6:03 am, September 12, 2025
Higher business rates could force 400 stores to close
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said its latest analysis suggested that 400 large-format stores were at risk of closure if they were included in the Government’s new business rates surtax on premises with a rateable value over £500,000.
The BRC said ‘like all of retail’, these stores were already under pressure from soaring employment costs, high taxes, and rising rates bills, driving the closure of 1,000 such outlets over the last five years.
It said the retail industry accounted for 5% of the economy yet paid more than 20% of all business rates bills, with large stores paying around a third of the total bill.
EU wants new small and affordable EVs
The European Union has signalled that it wants to work with carmakers on a new breed of small, affordable electric cars with a new initiative.
Announced by EU President Ursula von der Leyen, the Small Affordable Cars initiative would look to create a new, compact electric vehicle that would be built in Europe and angled towards European drivers looking to get behind the wheel of an EV for less.
Von der Leyen said that the EU would ‘work with industry’ on the initiative, suggesting that European carmakers would work in partnership with the bloc to help create these new vehicles.
JLR production halt extended into next week
Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) production halt is to be extended into next week as disruption continues after a major cyberattack.
The car maker has told factory staff to stay off work until Wednesday at the earliest.
But they will have to be on standby as bosses keep the situation under review.
Production was paused last week at JLR’s factories in Halewood on Merseyside and Solihull in the West Midlands, and its engine manufacturing site in Wolverhampton.
The market
The FTSE 100 posted strong gains on Thursday as soft US jobs data, despite accelerating inflation, kept the Federal Reserve on track to lower interest rates next week.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 72.19 points, 0.8%, at 9,297.58.
The FTSE 250 ended 159.65 points higher, 0.7%, at 21,693.75 and the AIM All-Share finished up 5.09 points, 0.7%, at 767.10.
KGM to launch electric pick-up
KGM has announced that it will enter the electric pick-up truck market with the Musso EV.
The Musso EV will rival the likes of the new Isuzu D-Max EV when it goes on sale in the UK next year.
Technical details on the pick-up are limited at this stage, but KGM says that the truck will feature an all-wheel drive setup and will have a claimed electric range of up to 290 miles.
EV chargers at supermarkets up by a third in 18 months
The number of electric vehicle chargepoints at UK supermarkets has increased by a third (34%) since the start of last year, according to new research.
Analysis by the RAC and charger locator service Zapmap found 1,001 chargers were installed across 260 locations between January 2024 and June 2025, bringing the total to 3,917.
Nearly three in five supermarket EV charger locations offer rapid or ultra-rapid units, which the RAC described as ‘a crucial piece of the puzzle’, particularly for drivers who do not want to spend a long time shopping or rely solely on public charging.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Family-run Harwoods sells up JLR dealerships to Dubai-based investors
Harwoods Group has sold its Jaguar Land Rover dealerships to Dubai-based DXB Investments, rebranding them as Southeast Motors, as part of a major restructuring to focus on its remaining operations while ensuring no job losses.
Joe Betty opens up on decision to close dealership
Berrow Motors boss Joe Betty has closed the dealership’s public-facing used car sales due to rising costs and burnout, shifting focus to car trading and his 130,000-subscriber YouTube channel, Shifting Metal. He explains all on the latest episode of the Car Dealer Podcast.
Council orders used car dealership to close
The Moorings Garage in Hornchurch has been ordered to close by Havering Council for operating without planning permission on green belt land, with an appeal planned against the enforcement notice.
Phil Taylor is named head of network sales for Skoda
Volkswagen executive Philip Taylor has been appointed Skoda UK’s new head of network sales from November 1, replacing Kevin Rendell as the brand looks to build on its record market share.
JLR admits that data has been accessed by hackers
JLR has confirmed that hackers accessed some data in a cyber attack that has shut down its global IT systems and halted production, with regulators and affected individuals now being informed.
The weather
Today will bring a bright start in the east, but showers – some heavy with thunder – will spread across the country, leaving it cool and breezy, especially in the north.
Tonight, showers ease for many with clearer skies, though the west may see heavier bursts merging into longer spells of rain.
Saturday continues with sunny spells and blustery showers, heaviest in the west, but turning drier in the south by evening.
