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Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE A day with billionaire Richard Branson as he sips a piña colada before noon and parties at a private beach club
It seems that Sir Richard Branson 's day-to-day life isn't always what one would expect, especially since he's a billionaire who runs one of the biggest companies, the Virgin Group. The 74-year-old's business empire includes 40 companies in over 35 countries, which employs over 60,000 people. From airlines and space travel to hotels, cruises and telecommunications, overseeing the venture capital conglomerate of the Virgin Group seems like an extremely busy task. But for the British entrepreneur, he makes it look easy. Especially while sipping on a piña colada as he carries on his duties for the day. got an exclusive look at what his day in the Bahamas was like as he joined Virgin Voyages cruise goers on May 8 as part of the Celebration Voyage, which set sail from Miami four days prior. After landing in Bimini in the Bahamas via a seaplane from Miami, Richard boarded Virgin's Valiant Lady cruise ship for an intimate meet and greet with media and influencers. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Normally, when he's not jet-setting, he kicks off his mornings with a workout, whether it be a game of tennis at 6am or - if he's on one of his cruises, for example - he'll run around the jogging track, which provides a 360-degree panoramic view of the sea. But, on this particular day, he met with a group of journalists at 10 am at Richard's Rooftop on Deck 16 - an exclusive rooftop bar and lounge area for the cruise's 'RockStars' - with a piña colada in his hand (his tall glass even had an 'R' for Richard embellished on it). The casual meet and greet included an impromptu chess game (his favorite game) against a journalist as others looked on, taking photos of videos. During the nearly hour-long session, Richard spoke about the exciting news of Virgin Voyages' newest Lady Ship setting sail from New York harbor this September, which will be the fourth ship to launch as part of the brand's fleet. The businessman reflected on the four-year journey of Virgin Voyages and how it had a rocky start, but finally launched at the end of 2021. 'When we started Virgin Voyages a few years ago, we arrived in England and the Spice Girls were coming to celebrate with us, and they didn't turn up. They rang me up and said, "There's something called Covid out there, on cruise ships." 'And I told them... "what a load of buttocks." Anyways, they turned out right and I was wrong. So, we had a suspicious start to a cruise line.' He continued, 'It is brilliant to have a fourth cruise ship arriving and doing some West Coast of America, Alaska, Canada, Panama Canal. It's very exciting,' referring to the destinations that are part of Brilliant Lady's itineraries once it launches. Richard took a seaplane from Miami to spend a day in the Bahamas with sailors on Virgin's Celebration Voyage, which set sail from Miami on May 4 Virgin recently announced that Spice Girl Melanie C will be joining after all. She's set to headline the Celebration Voyage departing from Lisbon, Portugal, this July. Following the morning meet and greet, and some more photo opportunities with fans on the cruise, Richard, accompanied by his team who made sure to take content of him all day for the brand's social channels, disembarked from the massive ship and, with help from a golf cart, made his way to the beach. But it's not just any beach. Virgin Voyages' has its own private adult-only Beach Club that overlooks the ocean and has its own set of beach chairs. Plus, two swimming pools, multiple bars and food stations throughout (which are free for cruise goers). Talk about paradise. Richard, being the billionaire that he is, had his own private area (even more private than the exclusive Rockstars area) where he could cool down and relax inside an Airstream camping trailer... or hang out with superstars like Nicky Jam. The Latin award-winning singer was spotted with Branson before both stars surprised people in the lagoon-style pool as a DJ took over around 1.00pm. Joined by Virgin's CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu, Nicky, 44, hyped up the crowd ahead of his nighttime performance on the cruise as it was announced that there was an exclusive voyage just for Nicky Jam sailing from San Juan this December. Following this, Richard surprised the crowd by spraying a bottle of champagne over the people partying in the pool. Then, he proceeded to have some sparkling wine for himself before he made another surprise. Motioning for the crowd to make way, the Virgin Group founder shocked everyone by jumping into the pool - via a cannon ball - splashing those around him. Coincidentally, the music playing in the background was Spice Up Your Life by one of his favorite female pop groups, The Spice Girls. The afternoon poolside fun came to an end for Richard as he changed into some dry clothes and wrapped up his festivities for the day. After some more casual meet and greets with sailors who were enjoying the private beach club, Mr. Branson took the seaplane back to Miami around 7pm. For more entertainment, Nicky Jam performed poolside on the cruise starting at 9pm where he brought a ton of energy as he performed his Reggae chart-topping hits to sailors aboard Valiant Lady. Meanwhile, Richard was seemingly recharging for another jam packed day of events for the following day. He previously noted that he needs 'six hours sleep to do it all again,' but 'a little differently' the next day. In an exclusive interview with which took place at the end of April, he spoke about growing his empire and the prospect of reopening Virgin Megastores since people are buying vinyl records again. 'We used to have a great Megastore in New York. And we may even go as far as reopening some Megastores in other places,' he spilled, 'because I think people are loving discovering vinyl again, and Virgin could also sell them some holidays, Virgin balloon trips, and a few other things in these Megastores. 'They're still going in the Middle East, so maybe we can get them going again in the UK.' He added, 'We'll most likely give it a shot.' Richard's revelation came during the unveiling of Virgin Hotel London-Shoreditch's brand-new listening bar Hidden Grooves. After seeing it come to life, he said that he's decided 'on the spur of the moment' to open a Hidden Grooves at Virgin Hotels' New York City location, which opened early 2023. Richard, whose homebase and where he spends a lot of his downtime is the private paradise Necker Island, confessed to that his 'mind is always racing' when it comes to building his conglomerate. 'If I feel that something's not been done well, I'll just jump in and do it. And obviously, I'm lucky, because I own the company, I can just say, "Screw it, let's do it," and get it done,' he said. 'And I try to enable everybody who works for Virgin to be able to do that, but, in the end, the buck stops with me, so I can just make decisions and get on with it.' Richard has plenty of business plans over the next few years, including more Virgin Atlantic flights, Virgin Voyages cruises to the Red Sea, the launch of high-speed trains to rival Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel, and 'building a number of spaceships' with Virgin Galactic that 'should be ready to fly' by the end of next year, he says.
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Huge £715m deal could see speedy double-decker trains travel from UK to France
After securing contracts worth more than £700 million, French manufacturer Alstom wants to run double-decker, high-speed trains from London to France - but will it happen anytime soon? Ambitious plans to run double-decker trains that can travel 300km an hour through the Channel Tunnel may soon become a reality. Plagued by constant delays, cancellations, and expensive fares - it's safe to say the UK's railways are in desperate need of a makeover. But, being sardined on crammed carriages may soon be a distant memory, as Alstom, a French manufacturer specialising in locomotives, is in talks to use its new Avelia Horizon trains to ramp up journeys across Europe. Chief executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge says its new fleet could lower fares and increase capacity in the undersea Channel Tunnel, which connects the UK to France. "The double-decker train has a lot of advantages. It's a very high-speed train with the lowest cost per seat and the highest capacity," he told the Financial Times. Alstom has already signed an €850 million (around £715 million) contract to provide and maintain 12 of its double-decker trains for a Proxima, a private operator in France - as well as France's state-owned company The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF). However, deliveries have reportedly faced numerous delays and are now not expected until 2026. New trains running through Eurostar's services will also need to be approved by the operate - which could take 'some years'. Trains carrying passengers from London to mainland Europe through the Channel Tunnel will also need to seek approval by regulators to make sure they adhere to strict safety rules. "The Avelia Horizon brings the experience of visiting the lounge car to a new level. A specific focus has been put on light management and passengers will enjoy the latest innovations in terms of connectivity," Alstom states on its website. "The train is easily accessible with the widest doors at the European platform level. Its articulated architecture provides a smooth and safe ride with less noise and vibrations." The new announcement comes just months after Virgin Group made a punt to apply for access to the Temple Mills depot in north-east London. In a huge victory for Sir Richard Branson's company, a report conducted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) found: "There is some available capacity at Temple Mills International (TMI) depot for more trains to be stabled, serviced and maintained." As previously reported, the investigation also found the depot can comfortably handle 15 of Eurostar's 400-metre-long trains. However, the depot could squeeze up to 20 if needed and on average, Eurostar uses six to 10 of its depot slots for trains, and currently some extra space for decommissioned trains. "Finally a green signal for competition," hailed a Virgin Group spokesperson. "The Temple Mills depot is the only facility in the UK which can accommodate European-style trains and claims suggesting it was at capacity have been blocking Virgin from coming to the line. "Virgin is therefore very pleased with the outcome and we thank the ORR for commissioning this report, which will now unlock competition on the cross-Channel route for the benefit of all passengers. There are no more major hurdles to overcome, and Virgin is ready to take up the challenge, given its award-winning experience in the train industry and track-record for building globally successful travel brands." Eurostar 'welcomed' the independent study by the ORR, arguing 'major maintenance work' and 'investment' would be needed to meet the growing demands of international rail. "The options presented in the report could help create some capacity, but this would not be enough to accommodate the stated ambitions of any single operator. This includes the three organisations who have applied to the regulator and the needs of Eurostar itself," they added. "Eurostar has complied fully with the regulatory process and will continue to do so. This is in advance of any train orders being placed – and years ahead of those trains being built and needing to access Temple Mills. We believe the conversation now needs to move beyond the inadequate space within the existing depot to look at the bigger picture. Capacity constraints have always been a challenge – whether in stations, at the borders or on-board trains. For 30 years, Eurostar has successfully found new solutions, working closely with stakeholders, and always with our customers in mind."
The Guardian
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Virgin Money mortgage holders cry ‘foul' over owner Nationwide's better deals
Some Virgin Money customers are crying 'foul' over the fact that Nationwide borrowers are being offered better-value mortgage deals, even though they are now part of the same group. Nationwide bought Virgin Money last autumn, but the brands remain separate and some Virgin mortgage-holders claim that when it comes to moving on to a new deal, they are being treated as second-class citizens. This week, a Virgin customer aiming to get a new mortgage deal from the lender would in some cases have to pay almost £1,000 more than an equivalent Nationwide customer to get the same interest rate, even though they are both part of the same financial 'family'. However, according to one mortgage broker, it is standard practice that a borrower is not able to hop from one brand to another where both are part of the same group. For the UK as a whole and across all lenders, about 1.6m fixed-rate mortgage deals are due to expire in 2025. Many of these people are worried about a big jump in payments when they switch to a new product. When someone's existing mortgage deal is reaching its expiry date, their lender will usually be in touch offering a selection of rates. Nationwide completed its takeover of Virgin Money last October, and later revealed it had bagged a £2.3bn gain from the deal as it had effectively bought the brand at a chunky discount. That in turn led to Nationwide dishing out £50 mini-windfalls to more than 12 million of its members last month – more than £600m in total. However the two brands continue to operate as separate lenders and offer differently priced mortgage deals to their respective customer bases. Borrowers who have reached the end of their deal with one cannot simply switch to the other – they would have to go through the process of remortgaging and pay any legal and valuation costs involved. The Guardian was contacted this week by a Virgin Money customer on a two-year fix with a rate of 4.54%, which ends on 31 July. The lowest product transfer rate being offered to her was another two-year fix priced at 3.84%, which is a competitive rate (her loan-to-value ratio is less than 60%). But this deal came with a big product fee: £1,995. Now she is a Nationwide group customer, she hoped to see what product transfer rates were being offered to Nationwide customers with the same amount of equity. Nationwide was also offering a 3.84% two-year fix to its existing borrowers – but at £999, the product fee was almost £1,000 lower. Virgin also offered a choice of base-rate tracker deals, including a two-year one at 4.48% (the bank base rate plus 0.23%) and a £995 fee. But an Nationwide borrower could benefit from a slightly cheaper deal: a two-year tracker at 4.39% (the base rate plus 0.14%) and a £999 fee. Another advantage of the Nationwide tracker is that it has no early repayment charges, whereas the Virgin one does during the two years. However, Virgin will let customers switch from this deal on to one of its fixed rates without having to pay a penalty. A Nationwide spokesperson says: 'Nationwide building society and Virgin Money continue to operate as separate lenders following the acquisition and are being integrated over time.' They add: 'Customers currently wishing to move provider must therefore do so as a remortgage.' David Hollingworth at the broker firm L&C Mortgages says it is 'pretty typical that you wouldn't be able to switch between one brand and another'. For example, Lloyds and Halifax are both part of Lloyds Banking Group but will price differently, he says. Meanwhile, The Co-operative Bank was recently taken over by Coventry building society, but still operates as separate lending brand. On whether Nationwide typically offered better deals than Virgin, or vice versa, Hollingworth says that 'it moves around' and that they are both generally pretty competitive. 'Virgin is just as likely to be right up there as Nationwide can be,' he says.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Trains to Paris could soon get cheaper. Here's why
Double-decker trains are being considered for the London-Paris route through the Channel Tunnel. Alstom, the manufacturer of the Avelia Horizon, the world's only high-speed double-decker train, has confirmed discussions with several operators, including Eurostar and potentially Virgin Group. The move could significantly increase passenger capacity on the route. The Avelia Horizon can reach speeds of up to 200mph and would have a lower cost per seat than single-decker models, former Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge said. While the trains would need regulatory approval, which could take years, they are compatible with the Channel Tunnel's infrastructure.
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The Independent
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Double-decker trains could soon operate through Channel Tunnel
Double-decker trains could soon run between London and Paris. Alstom – the world's second-largest train manufacturer and creator of the world's only high-speed double-decker train – confirmed to The Independent that it is 'in discussion with a number of operators regarding new rolling stock to run through the Channel Tunnel', adding that it was unable to disclose who they are at this stage. The two-tier carriages that are commonplace throughout Europe are reportedly being considered as 'a possibility' by Eurostar, says The Telegraph. A spokesperson for the company told The Independent it could not comment further and that it was 'currently in discussions with train manufacturers regarding our new fleet'. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, which declared its readiness to launch passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel earlier this year, is also said to be contemplating double-deckers. The move would significantly increase capacity on the popular line between the UK and the continent. A Virgin Group spokesperson said potential manufacturers included the French multinational as it offers 'the best trains to meet our cross-Channel rail ambitions'. Former Alstom chief executive, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, who stepped down as CEO this morning, stated that its double-decker Avelia Horizon would be able to run through the Channel Tunnel. 'The double-decker train has a lot of advantages,' he told the Financial Times. 'It's a very high-speed train with the lowest cost per seat and the highest capacity.' The high-speed line between the two cities was built to European standards, meaning the increased height of the trains should not be an issue, added an Alstom spokesperson. Any new trains operating on Eurostar services would require formal approval, a process that could take 'some years', added Mr Poupart-Lafarge, however. The trains, which can reach speeds of up to 200mph, would also need to be authorised by regulators and comply with strict safety legislation. Alstom has a backlog of outstanding orders and limited production capacity, meaning it may be a case of 'first come, first served', the spokesperson added. The news comes as the Virgin Group aims to challenge Eurostar's monopoly on cross-Channel services between the UK and Europe. A spokesperson for the company said in March that 'no more major hurdles' remain after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) announced the potential availability of capacity at Eurostar's Temple Mills maintenance depot in north-east London. 'Finally a green signal for competition,' they said, adding that it is 'ready to take up the challenge, given its award-winning experience in the train industry and track record for building globally successful travel brands. 'We expect to be able to make an announcement very soon. Watch this space.'
