Latest news with #KwikFit
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Telegraph
Woman who gave birth in London underpass vanishes after being picked up by van
A woman has vanished with her newborn baby after giving birth in an east London underpass and being picked up by two people in a blue transit van, police said. The new mother, who is believed to be called Anne Marie, was helped by a passer-by in the Billet Road underpass in Walthamstow at around 8am on Wednesday. The member of the public helped the woman as she gave birth and stayed with her until around 4pm, when she and her baby were picked up in the van. Police believe she is sleeping rough, and described her as white, in her mid-30s, with long blonde hair. She was wearing a black dress and a heavy jumper at the time. Pc Dan Cooper said: 'Our top priority is to establish that the woman and her baby are safe and well and have access to any medical treatment they may need. 'I would like to stress that the woman is not in any trouble; our only concern is the wellbeing of her and her newborn child. 'We are carrying out fast-paced inquiries, including trawling CCTV, speaking to people in the area and visiting nearby hospitals. 'I'd also like to appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time and may have seen or heard something to come forward. 'Were you walking or cycling through the underpass or at the nearby Kwik Fit garage? If so, please get in touch with us. 'If the woman does not feel comfortable speaking to us, she can go directly to a medical centre or a charity.' Anyone with information can call the Met's North East area Local Missing Hub on 07881 330956, or call 101 quoting reference CAD 5617/30JUL.
Daily Mirror
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Scientist's genius hack to cool down a hot car without using air con
With sizzling temperatures climbing up to 36C in the coming weeks, Brits are being urged to try this super simple hack that cools their cars down in seconds - without having to reach for the air con UK motorists are being urged to stop reaching for the air conditioning button and check out this super simple hack instead. An acclaimed scientist has come up with a super smart system for cooling down a cooking car during the increasingly common UK heatwaves. It comes as Brits up and down the nation brace for yet another hot spell this month - with red-hot weather maps showing sizzling temperatures of up to 36C are on the way. When it's 30°C, within 30 minutes the interior of a vehicle can reach 50°C because of the greenhouse effect. This is where sunlight passes through glass windows heats the interior, but is unable to escape easily, causing inside temperatures to significantly exceed those outside. And it's not just unpleasant: extreme heat can turn everyday items left inside a car into dangerous hazards — they can ignite, leak harmful substances and even explode. For many, air conditioning is a lifesaver during these sweaty months. However, it can take multiple minutes to cool your car's cabin, and it can be expensive to use for long journeys. In fact, experts over at Kwik Fit report that putting on the AC can increase fuel consumption by 8-10 per cent, or about 0.2 to 0.4 litres per hour. However, scientist and BBC presenter Hannah Fry took to TikTok to reveal a clever science -based trick that can do the job in seconds - and costs nothing. The mathematician with a PhD in fluid dynamics — the study of how liquids and gases flow — shared her heroic hack on social media just ahead of another UK heatwave. She explained that instead of immediately turning on the air con, a few simple steps can radically reduce the temperature inside a vehicle almost instantaneously. In her video, Hannah demonstrates the technique by first opening the rear passenger window on the side opposite to the driver, before quickly opening and closing the driver's door several times. Although this may look a tad odd, the effect is pretty much immediate. Hannah explains: "When you open and close the door, and you do it quickly, the door, as it's moving outwards, sweeps out all of the air that's in the way, creating this area of low pressure." This process generates what is known as bulk flow, which effectively draws the hot, stale air out of the car. As the rear window on the opposite side is open, fresh, cooler air rushes in to replace the expelled hot air. Hannah notes that 'it only takes two or three goes and suddenly it's beautifully temperate', making your motor much more manageable in no time at all. This method is particularly useful during heatwaves such as the one currently affecting the UK and parts of Europe, with temperatures reaching record highs. On July 1, the Met Office confirmed a peak of 34.7 degrees Celsius at St James' Park in London, surpassing previous records for 2025. Hannah Fry 's fluid dynamics hack provides a simple, effective way to beat the heat inside a car without waiting for the air conditioning to catch up. By understanding how air pressure and flow work inside a vehicle, drivers can cool their cars rapidly and comfortably, even during intense heatwaves. Plus, you'll save on money!
The Sun
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Major DIY retailer offering free car air con checks as temperatures set to reach 34C
A MAJOR DIY retailer is offering motorists free car air con checks as temperatures are set to reach 34C. Halfords customers can get gas and refrigerant levels on their vehicle air conditioning units checked to make sure they're in working order. 1 It comes as temperatures are expected to reach as high as 34C in parts of the UK by Monday. Halfords lets shoppers book their free air con check on its website via You enter your postcode and vehicle registration and it tells you the nearest branch you can get it done. However, you may be charged based on where you live and the type of vehicle. The retailer hasn't said if the free appointments are available all the time, but we checked based on a North-East London location and there were slots until as far away as July 6. Halfords says if the check reveals you need to top up your car air conditioning unit's gas or refrigerant levels, you can buy the products to do this yourself in its stores. However, the RAC says this is usually a job for the specialists. You can also book in for an air con recharge service at Halfords from £65. Checkatrade says having this service done normally costs between £65 and £130, so Halfords is at the cheaper end of the scale. Halfords is not the only place you can have a free air con check carried out though - Kwik Fit also offers a free checking service. Urgent warning over easy nighttime driving mistake that could see you fined £5,000 - but the fix is free You can find out more via However, the cost of getting your air con unit recharged at Kwik Fit is £72.95 or more - more expensive than Halfords. Hot weather car mistakes that can cost you £1,000s Driving in the wrong footwear Swapping trainers for flip flops while driving during bouts of hot weather might seem practical, but it can land you with a big fine. Any shoes which could limit your ability to put pressure on the pedals breaks the Highway Code. If you are found to be ' driving without due care and attention ', you face a £100 fine and three points added to your licence. If the matter escalates to court, you could face fines of up to £5,000. Drinking water while driving If you get distracted and are not considered to be in proper control of your car while drinking water, you could face a fine. If you're involved in an accident as a result of a lapse in concentration, it could see you slapped with a £2,500 bill. The same rules apply to eating behind the wheel, so think again if you're considering diving into an ice cream while driving. Keeping your windows closed and A/C off It might be tempting to save some pennies by closing windows and keeping the AC off during hotter weather. But this can breach Highway Code rule 237, which states that a car must be kept 'well ventilated' in hot weather to reduce drowsiness. Not doing this and being caught could result in a £5,000 fine. How to save money on summer essentials SUNNIER days and warmer weather will leave many of us wanting to kit out gardens and outdoor areas. Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a great deal on summer essentials… It pays to know how to bag big savings on the likes of hot tubs paddling pools, egg chairs and outside bars. Many retailers have flash sales across entire ranges – often this ties into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends. Sign up to the mailing lists of your favourite brands and you'll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. Keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items such as beach gear and paddling pools. If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart and leaving it for a couple of days. Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount. Always check if you can get cashback before paying. It's especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you'll get a nice kickback.
Scottish Sun
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Major DIY retailer offering free car air con checks as temperatures set to reach 34C
We reveal which hot weather car mistakes to avoid or risk forking out £1,000s CHECK IT OUT Major DIY retailer offering free car air con checks as temperatures set to reach 34C A MAJOR DIY retailer is offering motorists free car air con checks as temperatures are set to reach 34C. Halfords customers can get gas and refrigerant levels on their vehicle air conditioning units checked to make sure they're in working order. Advertisement 1 Close-up view of a person hand setting the temperature of air conditioner in the car. Credit: Getty It comes as temperatures are expected to reach as high as 34C in parts of the UK by Monday. Halfords lets shoppers book their free air con check on its website via You enter your postcode and vehicle registration and it tells you the nearest branch you can get it done. However, you may be charged based on where you live and the type of vehicle. Advertisement The retailer hasn't said if the free appointments are available all the time, but we checked based on a North-East London location and there were slots until as far away as July 6. Halfords says if the check reveals you need to top up your car air conditioning unit's gas or refrigerant levels, you can buy the products to do this yourself in its stores. However, the RAC says this is usually a job for the specialists. You can also book in for an air con recharge service at Halfords from £65. Advertisement Checkatrade says having this service done normally costs between £65 and £130, so Halfords is at the cheaper end of the scale. Halfords is not the only place you can have a free air con check carried out though - Kwik Fit also offers a free checking service. Urgent warning over easy nighttime driving mistake that could see you fined £5,000 - but the fix is free You can find out more via However, the cost of getting your air con unit recharged at Kwik Fit is £72.95 or more - more expensive than Halfords. Advertisement Hot weather car mistakes that can cost you £1,000s Driving in the wrong footwear Swapping trainers for flip flops while driving during bouts of hot weather might seem practical, but it can land you with a big fine. Any shoes which could limit your ability to put pressure on the pedals breaks the Highway Code. If you are found to be 'driving without due care and attention', you face a £100 fine and three points added to your licence. If the matter escalates to court, you could face fines of up to £5,000. Advertisement Drinking water while driving If you get distracted and are not considered to be in proper control of your car while drinking water, you could face a fine. If you're involved in an accident as a result of a lapse in concentration, it could see you slapped with a £2,500 bill. The same rules apply to eating behind the wheel, so think again if you're considering diving into an ice cream while driving. Keeping your windows closed and A/C off Advertisement It might be tempting to save some pennies by closing windows and keeping the AC off during hotter weather. But this can breach Highway Code rule 237, which states that a car must be kept 'well ventilated' in hot weather to reduce drowsiness. Not doing this and being caught could result in a £5,000 fine. How to save money on summer essentials SUNNIER days and warmer weather will leave many of us wanting to kit out gardens and outdoor areas. Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a great deal on summer essentials… It pays to know how to bag big savings on the likes of hot tubs paddling pools, egg chairs and outside bars. Many retailers have flash sales across entire ranges – often this ties into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends. Sign up to the mailing lists of your favourite brands and you'll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. Keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items such as beach gear and paddling pools. If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart and leaving it for a couple of days. Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount. Always check if you can get cashback before paying. It's especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you'll get a nice kickback. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Advertisement Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scotsman
25-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
30 Scottish Kwik Fit centres sold as part of ‘complex' legal deal
'This was a complex deal, which saw colleagues across the UK work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional teams' – Sheelagh Cooley, Shoosmiths Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... More than 80 Kwik Fit-operated tyre fitting sites including 30 in Scotland have been acquired for an undisclosed sum. The portfolio of 83 UK properties has been bought by Kwik Fit, part of European Tyre Enterprise Limited (ETEL), as it aims to bring more sites into its direct ownership. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The tyre and car servicing firm, whose ultimate parent company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, was advised on the multi-jurisdictional deal by law firm Shoosmiths in the UK, including legal teams within its Edinburgh, Glasgow and Sheffield offices. It marks the latest in a number of similar transactions that the legal outfit has undertaken for Kwik Fit in recent years. Kwik Fit is one of the most familiar names in the tyre fitting and car servicing sectors with more than 600 centres in the UK. The roadmap to secure the deal saw Kwik Fit acquire Hawkeye Properties 501, a Jersey entity, which was itself ultimately held by Spring Real Estate Investment Trust, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The complex deal, for an undisclosed sum, also required consent from the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, as the transaction constituted a special deal under the Takeovers Code. Paul Dempsey, group property director at ETEL, said: 'This transaction is a key part of Kwik Fit's strategic plan for growth across the UK and Ireland. We are delighted with the dedication and support Shoosmiths provided to manage this complex deal on our behalf.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kwik Fit runs more than 600 centres in the UK. The business was set up by the late businessman Sir Tom Farmer in the early 1970s. Sheelagh Cooley, real estate partner and head of the Edinburgh office at Shoosmiths, added: 'Having supported ETEL with portfolio acquisitions in 2023 and 2024 (which saw 58 sites acquired), we are thrilled to have advised Kwik Fit on this latest acquisition of a further 83 sites. These deals enable one of the UK's leading tyre, MOT and car servicing retailers to bring more properties under its direct ownership.
