Latest news with #Staffordshire-based
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EasyJet tycoon loses copyright battle against charity-fundraising site
The billionaire founder of easyJet has been defeated in a long-running copyright legal battle against a charity-fundraising site. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the tycoon behind easyGroup, last year filed a lawsuit against Easyfundraising, accusing the Staffordshire-based company of copyright infringement. A High Court judge ruled in favour of the fundraising platform, but Sir Stelios mounted an appeal, arguing there were a 'number of contradictions' in the judgment. But in a ruling last week, the UK Appeals Court upheld the decision and sided with Easyfundraising. In their judgment, Lord Justice Coulson, Lord Justice Arnold and Lord Justice Zacaroli said: 'The presence of the word 'easy' itself is not sufficient to lead an average consumer to think that Easyfundraising or easysearch must be connected with easyLife.' They ruled it was unlikely that the similarity in names would confuse consumers, adding: 'Unsurprisingly, there was no evidence of any confusion by advertisers, despite easyfundraising having been in operation since 2005.' Easy lawsuits The decision marks an embarrassing setback for Sir Stelios, who has gained notoriety for his aggressive tactics in defending trademarks. In 2023, the British pop group Easy Life were forced to change their name after easyGroup, which owns the brand rights to online retailer Easylife, filed a copyright infringement claim. EasyGroup described the band as a 'brand thief', despite them forming seven years before the conglomerate bought the retailer's brand name. Easy Life said they were unable to defend the lawsuit because of the financial burden and have now changed their name to Hard Life. Sir Stelios founded easyJet in 1995 and grew it into one of Europe's largest low-cost airlines. He stepped down from the board in 2010 following a clash over the future direction of the company, but his family still retains a 15pc stake. The Greek-Cypriot billionaire also licenses out the 'easy' brand name through easyGroup to a host of other ventures including easyHotel, easyCar and easyBus. Sir Stelios, who created the 'easy' family of brands in 1994 and owns all the intellectual property rights through easyGroup, has pursued a number of other companies on copyright grounds. Easyfundraising, which was founded in 2005, is a cashback website that allows customers to donate part of what they spend online shopping to a charity of their choice. The company says it has raised more than £60m for charities and good causes across the UK. Following last year's High Court ruling, Sir Stelios accused Easyfundraising, which is backed by private equity firm Palatine, of falsely marketing itself as a charity. James Moir, chief executive of Easyfundraising, has said the platform had never claimed to be a charity, describing it instead as a 'technology-for-good company'. He added: 'Our decision to not back down against easyGroup's ridiculous claims and bully-boy tactics was vindicated last year and was vindicated again today. 'This case has already taken up many months of management and business time that could have been far better spent on our core business of helping charities and good causes raise as much money as possible. 'We have never claimed to be part of easyGroup, and we hope that this judgement gives heart to others being sued by easyGroup that they can see them in court – and win.' EasyGroup said it was considering whether the case could be referred to the Supreme Court and was planning separate legal action in Ireland over the use of the Easyfundraising name in the EU. A spokesman said the company was also pursuing a complaint with the UK Charity Commission, adding: 'They are casino capitalists making a killing with their investment.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. 登入存取你的投資組合
The Herald Scotland
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scots accountancy chief reveals acquisition plans for Azets
He disclosed the ambition in an exclusive interview with The Herald, in which he underlined the difficulties which the current economic uncertainty was causing clients. Business owners are looking to the firm for advice on how to manage challenges such as the recent rise in employer national insurance contributions and forthcoming changes to inheritance tax against a shifting macroeconomic backdrop that has been rocked by Trump tariffs and geopolitical tensions. The Scottish part of Azets began to take shape in 2017, when Scots accountancy firms Campbell Dallas and Springfords became part of Staffordshire-based Baldwins, which in turn was part of the Cogital Group. Campbell Dallas then merged with long-established Scots accountancy firm Scott Moncrieff under the Cogital umbrella, before Cogital was subsequently rebranded as Azets in 2020. Azets has a presence across the Nordics. Mr Gallanagh had been a partner at Campbell Dallas for nearly 20 years before its acquisition by Azets. Speaking in the Azets office in Braehead, he said the firm's growth over recent years has been powered by a flurry of acquisitions, with turnover on course to reach £330 million in the current financial year. He said the firm will continue to assess potential deals but will be more selective in terms of targets. The most recent deal struck by the firm in Scotland was the acquisition of Paisley-based Milne Craig in August. The acquisition saw more than 90 staff join Azets, lifting the number of people employed at its Braehead base to 320. Read more: Mr Gallanagh, who has been Azets' UK chief executive since 2022, said: 'We are very choosy now on how we acquire. The marketplace is, from a consolidation perspective, getting significantly harder. At one point, we were the only private equity supported firm and now there's about 50 supported in the private equity space. It is getting harder to acquire good businesses, but we are very conscious that we bought some businesses at the outset… that maybe aren't businesses that we would buy now. And we have made some wonderful acquisitions in recent years.' He said that Azets will now only acquire firms that have the potential to enhance its offer or fill a 'geographical white space that we have, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where we are looking at'. Mr Gallanagh declared: 'If you look at the East Anglia side of the UK, you have got a big white gap in there. We are under-represented in London and Birmingham, and we can do a lot more in Manchester, and even in Scotland. There are spaces in Scotland we want to do more. 'We are in discussions with some firms in London and have one in the east side of England. We would be hopeful that we could conclude that before the end of June.' He added: 'It is no longer about just buying businesses for the sake of buying businesses – it is ensuring that they are adding value to what we have and most importantly that their culture is aligned to ours. A lot of our time is spent now on the culture of the business before we acquire, which is really, really key.' Asked to gauge sentiment among the firm's client base, Mr Gallanagh the uncertainty caused by global events and macroeconomic headwinds, including US tariffs, is 'causing concern pretty much across the board'. He said: 'It is across the whole of business, it is not in any particular sector. That uncertainty brings a real nervousness for people. I think the second thing is the changes in tax – the increase in national insurance [and] increase in the living wage which are putting a strain on already strained businesses.' Read more: This pressure has led firms to cut costs, including ESG (environmental, social and governance) and marketing spending, while investment plans are being held back because of changes to agricultural property and business property relief. These changes are part of reforms by the UK Government to raise more money from inheritance tax (IHT). Greig McKnight, Azets' regional managing director for Scotland, said: 'The changing tax environment is on all our clients' minds. Peter referenced the IHT impact – suddenly a lot of business owners have got a change in the landscape. The business property relief is being taken away, so they have got potentially a 20% IHT liability. That is impacting almost all of our clients and that has a knock-on effect on the decisions that they take.' Mr Gallanagh said the IHT changes are seeing family firms 'bringing forward conversations' around inheritance tax, when previously the issue may not have been discussed, in some cases until it was too late. He said: 'Now those conversations can happen up front. We would rather have them upfront without a 20% tax cloud hanging over our heads, but hopefully in the longer term a lot of businesses will have better succession planning in place.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former RAF Kirkbride airfield near Wigton could get new building
AN office building could be built at the former RAF Kirkbride airfield near Wigton if the plans are approved by Cumberland Council. The planning application for the airfield in Kirkbride has been submitted by the Staffordshire-based Ed Weetman (Haulage & Storage). In the application the proposed structure is described as 'an office building associated with the existing business'. According to the document, which was validated by planning officers on Thursday (April 24), no extra parking spaces would be needed. The site covers an area 0.0075 hectares and it is proposed that the development would have a total internal floorspace of 75 square metres which represents an additional 60 square metres. It is proposed that it would be open from 8am, Monday to Saturday, and there are five existing employees at the business which uses general office equipment at the site.
Metro
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Huge UK theme park is axing entry fees – but you'll need to grab tickets fast
Theme parks have long been a go-to choice for a family day out. But they're not exactly cheap. Even if you manage to get a discount on tickets, once you factor in travel, food, and overpriced teddies from the gift shop, a family of four is looking at spending well over £100. However, one popular UK resort is transporting its guests back to the good old days — when you could pass through its barriers for absolutely nothing. Drayton Manor is reviving its 1950s pricing model by scrapping its entry fees. Guests can enjoy free entry on April 24 and 25 — but it won't be a totally free day out, instead, park-goers will use pay-as-you-go tokens to access park rides. The Staffordshire-based theme park boasts over 50 rides and attractions, a 15-acre zoo with more than 500 animals, and an immersive Thomas the Tank Engine-themed land for the little ones. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. During the two-day deal, each ride can be enjoyed for just one to five tokens. These are available to purchase in packs of five and 10 online or from various points around the park. For those who want to avoid counting their tokens, wristbands are also available for unlimited access to rides. These are priced at £30 per person if purchased online in advance or £35 per person when bought on the day at the park. The free entrance is in honour of Drayton Manor's 75th anniversary. Tickets to the theme park would usually start from £27.50 when booked online. All guests are required to book a free ticket online before their visit and walk-up entry is not guaranteed. The free tickets will go on sale 9am on Tuesday 22 April. Victoria Lynn, managing director at Drayton Manor Resort, said: 'Our 75th-anniversary celebrations are in full swing, and as part of that, we want to give families the chance to discover Drayton Manor for less. 'Whether you choose to join us at the park with a picnic or browse the rides, arcade, museum and zoo for free, or go for it with a full wristband, there's plenty of fun to be had at Drayton Manor throughout the weekend and beyond.' Drayton Manor will continue its celebrations throughout the year with 'monthly Fireworks Extravaganzas', live music and a variety of family-themed entertainment. More Trending The theme park, which was awarded the UK's best value theme park in 2023, boasts plenty of attractions. From thrill rides, such as 'The Wave' to River Rapids and children's rides – there's plenty to explore. It also offers a four-star hotel on site, with family rooms, executive rooms, and presidential available to book. You can also find Viking or Thomas & Friends-themed rooms. And, the park is a big hit with visitors. One TripAdvisor reviewer, who went to the park with their three grandchildren, called it a 'thrilling day out', adding: 'Big variety of rides for all ages. We hardly queued at all… Staff are friendly and very hardworking… Definitely would recommend.' Another guest said Drayton Manor was a 'fabulous place': 'Highly recommend. Great selection of rides and all round happy atmosphere.' And a third said their family had an 'overall amazing and joyful experience.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Mejuri launches unmissable Stacking Event with up to 20% off for a limited time only MORE: The six companies in the UK that give dads 52 weeks paid paternity leave MORE: After decades of hair pulling, this 'fast-acting' serum helped me grow my it back
Metro
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
'Joyful' UK theme park is scrapping admission fees — how to get free tickets
Theme parks have long been a go-to choice for a family day out. But they're not exactly cheap. Even if you manage to get a discount on tickets, once you factor in travel, food, and overpriced teddies from the gift shop, a family of four is looking at spending well over £100. However, one popular UK resort is transporting its guests back to the good old days — when you could pass through its barriers for absolutely nothing. Drayton Manor is reviving its 1950s pricing model by scrapping its entry fees. Guests can enjoy free entry on April 24 and 25 — but it won't be a totally free day out, instead, park-goers will use pay-as-you-go tokens to access park rides. The Staffordshire-based theme park boasts over 50 rides and attractions, a 15-acre zoo with more than 500 animals, and an immersive Thomas the Tank Engine-themed land for the little ones. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. During the two-day deal, each ride can be enjoyed for just one to five tokens. These are available to purchase in packs of five and 10 online or from various points around the park. For those who want to avoid counting their tokens, wristbands are also available for unlimited access to rides. These are priced at £30 per person if purchased online in advance or £35 per person when bought on the day at the park. The free entrance is in honour of Drayton Manor's 75th anniversary. Tickets to the theme park would usually start from £27.50 when booked online. All guests are required to book a free ticket online before their visit and walk-up entry is not guaranteed. The free tickets will go on sale 9am on Tuesday 22 April. Victoria Lynn, managing director at Drayton Manor Resort, said: 'Our 75th-anniversary celebrations are in full swing, and as part of that, we want to give families the chance to discover Drayton Manor for less. 'Whether you choose to join us at the park with a picnic or browse the rides, arcade, museum and zoo for free, or go for it with a full wristband, there's plenty of fun to be had at Drayton Manor throughout the weekend and beyond.' Drayton Manor will continue its celebrations throughout the year with 'monthly Fireworks Extravaganzas', live music and a variety of family-themed entertainment. More Trending The theme park, which was awarded the UK's best value theme park in 2023, boasts plenty of attractions. From thrill rides, such as 'The Wave' to River Rapids and children's rides – there's plenty to explore. It also offers a four-star hotel on site, with family rooms, executive rooms, and presidential available to book. You can also find Viking or Thomas & Friends-themed rooms. And, the park is a big hit with visitors. One TripAdvisor reviewer, who went to the park with their three grandchildren, called it a 'thrilling day out', adding: 'Big variety of rides for all ages. We hardly queued at all… Staff are friendly and very hardworking… Definitely would recommend.' Another guest said Drayton Manor was a 'fabulous place': 'Highly recommend. Great selection of rides and all round happy atmosphere.' And a third said their family had an 'overall amazing and joyful experience.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Having three kids is a status symbol – unless you look like me MORE: My kids eat their Easter chocolate at once – I'm not a bad parent MORE: I made the difficult decision to cut contact with my dying dad
