6:32 am, September 25, 2025
High street baker Greggs to open first pub
High street food chain Greggs is to open its first pub serving exclusive beers and a menu featuring its classic bakes and sausage rolls.
The Golden Flake Tavern is opening within the Fenwick Newcastle department store and will serve its first pint on Saturday.
Two exclusive beers on draft, along with a Greggs-inspired cocktail menu. Diners can choose from a menu of 15 Greggs-inspired traditional pub dishes, a special dessert menu, and there will even be a Sunday carvery.
Lloyds Banking Group closing another 49 branches
Lloyds Banking Group has revealed another 49 bank branches will shut across the UK.
The high street lender said it will close the branches across its Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands between January and October next year.
All staff impacted by the closures will be offered roles at another branch or part of the business, Lloyds said.
BMW M240i, M340i and M440i get revised engine line-ups
BMW has announced that the M240i, M340i and M440i models have received more powerful and cleaner engine line-ups.
The M240i’s 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turbocharged engine now produces 386bhp and emits 183g/km of CO2, compared to the old unit’s 374bhp and 200g/km of CO2.
The M340i and M440i models get a new mild-hybrid version of the 3.0-litre engine, giving 387bhp and 540Nm of torque – up 18bhp and 40Nm. Production starts in November.
The markets
The FTSE 100 closed higher on Wednesday, supported by gains in miners and oil majors – while suggestions of more rate cuts ahead by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey put sterling on the back foot.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 27.11 points, 0.3%, at 9,250.43. It had earlier traded as low as 9,177.09. The FTSE 250 ended just 4.83 points lower at 21,690.52, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.17 points, 0.2%, at 782.42.
The pound was quoted lower at 1.3452 dollars at the time of the London equity market close on Wednesday, compared to 1.3509 on Tuesday. The euro stood at 1.1740 dollars, lower against 1.1792.
Arrest made over ‘cyber attack’ that caused disruption at Heathrow
A man in his 40s has been arrested over an alleged cyber attack that caused disruption at Heathrow and other European airports.
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) said the suspect was held in West Sussex on Tuesday on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences, and released on conditional bail.
Deputy director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: ‘Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing.’
Family of three first to enter UK under ‘one in, one out’ migrant deal
A family of three, including a small child, have become the first people to arrive in the UK under Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘one in, one out’ immigration deal with France.
The Home Office said the move was part of ‘critical first steps’ under the scheme after the removal of four people from Britain.
The agreement, which came into force last month, is aimed at deporting migrants who have crossed the English Channel in exchange for those who apply in France and are approved to come to the UK.
Wednesday on Car Dealer
Car Dealer Podcast Live returns for a second year as industry comes together to debate big topics
Car Dealer Podcast Live returned for a triumphant second year with guests from across the automotive industry joining us for a special recording in Abingdon.
JLR cyber attack is ‘major priority’ of government and should be ‘a wake-up call’ – minister
Getting JLR back online as soon as possible during its devastating cyber attack is the government’s ‘top priority’ – but a minister has warned it should be a wake-up call for British industry.
‘We don’t have a right to grow’: Motorway makes pledge to dealers as boss outlines plans
Motorway boss James Wilson says there is still ‘lots of headroom’ for the auction platform to get even bigger over the coming years, despite concerns about the macroeconomic environment facing the used car market.
Weather
Much of the UK enjoys sunshine today, though hazy at times, reports BBC Weather. Cloud increases in the far southeast, with breezy conditions in the southeast and northwest.
Tonight brings patchy cloud to eastern England, with East Anglia and the southeast turning overcast by dawn. Clear skies persist elsewhere; windy northwest.
