Mitchell Labiak

New planning rules in England will make it harder to convert pubs into homes or offices. Developers will need to show that a pub has no reasonable prospect of remaining viable, including evidence that it was marketed for sale for at least 12 months. Hospitality groups argue that taxes, business rates and employment costs are driving closures, while the government says the rules will protect communities and prevent owners from deliberately undermining trade. The updated framework also supports default approval for housing near railway stations and removes some statutory consultation requirements for housing developments. Labour is targeting 1.5 million homes by 2029 but faces Conservative criticism over its progress.

About 200 John Lewis employees may face redundancy as the retailer proposes shutting its in‑store foreign exchange bureaux and specialised gift‑wrapping stations due to declining demand. The planned closures would affect 30 stores for money exchange and 25 for gift wrapping, with services potentially shifted to tills. The company cites customers’ increasing use of online currency orders and digital payments. The moves follow wider restructuring under chair Jason Tarry, including earlier job cuts and the closure of its housebuilding arm, though the retailer recently restored staff bonuses as profits and sales improved despite a pre‑tax loss driven by one‑off costs.

Long-term illness-related unemployment is costing the UK an estimated £212bn annually, prompting former John Lewis chair Charlie Mayfield to launch the Get Britain Working taskforce with more than 250 major employers. The initiative seeks to reduce sickness-related workforce dropout by improving employer engagement and tracking health-related workplace metrics. Mayfield argues that returning people signed off with ill-health to work could significantly boost economic growth and reduce welfare spending. Growing pressure on expected prime minister Andy Burnham to cut welfare costs adds urgency, and Mayfield believes the plan aligns with Burnham’s stated priorities for good growth.