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food and drink
The Joy Of Slowing Down: Why We All Need More Time Around The Table
Woody Barlow
Hospitality Correspondent
There was a time when slowing down felt like something we had to be reminded to do. Now, it feels like something we actively need to fight for. We live in a world where being busy is often worn as a badge of honour, where calendars are packed, phones are rarely out of reach and even our downtime can feel like another item on the to-do list.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Review
Opera North And Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin
Richard Trinder
Managing Editor
Verity Wingate as Tatyana. All photos by James Glossop
The 1980s were turbulent times for the Soviet Union. The death of the Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev, in 1981, and the slow-slow-quick-quick-slow waltz of the regime toward its collapse and eventual dissolution in 1992.
10:31 AM 10th October 2026
Motorhoming
Venice And Motorhoming? You've Got To Be Joking!
Sharon Cain
Lifestyle & Travel Editor
Among the world's unique cities, Venice oozes timeless charm and exploring is a delight due to the absence of vehicles. In 'the City of Canals’, boats are the main transportation through the network of canals and islands where colourful carnivals, stunning architecture, and compelling cuisine, await.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Consumers
Five Customer Service Frustrations Consumers Shouldn't Have To Put Up With
Jane Hawkes
Consumer Expert
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Our consumer champion and founder of the Lady Janey blog Jane Hawkes, says businesses need to put people before processes as National Customer Service Week highlights the importance of getting customer service right Good customer service should make life easier, not leave customers…
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
sports
Pure Class From Verstappen In Singapore
Graham Read
Formula 1 Correspondent
Max Verstappen proved invincible at Marina Bay
In hot and humid Singapore, Max Verstappen again demonstrated why he is the most sought-after driver on the F1 grid and one of the greatest ever, as he claimed pole positions for both the Sprint race and the Grand Prix and proceeded to convert them into clearcut victories.
3:29 PM 11th October 2026
Opinion
Classical Music: Gershwin Variations
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
Some recordings politely ask for your attention. This one pulls up a stool at the bar, loosens its tie and calls for another round. For anyone who loves Gershwin and the jazz idiom, Lucas Debargue's Gershwin Variations is a double album to treasure: it fizzes, it swings and it oozes panache from first bar to last. The first disc, recorded at the Philharmonie de Paris, pairs Debargue with the Orchestre de Paris under Elim Chan. The Piano Concerto in F skips along with real clarity, the orchestration crisp, the syncopations relished and the percussion crackling with rhythmic fervour.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Review
Albums: Troye Sivan She's the Best
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
Troye Sivan She's the Best Tracks: She's The Best, Canada Dry, Party, I Do This For You, Cowboy, Embarrassingly, Le Boy, Sex Star, Troye Meets World, FF, Love So Big It Hurts, Lost Time (ft.
11:01 PM 9th October 2026
Review
Albums: Amon Amarth – The Allfather Awakens
Graham Clark
Music Correspondent
The biggest surprise arrives with Uppha’. An acoustic, folk-inflected piece, it is the kind of detour that could easily have sounded like a novelty. Instead, it provides the album with atmosphere and breathing space, allowing the mythology at the heart of Amon Amarth’s music to emerge without the usual wall of distortion
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
business
Why Corporate Culture Is Now A Competitive Advantage
Ian Garner
Business Writer
Image by Thirdman on Pexels
The phrase ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast', attributed to management guru Peter Drucker, stresses the importance of organisational culture in achieving strategic goals. Corporate culture has swiftly moved from being a “soft” notion discussed in workshops to a strategic priority for modern organisations.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Books
If Cats Could Talk: At Warble’s Bar By Galahad Porter
Artis-Ann 
Features Writer
Lucy is pregnant after a one-night stand with Sam from Brooklyn. The thing is that’s all she knows about him even if she does still feel that the spark between them was real. The novel opens with a somewhat rebellious Lucy (real name Lucia) working in a bar in Brooklyn, having travelled from Italy, to try to find Sam.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
lifestyle
Feeding The Birds
Allison Lee
Smallholding Correspondent
Bird feed.
The RSPB provides a guide to feeding birds in the UK, recently updated to offer greater protection for birds. While the guidance focuses mainly on which foods to offer seasonally and why good hygiene is important for all water and food containers, it also suggests when to limit or stop feeding completely.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Music
Classical Music: Sol Gabetta Saint-Saëns & Lalo Cello Concertos
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
Her playing is fluent throughout, her agility impressive and her rhythmic precision unerring, while soloist and orchestra alike embrace the full Romantic sweep of these scores. Period instruments are often sold as a corrective to excess; here they serve the opposite purpose, lending these concertos a warmth and freshness that makes a persuasive case for all three.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Review
Album Review: Everyone Says Hi Funny Cos It's True
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
At its heart, this is hook-heavy, groove-forward indie pop with a wonderfully hazy, retro-futurist sheen. The songs are packed with infectious melodies and big, anthemic choruses, while the warm production gives the record a timeless quality. There are echoes of classic songwriting craft alongside more psychedelic, contemporary textures, making the album feel both familiar and fresh.
11:15 PM 9th October 2026
Books
Venus At Midnight: The Amygdala Safari By Carmella de Keyser
Steve Whitaker
Features Writer
Carmella de Keyser is at her most persuasive when in freefall: plummeting through the ‘cyan blue’ with Icarean abandon and crossing borders of the senses as though synaesthetic apprehension were a most natural condition of understanding, the poet promulgates a new aesthetic, subordinating all formal considerations to the moment of pure invigoration.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
travel tips
Airline Passengers Urged To Check Charges As Government Moves To Scrap Unfair Flying Fees
Jane Hawkes
Consumer Expert
Image by Joshua Woroniecki from Pixabay
Our travel consumer champion Jane Hawkes, champion and founder of the Lady Janey blog, says passengers should still scrutinise the final cost of flights as ministers unveil plans to tackle extra airline charges Holidaymakers are being urged to scrutinise airline fees and look beyond headline fares as the Government moves to crack down on extra charges faced by pa…
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
arts
Why Nostalgia Is Thriving In The Digital Age
Andrew Liddle
Guest Writer
In a world that refreshes itself by the second, the past has never felt more appealing. Scroll for long enough and you will eventually run into it in the form of a clip from an old TV show, a song you had forgotten you loved, a photo from years ago that feels strangely close.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Review
Classical Music: The Beethoven Connection Volume 2
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet has a gift for turning musical archaeology into pure pleasure. In this second volume of The Beethoven Connection he has unearthed some lovely pieces, and he plays them with passion and a beautiful tone from his Yamaha piano. His sensitivity, expressiveness and virtuosity shine throughout the recital.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Music
Albums: Teenage Fanclub Do Not Dare To Dream
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
Following the Fannies’ 2023 Nothing Lasts Forever and last year’s side-project Butler, Blake & Grant, Blake and (day job) co. return with Teenage Fanclub’s 13th full-length album. Opening with There Was You, a playful, folksy and upbeat song about how magical surprises can interrupt otherwise predetermined lives, Do Not Dare To Dream gets off to an engaging start. There’s an easy warmth to the song, but also a sense that the album might be setting its ambitions rather lower than some of the band’s finest work.
11:35 PM 9th October 2026
Health
World Mental Health Day: Alcohol And Your Mental Health
Image Pixabay
World Mental Health Day (10th October), provides an important opportunity to examine the often-overlooked connection between alcohol use and mental health. Ruth Allonby, Chief Executive of Mount Carmel Rehab is urging people to consider how their drinking patterns affect their emotional, physical and mental well-being.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Books
Poem Of The Week: Facing The Music By Mairéad Byrne
Steve Whitaker
Features Writer
Facing the Music It's not frost; it's snow It's not backfire; it's gun-fire It's not fun; it's alcoholism It's not a tantrum; it's violence It's not witty; it's abuse It's not marriage; it's divorce It's not anger; it's rage It's not nothing; it's a lump It's not fear; it's reality It's not sleep; it's death It's not au revoir; it's the end Perhaps the misi…
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
arts
Close Enough To Touch writer Henry Roberts Talks About His New Play, The Joy Of Theatre And Why We Need To Tell Different Types Of Stories On Stage
Image: Mark Ratcliffe and Split Design
Henry is a writer, playwright and photographer. Originally from Lancashire, he is now based in London. In 2025 and 2026, he was longlisted for The Observer Anthony Burgess Prize for Arts Journalism. Henry’s plays have been performed at Theatre503, Riverside Studios, Camden People's Theatre and other theatres in London and Edinburgh.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Review
Albums: Dead Poet Society – Monarch
Graham Clark
Music Correspondent
What makes Monarch stand out is its refusal to choose between experimentation and accessibility. There are enormous hooks here, but they come wrapped in warped guitars, unconventional rhythms and enough darkness to stop proceedings becoming predictable.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
family
The Cumberland Shares Top Tips To Help New Students Master Their Money – Even If They’ve Frittered Most Of It Away Already
Photo Stocksnap courtesy of CBS
Freshers' week is over, lectures are underway, and for a lot of new students, that first loan instalment has already taken a serious hit. If that sounds familiar, The Cumberland Building Society is offering practical advice to help students get a grip on what's left in the pot for the rest of term.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
cars
Electric Versus Diesel – A KGM Musso Shootout
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
KGM has been producing pickups for eons and earlier this year it launched its latest diesel-powered model. Perhaps of more interest in these times of rising fuel costs is their fully electric version. I had a quick drive in one just over a year ago and came away impressed. However, an extended time with any vehicle is really needed for a full assessment.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Music
Classical Music: Softest Thunder
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
There is a particular kind of disc that asks you to switch off the radio, put the phone in a drawer and simply listen. Toby Carr's debut solo recording for Delphian is one of them, and it repays the effort many times over. Carr will already be familiar to many from Battle Cry, his duo album with the mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, which collected both Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine awards in 2023. Here he steps out alone, and the result is an atmospheric, quietly absorbing recital.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
travel
Saunas Are Booming, But Are They Safe For Everyone?
Image by huumsauna from Pixabay
Public saunas in Britain have multiplied almost twentyfold in three years, yet the real devotees are packing their towels for the Nordic countries, where sweating it out is practically a national pastime.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Music
Albums: Jamie T Ghosts (100 Days Of Morning)
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
Jamie T Ghosts (100 Days Of Morning) Tracks: 3310, Cocktail, Waist 36 Leg 32, All I Wanna See Is Now, The Won, Chelsea Girls, Ghosts, Crimson & Clover, Crucible, Caught Cheating, Tallahassee Label: Polydor Jamie T has always sounded like an artist with one foot in the present and the other caught somewhere in the past.
10:42 AM 10th October 2026
business
Worst Full-Year Period For Small Business Growth Forecasts Since 2020
Image nappy on Pexels
Only 26% of UK small businesses say they are forecasting growth for the final three months of 2026, with 50% forecasting no change in trading outlook - and 23% of enterprises fearing they will either contract or struggle to survive the winter months, according to new research from Novuna Business Finance.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Music
Albums: Walt Disco Walt Disco
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
There is something fitting about calling your third album Walt Disco. After two records spent pushing, pulling and occasionally losing themselves in different directions, the Glasgow band have arrived at a record that feels less like a reinvention than an acceptance of everything they have already been. It is a statement of identity, certainly, but not one delivered with the certainty of a band who have finally solved themselves. Instead, Walt Disco finds its strength in the messiness of becoming.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
nature
British Garden Centres' Expert Guide To Autumn Containers And Hanging Baskets
Photo Courtesy of BGC
As summer fades, it doesn't mean your outdoor space has to. With the right selection of plants, you can keep your container garden vibrant and beautiful even during the colder autumn and winter months. From ornamental grasses and winter-flowering pansies to spring bulbs and herbs, there are plenty of options to choose from.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Review
Album Review: Bróna McVittie Supernatural
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
What makes the album particularly compelling is the way McVittie brings together the warmth and intimacy of the harp and traditional vocal styles with atmospheric electronic production. Rather than feeling like a clash of old and new, these elements compliment one another beautifully, giving the music a distinctive identity that is at once organic, otherworldly and modern.
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
Music
Albums: NY Loose Monolith Kids
Jeremy Williams
Deputy Arts Editor
Led by the formidable Brijitte West, NY Loose was one of the great underground secrets of mid-’90s New York rock. They had the swagger, the sleaze, the guitars and, crucially, the songs. Their 1995 Loosen Up! EP helped build a devoted following before Hollywood Records came calling, eventually releasing the band’s debut album, Year of the Rat, in 1996. Yet despite touring with the likes of L7 and Marilyn Manson and seeing their brilliant track Spit appears on The Crow: City of Angels soundtrack – the commercial breakthrough never arrived.
7:57 AM 10th October 2026
family
As Charitable Gifts In Wills Top £100m – Award-Winning Expert Shares Main Things To Consider
Charitable gifts left in Wills topped £100 million in 2025 - a record-breaking milestone which highlights the growing number of people choosing to leave a lasting legacy to causes they care about. But with more families considering charitable giving as part of their estate planning, what should people know before making that decision?
12:00 AM 10th October 2026
news
One Week Left To Apply For £1,500 Grants From Fibrus’ Community Fund
Community groups have just one more week to take advantage of grants up to £1,500 from Fibrus Broadband. The full fibre broadband provider is coming to the end of the latest round of applications for its £30,000 Community Fund. Local sports clubs, charities and other organisations have until Friday 16 October to apply to the fund. Since the fund was launched in 2023.
P.ublished 9th October 2026
news
Christa Pike’s Failed Execution - Capital Punishment, Right Or Wrong? And What Went Wrong?
The unfortunate events of Christa Pike’s failed execution by the State of Tennessee has swept across the globe in the past week, raising controversy left and right, leading to the state’s prisons chief to resign. Tennessee is known for its extreme secrecy when administering executions, so what really happened and what happens next?
P.ublished 9th October 2026
news
Devolution Must Not Fragment UK Innovation, Business And University Leaders Warn
Business and university leaders have warned that devolution must strengthen the contribution of places to the UK's innovation economy without fragmenting the national capabilities needed to compete globally.
P.ublished 9th October 2026
news
Tripling Of Prostate Cancer Cases In Under 50s Shows National Screening Committee Needs To “Look Again” At Nationwide Programme, Says Expert
Image: Anna Tarazevich on Pexels
A prostate cancer expert has said statistics showing cancer rates in men under 50 have more than tripled between 2001 and 2023 “should be a wake up call for the UK’s National Screening Committee.” Prof Chris Booth, founder of men’s health charity CHAPS and a former consultant urologist with more than 40 years’ experience said the statistics from The World Cancer Research Fund “endorse the trend CH…
P.ublished 9th October 2026
news
Annual Air Passenger Survey: Satisfaction Remains High As More Use Public Transport To Get To Airport
Image: Pixabay
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has published its annual passenger survey for 2025.  The survey found that passenger satisfaction with airports remains high despite a growth in air travel.  Travellers are increasingly choosing to travel to the airport by public transport, while leisure remains the key reason for flying.  The Civil Aviation Authority has released its 2025 passenger survey, which…
P.ublished 8th October 2026
news
Lifting the curtain on Greystoke Castle
Greystoke Castle
Tom Nash thought he would have Greystoke Castle finished by now. We hear how the Liverpool engineer turned a dilapidated private seat into one of the county's busiest new venues, and why the hardest part is still to come. For most of the world, Greystoke is a name borrowed by Tarzan.
P.ublished 7th October 2026
news
More Than Half Of People In Northern England Fear They Won’t Have Enough To Live Well In Future Retirement.
Age-friendly workplace Photo courtesy of Independent Age
New polling from Independent Age, the only national charity solely focused on supporting older people facing financial hardship, shows that 59% of adults under the age of 65 in Northern England are not confident they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement.
P.ublished 6th October 2026
news
The Sun Rose From The West
On Sunday, 3 October 1926, the sun rose over London from the East, as it had done countless mornings before. Yet those gathered in Southfields that day believed they were witnessing the fulfilment of a prophecy uttered centuries earlier: “The sun will rise from the West.” Something remarkable was taking place on Melrose Road SW18.
P.ublished 5th October 2026
news
Tallest Building In Yorkshire Officially Opens In Leeds Standing At 440ft Tall And With 45 Storeys
It boasts some of the best views across the city, arguably one of the most desirable city centre locations, just down the road from Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre and amenities you’d expect from a 5* hotel, but this isn’t a new luxury hotel, it’s the city’s latest purpose-built student accommodation tower.
P.ublished 2nd October 2026
news
CrossCountry Customers Encouraged To Plan Ahead For Christmas Travel
CrossCountry customers encouraged to plan ahead for Christmas travel: Snow at Birmingham New Street Rail passengers travelling this Christmas are being encouraged to plan ahead, as major engineering work will mean no trains can operate to or from Birmingham New Street between Thursday 24 and Monday 28 December 2026.
P.ublished 2nd October 2026
news
Matchroom Charitable Foundation Invests £50,000 In Youth Provision Across Salford And Manchester
Vital funding will help EMPOWER Youth Zones expand its work and create more opportunities for children and young people throughout Greater Manchester. The Matchroom Charitable Foundation has announced a £50,000 donation to EMPOWER Youth Zones, supporting the charity’s work with thousands of young people across Salford and Manchester.
P.ublished 1st October 2026
news
Why The North’s Over 50s Are Building The Social Enterprises Their Communities Need
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Dr Zeineb Djebal, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the University of Liverpool Management School and Academic Programme Director for the Help to Grow: Management Course. On International Day of Older People, I’m taking a moment to recognise a group that deserves more attention in conversations about entrepreneurship: the over 50s who are building businesses…
P.ublished 1st October 2026
news
Architectural Heritage Fund Names 25 Standout Projects Across UK For 50th Anniversary Celebrations
Keelmens Hospital Exterior 2024 Photo: Steve Brock of Newcastle City Council
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has today announced 25 standout projects as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. This diverse selection of projects stretches across the UK and illustrates what half a century of heritage-led regeneration looks like in practice.
P.ublished 1st October 2026
news
Collecting repeat prescriptions costs the economy £11.5bn a year – more than the NHS spends on the medicines
The NHS spends around £9 billion a year on repeat prescriptions – yet the cost to the economy of patients going to collect them is even higher, at an estimated £11.5 billion, according to a new report.
P.ublished 30th September 2026
news
Yorkshire Entrepreneur To Wear One Dress For 90 Days In Rebuttal Of Fast Fashion
Little Beau Sheep Photo: Kathryn Widdowson
A Yorkshire entrepreneur is launching an unusual fashion challenge to promote the importance of sustainable fashion and wearing natural fibres like wool. Sarah Turner, the founder of Ilkley-based Little Beau Sheep, which produces 100% British wool laundry balls, will launch ‘The 90 Day Wool Habit’, which will see Turner wear the same navy wool dress every day for 90 days.
P.ublished 30th September 2026
news
Northern News 28 September 2026 More Women Looking For Rewarding Careers On The Railway As Northern Sees A Sharp Rise In Job Applications
More women looking for rewarding careers on the railway as Northern sees a sharp rise in job applications More women looking for rewarding careers on the railway as Northern sees a sharp rise in job applications The number of women applying for jobs with Northern has risen significantly, following the launch of a successful recruitment campaign.
P.ublished 29th September 2026
news
New Research: Britons Are Planning For Retirement – But Almost Half Are Unprepared For Life’s Financial Shocks
New research undertaken by YouGov for UK wealth management and employee benefits firm, Mattioli Woods, reveals that while Britons recognise the importance of planning for their long-term financial future, many do not feel prepared for the major financial shocks and life events that could arise before retirement.
P.ublished 29th September 2026
news
From Heartbreak To Hope
A mother and son from York have announced the official launch of adaptable fashion brand EmAble in a bid to help transform the experiences of people battling life-changing health conditions and enduring treatment for chronic illness.
P.ublished 28th September 2026
news
Supporters Of Waspi Compensation Outnumber Opponents Almost Four To One, Major Study Finds
Supporters of compensation for WASPI women outnumber opponents by almost four to one, according to a landmark new analysis of more than 10,000 voters. The research, carried out by Stack Data Strategy among 10,052 adults in Great Britain, found that almost half of voters (47 per cent) believe women affected by State Pension age changes should receive full or partial redress.
P.ublished 28th September 2026
news
Half Of Teen Girls Avoid School Sport Out Of Fear Of Failure
Image by Keith Johnston from Pixabay
Teenage girls are spending fewer evenings with friends, feeling isolated in their communities and dodging school sport at higher rates than boys, according to a report into England’s “bedroom generation”.  Polling of 15-year-olds for the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) finds that more than one in five girls (21 per cent) now spends no evenings out with friends during a typical week, compared wi…
P.ublished 28th September 2026
news
Blackpool's Lightpool Festival Celebrates 10 Glorious Years
Liz Coggins
Features Editor
Blackpool’s renowned public light-art festival, Lightpool Festival returns this October half term (Wednesday 21st - Saturday 31st October 2026) - and celebrates its ten-year anniversary. Staged across the town at a diverse range of indoor and outdoor venues, the magic of light becomes accessible to all.
P.ublished 26th September 2026
news
Students Urged To Make Lifesaving Checks
Northern Gas Networks is encouraging university students kick-starting their new term and student life in rented homes to carry out two potentially lifesaving checks.
P.ublished 26th September 2026
news
Hundreds Of Deaths Each Week Associated With A&E Overcrowding, New Research Suggests
Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay
New research is yet more evidence that A&E overcrowding kills, but governments remain too slow to act, says the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM).
P.ublished 25th September 2026
news
Time Is Back On Clotherholme Road
After some four decades of silence, "Clotherholme's Big Ben" is chiming again, thanks to a new caretaker who gave up his weekends to bring it back to life. For the better part of half a century, the clock above Ripon Grammar School has been right twice a day. Now it is right all the time.
P.ublished 25th September 2026
news
Passengers With Mobility Scooters Can Now Travel On All Types Of Northern Trains With Free Permit
Passengers with mobility scooters are now able to travel on all of the different types of trains in Northern’s fleet with a free permit. It comes after the train operator updated its rules to allow smaller mobility scooters on Class 158 trains.
P.ublished 25th September 2026
news
Local Organisations Invited To Apply For Second Round Of 2026 Miller Homes Community Funding
Miller Homes has opened applications for the second round of its 2026 Community Fund, inviting charities and community groups across the North West, including Coppull to apply for grants to support local projects and initiatives. The fund offers donations ranging from £250 to £2,000, helping organisations that make a positive difference within the communities where the homebuilder operates.
P.ublished 24th September 2026
news
Letter To The Editor: Public Transport Inaccessible
Dear Editor, Like most of us, I don’t think twice before hopping on a bus or train to go to work, meet friends or do a spot of shopping. However, for millions of people across the country who are deaf or have hearing loss, barriers on public transport can make even every day journeys feel impossible.
P.ublished 24th September 2026
news
Charities Warn Of Redundancies As Rising Costs Outpace Funding
Image: Pixabay
Almost all charities surveyed say current funding levels are not keeping pace with costs. Half are considering redundancies, while three-quarters report falling income over the past year.
P.ublished 23rd September 2026
news
Housing Wealth: The Fortune The North Won't Touch
Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
Regional distribution of new plan sales and lending
Millions of older homeowners are sitting on a retirement lifeline worth hundreds of thousands of pounds — but as Andrew Palmer reports the research shows those in the North are far less likely than southerners to ever consider using it It sounds like a story about poverty.
P.ublished 23rd September 2026
news
Y Cewri Launches To Improve Digital Access For The 1 In 4 People In The UK WHO Are Disabled
Joanna Goodwin
New Wales-based consultancy Y Cewri has launched as latest government figures show that one in four people in the UK are now disabled, highlighting the growing need for organisations to create products, services and digital experiences that work for everyone.
P.ublished 22nd September 2026
news
Business Crucial To Burnham’s Devolution Next Steps
Next month’s Budget should outline plans to put businesses at the heart of the next stage of devolution, to deliver growth, investment and higher living standards, according to a new report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
P.ublished 21st September 2026
news
CIEH Calls For Action To Tackle Noise Exposure In The North West To Reduce Health Inequalities
Noise pollution remains a significant but often overlooked threat to public health in the North West despite falling complaints figures, with new research suggesting many people are regularly disturbed by noise and that lower-income households are disproportionately affected.
P.ublished 18th September 2026
news
Expanded Jobs Guarantee Could Bring £4.6bn Long Run Boost To Public Finances As TUC Urges Ministers To Put “Turbo-Boosters” On Scheme
TUC calls for an expanded Jobs Guarantee at the heart of the government's plan to tackle the NEET crisis. A scaled-up Jobs Guarantee scheme with 225,000 places over three years would generate almost £4.6bn in long-term benefits, and support thousands of young people into sustained employment. Every £1 of government spending would generate around £2.69 in long-term returns to the Exchequer.
P.ublished 17th September 2026
news
Food Inflation Set To Almost Double As 2027 Storm Clouds Gather, Industry Forecaster Warns
Grocery bills that have crept up modestly this year are on course for a far sharper rise, with food inflation forecast to almost double by 2027 as extreme weather, energy costs and supply chain disruption converge on the food system.
P.ublished 16th September 2026
news
1,500 People Quit Work To Care For Older And Disabled Relatives Every Day, 150% Increase In Seven Years
New polling by Opinium for Carers UK reveals that 3.33 million people have given up work to care for a family member or friend who is older, disabled or seriously ill, with 1.1 million leaving their job in the last two years alone – more than 1,500 people a day.
P.ublished 16th September 2026
news
UK Labour Market Holds Steady As Redundancies Rise And Real Pay Stalls
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Employment and unemployment rates unchanged in the three months to July, but vacancies fall for another quarter and youth joblessness remains stubbornly high
P.ublished 15th September 2026
news
UK Domestic Energy Production Faces Critical Challenge
The UK stands to lose a multi-billion-pound economic opportunity and risks letting investment, jobs and energy security slip away, say the authors of the 2026 Economic Report from Offshore Energies UK Energy security is national security in an increasingly volatile world where conflict in the Middle East is constricting global oil and gas supply.
P.ublished 15th September 2026
news
Retired People Are Gifting And Spending More As IHT Concerns Grow, New Survey Reveals
Image: Atlantic Ambience on Pexels
One in five expect to face an IHT bill but are unclear about tax planning. Nearly half gift what they want when they want, while one in three are not aware of the seven-year rule on gifts
P.ublished 14th September 2026
news
July Growth Beats Expectations As Britain Braces For A Harder Autumn
GDP rose 0.4% as ONS data show resilience — though analysts caution the calm may not survive a turbulent autumn of rising energy costs and bond-market turmoil. The UK economy grew by 0.4% in July, official figures from the Office for National Statistics showed, extending a pattern of steadier-than-expected performance through the first half of the year.
P.ublished 11th September 2026
news
New British-Built Trains To Transform Railways And Reindustrialise Britain
Passengers across the North will benefit from faster, more reliable journeys thanks to an around £1 billion investment in new trains, as the government puts passengers back at the heart of the railway.
P.ublished 11th September 2026
news
Rail Industry Advice for Customers Affected by Air Traffic Control Issues
To support customers affected by airline disruption due to the recent air traffic outage, National Rail has agreed some flexibility for ticket holders. Customers can use their rail tickets to travel at alternative times, or get a fee-free refund.
P.ublished 9th September 2026
news
Aviva And Chase Lead Surprise Comeback As Britain's Big Names Win Back Trust
New index shows established brands recovering fastest from customer discontent, while debt charity StepChange records a near-perfect score at one of the hardest moments in people's financial lives, writes Andrew Palmer The challengers were supposed to be winning this fight. This month, the old guard hit back.
P.ublished 9th September 2026
news
Yorkshire Farmers Call For Homegrown Food Targets On Back British Farming Day
Yorkshire farmers calling for homegrown food targets on Back British Farming Day as new NFU research reveals Britain is producing less food than it did 30 years ago. The UK’s self-sufficiency in 10 out of 11 everyday foods, such as wheat, vegetables, beef, poultry meat and eggs have fallen in the last 30 years, the Ready to Grow report reveals.
P.ublished 9th September 2026
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UK Housing Market Stagnates
Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay
The latest Lloyds House Price Index reports that average UK house prices fell by 0.2% in August and by 0.4% on an annual basis. This was the first year-on-year decrease since November 2023. According to Emeritus Professor Joe Nellis, Head of Economic Research at MHA, the accountancy and advisory firm, the housing market has come to a halt at a time of considerable economic uncertainty.
P.ublished 8th September 2026
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Ballot For The 2027 AJ Bell Great North Run Is Now Open!
With the biggest ever Great North Run just days away organisers of the world’s greatest half marathon announce that the BALLOT FOR THE 2027 event is now OPEN. The Ballot runs from Monday, 7th September at 8am until midnight on Sunday 20th September, at which point ballot applications close. The draw takes place on Monday 21st September with applicants notified of their results soon after.
P.ublished 7th September 2026
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Three Quarters Of A&E Staff Witness Violence And Aggression At Work At Least Once A Week, As 'Safe To Care' Campaign Launched
Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay
Around three in four UK Emergency Department staff have told the Royal College of Emergency Medicine that they experience or witness violence and aggression in their department on a daily or weekly basis.
P.ublished 7th September 2026
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Blackpool Is All Lit Up
Liz Coggins
Features Editor
Blackpool's world-famous Illuminations were officially switched on by comedian and presenter Paddy McGuinness, marking the start of another dazzling season for one of the UK's most iconic attractions.
P.ublished 6th September 2026
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Ruby’s Law MP Drop-In
Ruby’s Law, which is striving to protect pets in domestic abuse settings, has its second reading in Parliament in October. Ahead of that, campaigners are inviting MPs to a drop-in on 8th September so they can learn more about the proposed legislation and the positive impact it will have on victims of domestic abuse and their companion animals.
P.ublished 5th September 2026
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Andy Burnham’s First Month
On Tuesday, Andy Burnham made his first speech as Prime Minister at the PMQ’s, addressing his parliament and outlining his plan of action for a new political and economic model for the UK. Many of his promises are not firm commitments, so what can we expect from this new government, and when can we expect any of this change? Here’s what we know.
P.ublished 5th September 2026
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Austerity And Brexit Not To Blame For Sluggish UK Economy, New Analysis Finds
New research from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) by economist Julian Jessop examines two of the most widely blamed causes of the UK's poor economic performance over the past decade and a half: fiscal "austerity" after 2010 and the 2016 vote to leave the European Union. It concludes that the evidence for either being a major drag on growth is much weaker than commonly assumed.
P.ublished 4th September 2026
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