6:47 am, July 31, 2025
Hotel tycoon unveils rival Heathrow expansion plan with shorter third runway
Hotel tycoon Surinder Arora has published a Heathrow expansion plan which rivals a proposal from the airport’s owners.
The billionaire’s Arora Group said the ‘primary benefit’ of the plan it submitted to the government is a shorter new runway which would avoid the costly and disruptive need to divert the M25 motorway.
Arora Group’s Heathrow West proposal states the new runway could be fully operational by 2035, while a new terminal would open in two phases, in 2036 and 2040.
Food inflation will rise to 6% by the end of the year, industry predicts
Food inflation will rise to 6% by the end of the year in a ‘significant challenge’ to household budgets in the run-up to Christmas, industry leaders have predicted.
Retailers warned of rising prices and job losses if the chancellor hiked taxes in the next budget, with two thirds of chief financial officers expecting further price rises, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.
Some 56% of retail finance chiefs – representing more than 9,000 stores – are ‘pessimistic’ about trading conditions over the next 12 months, a survey by the BRC found.
Brabus 1000 takes Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance to the next level
The Brabus 1000 is based on Mercedes’ most powerful GT Coupe, the GT63 S E Performance, and now features a 4.5-litre biturbo V8 mated to an electric motor to produce a total of 985bhp and up to 1,820Nm of torque. The 1000 can do 0-60mph in 2.4 seconds and will reach a top speed of 199mph.
The exterior of the 1000 features bespoke carbon fibre components such as the front spoiler, mirror covers, canards on the front wheel arches and rear diffuser. Meanwhile, there are quad-exit tailpipes, a Brabus sports exhaust, a Brabus rear wing and front 21-inch wheels and 22-inch rims at the rear.
All Brabus 1000s are built to order, although prices and whether the car will be made available in the UK have not been revealed at this stage.
The markets
The FTSE 100 struggled for direction on Wednesday, despite progress elsewhere, as investors digested another earnings deluge and looked ahead to the US rate call and earnings from technology titans Meta Platforms and Microsoft.
The FTSE 100 index closed up just 0.62 of a point at 9,136.94. The FTSE 250 closed 16.49 points lower, 0.1%, at 21,776.58, and the AIM All-Share closed down 3.03 points, 0.4%, at 762.72.
The pound eased to 1.3285 dollars late on Wednesday afternoon in London, compared to 1.3337 dollars at the equities close on Tuesday.
Airlines demand answers from air traffic control provider over technical glitch
Airlines have demanded answers from air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats after more than 150 flights were cancelled in the UK following a technical glitch in the ATC system.
Thousands of passengers trying to fly both in and out of the country faced major disruption on Wednesday afternoon.
UK airports saw 84 departures and 71 arrivals cancelled as of 10pm on Wednesday – with the highest number of cancellations at London’s Heathrow Airport – while a number of inbound flights were also diverted to European cities, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Top lawyers warn Starmer recognising Palestine could breach international law
Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to recognise a Palestinian state could break international law, an influential group of peers has warned.
Some 38 members of the House of Lords, including some of the UK’s most eminent lawyers, have written to attorney general Lord Hermer about the prime minister’s announcement.
As first reported by the Times newspaper, the peers warned that Sir Keir’s pledge to recognise Palestine may breach international law as the territory may not meet the criteria for statehood under the Montevideo Convention, a treaty signed in 1933.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
Government considers options amid talk it could overrule Friday’s Supreme Court finance ruling
The government is considering how it can best protect lenders ahead of this week’s Supreme Court ruling on the motor finance industry.
Tickets selling fast for second Car Dealer Podcast Live recording in September
Tickets are selling fast for this year’s Car Dealer Podcast Live summer party event – get yours while you still can.
Aston Martin slashes full year outlook as trade tariffs take their toll on luxury carmaker
Aston Martin has been forced to slash its full year outlook in response to trade tariff woes and widening losses in the first half of 2025.
Peugeot honours best of UK dealer network at swanky London awards ceremony
Peugeot has honoured the very best of its UK dealer network at its annual ‘Guild of Gold Lion Awards’.
Weather
Heavy rain and thunderstorms will affect Wales and southern England today, followed by scattered showers and some sunny intervals, reports BBC Weather. Elsewhere, there will be a mix of sunshine and showers.
Tonight, the southwest will be dry and clear, while the north and east remain cloudier with a few lingering showers.
