6:50 am, August 27, 2025
Poundland saved from administration as judge approves restructuring plan
Poundland has avoided entering administration after a restructuring plan was approved by a judge at the High Court, days before the company was due to run out of money.
Barristers for the retailer had told a hearing earlier on Tuesday that it would be placed into administration by Friday and was set to run out of money by September 7 if the plan was not approved.
The scheme will see up to £60m of new funding injected to keep the retailer afloat, among other terms.
Bank of England policymaker calls for interest rates to stay on hold for longer
A Bank of England policymaker has called for UK interest rates to stay on hold for longer in order to keep rising inflation at bay.
Catherine Mann, a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), said keeping rates at the current level was ‘appropriate right now’.
‘A more persistent hold on bank rate is appropriate right now, to maintain the tight (but not tighter) monetary policy stance needed to lean against inflation persistence persisting,’ she wrote in a speech due to be delivered in Mexico on Tuesday.
Land Rover Defender Churchill Edition pays tribute to former prime minister’s 1954 Series I car
Land Rover has revealed the Defender Churchill Edition, which pays tribute to the former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill’s 1954 Series I car.
Just 10 units will be built under Land Rover’s ‘Works Bespoke’ commission service, and there will be a choice of 90, 110 Station Wagon and 110 Soft Top body styles available.
The exterior is finished off in Bronze Green paint, 16-inch heavy-duty steel wheels, matt black headlight surrounds, a metal mesh front grille and a ‘UKE 80’ decal on the front wings, which is the number plate used on the Series I car that was gifted to the prime minister for his 80th birthday.
Stocks dip amid Trump’s Fed move and French worry
The FTSE 100 eased back from record highs on Tuesday as events in the US and France dampened the mood, while retailers Associated British Foods and Kingfisher were hit by a broker downgrade.
The British stock index closed down 55.60 points, 0.6%, at 9,265.80.
In Europe, the CAC 40 in Paris ended down 1.7%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt closed 0.5% lower.
Tuesday on Car Dealer
Ex-Lookers chief Nigel McMinn speaks out about extreme stress of FCA investigation
Former Lookers COO Nigel McMinn has revealed the personal toll of the FCA’s 2019 investigation, describing it as ‘terribly distressing’ and admitting it led to heavy drinking and extreme stress. He has since rebuilt his health and career outside of motor retail.
Used car dealer slapped with £200,000 fine after ‘deliberately defaulting’ on mammoth tax bill
Stanmore-based Auto Capital Limited has been fined £201,656 for deliberately avoiding £252,071 in tax. HMRC named and shamed the £16.3m-turnover dealership, which recently saw profits slump to £9,655. Other motor trade tax defaulters include Gareth Fennell Cars and Abiodun Idowu Sanni.
Amazon to launch used car sales after agreeing landmark partnership with Hertz
Amazon has partnered with Hertz to sell certified used rental cars through its Amazon Autos marketplace in the US. Customers can browse, finance, and purchase vehicles online before collecting from Hertz sites. The scheme launches in four cities, with plans to expand nationwide.
Pentagon Motor Group welcomes new boss as car dealer signs up with Jaecoo and Omoda
Pentagon Motor Group, part of Motus Group (UK), has joined Omoda and Jaecoo with a new four-car showroom in Sheffield, alongside Kia and Vauxhall. The move follows Tom Carney’s appointment as managing director, succeeding retiring boss David Peel.
Riding the EV warranty wave: How car dealers can stay ahead of the competition
Warranty Solutions Group explains how car dealers can adapt their warranty strategies to build trust with customers as the automotive industry makes switch to all electric motoring.
UK’s public charging network comes in for criticism as EV drivers report hefty wait times
A Direct Line survey of 1,000 EV drivers found 66% faced public charging waits averaging 22 minutes, with some up to two hours. Many reported broken chargers and blocked bays, raising concerns about UK charging infrastructure despite 84,000 points nationwide.
Weekly Briefing: Could AI kill used car marketplaces like Auto Trader?
Our editor in chief on the latest motor trade news all summarised in one place.
Emergency alert drill to be sent to UK mobile phones next weekend
An emergency alert drill will send a test message to mobile phones across the UK next weekend.
It will mark the second test of the national emergency alert system – after the first in 2023.
On Sunday September 7 at around 3pm, mobile phones connected to 4G and 5G networks will vibrate and emit a siren sound for up to 10 seconds.
Names of victims of Isle of Wight helicopter crash confirmed by police
The third victim of a helicopter crash on the Isle of Wight has been named as 54-year-old Simon Hewitt.
Horse-riding instructor Justyna Czoska, 52, and partner Wojciech Kowalkowski, 49, from Bloxham, Oxfordshire, also died when the Robinson R44 II helicopter came down in a field near to the A3020 Shanklin Road on Monday morning during a flying lesson.
The fourth person in the helicopter, a man aged in his 30s, was airlifted to hospital in Southampton where he remains in a stable condition, according to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Weather outlook…
The UK will today experience variable cloudiness, with a few afternoon showers possible.
Daytime temperatures will reach around 18 °C (64 °F), dropping to about 11 °C (52 °F) overnight.
Overall, expect a breezy, changeable late-summer day.
