Business

A small Brighton law firm is taking on one of Britain’s biggest retail banks in a $20 million (£14.75m) High Court battle, using artificial intelligence to cut costs and challenge legal heavyweights.

Helix Law is representing US software provider Arkeyo LLC in its claim against Metro Bank, which is accused of breaching copyright and licensing agreements linked to the bank’s in-branch coin counting machines, known as ‘Magic Money Machines’. Metro Bank has instructed City firm Eversheds Sutherland to defend the case, with the next hearing set for 17 September.

Alex Cook, partner at Helix Law, said the case represented a pivotal moment for smaller firms.

“By breaching their agreement with our client, Metro Bank has not only caused financial damage, but severely damaged its own reputation and trust among its customers,” he said. “More widely, we see this as a David and Goliath moment for our industry. Taking on a major retail bank on behalf of a much smaller client shows what is possible when you combine legal expertise with the latest technology.”

Arkeyo alleges that Metro Bank replicated its coin-counting technology without permission after their partnership, which ran between 2010 and 2016, came to an end. Helix Law is also pursuing mediation later this year.

Helix Law says it has been able to drive the case forward thanks to technology that slashed disclosure costs from an initial estimate of £350,000 to £100,000 – a fraction of the £557,000 budgeted by Metro Bank’s legal team.

“The cost savings are game-changing,” Cook said. “They have enabled a small software company to continue its fight against a much larger giant. As an independent firm ourselves, we understand how challenging access to this type of justice can be.”

Helix estimates its approach typically saves clients up to 60 per cent on comparable cases by deploying legal AI tools and other technologies not yet widely adopted by larger firms. These systems can process vast document sets and court bundles quickly, highlighting deficiencies and anomalies that would otherwise require large review teams.

Cook added: “During our disclosure review process we identified deficiencies in Metro Bank’s submissions, which will be addressed at the High Court later this year. Without our cutting-edge software, or a huge legal team, this might have gone unnoticed.”

He suggested that traditional law firms have been slow to adopt similar tools because of the impact on billing models. “But change is coming,” he said, “and smaller firms are at the forefront of it.”

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Helix Law uses AI to take on Metro Bank in $20m copyright case

Small Business Saturday’s nationwide roadshow will return this autumn, touring 23 towns and cities across the UK to celebrate the impact of local entrepreneurs and encourage communities to support small firms.

Launching in Scotland in early November, the roadshow — known as The Tour — will kick off in Lossiemouth, Aberdeenshire and Edinburgh, before travelling across the UK. Stops include Belfast, Manchester, Durham, Preston, Carlisle, Derby, Grimsby, Wrexham, Hereford, Newport, Plymouth, Salisbury, Cambridge and London.

Backed by BT, the initiative will spotlight local firms from bakers and chocolatiers to cycling adventure companies and shoe repair businesses, recognising their contribution to local economies, job creation and communities.

Michelle Ovens CBE, director of Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Small Business Saturday is all about championing the incredible entrepreneurs who bring passion, innovation, and heart to communities across the UK. The Tour gives us the opportunity to hit the road and engage directly with the nation’s favourite small businesses, celebrating their unique stories and the essential role they play in strengthening local economies.”

The campaign, now in its 13th year, is a grassroots, non-commercial initiative encouraging shoppers to ‘shop local’. Last year, it generated billions of pounds in spending and engaged millions of consumers nationwide. This year’s Small Business Saturday takes place on 6 December and is supported by American Express.

Coinciding with the roadshow, the campaign will also deliver a month of free online support for entrepreneurs, including daily workshops, mentoring and events featuring industry experts and small business leaders.

In line with its commitment to sustainability, The Tour will once again use electric vehicles to cover its 3,000-mile route, showcasing the greener choices many small firms are making on the road to net zero.

Chris Sims, chief commercial officer for UK Business at BT, said: “Small businesses are vital to the UK economy, and providing entrepreneurs with the right support is crucial to their success. The Tour offers a great platform to engage with small businesses across the country, delivering tailored advice and resources to help them grow and adapt.”

With retailers, service providers and start-ups all facing continued economic pressure, organisers say the roadshow is more important than ever in showing how small businesses remain the backbone of Britain’s economy.

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Small Business Saturday UK roadshow to tour 23 towns and cities this autumn

The UK is emerging as one of the world’s most attractive destinations for technology businesses, outpacing rivals in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific, according to new research from Barclays.

The bank’s latest Business Prosperity Index found that 62 per cent of UK tech leaders see their home market as a better place to grow and scale a business than mainland Europe, with 61 per cent preferring the UK to Asia-Pacific and 60 per cent favouring it over the US.

Executives cited strong domestic market opportunities, access to a diverse talent pool and faster consumer adoption of new technologies as key advantages for the UK compared to other global hubs.

The findings come amid surging demand for artificial intelligence. Barclays found that 95 per cent of firms reported rising client appetite for AI-powered products and services, with half of companies planning to boost AI investment by at least 20 per cent over the next year.

Confidence in the wider economy is also supporting growth plans. More than three-quarters of tech firms (76 per cent) said the UK macroeconomic climate was providing a boost, while 75 per cent believed the political landscape would support growth over the next three years.

Barclays’ anonymised client data pointed to stronger financial foundations across the sector. Cash inflows rose 1.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with a year earlier, while savings account balances climbed 21.5 per cent as companies held onto cash for future growth. Overdraft usage fell by more than a quarter, suggesting firms were moving away from short-term borrowing and focusing on longer-term planning.

Despite the optimism, tech firms highlighted persistent obstacles to investment. The biggest concerns were high fundraising costs (40 per cent), heavy regulatory compliance requirements (36 per cent) and limited government funding and grants (33 per cent).

A large majority (72 per cent) said stronger government backing was crucial to sustaining growth. Tech leaders called for more targeted support, including specialist funding programmes (44 per cent), measures to attract overseas investors (37 per cent), enhanced tax incentives for equity investment (36 per cent) and additional grants for start-ups and smaller firms (36 per cent).

Helena Sans, Head of Technology, Media & Telecoms & Innovation Banking at Barclays UK Corporate Bank, said the research showed Britain “holding its own on the global tech stage”.

“To keep up this momentum, we’ve got to break down the remaining roadblocks – including access to funding, attracting global investors, and building a stronger appetite for risk,” she said. “That’s why we recently launched our Innovation Banking team and a bespoke £250m Growth Lending Fund to give fast-growing tech businesses the capital they need to scale.”

Barclays has also committed £22 billion through its Business Prosperity Fund, designed to provide lending, refinancing and tailored support for innovative companies at every stage of their growth.

With AI adoption accelerating and confidence in the UK’s role as a global tech hub on the rise, the research suggests Britain’s technology sector is positioning itself for a decisive period of expansion – provided investment barriers can be addressed.

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UK seen as top destination for tech growth ahead of US, Europe and APAC, says Barclays

Lotus has announced plans to cut up to 550 jobs in the UK, amounting to around 40 per cent of its British workforce, in a major restructuring aimed at securing the company’s long-term survival.

The Norfolk-based sports carmaker, majority-owned by Chinese group Geely, said the cuts were “necessary to secure a sustainable future in today’s rapidly evolving automotive environment,” citing the impact of falling sales, the transition to electric vehicles and mounting global tariff pressures.

The announcement follows months of uncertainty about the future of Lotus’s 59-year-old Hethel site, which prompted business secretary Jonathan Reynolds to hold talks with Geely earlier this summer.

Despite the scale of the job losses, Lotus insisted that its UK operations would remain central to the brand. In a statement, the company said:

“The brand remains fully committed to the UK, and Norfolk will remain the home of Lotus’ sports car, motorsports and engineering consulting operations.”

The carmaker said the changes would allow it to operate “more flexibly” by aligning production with demand and would be “vital to enhancing our future competitiveness in the market”.

Geely acquired a 51 per cent stake in Lotus in 2017 as part of a wider deal with Malaysian manufacturer Proton. Since then, the Chinese group has invested more than £3 billion into the marque. However, the shift to premium electric models has proved difficult, with tariffs in the US adding further strain.

Shares in Lotus Technology, the Nasdaq-listed division of the business, have plunged 84 per cent since their debut in February 2024, and fell a further 2 per cent in early trading on Thursday. Geely has increasingly focused attention on a new production hub in Wuhan, China.

Ben Goldsborough, Labour MP for South Norfolk, described the decision as a “very difficult day for Lotus and for many families” but stressed that the “worst-case scenario” of a complete factory closure had been avoided.

South Norfolk Council leader Daniel Elmer said Lotus had been “an integral part of South Norfolk since 1966” and pledged to work with the company and affected employees.

A government spokesman acknowledged the challenges facing UK carmakers and said Labour’s industrial strategy, launched in June, was aimed at cutting energy costs for manufacturers. He also pointed to the recent UK-US trade deal, which he said had “saved thousands of jobs in Britain.”

The restructuring comes amid leadership turbulence. Matt Windle, chief executive of Lotus’s cars business in Europe, has taken a leave of absence for “personal reasons” just four months into the role.

While Lotus insists Norfolk will remain its global sports car base, the scale of the job losses underscores the difficulties facing Britain’s automotive industry as it adapts to the electric transition and volatile global trade conditions.

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Lotus to cut 40% of UK workforce but pledges to keep Norfolk factory open

Asda’s chairman Allan Leighton has delivered a sharp warning to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, accusing her of “taxing everything” and urging the government to focus instead on investment to drive growth.

Speaking as speculation grows that Reeves will need to raise an additional £50 billion in her Autumn Budget to balance the books, Leighton said the government’s fiscal approach was already hitting retailers, pushing up inflation and leaving consumers worse off.

“There’s no doubt all of this is hitting the pocket of the consumer,” he told reporters. “And when that happens, that’s not particularly good for anybody. I think there’s more gloom than we’ve seen for a long time.

The comments come as retailers continue to grapple with rising costs following last year’s £40 billion package of tax rises. According to the British Retail Consortium, annual costs for the sector have jumped by £7 billion, driven by increases in employer national insurance contributions, higher minimum wages and new packaging taxes.

Asda, alongside Tesco, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis and other major retailers, wrote to Reeves last week warning that they could not absorb further hikes. They said higher bills would inevitably feed through to shoppers in the form of rising prices, threatening living standards and investment.

Leighton said: “Growth isn’t driven by government. Growth is driven by organisations and companies and people. And if they can’t invest, then we will not grow, no matter what the government says or does.”

Reeves faces mounting pressure over where to find new revenue, with Labour’s fiscal rules preventing her from borrowing more and a manifesto pledge ruling out increases to income tax, VAT and national insurance rates. Options reportedly under consideration include a mansion tax on expensive homes, higher business rates for large stores, and levies on banks and the gambling sector.

Retail leaders say such moves would be “very unhelpful” at a time when food inflation is climbing again – up to 4.9 per cent in July, with the BRC forecasting it could reach 6 per cent later this year.

Economists have warned that without drastic spending restraint or more investment, Britain risks repeating the 1976 financial crisis, when the UK was forced into an International Monetary Fund bailout.

The government’s position is politically sensitive, not least because Leighton himself previously chaired the Co-op Group, which sponsors dozens of Labour MPs. His criticism underscores the unease among business leaders at Labour’s economic direction just a year into office.

Meanwhile, new figures from the Office for National Statistics show that poorer households are now experiencing higher inflation than wealthier ones – 4.1 per cent versus 3.8 per cent – undermining Labour’s claim that its policies shield those on lower incomes.

With unemployment rising and growth slowing, Reeves must juggle the demands of fiscal credibility with growing discontent from businesses and consumers alike.

For Leighton, the message is clear: “Stop taxing everything, and start investing in Britain.”

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Asda boss tells Rachel Reeves to stop ‘taxing everything’ and start investing in Britain

Hawkstone has scored major success at the 2025 World Beer and Cider Awards, with Hawkstone IPA and Hawkstone Hedgerow both named England Country Winners, cementing the brand’s reputation as one of the UK’s fastest-growing premium drinks makers.

The latest wins build on last year’s triumph when Hawkstone Lager was crowned England’s Best Lager. This year’s medal haul spanned the full product range, underlining the brand’s depth and consistency. Hawkstone IPA and Hedgerow each won Gold medals, Hawkstone Cider also secured Gold, while Hawkstone Session and Hawkstone Black picked up Silvers, and Hawkstone Lager and Hawkstone Vodka were each awarded Bronze.

Hawkstone IPA is already available nationwide via Waitrose, Co-op societies, pubs across the country and through Hawkstone.com. Hawkstone Hedgerow will launch in Waitrose stores across the UK from September.

Jonas Munk, chief commercial officer at Hawkstone, said: “We’re excited to win big at the World Beer Awards for the second year in a row. It just proves our point: back British farming, use British ingredients, and you get the best beer and cider in the country.”

Alongside its awards success, Hawkstone has also unveiled its latest special release: Harvest IPA, created to celebrate the British harvest season. Despite challenging weather and poor crop yields, the new brew showcases British hops including Solero and Harlequin, delivering tropical fruit notes, candied orange and lime zest, balanced with malty sweetness from British barley.

Harvest IPA launched on 15 August and will be available exclusively to Hawkstone subscribers – known as “Hawkstonians” – for the first two weeks before a wider release.

Founded by broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson, Hawkstone has positioned itself as a premium brand dedicated to supporting British farming. By using only high-quality, British-grown ingredients, it has rapidly become England’s fastest-growing beer brand.

The latest accolades at the World Beer and Cider Awards underline Hawkstone’s mission to champion homegrown produce while competing at the very top of the international drinks industry.

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Clarkson’s Hawkstone crowned England’s best at 2025 World Beer and Cider Awards

The UK’s creative industries received a record £2.4 billion in tax reliefs and expenditure credits in the 2023/24 financial year, highlighting both the sector’s resilience and its growing contribution to the economy.

Figures from HMRC show a 10 per cent increase on the previous year, underlining the government’s recognition of the sector’s importance to growth, investment and jobs.

High-end television productions were once again the single largest beneficiary, claiming £1.1 billion – almost half of the total – as streaming platforms continued to drive investment in British content. Film Tax Relief accounted for £534 million, slightly lower than last year, reflecting the shift of major releases towards streaming.

Theatre and orchestral companies enjoyed a sharp rise in support, with claims up 65 per cent and 39 per cent respectively. The uplift was driven by enhanced government relief rates, which have now been made permanent.

Meanwhile, the UK’s thriving video games industry continued its upward trajectory, with reliefs climbing 12 per cent. Some £8 million has already been paid out in Video Games Expenditure Credits, reinforcing the UK’s position as a global hub for game development.

Looking ahead, April 2025 will see the launch of the new Independent Film Tax Credit, designed to revitalise British cinema by offering additional support for smaller, independent productions.

Mandy Girder, partner at audit and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, said the figures confirmed the sector’s strength: “HMRC’s latest statistics show the Government recognises how important the UK’s creative industry is. The sector has received a record £2.4 billion in tax relief, reflecting strong inward investment and the continued success of streaming content. From TV to theatre, orchestras and video games, these reliefs are helping to ensure the UK remains a global creative leader.”

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UK creative industries secure record £2.4bn in tax reliefs

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sold luxury motorcycle jacket brand Belstaff to sportswear label Castore, in a further sign of the billionaire scaling back his Ineos empire outside its core chemicals business.

The deal, announced on Thursday, will see Castore acquire the heritage fashion house for an undisclosed sum, while Ineos will take a minority stake in the fast-growing sportswear company, which supplies kit for England’s cricket and rugby teams.

Ashley Reed, Belstaff’s chairman, described the transaction as “a union of two British brands that have come together through shared qualities of purpose-led design and entrepreneurial spirit.”

Ratcliffe, 72, bought Belstaff from German group JAB in 2017, vowing to restore the Stoke-on-Trent-founded label “back to British ownership”. However, the brand has struggled financially. In 2023 it reported an £18 million loss after sales fell 4 per cent, forcing Ratcliffe to inject cash to keep the business afloat. Auditors warned that Belstaff would continue to require support from its owner.

The sale underscores the retreat of Ineos from some of its more adventurous consumer investments. Ratcliffe has diversified heavily into sport and lifestyle ventures in recent years, acquiring stakes in Manchester United and French football clubs Nice and Lausanne-Sport, and sponsoring the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team. But he has also cut back, including ending sponsorship of New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team and reportedly seeking a buyer for a hand sanitiser business launched during the pandemic.

The divestment of Belstaff raises fresh questions over the future of Grenadier, Ineos Automotive’s off-road vehicle brand. The project has already cost Ratcliffe more than £1.4 billion in development and faced setbacks, including a US recall of more than 7,000 vehicles after complaints about faulty doors, and a temporary production halt at its Hambach factory in France following a supplier collapse. Around 20,000 Grenadiers are now on the road globally.

Meanwhile, Ratcliffe has been driving sweeping changes at Manchester United, where Ineos owns 27.7 per cent. Since taking strategic control earlier this year, he has pursued a cost-cutting programme while also backing ambitious plans for a new £2 billion, 100,000-seat stadium.

Speaking this week, Ratcliffe claimed United had been on the brink of financial crisis: “At the end of 2025, Manchester United would have run out of cash. There would be no cash at the end of this year. That is the first time we have ever said that in public, but that is the fact of the matter.”

For now, the disposal of Belstaff suggests Ratcliffe is refocusing his empire on core chemicals and high-profile sporting assets, while drawing back from costly lifestyle bets that have yet to deliver returns.

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Jim Ratcliffe sells Belstaff to Castore as Ineos scales back lifestyle ventures

Former England international John Barnes has spoken candidly about his long-running battle with HMRC, insisting he is working hard to repay his tax liabilities despite what he calls misleading reports in the press.

The ex-Liverpool and Watford winger, who was the first £10,000-a-week footballer in the top flight, told All Things Business – The Podcast that he has been paying HMRC for the past eight years after suffering heavy losses from poorly advised investments.

Since 2017, Barnes says he has repaid around £2.2 million and continues to pay £10,000 each month under arrangements agreed with the tax authority.

Speaking to host Ben Thomas, Barnes admitted he was badly burned financially after trusting advisers during his playing days.

“I got caught out a couple of times and ended up losing between £1m and £1.5m over four years,” he said. “In 2017, I began talking to HMRC about what I could do to repay what I owed.”

He explained that whenever bankruptcy petitions have been issued, he and his legal representatives have gone to court to seek permission to keep paying rather than walk away from his obligations.

“It would be easy to be made bankrupt because they can’t take anything else from me,” Barnes said. “But I don’t want hardworking people thinking I’ve got all this money and I won’t pay tax. I don’t have any assets left – I’ve already sold everything.”

Barnes criticised press coverage of his finances, arguing that it often paints an unfair picture. “Every time something new comes up, stories appear in the press saying negative things about how I am not paying my taxes, even though I’m going to court not to be made bankrupt, but to ask for permission to keep paying,” he said.

He added that negative headlines have affected his professional speaking career, particularly in the banking and financial services sector, where he had often been invited to discuss inclusion and diversity.

Despite the financial strain, Barnes insists he remains grateful. “I’ve had a few sleepless nights, but it’s not had a major impact because I look at the way the world is and there are lots of people struggling more than me,” he said. “As long as I am able to work and to pay, I am just thankful.”

Barnes said the main reason he chose to speak publicly now was to correct misconceptions: “The only reason I’m doing this is because people have been saying things that are not true, and I don’t want anyone thinking of me as John Barnes, ex-professional footballer, hiding all his money and not paying taxes.”

The 60-year-old, who also played for Newcastle United and made 79 appearances for England, says his priority remains steady: to keep working, keep paying, and provide for his family.

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John Barnes sets record straight on HMRC debts: “I’m paying what I owe”

London-based consultancy Firestarter is helping scale-ups break away from convention, blending creativity and psychology to build bold, distinctive brands.

Founder Mickey Wilson tells us how it started, how it’s evolving, and why authenticity matters more than ever.

What was the inspiration behind Firestarter?

After years running an agency for big corporates, creative strategist Mickey Wilson realised her real passion lay in working with entrepreneurs. “What lit me up was helping founders bring their ideas to life,” she says.

Time and again she noticed brilliant B2B businesses struggling to articulate what made them different. “There’s such pressure in B2B to play it safe – to look the part and follow convention. But I wanted to prove you could be playfully creative and still be taken seriously – in fact, maybe even more so.”

That belief led to the creation of Firestarter and its DARE methodology – Differentiation, Authenticity, Resonance and Expression – a framework to help businesses express what makes them uniquely valuable.

“For me, branding is about freedom,” Wilson adds. “It’s the freedom to be yourself in business, to lead with purpose and to grow something that truly makes a difference.”

How has the business evolved since then?

Firestarter began life as a creative-led brand studio but has since developed into a strategic consultancy sitting at the intersection of branding, psychology, business and innovation.

Wilson teamed up with business psychologist Chris Endersby, who helped elevate Firestarter’s methodology by focusing not just on what brands look and sound like, but how they behave, how they’re experienced internally, and how they adapt over time.

The consultancy now offers a full-service approach, from brand assessments and strategy to marketing and team engagement, with clients spanning tech, consulting, clean energy and professional services across the UK, Europe and beyond. It also runs a thriving design studio in Cape Town, connecting businesses to top creative talent at affordable rates.

Currently, Firestarter is helping entrepreneurs navigate the impact of AI without losing their distinct identity. “In a world flooded with instant, generic content, we give founders the frameworks to carve out brands that feel human and purposeful,” says Wilson. “It’s about using AI to enhance originality – not erase it.”

Who do you admire?

“I admire anyone who dares to do things differently – those who choose originality over approval,” Wilson says.

Creatively, she takes inspiration from the likes of Banksy and Tim Burton, who tell stories in ways that shift perspectives. But her biggest admiration is closer to home. “My daughter is building a community garden project in South London to support people with mental health challenges. Watching her carve her own path is incredible – even if it’s in rebellion to me, the mother who couldn’t see past her talent for illustration!”

Looking back, would you have done anything differently?

Wilson reflects on founding her first agency in the early 1990s. “I thought I had to ‘play the part’ to be taken seriously – learn the lingo, follow the rules, fake it until I made it. It worked in some ways, but deep down it never felt right.”

Over time she realised her real value came from thinking differently, not conforming. “I just wish I’d realised that sooner. That’s why I’m so passionate about authentic differentiation now. When you stop trying to fit in and show up as yourself, with courage and pride, that’s when you make real impact.”

What defines Firestarter’s way of doing business?

Firestarter’s values – ingenuity, courage, authenticity, unity and playfulness – shape every project.

Ingenuity means finding unexpected solutions to real problems.
Courage is about pushing beyond the obvious.
Authenticity is non-negotiable: “We refuse smoke and mirrors – everything we create has to be real and relatable.”
Unity blends strategy with creativity, logic with emotion.
And playfulness, Wilson insists, is vital: “Some of the best breakthroughs happen when you get curious and mix all the colours up.”

This ethos, she says, has helped Firestarter build lasting partnerships – and often friendships – with clients.

What advice would you give to new founders?

“Don’t wait to feel ready – clarity comes from doing,” Wilson says. “Start small, start messy, but start with intent.”

She also urges entrepreneurs not to dilute their edge: “Don’t try to be all things to all people. Get unapologetically clear on what makes you different – that’s your competitive advantage.”

And, finally, a reminder that branding is strategic, not cosmetic. “It’s not window dressing. Branding is your chance to frame how the world perceives you. Done well, it saves you money, time and more than a few identity crises.”

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Firestarter: the London consultancy helping scale-ups build braver B2B brands