Macaully Moffat

Oxfam has launched a pilot 14-day rental service for selected donated designer and vintage clothing, with prices starting at £22. Developed with fashion rental and fulfilment company ACS, the service allows customers to wear high-end garments and return them for reuse, while the proceeds support Oxfam’s charitable work. The initiative launched ahead of the charity’s Second-Hand September campaign and is described as the first clothing-rental service offered by a national UK charity alongside its retail shops. The report also notes that Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation are planning extensive shop closures because of rising operating costs and weaker profits.

Whitbread plans to close all 106 Beefeater restaurants in the UK on 10 September 2026, with the Beefeater loyalty scheme ending on 31 August. The closures form part of a five-year restructuring strategy focused on Premier Inn, including converting some restaurant locations into hotel rooms, selling about £1.5 billion in freehold properties and reducing costs by £250 million. Whitbread also plans to close its Brewers Fayre sites, though dates have not been confirmed. Around 3,800 jobs are at risk, although the company expects to redeploy many affected employees.

Global Vision International, a UK-based travel and conservation programme provider, has shut down after 28 years and is entering liquidation, cancelling all current and future trips. CEO Andrew Valentine expressed regret and highlighted the organisation’s conservation achievements while confirming that affected customers will receive instructions for claims. The closure adds to a growing list of UK travel companies and airlines that have ceased trading in 2026.