead at her home in Preston
Nina Papierniok, 13, who was a pupil at Archbishop Temple Church of England High School, was found dead.
LancashirePolice have confirmed her death is not being treated as suspicious.
A report will be handed to the coroner in due course.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We were called to Manor House Lane, Preston, at 7.04am on September 15 following reports of a sudden death.
“Emergency services have attended and tragically found a 13-year-old girl deceased.
“Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this extremely distressing time.
“The girl’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed onto HM Coroner in due course.”
Friends and family have rallied round to launch a fundraiser in the Nina’s memory and as a way to support her loved ones.
It has already raised more than £9,500 in just a few days.
A post on the GoFundMe page says: “13-year-old Nina, the beloved daughter of our friend Justyna, passed away suddenly in the United Kingdom.
“Justyna is a single mother, and during this unimaginably difficult time, she needs our support to cover the funeral costs and to say a dignified farewell to her daughter.
“If you can – please support the fundraiser or share it with others.”
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The U.S. Navy has taken an important step forward toward acquiring new carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) type drones with contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. In general, the service has been taking more of a wait-and-see approach to CCAs, following behind the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps, and focusing its uncrewed aviation energies first on getting the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone into service.
Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, and Northrop Grumman on now on contract with the Navy for “conceptual” CCA designs, according to a briefing slide from Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR) Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO U&W) that TWZ has obtained. The same slide, reproduced below, says the CCA contract that Lockheed Martin received from the Navy is for work on a common control architecture. Breaking Defensewas first to report on this slide, which says it was approved for full public release on August 20 of this year. The Navy has further confirmed to TWZ that its contents are accurate, but provided no additional details.
USN
The slide does includes the following bullet points outlining, in very basic terms, what the Navy wants from its future CCAs and why the service sees them as an important addition to its force structure:
Uncrewed, Modular, Interoperable, Interchangeable, and Versatile Platforms
Persistent, Lethal, and Agile Force Multipliers
Carrier Operations Capable
Cost Efficient and Mission Effective
Maximizes Operational Flexibility
Addresses both current and emerging operational gaps
Accommodates Elevated Risk Profiles
Crewed Platform Risk Reducer
Enables 4th and 5th Gen and complements 6th Gen [fighters]
These points are broadly in keeping with how the Air Force, in particular, has presented the value of CCAs as cost-effective force multipliers that will help reduce risk, as well as operational strain, on crewed platforms. In the past, the Navy has also talked about CCA-type drones that could be cheap enough to be “consumable,” and expended as one-way attack munitions or targets for training or test and evaluation activities.
No further details have yet emerged on the specific CCA designs that Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, and Northrop Grumman are now working on for the Navy. Anduril and General Atomics have notably already been developing potentially relevant designs for the first phase, or Increment 1, of the Air Force’s CCA program. Just last week, it was announced that General Atomics YFQ-42A is now flying. Anduril had said its YFQ-44A will take to the skies soon.
“The US Navy has selected Anduril to develop designs for carrier-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA),” Anduril said today in a statement. “We are focused on delivering an aircraft built specifically to the Navy’s distinct needs, at rapid speed and formidable scale.”
In response to further queries from TWZ, Anduril declined to confirm or deny whether its offering to the Navy would be based in any way on the YFQ-44A, also known as Fury, and drew additional attention to the second sentence of its statement.
Anduril’s YFQ-44A. Courtesy photo via USAF
“The Navy has been pretty vocal about integrating uncrewed jets of different types and closely following the Air Force’s CCA efforts,” C. Mark Brinkley, a spokesperson for General Atomics’ Aeronautical Systems, Inc. division (GA-ASI), also told TWZ today. “It’s a smart move that buys down significant risk and leverages the substantial work and investments already underway.”
“Last summer, we rolled out notional designs for our future class of carrier-capable CCAs, building on the YFQ-42A’s proven modular baseline and adapting it for shipboard operations. General Atomics developed the EMALS [Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System] system used on Ford class carriers and has extensive experience working with the U.S. Navy and international partners on carrier-based unmanned aircraft operations, so it’s not a stretch for us,” Brinkley added, speaking more generally. “GA-ASI has recorded numerous recent aviation milestones with our aircraft at sea. In 2023, our short takeoff and landing demonstrator known as Mojave launched from and landed aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. In 2024, Mojave took off from the South Korean amphibious assault ship Dokdo and flew to a naval base ashore.”
Yesterday, Gray Eagle STOL launched from the ROK helicopter ship Dokdo (deck length, 653ft/199m).
The “modular baseline” Brinkley mentions here refers to a concept that General Atomics has been pioneering, wherein very different types of drones can be crafted around a common ‘chassis’ that includes landing gear, as well as key mission and flight control computer systems. General Atomics’ experimental XQ-67A drone, originally produced for an Air Force program called the Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS), has been a major player in proving out this idea. The YFQ-42A CCA design is derived from the XQ-67A. General Atomics has also been developing an entire family of additional uncrewed aircraft, collectively called Gambit, based around the common chassis concept. The company unveiled a carrier-based Gambit 5 design last year, as you can read more about here.
A General Atomics rendering showing Gambit 5 drones, as well a navalized versions of its MQ-9 Reaper, embarked on a British Queen Elizabeth class carrier. General Atomics
When asked for more information, Boeing deferred to the Navy. However, the company has previously shown a rendering of a carrier-based variant or derivative of its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone. Boeing’s Australia-based subsidiary originally developed the MQ-28 for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), but the company is now actively pitching it to other potential customers. The Air Force has utilized at least one Ghost Bat in support of advanced uncrewed aircraft and autonomy development efforts.
In April, Navy Capt. Ron Flanders, public affairs officer at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition (RDA) also told TWZ that “the U.S. has expressed strong interest in leveraging the MQ-28’s AI-driven autonomy and modular design for future air combat operations.”
TWZ has also reached out to Northrop Grumman. It is worth remembering here that Northrop Grumman was at the very center of laying the groundwork for a high-end stealthy carrier-based uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV) capability for the Navy before the service very pointedly abandoned those plans in the mid-2010s in favor of what became the MQ-25 tanker drone. The company produced two flying X-47B demonstrators that were extensively tested, including launches from and recoveries aboard real aircraft carriers, and in-flight refueling demonstrations. As of 2022, the X-47Bs had been earmarked for public display at museums.
Lockheed Martin’s contract makes sense given how deeply and publicly involved the company has already been in the development of drone control architecture for the Navy’s aircraft carriers, something TWZ has reported on in the past.
“We are under contract to the U.S. Navy supporting common control. Specifically, our Lockheed Martin Skunk Works MDCX autonomy platform is a program of record solution for the U.S. Navy’s MD-5 Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS),” Lockheed Martin told TWZ today in a statement. “It provides uncrewed vehicle autonomy, mission planning, and command and control (C2) capability in an operationally proven multi-level secure package for the Navy’s Carrier Air Wing of the Future.”
Elements of the ground control station for the MQ-25. USN via DODIG
“Last year, the U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works demonstrated the first live control of a GA [General Atomics] MQ-20 Avenger in flight by Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control Station (UMCS) and MDCX autonomy system, advancing technology necessary for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA),” the statement added. “The test flight marked a significant milestone in the development of UMCS, setting the stage for the Navy’s future unmanned aviation operations.”
As noted, given past statements from senior Navy leadership, the revelation that the service now has five companies under contract to do CCA-related work is somewhat unexpected. At the same time, it is logical for the service to begin with exploratory deals for conceptual designs. The Air Force also initially awarded contracts under its CCA program to Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Anduril, General Atomics, before picking the latter two to proceed in Increment 1. The Navy still very much lags behind the Air Force, as well as the Marine Corps, in pursuing CCAs, which is in line with its past messaging.
“The United States Navy is in a tri-service memorandum of agreement and understanding with our sister services, the U.S. Air Force, as well as the Marine Corps, and we are developing that capability together. Each of us are focused on a different aspect of that,” Navy Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly, then director of the Air Warfare Division (N98) within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, said at the Navy League’s annual Sea Air Space symposium in April. “The Air Force is leading and very forward leaning in the development of the actual air vehicle and the autonomy that goes in those for execution of mission. Marine Corps is working closely to develop manned-unmanned teaming between platforms such as the F-35, the F-35B being the baseline for their aviation capability right now. And the United States Navy is working based on our pathway of unmanned into the fleet with MQ-25.”
“As we work together for the United States Navy, I will tell you that we are definitely in the follow of those three services,” Donnelly added at that time.
“The future of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, and that kind of thing, is TBD [to be decided], still to come. That work’s still to be done, and there’s a lot of folks in that space,” Navy Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, and more commonly referred to as the service’s “Air Boss,” also told TWZ‘s Jamie Hunter on the sidelines of the Tailhook Association’s annual symposium last month.
Much more remains to be learned about the Navy’s current CCA vision and when it might expect to begin fielding any such capability operationally. There are still many questions that the Navy, as well as the Air Force and Marine Corps, need to answer about just how CCA-type drones will be deployed, launched, recovered, supported, and otherwise operated, not to mention employed tactically, as you can read more about here.
“I think, currently, we’re [the Navy] still figuring out exactly what the specific type of [CCA] platform is going to look like, how it’s going to integrate into the air wing, [and] how we’re going to use it for maximal advantage,” Navy Lt. Cmdr. Mark “Tugboat” Jbeily, an instructor pilot at the Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific (SFWSPAC), also told TWZ’s Jamie Hunter at this year’s Tailhook symposium. “But I think some common themes … are going to be consistent regardless of the specific platform, range, vendor, whatever it is.”
“You know, the wings on your chest are a sign of trust, ultimately, right? They represent that you’ve been through an established training pipeline. You’re going to behave in a predictable manner, in a standardized manner. We can trust you with this awesome power of an F-18 or F-35,” Jbeily continued. “How do we take that concept of trust and now bring it to collaborative autonomy, or manned-unmanned teaming? How do we train to get them comfortable so, in the same way that if you and I were flying, if you were my wingman, I would know you’re going to behave in a repeatable, consistent [manner]?”
“I can have insight on your behaviors. We can do a thorough debrief about why did you do this or why did you do that?” he added. “And the key, I think, is going to be, regardless of the specific platform, how do we build that element of trust, and how do we get folks comfortable to be able to use it in a combat scenario if we have to.”
With the contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the Navy has put itself on a new course in regard to its CCA plans, but it is still very much following its sister services.
Passengers on a recent easyJet flight were guided by cabin crew through an impromptu stretching session, but beyond entertainment there is a vital reason this is becoming a common practice
A stretching session broke out once the plane had taken off(Image: Getty Images)
Passengers on a recent easyJet flight were subject to an impromptu ‘air-robics’ class. A viral TikTok video shows a plane-full of passengers stretching their arms and touching their knees at the direction of a cabin crew member.
The TikTok video has been viewed over 2 million times and was shared with the caption: “What in the air-robics is going on, easyJet”. While the synchronised stretching may look quite odd, one expert has shared that the practice is critical while flying.
While doing yoga stretches on an airplane may sound like a hassle, it’s become quite the trend. Videos are circulating online of flight attendants leading passengers through seated yoga routines mid-flight.
Weighing in on the movement, yoga instructor Holly Hogan says the practice supports circulation onboard and reduces nerves.
Partnering with Well Pharmacy Online Doctor, Holly Hogan, also shares expert-backed advice on in-seat yoga stretches, discreet breathing techniques, and strategies for beating jet lag to improve passenger comfort and wellbeing at 30,000 feet.
Holly says even minimal movement during long-haul travel can make a big difference. “Just five minutes of gentle stretching every couple of hours can help reduce tension in the neck, back and legs and lower the risk of circulation issues like deep vein thrombosis (DVT).”
While it’s important to stretch your legs by walking up and down the aisle, Holly says there are some beginner-friendly ways to stretch in your seat too.
“Even with limited space, there are simple yoga stretches you can do to stay comfortable and grounded. Try a seated cat-cow by gently arching your spine as you inhale and rounding your spine as you exhale. Add in some neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and ankle circles to release tension and improve circulation.”
Even on a cramped plane and short-haul flights, walking up and down the aisle is important(Image: Getty Images)
Holly recommends a “seated spinal twist” as well, which is not only great to ease stiffness in your back but aids with digestion. A great stretch to try after you’ve gotten through your inflight meal. Knee hugs are also great to loosen the lower back.
When you do stand up to stretch your legs or use the bathroom, there are a few other discreet poses you can attempt. “Mountain pose is a great one: just stand tall, ground your feet, and lengthen your spine,” Holly says. “A gentle forward fold can release your lower back, and calf raises are perfect for circulation. Even a standing quad stretch or lunge, if you have space, can prevent stiffness.”
For those who feel anxious while flying, Holly recommends focusing on breathing to calm down. “If you’re feeling anxious, one of my favourite techniques is box breathing: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. If you can, extending your exhale – for example, inhale for four and exhale for six or eight, will help to calm your nervous system.”
Everyone should be moving or stretching every one to two hours during a long flight, according to Holly. This includes walking the aisle, doing standing poses or just stretching while seated.
“It doesn’t have to be a full routine – just enough to keep your body from stiffening up,” she says. She also says it’s vital to combine gentle stretching with good hydration.
“Drinking water supports good circulation and prevents dehydration, while conscious breathing keeps your mind calm,” she concludes. “Add in a few stretches and a guided meditation, and you’ll land feeling much more refreshed.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has led tributes to Welsh Labour politician Hefin David, who has died suddenly, aged 47.
Mr David had been Member of the Senedd (MS) for Caerphilly since 2016.
Labour leader Sir Keir called him a “powerful voice for the people of Wales” who “dedicated his life to making sure every person and community in Wales had the opportunities and support they deserve”.
Gwent Police said a 47-year-old man was found unresponsive at a property in Nelson, Caerphilly county, on Tuesday evening, and the death was not being treated as suspicious.
First Minister and Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan called Mr David an “outstanding politician” who would be “greatly missed”.
His partner was Cynon Valley MS Vikki Howells, the minister for further and higher education in the Welsh Labour government.
Sir Keir said: “The entire Labour movement will join me in grieving the loss of Hefin David.
“He was a powerful voice for the people of Wales and a committed public servant, who dedicated his life to making sure every person and community in Wales had the opportunities and support they deserve.
“As Member of the Senedd for Caerphilly, where he was born and lived, he was incredibly proud of his community.
“Our hearts are with his family and those who knew and loved him at this painful time. May he rest in peace.”
The first minister said: “We are extremely saddened by the sudden death of Hefin. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.
“Hefin was a much-loved member of the Labour family. He served Caerphilly as a councillor and a Member of the Senedd with pride and passion.
“He was an outstanding politician, warm and enthusiastic and a great communicator – especially on behalf of his constituents.
“He will be greatly missed.”
Gwent Police Chief Constable Mark Hobrough said his “thoughts and heartfelt condolences” are with Mr David’s family, friends and colleagues.
“After I joined Gwent Police as the chief superintendent for the area covering Caerphilly, I worked closely with Hefin on many occasions and I found him to be an engaging and thoughtful individual,” he said.
“A dedicated public servant to Caerphilly, his commitment to our communities will be a significant loss.”
Elected to Cardiff Bay in 2016, Mr David was one of the more prominent Labour backbench members and was never afraid to go against the party line.
Popular with politicians from across the political divide and journalists in Cardiff Bay, he made regular, lively contributions to Senedd debates, and was once reprimanded for calling Plaid Cymru councillors in his constituency as “mad as a box of frogs”.
He was also one of five Senedd commissioners, responsible for the day-to-day running of the institution.
The Welsh Parliament’s presiding officer, or speaker, Elin Jones, said the whole Senedd was “devastated by the tragic news of Hefin’s death”.
“Our thoughts go immediately to his partner, our colleague and friend, Vikki Howells MS and to his cherished children and family,” she said.
“Hefin was so full of life and enthusiasm for his constituents and their causes.
“He was a passionate politician, loyal to his party, his country, and constituents.”
Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservative group in Cardiff Bay, said he was “very sad to hear the shocking news of Hefin David’s death”.
“My deepest condolences go to Hefin’s family and friends, and I would also like to extend my condolences to the Welsh Labour Party,” he said.
“He was a man who always stood up for his constituents and was respected on all sides of the Senedd.”
AIDAN O’BRIEN has mysteriously pulled a Royal Ascot winner ‘who can really move’ from a £500,000 race.
The Ballydoyle boss pulled the plug on Hampton Court Stakes hero Trinity College’s planned run in the German Derby on Sunday.
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Hampton Court Stakes winner Trinity College was all set to run in the German Derby on Sunday but trainer Aidan O’Brien suddenly pulled the plug on his participationCredit: The Mega Agency
Trinity College’s French Derby fourth automatically got him an entry in the Group 1 won last year by former Nicky Henderson inmate and world’s most expensive jumps horse Palladium.
He had been installed favourite by bookies on the back of his Ascot heroics.
But just 48 hours after putting him in the race O’Brien scrapped Trinity College’s entry.
It came as word spread O’Brien was set to supplement The Lion In Winter into a blockbuster Prix Jean Prat on Sunday.
The former Derby favourite, who is 25-1 for the City Of York stakes having been given an entry over 7f there too, could line up against Juddmonte’s Cosmic Year and Godolphin’s Dewhurst winner Shadow Of Light.
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A MAJOR car dealership has suddenly shut down after forty-five years of selling 10,000s of motors.
Customers in Lowestoft, East Suffolk, were shocked by the owner’s statement announcing their closure.
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Stanley Street Motors in Lowestoft, East Suffolk, is shutting downCredit: Google Maps
Stanley Street Motors, run by John Mitchell, has been serving a loyal client base since 1980.
But the boss revealed he will be powering down operations due to health reasons.
In a statement on Facebook, the firm said: “Stanley Street Motors has now ceased trading, due to ill-health and retirement.
“This facebook page is in the process of being closed down, and the automatic updates will shortly cease. Our website will have further details in due course.
“We at Stanley Street Motors want to thank you, our customers and friends, and all our suppliers, contractors and supporters, everyone who bought our cars, liked our posts and recommended us to others.
“For over 40 years we have bought and sold cars from Stanley Street. Over the years we have had tens of thousands of lovely customers, many of whom became, not just repeat customers, but friends.
“We will miss you all. Thank you and goodbye.”
The site will now be up for grabs at auction through Auction House East Anglia, as reported by the Eastern Daily Press.
Bidders will have the opportunity to bag the property on June 18.
A guide price has been listed for anywhere between £200,000 and £300,000.
Watch shock moment car get trapped on railway crossing before train speeds through
A spokesperson from the auctioneers said: “Former car sales showroom and forecourt with development potential.
“This showroom with offices and workshop is to be sold vacant and ready for a new operator, or there is potential to change the current use subject to planning.
“The premises has been used successfully for used cars sales and repairs by the current owners for over 40 years but is now being sold due to retirement.
“The premises comprise of a generous showroom, workshop, two offices, presentation suite, kitchen and cloakroom.
“There is a large forecourt for upwards of 30 cars and the premises has three phase electricity and security alarm system.”
This comes as motor dealerships across the UK have been waving goodbye amid a string of devastating closures.
The German online used car marketplace has made heavy losses since opening in the UK in 2019 when it looked to rival Auto Trader and Motors.
Heycar’s majority shareholder, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), have pulled the plug leaving more than 126 employees across the UK, Germany, and France at risk of losing their jobs.
Guess who suddenly has a “TACO” allergy? President Yuge Taco Salad himself.
In the annals of four-letter words and acronyms Donald Trump has long hitched his political fortunes on, the word “taco” may be easy to overlook.
There’s MAGA, most famously. DOGE, courtesy of Elon Musk. Huge (pronounced yuge, of course). Wall, as in the one he continues to build on the U.S.-Mexico border. “Love” for himself, “hate” against all who stand in his way.
There’s a four-letter term, however, that best sums up Trump’s shambolic presidency, one no one would’ve ever associated with him when he announced his first successful presidential campaign a decade ago.
Taco.
His first use of the most quintessential of Mexican meals happened on Cinco de Mayo 2016, when Trump posted a portrait of himself grinning in front of a giant taco salad while proclaiming “I Love Hispanics!” Latino leaders immediately ridiculed his Hispandering, with UnidosUS president Janet Murguia telling the New York Times that it was “clueless, offensive and self-promoting” while also complaining, “I don’t know that any self-respecting Latino would even acknowledge that a taco bowl is part of our culture.”
I might’ve been the only Trump critic in the country to defend his decision to promote taco salads. After all, it’s a dish invented by a Mexican American family at the old Casa de Fritos stand in Disneyland. But also because the meal can be a beautiful, crunchy thing in the right hands. Besides, I realized what Trump was doing: getting his name in the news, trolling opponents, and having a hell of a good time doing it while welcoming Latinos into his basket of deplorables as he strove for the presidency. Hey, you couldn’t blame the guy for trying.
Guess what happened?
Despite consistently trashing Latinos, Trump increased his share of that electorate in each of his presidential runs and leaned on them last year to capture swing states like Arizona and Nevada. Latino Republican politicians made historic gains across the country in his wake — especially in California, where the number of Latino GOP legislators jumped from four in 2022 to a record nine.
The Trump taco salad tweet allowed his campaign to present their billionaire boss to Latinos as just any other Jose Schmo ready to chow down on Mexican food. It used the ridicule thrown at him as proof to other supporters that elites hated people like them. Trump must have at least felt confident the taco salad gambit from yesteryear worked because he reposted the image on social media this Cinco de Mayo, adding the line “This was so wonderful, 9 years ago today!”
It’s not exactly live by the taco, die by the taco. (Come on, why would such a tasty force of good want to hurt anyone)? But Trump is suddenly perturbed by the mere mention of TACO.
Doritos Locos Tacos at the Taco Bell Laguna Beach location.
(Don Leach/Daily Pilot)
That’s an acronym mentioned in a Financial Times newsletter earlier this month that means Trump Always Chickens Out. The insult is in reference to the growing belief in Wall Street that people who invest in stocks should keep in mind that the president talks tough on tariffs but never follows through because he folds under pressure like the Clippers. Or a taco, come to think of it.
Trump raged when CNBC reporter Megan Cassella asked him about TACO at a White House press conference this week.
“Don’t ever say what you said,” the commander in chief snarled before boasting about how he wasn’t a chicken and was actually a tough guy. “That’s a nasty question.”
No other reporter followed up with TACO questions, because the rest of the internet did. Images of Trump in everything from taco suits to taco crowns to carnivorous tacos swallowing Trump whole have bloomed ever since. News outlets are spreading Trump’s out-of-proportion response to something he could’ve just laughed off, while “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” just aired a parody song to the tune of “Macho Man” titled — what else? — “Taco Man.”
The TACO coinage is perfect: snappy, easily understandable, truthful and seems Trump-proof. The master of appropriating insults just can’t do anything to make TACO his — Trump Always Cares Outstandingly just doesn’t have the same ring. It’s also a reminder that Trump’s anti-Latino agenda so far in his administration makes a predictable mockery of his taco salad boast and related Hispandering.
Meanwhile, the economy — the main reason why so many Latinos went for Trump in 2024 in the first place — hasn’t improved since the Biden administration and always seems one Trump speech away from getting even wobblier.
As for Latinos, there are some signs Trump’s early presidency has done him no great favors with them. An April survey by the Pew Research Center — considered the proverbial gold standard when it comes to objectively gauging how Latinos feel about issues — found 27% of them approve of how he’s doing as president, down from 36% back in February.
President Trump gives a thumbs up to the cheering crowd after a Latinos for Trump Coalition roundtable in Phoenix in 2020.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
Trump was always an imperfect champion of the taco’s winning potential, and not because the fish tacos at his Trump Grill come with French fries (labeled “Idaho” on the menu) and the taco salad currently costs a ghastly $25. He never really understood that a successful taco must appeal to everyone, never shatter or rip apart under pressure and can never take itself seriously like a burrito or a snooty mole.
The president needs to move on from his taco dalliance and pay attention to another four-letter word, one more and more Americans utter after every pendejo move Trump and his flunkies commit:
Pyramiden, a town in the Arctic Circle that has stood empty of humans since 1998, is a living museum to Soviet life. Visit today and you will find cups left on the table, skiing equipment abandoned in the hallway and newspaper cuttings on the wall
Pyramiden in Svalbard has been abandoned and empty for 27 years(Image: Sebastian Kahnert/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
An eerie ghost town has been left exactly as it was when crews abandoned it 27 years ago.
The Mary Celeste ship has been etched into the memories of school children for decades. The American merchant brigantine was discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores on December 4, 1872, with food still on plates as if the crew was about to sit down to dinner. The mystery surrounding the abandoned ship has captivated people for over 150 years, leading to numerous theories about the fate of its crew.
Far less well known is the story of Pyramiden, a town in the Arctic Circle that has stood empty of humans since 1998. Visit today and you will find cups left on the table, skiing equipment abandoned in the hallway and newspaper cuttings on the wall.
“Walking Pyramiden today gives you a glimpes into the Soviet-style nostalgia, outdoor as well as indoor. Best of all, its not an artificial scenery aimed for some kind of movie-production. This is real. The smell of papirosa, likely the strongest cigarette ever made, stains on the indoor walls. Hammer and Sickle ornaments and the Soviet star are used as decoration around the town,” the Barent Observer writes of Pyramiden.
Pyramiden now stands as a ghost town (Image: Getty Images)
“In a remote room inside the Palace of Culture are a few empty bottles of the cheap domestic Rossiya- and Priviet vodka. A book with the transcripts from the 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union lays on a desk. That was the first congress presided over by Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary of the Central Committee.”
There are few signs of life beyond the occasional hardy seabird, an Arctic fox or a polar bear looking for its next meal.
Unlike the Mary Celeste, there is no mystery around why the occupants of Pyramiden left in such a hurry. The Russian state-owned mining company Trust Arktikugol closed down Pyramiden’s mining operations in April 1998, following 53 years of continuous activity.
Locals left in 1998(Image: Sebastian Kahnert/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)
The end of the settlement neared as coal prices dwindled, difficulties with coal extraction from the mountain became more apparent, and 141 people tragically lost their lives in 1996 at Operafjellet. Miners and their families perished in the plane crash that had been ferrying them from Pyramiden to Barentsburg. Such was the scale of the tragedy and the impact it had on the town of 1,000 that its continued operation proved impossible.
The town was first founded by Sweden in 1910 but was sold to the USSR 17 years later. From 1955 to 1998, up to nine million tonnes of coal were thought to have been pumped out of Pyramiden. Svalbard belongs to Norway under the Svalbard treaty, which allows citizens from all its member countries to become residents. The treaty reads: “All citizens and all companies of every nation under the treaty are allowed to become residents and to have access to Svalbard including the right to fish, hunt or undertake any kind of maritime, industrial, mining or trade activity.”
The town was once home ot 1,000 people(Image: Getty Images)
In its pomp, it boasted a theatre, studios for creative arts, and a library. The schools, 24-hour canteen, and sports complex are all gone. All that remains is a statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, the northernmost monument to him in the world.
Today, the main thing occupying the ghost town now are the terrifying polar bears. However, six people operate as rifle-carrying warders in the summer. Despite the nearest settlement being some 31 miles away, dark tourism has been gently ticking along since 2013, but you can only access Pyramiden by boat or snowmobile for nine months of the year. One visitor to the town in 2018 wrote in Haaretz : “There are thousands of angry polar bears all around us.”
Saturday Kitchen star Matt Tebbutt made a surprise pregnancy announcement to viewers on the hit BBC show this morning, as he revealed that his co-star is expecting a baby
20:18, 24 May 2025Updated 20:18, 24 May 2025
Matt stopped the show to share the good news
Saturday Kitchen was brought to a brief halt by host Matt Tebbutt as he shared some exciting baby news this morning. The popular programme was paused on Saturday, May 24 when the main man Matt made an announcement to viewers.
Matt, 51, revealed that his television co-star and fellow chef Sophie Wyburd, 31, is pregnant. Joined by Anita Rani and chefs Scott Hollsworth and Sophie, Matt stopped the show to make the announcement. He said: “Er Sophie, first of all, congratulations. Sophie’s pregnant!”
The studio then burst into applause, with delighted faces seen all around. Matt then commented on Sophie’s bump, saying: “You can just about see it. ” Sophie smiled and responded: “Just about!”
Matt announced that his co-host Sophie is pregnant
When asked if she had felt the baby kick yet, she replied: “First little punch yesterday, so I’ll see if they’ll send you a punch later.”
Sophie, who is a chef, regularly appears on the show to demonstrate her simple recipes. The London-based chef announced her pregnancy news on Instagram prior to today’s show. She posted a photo four days ago where she posed on a mountain top, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Dressed in black cycling shorts and a grey t-shirt, Sophie beamed as she cradled her growing bump. In the caption she wrote: “Sausage Pasta Wyburd-Kumar, growing steadily in my tummy and landing with us this autumn!!”
Sophie added: “P.S. writing recipes for a living when for 3 months all you want to eat is spinach and ricotta tortellini is no joke, but the little person in there will be very much worth it I’m sure. The person in there will be very much worth it I’m sure.”
The chef also shared some of her more unusual first trimester pregnancy cravings on social media including marmite and “frozen beige potato products”.
Fans and friends were quick to shower Sophie with lovely messages in the comments section. Fellow chef Alfie Steiner exclaimed: “Oh em geeee contractions!!!! They are going to be eating THE best food.”
Another chimed in: “The best news!!! Congratulations lovely”. Another follower then wrote: “You be growing ur own lil tortellini in there!!! congrats MAMAAAAAAA.” While another added: “Congratulations – this baby is gonna get the best weaning.” And another commented: “Cuteeeestttt bump.”
Sophie, who hails from London, is popular for her simple recipes on the show and online.
Sophie also announced her pregnancy on Instagram
This comes following Matt’s chat with The Staff Canteen podcast, where he hinted at the potential end of Saturday Kitchen, sparking rumours about his future career moves. He suggested that he might return to working in kitchens, leading to speculation that he could be stepping into Greg Wallace’s shoes on Masterchef.
“It’s going to stop at some point,” he admitted. “I’m going to have to do something.”
An insider revealed to The Sun: “Matt rose to the challenge of coming into Saturday Kitchen after it was previously hosted by another big name in the world of food, James Martin. He managed the feat of making it his own and almost making viewers forget who his predecessor was. Now Beeb bosses, and the show producers Banijay, will be hoping he can work the same magic on MasterChef.”
A couple months ago, Essential Vintage told followers on social that it would be closing down after they had been “priced out” because of bigger players in the market such as Vinted.
This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on New Look’s 8,000-strong workforce.
It’s understood the latest drive to accelerate closures is driven by the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers.
The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is hitting retailers hard – and the British Retail Consortium has predicted these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
A PUB dubbed the “cheapest” in Britain has suddenly shut up shop after 500 years.
Locals have been left shocked after the owners revealed a bizarre reason with a notice on the door.
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The Abbey, Derby, posted the handwritten note on the door saying they were unhappy about photos of it being shared online.Credit: Google maps
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The brewery operates 200 pubs across the UK and is known for it’s strict rules from owner Humphrey SmithCredit: Google maps
The Abbey, Derby, posted the handwritten note on the door saying they were unhappy about photos of it being shared online.
The 22-word notice reads: “Closed!!
“Due to someone posting pictures of the Abbey on social media.
Sam Smith has taken the alcohol and closed these premises.”
Samuel Smith’s Brewery owns the pub and it has been suggested the current landlords had broken policies and were dismissed as a result.
The brewery operates 200 pubs across the UK and is known for it’s strict rules from owner Humphrey Smith.
Such rules include a no-swearing policy, no televisions or jukeboxes and a ban on the use of mobile phones or laptops in its public houses.
Just days prior to the closure, a Facebook account with more than 125,000 followers posted 18 pictures of the pub, inside and out.
The Great British Pub Crawl account, a page run by Dale Harvey and his wife, Holly, follows the couple as they attempt to visit every boozer in the UK.
They posted the photos on Saturday, May 17 alongside the caption: “Not every day you are asked to grab photos or a video in a Sam Smith’s pub.”
It’s not clear whether the post was the reason behind the closure.
The pub is one of the last surviving buildings from an extensive monastery, dating back to the 15th century.
The sudden closure has left locals stunned, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment and confusion.
While the brewery has offered no official explanation, insiders suggest the landlords were dismissed for allowing, or failing to prevent, photos of the pub being shared online, a clear breach of company policy.
The closure marks yet another abrupt ending for a Samuel Smith’s venue, following similar shutdowns in Bradford and London, and raises fresh questions about the brewery’s management style and the long-term viability of its rule-heavy model in the digital age.
The Abbey is far from the only British boozer pulling its last pint.
A string of beloved pubs are closing their doors, with punters and landlords alike left heartbroken as pressures in the hospitality industry hit boiling point.
Once a bustling local favourite, the venue was brought back to life in 2014 following a major revamp by landlords Nick Stephens and his partner Hanna-Sinclair Stephens.
Despite surviving the Covid crunch thanks to a heroic crowdfunding campaign that raised over £30,000 in a single day, the couple say the pub has now become “unsustainable”.
“It was hugely popular, but we just couldn’t keep going,” Nick said.
“The capacity was only 90 — the numbers just didn’t add up anymore.”
Dubbed a “labour of love” by its owners, The Emerald quickly became a community favourite for curry lovers and cricket fans alike.
But behind the scenes, soaring costs and the departure of a key business partner created what they described as “emotional, financial and operational strain”.
In a heartfelt post, they thanked loyal customers:
“The Emerald was always more than just a pub—it was a cultural space… Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”
Social media lit up with tributes from heartbroken regulars. One wrote: “It was more like home to us.
Watching India win the World Cup there was unforgettable.”
And even award-winners haven’t been spared, a Midlands pub, hailed as the region’s best and a finalist for Desi Grill of the Year 2024, has also gone under, despite its short-lived success.
The wave of closures paints a grim picture for the UK pub scene, already battered by the pandemic and now facing soaring prices for rent, business rates and barrels.
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The pub is one of the last surviving buildings from an extensive monastery, dating back to the 15th centuryCredit: Google maps
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024.
End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.
It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.
This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.
It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.
The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.
Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.
Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.
Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
Widely known as a budget-friendly airline, Ryanair breaks down its “dynamic” booking prices and what factors affect your final bill, some of which are in your control
Ryanair confirms that their prices are adjusted according to demand(Image: PA)
Taxes, fees, optional services, and even the currency of the country of your departure airport all play a factor in the final price of your flight booking.
If you are a frequent flyer, you probably tend to scour flight comparison websites like Skyscanner and Google Flights to ensure the best deal, and have probably seen how much the same flights can fluctuate in price.
Known as a budget airline, Ryanair is popular with flyers planning cost-friendly flights. However, it acknowledges that the prices may change, quite instantly, depending on a few factors including the route and when you’re travelling.
The airline states in its terms and conditions that: “Our prices are dynamic and adjusted according to demand and they may vary according to the route and travel date selected. Due to the high volume of bookings being made in real time, fares and prices for optional services such as baggage and reserved seats may change between the time you start searching for your ticket and the time you decide to make a purchase.”
Be aware that Ryanair passengers that check in at the airport or too close to departure times can be hit with extra fees(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Under the taxes, fees & charges section of its policies, Ryanair also says that passengers must pay any government taxes (including but not limited to air passenger duty) and that it may be included in your ticket price.
The airlines states: “Our higher ticket prices generally include government taxes, while our lower ticket prices do not. If your ticket price includes government taxes, they will be displayed in the price break-down at the time you make your booking.”
Ryanair also explains what impact booking on a third-party site may have on your booking cost. “Our ticket prices do not include any other third party fees and charges for costs we incur to provide our services (such as airport and security charges, maintenance fees etc.). We bear the costs for these services,” confirms the airline.
Another factor that affects your final booking price is the currency in which you complete your transaction. According to Ryanair’s policies: “You must pay fares, taxes, fees and charges in the currency of the country of your airport of departure, unless we specify another currency when (or before) you make your payment (for example, because the local currency cannot be converted). We may agree to accept payment in another currency.”
It’s best to add luggage add-ons during the time of booking to avoid disappointment(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
The airline does confirm that, at the time of booking, it guarantees the currency exchange rate. “We guarantee the currency exchange rate for your payment at the time you book your ticket. This exchange rate will not change,” it added.
The airline continues: “If you do not accept our currency exchange rate you may be affected by any increase in exchange rates between the time you make your booking and the time your card provider converts the currency. This is because the currency is usually converted a number of days after the date the booking is made.”
If you are interested in saving money on your travel, then there are a few hacks to secure a cheaper price for your flight. Flight prices tend to vary based on time and day, but there are certain times during the week when prices are likely to be at their lowest.
Paul Stringer, director of Norton Finance, suggests booking your flight on a Sunday, as this could save travellers up to 13 percent on their holiday. Contrastingly, Friday is typically the most expensive day to book a flight, reports the Express. Setting up price alerts on a flight comparison website can also help you save on your booking.
A PUB that has hosted some top-notch A-listers in its heyday has “heartbreakingly” closed after over a century-and-a-half of delighting locals and visitors alike.
The Kirkton Inn has delighted pub lovers in the village of Darymple for over a century, and its sudden closure on Monday, April 28, has sent shockwaves through the community.
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The village pub’s owners had ploughed money into refurbishing the historic buildingCredit: Tripadvisor
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Village folklore says that Hollywood couple Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas stopped by for a drinkCredit: Instagram
The quirky establishment’s peculiar charm attracted Hollywood royalty such as Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones who popped in for a drink, it has been claimed.
The hotel and pubs’ parent company, Eurotrade Windows, run by John and Heather Keenan, has been in financial straits for at least two years.
Company accounts show that in December 2023, the firm was almost £750,000 in debt, and lost more than £300,000 that year alone.
Last month, the court ordered liquidators to shutter the picturesque pub, which closed its doors on April 9 and has not reopened.
Dating back to 1875, the building is one of the oldest in the village and has been a community hub for nearly 150 years.
In 2018, the Keenans bought and invested in the pub.
They completely renovated the building, dedicating “their heart and soul” to the family-run venture, which had suffered a few “torrid” years under the management of a brewery.
Regulars lamented the loss on social media despite the pub’s management not announcing the closure.
Bertie Rooney said: “Must be heartbreaking for John and Heather.
“They spent a fortune renovating the Kirkton and the family-run Eurotrade.
“The pub has been trading without a break for over 35 years and has given many a young lad a job over the years.
“I wish them the best in an unfortunate situation.”
Sophie Harrison added: “Our favourite place. So sorry for the staff, Chris was always so great with us.”
Scott Miller said: “Massive blow for Dalrymple as a village.
“Food was lovely, nice restaurant and bar, staff were all great.
“Only negative thing was it was an expensive place to eat, but you get what you pay for.”
Stephanie Leitch said: “Sad news. I can only imagine how hard it is in the hospitality industry these days, especially in small villages. Thinking of the owners and staff going through this tough time. I hope it can reopen one day.”
Fiona Allan added: “This is really sad. Wishing Heather and her family better times ahead.
“I understand they were great employers for their staff.”
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The Kirkton Inn has given ‘many a local lad their start’Credit: Tripadvisor
