Money blog: Trendy area in uproar over Gail's potentially coming to high street (2024)

British pubs are in trouble, with more of them closing every year.

Once the beloved watering holes for many communities, they have fallen victim to higher costs, changing habits and "the real estate incentive".

Some 239 pubs closed in England and Wales during the first three months of the year, according to government figures – 56% more than in the same period in 2023.

Our Money reporter Brad Young has been exploring whether this is the end of the British pub as we know it.

Earlier this week, he spoke to communities and experts about the reasons behind recent closures - you can read his piece here.

In the video below, Brad explains three reasons why pubs are struggling.

Amazon has been cleared for take-off with the testing of new drone delivery in the UK.

Amazon Prime Air already offers drone deliveries in the US with drones able to fly 12km from their fulfilment centres.

But the service could now come to the UK, with Amazon hoping to launch it by the end of the year. It has ambitions of delivering small packages within an hour of an order being placed.

The online retailer is one of six organisations taking part in a new trial from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) - with other projects including using drones to inspect offshore windfarms, for policing and delivering medical supplies.

The trials will gather safety data and look at how drones can detect and avoid other aircraft while up in the air.

"Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies," said Sophie O'Sullivan, from the CAA.

Octopus Energy is launching "free electricity sessions" for its customers when wholesale prices plummet.

Starting from today, those who are signed up to the "Octoplus" rewards scheme can take part.

The one-hour-long sessions will be available whenever the wholesale electricity price hits zero or goes into negative figures, the energy firm said.

Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, said:"Free electricity sounds like it's too good to be true but it's real.

"By using more when there is plenty of renewable energy instead of when the grid is dirty, our customers can save money while making the grid greener and more efficient. It's a win-win for our customers and the planet."

How does it work?

Those who have signed up for the free electricity will be notified the day before the session will take place.

On its website, the company said the free period will generally be between 1pm to 2pm.

During that time, customers can use as much electricity as they want, with all the power used above their typical usage not costing anything.

Within a week, customers will receive an email telling them how much extra power they used, and within two weeks, they will see that amount paid into their account as bill credit.

How many sessions will there be?

There are no set amount of sessions planned to take place as they are based on dips in the market, which is changing all the time.

However, Octopus Energy has said it is hoping for at least two or three before winter.

In the last year, it said there had been 14 days when electricity prices dropped below £0 due to excess renewable energy being generated.

"During these times, wind farms are often paid to shut down to prevent grid overload, meaning valuable green electrons go to waste," it added.

"By powering up during these periods, households can maximise green energy availability - making the system more efficient and lowering system costs for all."

It's important to know that you must have a working electric smart meter in order to take part.

You can read all the terms and conditions here...

Drivers are being told to avoid scanning QR codes to pay for parking in light of a spate of scams.

Motorists should only make payments with cash, cards or using official apps, the RAC has warned.

It comes after fraudsters placed stickers with fake QR codes on parking signs in Barking and Dagenham, Northumberland, Northamptonshire, South Tyneside and Pembrokeshire (among others).

When drivers scan the codes, they are taken to a scam website where they are asked to enter their card details, which the criminals use to take money from their accounts.

"As if this scam isn't nasty enough, it can also lead to drivers being caught out twice if they don’t realise they haven't paid for parking and end up getting a hefty fine from the council," says RAC head of policy Simon Williams.

And depending on where you are in the UK, that fine can be anything from £50 to £300.

Thousands of prosecutions for alleged fare evasion are set to be declared void after a judge ruled they were wrongly made.

It means people who previously paid fines for fare evasion could be due a refund, with a team being set up by the end of November to identify everyone unlawfully prosecuted.

Four train companies including Northern Rail and Greater Anglia brought prosecutions against thousands of passengers using the single justice procedure (SJP) - despite not being permitted to do so.

The SJP was set up in 2015 to allow magistrates to decide on minor offences, such as using a television without a licence or driving without car insurance, without defendants going to court.

But concerns have been raised that cases are being brought before magistrates without prosecutors, or without any mitigation being taken into account.

Rail companies were permitted to use the SJP in 2016 to prosecute privately fare evaders, but the Evening Standard reported that several of these cases were brought under the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which is not allowed under the procedure.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Westminster Magistrates' Court in June that thousands of prosecutions were "probably unlawful".

The exact number of those affected is currently unknown, with a previous hearing told around 75,000 people could have been prosecuted for fare evasion offences under the SJP.

Northern Rail, just one of the companies involved, said it apologised for the errors involved.

Greater Anglia also said it acknowledged "a series of significant errors" had occurred.

Locals in a trendy London neighbourhood have signed a petition against Gail's bakery setting up shop in their area.

After (unconfirmed) rumours began circulating that the chain was looking to open a site in Walthamstow village, more than 600 have signed a petition opposing the plans.

The petition, which features a cross made out of two baguettes over the company logo, says the village "faces a threat to its uniqueness" should Gail's move into the area.

"Gail's, although respected for their quality, bring a risk of overshadowing our much-loved local stores due to their massive scale and advertising reach," it continues.

"This could lead to decreased visibility and pedestrian traffic towards independently run businesses, threatening their very existence and dismantling the character and diversity crucial to Walthamstow's charm."

Local business owners have also said they oppose the plans because of the pro-Brexit and anti-lockdown views of Luke Johnson, the company’s minority investor.

Adrian Spurdon, a barista at an independent coffee shop, said Mr Johnson's views clashed with the politics of Walthamstow.

He told The Times: "We've just had this big, diverse counter-protest to protect Walthamstow from the far-right and I doubt Luke Johnson would support that.

"He is very different to the people here. His views are not the same."

The opening of a Gail's - where a regular latte will set you back £4.10 - has become a mark of prosperity in the area.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the party looked at where the bakery chain had opened as an indicator of constituencies that could turn yellow, while the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton is known to be partial to their chocolate brownie finger.

A spokesman for Gail's said: "We understand the concern around chains, but our view is that a healthy high street is one with a diversity of quality offers, each delivering their best.

"High streets evolve over time and we open our small bakeries often in closed banks or stranded restaurants.

"All of our bakeries exist in areas where the choices are wide and growing –we should be celebrating the improvement in our food landscapes."

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire, business reporter

Despite the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine tension, the benchmark oil price has come down from the highs of Monday to just over $80 a barrel, good news for motorists.

The value of a pound is down from the highs of July but still better than most of the last six months, with £1 equal to $1.2856. Sterling has done worse against the euro with one pound buying €1.1663, less than could be bought for most of the last three months.

Following news that insurance company Admiral will up payments to shareholders, the price of its shares increased nearly 8%, the most of all the companies on the London Stock Exchange's benchmark index, the FTSE 100.

As a whole, the FTSE 100 grew 0.06% while the larger and more UK-based FTSE 250 index of valuable London-listed companies grew 0.28%.

Whether or not results day goes to plan today, you can always console yourself with some free chicken, pizza and nachos.

Major chains like Nando's, Pizza Express and Frankie & Benny's are offering some great freebies for students picking up their A-level results. Most you can get simply by showing a copy of your results to staff. Some have a few extra steps - but we've outlined this below, and most usually just involve signing up for some kind of free app or reward programme.

(And don't worry year 11, many of these offers will also be available when you receive your GCSE results next week).

Freebies

Nandos: Chicken
Bring your ID and results and you will get a free starter or quarter chicken, provided you also spend £7 or more.

Frankie & Benny's: Pizza
Each restaurant is giving away 50 free pizzas - you just need to purchase a large soft drink (and show off your results).

Pizza Express: Dough balls
You'll get one free portion of dough balls when you purchase a main - for this one you also need to present a valid UNiDAYS offer code.

Wagamama: Free side and drink
You need to sign up to the Soul Club app to get this one, but you'll get a free side dish and free soft drink, or cider can, if you order between 11am and 3pm.

Bill's: Dessert
To qualify for a free dessert you also need to purchase a main course, or brunch.

Banana Tree: Pad Thai
You need to purchase one starter (excluding edamame) and a drink, but you then qualify for a free main meal. Just make sure you sign upherefirst.

Chiquito: Loaded nachos
You have two options for this - Chicken & Chorizo or Pibil Pulled Jackfruit, as long as you order at least one large soft drink. There are only 600 available, so you'll want to head down early.

Bird & Blend: Drink
Get a magical matcha, refreshing ice tea or a herbal brew if you present your results and your student ID between 11am and 5pm.

Showcase Cinema: Popcorn
If you have a ticket for a film today, just show proof you received your results and you qualify for a free popcorn.

Starbucks: Cookie
Grab a free cookie with any beverage today.

Discounts

Bella Italia: 30% off
Students get a very decent 30% off their food bill - but you will need to sign up here first.

TGI Fridays: 24% off your bill
You need to be a free Stripes Reward member to get this one, and bring a copy of your results.

In a little over a month, hundreds of thousands of young people will once again descend on university towns across the UK - armed with maintenance loans and newly found financial freedoms.

With their arrival comes their business - and retailers and restaurants all fight for the chance to part students with their cash in the form of special discounts.

It would be a pretty long post were we to list every single student discount, so for this guide we'll go through some of the most notable and our favourites.

Apple

Let's start with the world's most valuable company, which offers various deals to students.

Buying a new iPad or Mac will land you a gift card worth £120, while you're able to access a cheaper Apple Music plan with Apple TV+ included.

It's available through discount portal UNiDAYS, or you can read more about the offers here.

Amazon

Another student essential - bag yourself six months of free Amazon Prime (which offers next-day delivery on thousands of items and Prime Video).

Once that ends, students only need to pay half price for their membership (£4.49 a month).

Check out the offer here.

Spotify

If you didn't opt for the Apple Music offer outlined above, then getting 45% off your Spotify subscription might be worth it.

It's this link to sign up.

ASOS

If you want 10% off clothes from one of the world's biggest online fashion retailers, you simply need to fill in this form.

Another top tip: ASOS often drops prices, starts sales or increases discount when your student maintenance loans hit your account.

It might be worth waiting for then to use your codes to maximise your savings - you'll get your first loan at the end of September/start of October, one at the start of January and the last will be at the start of April.

YouTube

YouTube Premium and Music can be yours for £7.99 (plus a free trial month) - allowing you ad-free watching, downloads, background play and unlimited tunes.

Click here for more.

Railcard

An unequivocal student essential.

Railcards are a must while you're moving around the country visiting friends, family or just making your way home for Christmas.

They cost just £30 and give you a third off expensive rail fares for the full year.

More on that here.

Nike andAdidas

Two of the big players in sports fashion.

Bag the latest athleisure with 15% from Adidas and 10% off at Nike.

Schuh

If you don't like the trainers either Nike or Adidas provide, then take a look at Schuh.

The footwear brand offers 10% off full-price andsale items - click here to find out how.

Another top tip: if you like a pair of Nike or Adidas shoes, check out whether you could get them cheaper at Schuh with discounts, and factoring in delivery charges and sales.

Sephora

Via discount portal StudentBeans, you can grab 15% off at Sephora.

It's one of the biggest self-care and beauty brands anywhere on the planet, and 15% off will save you a decent chunk.

Click here to find out more.

Boots

Being a student can save you 10% at Boots - sometimes more.

However, you will need to sign up for one of their (free) advantage cars, so maybe one you need to think about.

Check out the steps here.

Burger King

Students can enjoy a free Chicken or Vegan Royale with purchase of a Chicken or Vegan Royale via their StudentBeans portal.

This link has more.

Domino's

The big night in vendor offers students up to 50% off.

This is another one you'll need a StudentBeans discount portal login for, but you can get all the details here.

Uber Eats

Through UNiDAYS, you can get £10 off your first two orders (over £15) on Uber Eats.

They're not only offering takeaways, but grocery shopping too, so that's something to bear in mind.

Details here.

New Look

There's 10% off at New Look for students - and you can bag a further 25% if you sign up to their mailing list.

Discount is in-store and online, so there's a bit of flexibility regarding where you shop.

This one is through UNiDAYS, details here.

McDonald's

Grab yourself a free cheeseburger, mayo chicken or McFlurry when you buy selected menu items.

Read the full list and T&Cs here.

Deliveroo

The delivery giant always offers student deals, but they're yet to make public this year's plans.

You can enter your email address into this link for updates on it.

Lovehoney

Savings on your sex life start at 20%.

This one is via UNiDAYS - more here.

MyProtein

50% off protein at MyProtein for fitness-hungry students is one of several offers the company has put up.

Again, via UNiDAYS, which has the full list of deals/offers here.

Gyms

Sticking with health and fitness, several high-street value gym chains offer discounts, includingThe Gym GroupandPureGym.

Blackwell's

We've done all the fun stuff like food and clothes - but you do have to study at some stage.

That's where having 15% off at major book supplier Blackwell's can help.

All the details are here.

IKEA

While we're on the more boring stuff - let's turn to furniture and cutlery.

Over the years millions of students have descended on the Swedish giant to fill their new rooms and cupboards.

Offers change every year - and they'll be updated here.

If you are a regular reader of the Money blog, you will have seen us cover the topic of security tags before.

We've noticed them on meat, cheese and baby milk, and now some chocolate treats are also getting the yellow security sticker treatment.

We spotted the tags below at an Asda in Twickenham earlier this week.

They were placed on a £2.50 box of Celebrations and Lindt Salted Caramel Lindors costing £5.

Also tagged were a £9.30 box of Maltesers Truffles, a £6.55 pack of Raffaello, a £10.50 tray of Ferrero Rocher and an £8.95 Thortons Classic box.

An Asda spokesperson confirmed to the Money team that "individual stores may tag specific products at their own discretion as a precautionary measure".

Earlier this year, it was revealed shoplifting had hit its highest level in 20 years.

The number of offences increased by 37% to 430,104 in the year ending 31 December 2023, compared with 2022, the latest Crime Survey for England and Wales found.

Several retailers have taken steps to curb the surge, including extra security and body-worn cameras.