Scrap proposals for England holiday tax, hospitality bosses urge

In recent weeks, prior to the decision release on Friday, hundreds of firms, including cosmetics company Revlon, aluminium giant Alcoa and food importers like tuna fish brand Bumble Bee, filed lawsuits contesting the tariffs, in a bid to get in line for a refund.

Demand for online jewellery helped boost retail sales in December, despite a difficult festive period overall for retailers, figures show. Sales were up 0.4% from the previous month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, citing online jewellers reporting an increased demand for precious metals such as gold and silver. Internet shopping performed well, while…

Sean FarringtonBusiness presenter and Michael Sheils McNameeBusiness reporter Getty Images The head of global theme park giant Merlin Entertainments says its “biggest competition” is people choosing to stay at home on their phones and other devices. Fiona Eastwood says a day out at one of its UK attractions – which include Legoland, Thorpe Park and…

Emma SimpsonBusiness correspondent Jonathan Armstrong died in October before receiving full compensation A sub-postmaster whose life was ruined by the Post Office’s faulty accounting software has died without receiving his full compensation. Jonathan Armstrong passed away in October from a heart attack at the age of 58. His widow, Sarah, is now looking into claiming…

Athletic shoe company On is facing a lawsuit from customers who claim that its popular sneakers make a “noisy and embarrassing squeak”. The “CloudTec” sneakers typically cost around $200 (£150) and have holes in the sole designed to make users feel like they are “running on clouds”. Instead, the lawsuit says, they cause issues in…