6:33 am, June 5, 2026
Shopper footfall suffers in record-breaking May temperatures
Record-breaking May temperatures led to a sharp fall in shopper footfall, with shopping centres and retail parks suffering especially badly, figures show.
Sunny weather initially encouraged more consumers to the shops, but soaring heat towards the end of the month led to an overall 2.6% drop in UK footfall across the month, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic data.
Shopping centre visits were down 2.4%, while the high street emerged relatively unscathed with a 1.5% fall.
Lex Greensill banned from directing companies in UK for nine years
Lex Greensill will be banned from directing companies in the UK for nine years after an investigation into the financier’s conduct at the helm of collapsed lending firm Greensill Capital.
The Australian businessman agreed to be disqualified, bringing an end to planned court action, the Insolvency Service said. He had previously sought to challenge the government’s bid to ban him from directing companies for 12 years and a six-week trial in the High Court had been due to begin on Monday.
Greensill was the founder and chief executive of Greensill Group, the UK arm of which entered administration in March 2021. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) began proceedings against him in 2024 after the Insolvency Service investigated various companies in the group that became insolvent, claiming he had committed misconduct.
Skoda releases closer look at upcoming Peaq SUV ahead of launch
Skoda has unveiled a series of sketches which better outline what its new Peaq SUV will look like ahead of its launch later this month.
The Peaq will sit as the brand’s largest SUV when it is fully revealed on June 23, bringing seven-seater versatility in a car that will sit above Skoda’s Enyaq in its electric line-up.
Few technical details of the new Skoda Peaq have been announced, though it’s expected to deliver a range of up to 380 miles in big-battery versions. Further information will be revealed at the car’s unveiling later this month.
The markets
The FTSE 100 made steady progress on Thursday, shrugging off weak oil majors as the oil price fell, and falls in Asian-focused banks and insurers.
The FTSE 100 closed up 28.02 points, 0.3%, at 10,360.32. The FTSE 250 ended up 116.36 points, 0.5%, at 23,302.65, while the AIM All-Share rose 1.02 points, 0.1%, to 808.26.
The pound traded at 1.3436 US dollars on Thursday, little changed from 1.3435 dollars on Wednesday. Against the euro, sterling eased to 1.1558 euros from 1.1574 euros on Wednesday.
Keir Starmer ‘will not walk away’ after Andy Burnham vows leadership challenge
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer ‘will not walk away’ after Andy Burnham said he will challenge him for the Labour leadership if he wins the Makerfield by-election.
Downing Street said the process for challenging the Labour leader ‘has not been triggered’, and that the country expects ministers to ‘focus on governing’.
The Greater Manchester Mayor has previously promised a vote for him in Makerfield would be a vote to ‘change Labour’ but had not explicitly said he would launch a bid until pressed on the BBC’s Question Time by-election special.
Royal Navy helicopter crash victims named as families and military pay tribute
Britain’s only serving female commando has been named amongst the three victims of a helicopter crash in Devon.
Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, 31, died alongside 42-year-old Lieutenant Commander Chris Gayson and 24-year-old Petty Officer Owen Green following the incident at Sourton Down, near Okehampton, just before 4am on Wednesday.
The Merlin Mk4 helicopter crashed into a field during a training exercise, leaving the aircraft completely destroyed.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Video: Dealers pick the bulletproof cars they LOVE to sell
Used car dealers are used to dealing with problem cars day in, day out – but there are a breed of motors that they know they can rely on.
Amari Supercars reports rise in profits as bosses question rivals’ sale or return approach
Amari Supercars has reported a rise in profits for 2025 – a year which saw a number of high-end rivals fall by the wayside.
Only ONE WEEK remaining to win FREE Apple goodies by voting in Car Dealer Power 2026
The clock is ticking if retailers are to have their chance of winning free Apple prizes by voting in Car Dealer Power 2026.
FCA launches investigation into claims management company over motor finance crisis
A claims management company has been placed under investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority over its handling of the motor finance scandal.
New car market enjoys strongest May in six years as registrations break post-pandemic record
More than 160,000 new cars were registered last month, in the strongest May performance since before the pandemic.
Chinese carmaker Chery to build vehicles at Nissan Sunderland plant in major UK deal
Chinese carmaker Chery is set to ramp up its presence in the UK by building cars at Nissan’s Sunderland plant.
UK Carline revamps leadership team as experienced duo step into senior roles
UK Carline has announced a shake-up to its top team with the appointment of two new senior executives.
Weather
Variable cloud, sunny spells and scattered showers will affect northern and western areas today, while most eastern and southern regions stay largely dry, reports BBC Weather.
Tonight, rain will spread in from the south-west, accompanied by strong coastal winds. Eastern areas, especially eastern Scotland, are likely to remain dry through much of the night.
