Nottinghamshire drivers are now in pole position for electric driving after the all new Kia EV2 arrived at NK Motors in Chilwell for the first time. The highly anticipated EV2 made its local debut during a successful three-day First Drive Weekend from Thursday, May 21 to Saturday, May 23, with customers invited to get behind the wheel and experience Kia’s newest electric vehicle up close through exclusive walkarounds and personal test drives. As Kia’s most compact electric SUV to date, the EV2 has already generated major excitement thanks to its bold design, urban practicality and impressive technology. Designed specifically for modern city lifestyles, the EV2 combines compact dimensions with a surprisingly spacious cabin, flexible interior layout and up to 362 litres of boot space. Drivers visiting the launch were also introduced to the EV2’s advanced technology package, including Kia’s latest infotainment system, wireless smartphone charging, adaptive cruise control and advanced driver assistance systems. Premium models also feature Harman Kardon audio, flush door handles and Kia’s signature Star Map lighting design. The EV2 offers up to 281 miles of electric range depending on specification, while rapid charging capability allows the battery to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes, making it ideal for both everyday commuting and longer journeys. Customers can also benefit from a £1,500 Electric Car Grant, helping make the switch to electric driving even more accessible. Managing director at NK Motors, Sanj Kumar said: “The EV2 has really accelerated interest in electric driving across Nottinghamshire. Customers are looking for an EV that feels stylish, practical and achievable, and the EV2 delivers on every level.” He added: “There was a fantastic atmosphere throughout the launch weekend, and the response has been incredibly positive. Once customers experienced the space, technology and performance for themselves, it was clear the EV2 is going to be a real game changer in the compact EV market.” The first edition EV2 is available now at NK Motors Chilwell, with additional models expected later this year. For more information, please visit here.

A Dorset funeral director is warning businesses and consumers about the growing problem of fake and misleading online reviews. Nick Douch, managing director of Douch Family Funeral Directors, which runs seven branches across Dorset, said dishonest reviews are harming reputable businesses and misleading people at their most vulnerable. The Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into the practice after concerns that some companies are publishing fabricated or manipulated reviews to gain an unfair advantage. Nick said: “Most businesses are honest and reviews are from genuine customers, but there are some who are simply making them up. This is dishonest, it is potentially fraudulent and it disadvantages every business that plays by the rules." “In our sector this matters more than most. When someone is arranging a funeral they are going through one of the hardest times of their life. They need to know they can trust the business they are turning to." “Across our seven branches we have built up over a thousand genuine 5* reviews and we are proud of every one of them." “We fully support any investigations into the sharp practice of fake reviews and while the platforms hosting them do their best, it is can be difficult to weed out the fake reviews.” The CMA has issued guidance to help consumers identify fake reviews. It advises that people read the full review rather than simply looking at the star-rating. It also warns customers to be on their guard against AI-generated reviews and that if a review ‘feels a bit too slick, reads like it's been perfectly crafted’ it may not be real; ‘Trust your instincts,’ it adds. Douch Family Funeral Directors runs branches in Wimborne, Ferndown, Corfe Mullen, Parkstone, Blandford, Wareham and Swanage. It also runs an award-winning funeral plan. About the Douch Family Funeral Directors - have been helping families with funeral arrangements for over 100 years. Branches include Douch & Small, A E Jolliffe & Son, Albert Marsh, James Smith, Ives & Shand and Lesley Shand Funeral Service. They’re based in Wimborne, Ferndown, Wareham, Poole, Swanage, Blandford and Corfe Mullen.

The Manor House Golf Club’s position among Europe’s premier golf destinations has been recognised within a new industry ranking of the continent’s most luxurious venues. The Golf World 'Top 100 Luxe Resorts Europe', a new wish-list of resorts guaranteeing long-weekend luxury, ranked The Manor House in 27th place in Europe and within the top five resorts in the UK and Ireland. This is further proof that The Manor House is delivering Golf on another level. The Cotswolds venue forms part of Exclusive Collection, the collection of country house hotels, spas and golf destinations across the UK. In recent years, the group has invested heavily across its golf and hospitality offering, helping strengthen its appeal among travelling golfers from the UK, Europe and the United States. Alongside The Manor House, properties including Pennyhill Park and Royal Berkshire are positioned within easy reach of many of Surrey and Berkshire’s world-renowned golf courses, further enhancing Exclusive Collection’s growing reputation within the luxury golf travel market. The latest ranking reflects the increasing international profile of both The Manor House and the wider collection as destinations for golfers seeking championship golf combined with high-end hospitality and countryside experiences. At the heart of The Manor House experience is the championship course, designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark, stretching across 365 acres of rolling Cotswolds countryside, ready to sweep you off your feet in a true countryside retreat. Alongside the golf, guests enjoy luxury accommodation, Michelin-star dining in the Bybrook restaurant, and the exceptional hospitality that defines the Exclusive Collection brand. Just a short distance away, and part of the resort, The Castle Inn complements the whole experience with its relaxed, quintessentially English pub atmosphere, offering stylish boutique rooms and seasonal dining, making it an ideal extension for guests looking to explore more of the surrounding area. The panel described The Manor House as: “One of GB&I’s leading couples’ retreats, golfing or otherwise. A characterful, luxurious hotel with real attention to detail, as well as the Michelin-starred Bybrook.” The Manor House also holds GEO Certification® for sustainable golf operations. As part of Exclusive Collection, a certified B Corp, sustainability is embedded across the entire business, ensuring a holistic and responsible approach to operations. Environmental work across the estate includes biodiversity and habitat management, water conservation initiatives and low-impact course maintenance supported by a new fleet of Kress robotic mowers. Alongside its sustainability commitments, the club has continued to invest in course conditioning and long-term improvements, including an ongoing full bunker renovation programme designed to further enhance the playing experience and presentation of the championship course. Andrew Ryan, director of golf at The Manor House, said: "To be recognised among Europe's leading luxury golf resorts is a hugely proud moment for everyone involved with The Manor House. We've continued to invest in the golf course, the wider guest experience and the long-term future of the estate, so this recognition feels particularly rewarding." "What's especially pleasing is to see The Manor House ranked alongside and ahead of some of the biggest and most established resorts in European golf. It reflects the hard work of the entire team and reinforces the direction we're heading in as a destination."

Ask most family business leaders about risk and they will talk about the things they are actively worried about. Rising costs. Recruitment challenges. Supply chain pressures. Changing consumer behaviour. The lingering uncertainty of an economic climate that has not felt settled for the better part of a decade. These are real risks, and they deserve serious attention. But there is another category of risk that receives far less airtime in family business conversations, one that is quieter, slower-moving, and in many cases more damaging than any of the external threats that keep leaders awake at night. It is the risk of doing nothing. Of waiting for clarity that may never fully arrive. Of deferring the decisions that feel too large, too complicated, or too uncomfortable to make today. In a climate as demanding as this one, inaction is not caution. It is a choice and it carries consequences that compound quietly until they become impossible to ignore. The Comfort Of The Status Quo There is a deeply human tendency to equate familiarity with safety. What we know feels less risky than what we do not, even when the evidence suggests otherwise. For family businesses, this tendency is amplified by the weight of history. The way things have always been done carries the authority of the people who built the business, the decisions that survived previous downturns, the practices that have become so embedded they are no longer questioned. Challenging the status quo can feel like a challenge to the family itself. But the economic environment that made yesterday's approach successful is not the environment that exists today. Input costs are higher. Consumer expectations have shifted. Technology has changed what customers can access and what competitors can offer. The business that was perfectly positioned five years ago may be quietly losing ground today, not because of anything it has done wrong, but because the world around it has moved and it has not moved with it. The status quo is not static. Every day a decision is deferred, the context in which it will eventually be made has changed. Waiting for the right moment is, more often than not, simply waiting. What Inaction Actually Costs The costs of doing nothing are real, but they are often invisible in the short term which is precisely what makes them so dangerous. They do not appear as a line item on the management accounts. They show up later, in market share quietly ceded to more agile competitors, in talented people who left because the business did not feel like it was going anywhere, in customer relationships that drifted away because the offering stopped evolving, in opportunities that were available at a certain moment and then simply were not. There is also a less tangible but equally significant cost to the culture of the business. Organisations take their cues from their leadership. When the people at the top are seen to be hesitating, avoiding difficult conversations, or perpetually delaying decisions that everyone knows need to be made, it sends a signal, about confidence, about direction, about whether the business has a clear sense of where it is going. That signal travels faster and further than most leaders realise, and it shapes behaviour at every level of the organisation. The inverse is also true. When leadership acts, even imperfectly, even in conditions of uncertainty, it creates energy. It tells the business that things are moving, that there is a plan, that the people in charge are engaged and intentional. That energy is not a soft benefit. It is a competitive asset. The Decisions That Cannot Wait Not every decision needs to be made urgently, and good judgement involves knowing the difference between a decision that genuinely requires more information and one that is simply being avoided. But in the current climate, there are categories of decision that family businesses consistently defer at their peril. Succession and leadership transition sit at the top of that list. The average age of family business leaders in the UK is rising, and the gap between when succession conversations should begin and when they actually do remains stubbornly wide. Every year that planning is deferred is a year in which the next generation is not being developed, the governance structures are not being put in place, and the business is more exposed than it needs to be to the unexpected. Investment in technology is another. The pace at which digital tools, including AI, are reshaping competitive dynamics means that businesses which delay adoption are not simply standing still. They are falling behind relative to a moving benchmark. The cost of catching up increases with every passing quarter. Pricing strategy is a third. Many family businesses, particularly those with long-standing customer relationships, have been reluctant to pass on cost increases at the rate that the economic environment has demanded. The instinct to protect the relationship is understandable and admirable. But sustained margin compression is not a sustainable expression of that loyalty, it is a slow erosion of the business's ability to invest, to grow, and ultimately to serve those customers well over the long term. Acting In Uncertainty The reason so many of these decisions get deferred is not laziness or indifference. It is the genuine difficulty of making consequential choices in conditions of uncertainty. Leaders who care deeply about the business, and family business leaders almost always do, are naturally reluctant to act without confidence that they are making the right call. But waiting for certainty in an uncertain world is its own form of magical thinking. The conditions under which the perfect decision can be made with full information and zero risk do not exist, and they are not coming. What does exist is the ability to make the best decision available with the information at hand, to build in mechanisms for reviewing and adjusting as circumstances change, and to move with enough conviction that the organisation can get behind the direction being set. This is not recklessness. It is leadership. And it is precisely the kind of leadership that family businesses, with their long-term orientation, their ownership stability, and their freedom from the short-term pressures that drive so much corporate decision-making, are uniquely well placed to provide. The Opportunity In The Discomfort Economic difficulty is not only a threat. It is also, for businesses willing to act while others hesitate, a significant opportunity. Downturns and periods of disruption have historically been the moments when family businesses, patient, resilient, and unencumbered by quarterly reporting cycles, have made the investments, the acquisitions, and the strategic moves that defined their next chapter. The businesses that emerge strongest from challenging periods are rarely those that waited it out. They are those that used the discomfort as a prompt to look honestly at what needed to change, made the decisions that needed to be made, and moved with enough clarity and purpose that the organisation could follow. Doing nothing feels safe. But in today's economic climate, it is anything but. The hidden cost of inaction is real, it is accumulating, and the moment to address it is not some clearer, calmer point in the future. It is now.

Three female entrepreneurs have launched the UK’s first of a kind clinic dedicated to weight loss will officially open its doors this month, setting a new benchmark for personalised care, an important step forward for the future of integrated health. Reports suggest that more than 1.6 million people in the UK are now using GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro. The latest from the BBC shares that a pill format of weight loss drugs could be used to help people coming off weight-loss jabs to avoid regaining weight – a known risk when coming off GLP-1 injections. This research supports the growing need for wider and ongoing support both during and after medication use. The new clinic in Nottingham has been developed from the personal experience of Mandy Sangha who gained weight through Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) as well as personal tragedy. Rooted in genuine personal experience, the clinic aims to support those navigating medicated weight loss with long-term support and care. The doctor-led clinic, Shape⁸, will be supporting customers with a holistic in-person offering to complement patients on their weight-loss journey. Founded by Mandy and her sisters, Sandy and Saminda Sangha, Shape⁸'s opening marks the first step in the business’s mission to share the importance of incorporating nutrition, exercise, emotional well-being, and lifestyle habits with medication use. Co-Founder Mandy Sangha said, “We are delighted to be officially opening our first in-person clinic which will offer a regulated, trusted and safe approach to wellbeing and medication use." “We’re proud to be sharing our bold mission and our founding story with the weight loss community, to ensure we help people to live happier, healthier and longer lives. The official opening of our clinic is just the first step in our ambitions; we’re also going to be introducing our Shape⁸ Together forums which have been created to provide a safe and supportive space for those on their weight loss journey.” Dr Kamran Amjed, Clinical Lead at Shape⁸ added: “The ethos behind Shape⁸ is what really stands out for me. This isn’t about trends or shortcuts, it’s about creating a space genuinely focused on health, wellbeing, longevity and giving people the tools and support they need to become “What started as a shared vision has now, I’m pleased to say, become reality with a focus centred on helping people take control of their health and improve their wellbeing. A lot of people say they’re going to do things within the healthcare and wellbeing space, but it takes something special to actually make it happen. “Alongside the sisters, our pharmacy team have been instrumental in ensuring everything we do is built and grounded around clinical safety, professionalism and client care. Shape⁸ isn’t simply about weight loss and quick fixes, it’s about health optimisation.” Alongside the Shape⁸ Together in person forums, the business is also hosting regular wellness days, providing the perfect space for education, awareness and support for those navigating their medicated weight loss journey. Partnering with leading collagen, electrolyte and supplement brands, plus several local wellness businesses covering fitness, nutrition, style and coaching, the Shape⁸ team is focused on bringing high-quality wellness solutions to its clients. About Shape⁸ Is a trusted pharmaceutical business aimed at supporting sustained wellness through safe and effective solutions. The business is built on more than 20 years of pharmaceutical and wellness expertise, with its team operating successfully in the pharmaceutical and medical device online sector for more than 15 years. Founded by sisters Mandy, Sandy and Saminda, Shape⁸ fills a gap identified by Mandy’s first-hand experience with GLP-1s. Shape⁸ is committed to providing a holistic offering that incorporates advice on nutrition, exercise, emotional well-being, and lifestyle habits into the journey to ensure healthy, sustained and safe weight loss. The Shape⁸ team has plans to expand its range with additional health and wellness products in the near future.

Strawberry tarts and coffee cream towers are just some of the cakes which have become adorable characters in a partnership between a former art student and beloved Scottish bakery. Illustrator Lauren Morsley, a graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone Collage of Art & Design, part of the University of Dundee, and Dundee and Fife based Fisher & Donaldson have together launched a new range of mechanise. And to celebrate the occasion they are running a pop-up shop selling the new products alongside some of the famous cakes. It is open for one day only, Saturday 30 May, at DJCAD’s Art & Design Undergraduate Degree Show 2026. Lauren, who graduated from DJCAD in 2018, grew up in Kirkcaldy and now lives in Dundee. She said, “It was such a lovely project to be involved with. “I grew up with Fisher & Donalson and have so many memories of going to the Cupar store with my gran and when family came up from England to visit." “It was fun to give the cakes characters and think about what their faces, arms and legs might look like, and how they might interact with each other. It was different to the other projects I’ve worked on." “It’s great to be involved in something which brings together local artists and businesses, and coming back to DJCAD to show the work at Degree Show feels like a full-circle moment.” Established in Fife in 1919, Fisher & Donaldson has been baking for over a century, with a love of the craft being handed down through five generations of the same family. Chloe Milne, Retail Director and fifth generation of Fisher & Donaldson, said, “We're a family business that's always believed baking should bring people together, so collaborating with a local creative like Lauren felt like a natural fit." “We love that Lauren’s designs were all inspired by our customer’s favourite cakes. Her designs bring the bakery's cake counter to life in a wonderful new way." “Popping up at Degree Show will let us celebrate this new range of merchandise and our shared love of something handmade and joyful – we can't wait to meet everyone on the day." The annual Degree Show at DJCAD is an opportunity for final year undergraduate students to exhibit their work, celebrate their time at the University and launch their creative careers. The work of 427 art, design and architecture students is on display throughout the University’s Matthew and Crawford buildings for family, friends and the public to view. Kirsty Macari, Associate Vice Principal (Education) at the University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, said, “We’ve already had hundreds of people come and visit the huge range of artworks we have on display from our exceptionally talented students, and we’re looking forward to welcoming many more." “The Degree Show launches careers as our students graduate into the professional art world and the Fisher & Donaldson pop-up shop highlights the opportunities which are available to them in our communities." “This project exemplifies the value of strong local partnerships, supporting graduates to transition seamlessly into creative professional practice while contributing to vibrant and sustainable local communities.” Degree Show 2026 is open until Sunday 31 May, from 10:00-16:00, with late openings until 20:00 on Thursday 28 May and Saturday 30 May. The Fisher & Donaldson shop will be open on Saturday 30 May only, from 10:00-19:00, or until stocks sell out.

Hendy Group is the headline sponsors of the Steeleford Supercar Show being held at Stansted House in Hampshire on Sunday 31 May, joining a celebration of some of the world’s most iconic supercars. This year Hendy will showcase Alpine’s full ‘dream garage’ line-up, including the French brand’s first full EV, the A290, and its revived A110. The event will also mark the official launch of the Alpine A390, a sporty all-electric C-segment fastback, by the local Hendy Alpine dealership, which is located on Villeneuve Way, Eastleigh. The event has an open-access paddock, giving guests the opportunity to get up close to some of the world’s most recognisable supercars. Alongside the automotive displays, visitors will be able to enjoy live DJ entertainment, premium automotive exhibitors, street food vendors, drinks and picnic areas across the site. Paul Smith, Marketing Director at Hendy Group, said: “Supporting events like the Steeleford Supercar Show is an important part of how we connect with local communities and automotive enthusiasts across the region. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our partnership with Alpine and introduce visitors to the exciting new A390 alongside the wider Alpine range.” George Ford and Drue Steele, co-organisers of the Steeleford Supercar Show, said: “The Steeleford Supercar Show continues to grow each year, attracting visitors from across the South to experience an incredible line-up of performance cars and premium automotive brands at Stansted House. We’re delighted to have Hendy supporting the event this year as we prepare for another memorable showcase.” To find out more information about Hendy Group, please visit here. About Hendy Group Established in 1859, Hendy Group has been operating across the South Coast for over 165 years. Led by its fifth-generation family member – Paul Hendy, CEO – the business now employs over 1,500 colleagues. The Group is ranked 18th in the AM Top 100, with a 2024 turnover of just over £1bn, and proudly represents 22 automotive brands. It is committed to providing world-class customer service. It is committed to supporting the communities where it operates through Hendy Foundation and has donated nearly £500k to local charities and voluntary groups since it was set up in 2018.

Family Business United is delighted to announce that Rebecca Robins CCMI will deliver the opening keynote at The Great British Family Business Conference 2027, taking place on Thursday, March 18, 2027. An internationally recognised expert in high-performance leadership, cultures of excellence and intergenerational talent, Rebecca Robins will open the conference with an inspiring keynote titled Five Generations at Work: How We Win Together, For Good. At a time when up to five generations are working together for the first time in history, family businesses are uniquely positioned to harness the opportunities that generational diversity presents. In the context of an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world, Rebecca’s keynote will explore how family firms can unlock the strengths of multigenerational teams to build more collaborative, resilient and competitive organisations. Rebecca Robins has more than 20 years’ experience working with organisations across Europe, the US and Asia, including senior leadership roles at global brand powerhouses Omnicom and Interbrand. Working across matrixed businesses, family enterprises and founder-led organisations, she partners with leaders and owners to maximise organisational and talent potential. Leadership development is central to Rebecca’s work, delivering bespoke programmes focused on collaborative leadership, high-performing cultures, intrapreneurship and innovation. She is particularly renowned for her high-energy and high-impact work with next generation talent and rising leaders, and teaches at globally respected institutions including Cambridge University, Oxford University and The Defence Academy of the UK. Rebecca also serves in advisory and non-executive roles, including with Quilt.Ai and the Chartered Management Institute, and as Trustee at the EY Foundation. A regular international conference speaker, she has appeared at venues and events including the Times Center in New York, The Kia Oval in London and The Economic Times in Delhi. She is the author of three bestselling books, including the award-nominated Five Generations at Work: How We Win Together, For Good (Wiley) and Meta-Luxury: Brands and the Culture of Excellence (Macmillan). Rebecca is also a sought-after commentator for leading media including the BBC, Financial Times and Business of Fashion. Commenting on the announcement, Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United, said: “Rebecca Robins is one of the leading voices globally on intergenerational leadership and organisational culture, making her the perfect choice to open The Great British Family Business Conference 2027." "Family businesses are uniquely placed to benefit from the strengths that come from having multiple generations involved across ownership, leadership and the workforce. Rebecca’s insight, energy and expertise will provide delegates with invaluable perspectives on how to turn generational diversity into a genuine competitive advantage." "We are thrilled to welcome Rebecca to the conference and know that her keynote will set the tone for what promises to be an inspiring and thought-provoking day.” Speaking ahead of the event, Rebecca Robins added: “Family businesses have an extraordinary opportunity to lead the way in unlocking the power of generational diversity. At a time of significant change and uncertainty, organisations that can bring generations together effectively will be better positioned to innovate, collaborate and thrive." "I am delighted to be joining The Great British Family Business Conference 2027 and look forward to sharing insights, research and practical approaches that can help organisations build cultures where every generation can contribute and succeed together.” The Great British Family Business Conference 2027 will bring together family business owners, leaders and advisers from across the UK for a day of insight, inspiration and networking focused on the issues shaping the future of family enterprise. Further details regarding the conference agenda, speakers and ticket information is available here

Growth is supposed to be the goal. More revenue, more customers, more markets, more people. For most businesses, expansion is straightforwardly good news — evidence that something is working, that the market has spoken, that the hard years are paying off. And for family businesses, growth can feel like the ultimate validation: proof that what was built from nothing, often at considerable personal sacrifice, has genuine and lasting worth. But family business leaders who have been through significant periods of growth will tell you something that the business books tend to underplay. Expansion is not just an operational challenge. It is a cultural one. And getting the operational side right while losing the cultural side is not success, it is a slow, expensive way to become a business you no longer recognise. What You Are Actually Trying To Protect Before any conversation about how to grow well, there is a prior question worth sitting with: what, specifically, makes this business different? Not in the abstract, not the mission statement version, but in the concrete, daily reality of how the business operates and how it feels to work in it and buy from it. For some family businesses, the difference is in the quality of the product or service, maintained through standards that only direct ownership and genuine pride of authorship can sustain. For others, it is the relationships with suppliers, customers, or the local community that have been built over years and are genuinely irreplaceable. For others still, it is the speed and decisiveness of family ownership: the ability to make a call on a Monday and act on it by Wednesday, unencumbered by the committee structures and shareholder pressures that slow larger organisations down. Whatever it is, naming it precisely is the first step. Because you cannot protect what you have not defined, and you cannot scale what you do not understand. The Scaling Trap There is a particular pattern that repeats itself in growing family businesses with uncomfortable regularity. In the early stages, the founder or family leadership is close to everything, the product, the customers, the staff. Quality is maintained because the people who care most about it are personally present. Culture is strong because it flows directly from the family's own values and behaviour. Customers feel the difference because they are dealing, directly or indirectly, with people who have a personal stake in the outcome. Then growth happens. New sites open. Headcount doubles. Management layers are added. The founder can no longer be everywhere at once, so systems and processes are introduced to replace the presence that previously held everything together. And gradually, almost imperceptibly, the thing that made the business special gets processed out of existence, replaced by standardisation, efficiency, and a kind of corporate smoothness that is operationally tidy but culturally hollow. This is not inevitable. But avoiding it requires recognising that the systems and processes introduced to support growth need to be designed to carry the culture, not just the workflow. The question to ask of every new process, every new hire, every new structure is not just whether it is efficient, but whether it is consistent with who you are. Hiring For Fit As Well As Function One of the most consequential decisions a growing family business makes, repeatedly, and often without fully appreciating the stakes, is who it brings in from outside. As the business expands beyond the point where the family can fill every role, external hires become the primary mechanism through which the culture either spreads or dilutes. This is why hiring for values fit is not a soft consideration to be weighed against the harder metrics of experience and technical skill. It is a strategic imperative. A highly capable manager who fundamentally does not share the values of the business will, over time, reshape the part of the organisation they lead in their own image. Sometimes that shift is obvious. More often it is subtle, a gradual drift in how decisions get made, how staff are treated, how customers are spoken to, until the culture has changed in ways that are difficult to trace back to any single moment or person. The families who grow well tend to be rigorous about this. They are clear, in the recruitment process, about what the business stands for and what it expects. They involve family members in hiring decisions for senior roles, not to gatekeep, but to ensure the values question is genuinely being asked. And they are willing, when necessary, to keep looking rather than settle for someone who ticks every professional box but feels like the wrong fit for who the business is. Governance That Grows With You Another area where growing family businesses frequently come unstuck is governance or more precisely, the absence of it. In the early stages, informal decision-making works well enough. The family talks, a view is formed, a decision is made. But as the business grows in scale and complexity, that informality becomes a liability. Decisions take longer because there is no clear process. Accountability blurs because roles have not kept pace with growth. Family dynamics start to influence business decisions in ways that would benefit from a more structured framework. Building governance that is appropriate to the scale and ambition of the business such as a properly constituted board, clear decision-making authorities, independent voices who can provide challenge and perspective is not about imposing corporate bureaucracy on a business that has always prided itself on being different. It is about creating the conditions in which the business can keep making good decisions as it gets bigger and more complex. Done well, good governance does not constrain a family business. It protects it. Growth As A Values Test Perhaps the most useful way to think about growth in a family business context is as a sustained test of values. Every decision made during a period of expansion be it about people, about processes, about which opportunities to pursue and which to decline, is either consistent with what the business stands for or it is not. The accumulation of those decisions, over months and years, is what determines whether the business that emerges from a period of growth is still recognisably itself. The family businesses that pass that test are not those that avoided growth or kept themselves deliberately small. They are those that grew with their eyes open — clear about what they were building towards, honest about what they were not willing to sacrifice to get there, and disciplined enough to make the harder choice when the easier one pointed in the wrong direction. Growth is not the enemy of what makes family businesses special. Thoughtless growth is. The difference, ultimately, comes down to intention and the willingness to keep asking, at every stage of the journey, not just how big, but how.

Solar shading specialist Caribbean has launched the Anguilla Lite, a new set-size patio awning offering a more accessible route to high-quality shading. Built on the established Anguilla system, the Anguilla Lite uses the same core materials and construction approach, delivered in four pre-determined sizes suited to common domestic door and window configurations. The range has been developed to reflect changing budgets while maintaining performance expectations. Each awning is constructed using a heavy gauge aluminium framework finished in a marine grade coating. A streamline cassette casing protects both the fabric and operating mechanism when retracted. The awning incorporates twin spring tensioned folding arms to maintain consistent fabric tension during operation. It works via remote control as standard, with optional LED lighting and heating available where additional comfort is required. Anguilla Lite is offered with six Sattler® solution dyed fabric designs, treated with TEXgard for easy cleaning. Two frame colours are available, Anthracite (RAL 7016ST) and White (RAL 9016). The set sizes have been selected to suit widely used residential openings and range from 3.5m width, with either a 2.5m or 3m projection, to 4.9m width – also available in a 2.5m or 3m projection. Caribbean has positioned the product to support trade and direct supply routes, with pre-manufacture enabling more competitive pricing across projects. The approach is intended to offer an alternative for homeowners seeking a premium awning within a fixed budget. Anguilla Lite forms part of Caribbean’s wider awning portfolio and is manufactured at the company’s HQ in Suffolk. For more information visit here.

In this year’s Equity Gilt Study, Barclays Research examines how physical AI will move beyond the digital realm and into the real economy, with humanoid robots set to reshape productivity, labour markets, geopolitics, and long-term asset returns. While equities delivered strong real returns in 2025, the report argues that the more important shift is structural, marked by higher capital investment, rising productivity, and a repricing of growth, inflation, and capital across regions and asset classes. At the centre of this shift is the emergence of humanoid robots. Ajay Rajadhyaksha, Global Chairman of Research commented: “Humanoid robots represent the next frontier of AI, combining intelligence with physical capability. Their effect could extend well beyond technology, reshaping the structure of the global economy.” Humanoid robots: the next frontier of automation Automation is entering its third phase, according to Barclays Research analysts. Humanoid robots, enabled by advances in artificial intelligence, mobility, and battery systems, are designed to operate in human environments; use existing tools; and perform full jobs, rather than isolated tasks. As the costs of producing the robots decline and deployment accelerates, Barclays Research estimates the market for humanoids could reach $200 billion by 2035, reshaping labour supply, productivity, and investment opportunities across the global economy. China leads in robotics Barclays Research analysts find that China is already the centre of gravity for the global robotics economy. Supported by unmatched scale in manufacturing, deep supply chains, and state-backed industrial policy, China accounted for 85 percent of humanoid deployments in 2025 and controls many of the critical inputs needed to scale the technology. If current trends persist, Barclays Research estimates that robots could fill up to 60 percent of the workforce gap created by China’s aging population by 2035, helping sustain economic growth and reinforcing robotics as a key pillar of its economic and geopolitical strength. How robotics will rewire economies Automation has long supported productivity growth, but its effect has largely been limited to specific tasks. Barclays Research analysts argue that humanoid robots extend automation not just to entire roles, but to those that until now could not be automated. Historically, strong productivity gains in sectors such as manufacturing coincided with a declining share of GDP, while more labour-intensive sectors expanded, a pattern known as the Baumol effect. By increasing the substitutability between labour and capital in tasks that have resisted automation, humanoids could ease these constraints and help shift that dynamic. Barclays Research also notes that more than 60 percent of employment in 2018 was in roles that did not exist in 1940, suggesting humanoids are likely to reshape, rather than reduce, the future of work. Will physical AI’s displacement effects hurt asset prices? Barclays Research analysts argue that physical AI is not a zero-sum shock and that markets may be underestimating its positive effect. By expanding the production frontier, rather than simply redistributing income, humanoid robots strengthen the case for higher productivity, higher equilibrium real rates, stronger earnings growth, and improved long-term asset returns. While adoption will reshape labour income and shift sectoral winners and losers, the overall effect is likely to be positive for growth and markets. Barclays Equity Gilt Study is a flagship annual publication that combines market-leading macro analysis with a unique multi-asset dataset spanning over 100 years. It provides uniquely rich data and commentary on long-term asset returns in the UK and US. Data for the UK goes back to 1899, while the US data, provided by the Center for Research in Security Prices at the University of Chicago, runs from 1925.

Leading UK food distributor, RH Amar has celebrated the opening of its new headquarters in High Wycombe, with Dame Mary Berry joining colleagues and guests at a special lunch to mark the occasion. Dame Mary Berry unveiled a commemorative plaque to officially open the new premises and celebrate the major milestone in the family-run business’s 80-year history. Rob Amar, Managing Director of RH Amar, said: “We were honoured to welcome Dame Mary Berry to officially open our new office and distribution warehouse. We’ve known Dame Mary for more than 20 years since we started distributing her dressings brand so it made the occasion even more special to celebrate this milestone with her. It was a wonderful occasion to bring colleagues together to celebrate everything that has gone into creating our new home.” RH Amar’s new purpose-built headquarters provide increased warehouse capacity, new office space and enhanced facilities designed to support the company’s future growth ambitions. The new site includes collaborative workspaces, extensive kitchen facilities, and a social hub called Henry’s Place, named in honour of Chairman Henry Amar. The move follows a sustained period of business growth for RH Amar, with the company achieving double-digit revenue growth in each of the past five years. Photo Credit: Ben Cottman Pictured left to right: Rob Amar, Managing Director of RH Amar; Dame Mary Berry; James Amar, RH Amar Strategy & CSR Director; and Henry Amar, Chairman of RH Amar. About RH Amar RH Amar is one of the UK’s leading full-service distributors and growth partners for ambient foods - providing sales, marketing and technical support to successfully grow brands across the UK market. The company is a family-run business, founded in 1945, and now in its third generation. It retains family values at its core and treats every brand as its own. RH Amar’s brand portfolio includes some of the UK’s best-loved food brands such as Branston, Del Monte, Dunkin’, Ella’s Kitchen, Kikkoman, Mutti and Weetabix alongside smaller specialist brands. The company also owns the Camp Coffee, Cooks&Co and Mary Berry’s Dressings brands. The company donates 10% of its profits each year to charity, with more than £3m donated to charitable causes since 2013. View the RH Amar brand portfolio here.