Category Archives: News

Britain’s Dog Breeds: Perceptions vs. Reality

As the UK’s leading pet insurer, Petplan has supported dog owners for decades and knows that bringing a dog home is both exciting and demanding. With every breed suited to different lifestyles, routines and expectations, Petplan set out to explore how perceptions compare with real

Crisis, what crisis? Online spending soared 10.5% YOY in March.

Retail sales held up strongly in March, despite fears the Iran war would dent consumer confidence. The home delivery expert Parcelhero says that e-commerce sales were particularly strong, with the value of online sales up 2.4% over the previous month and 10.5% over March 2025.

Factory automation specialist FANUC has named Andy Armstrong as the new Managing Director of FANUC UK and FANUC Ireland, effective immediately. With a long history in the automation sector and over 40 years’ experience in engineering & sales, Andy has spent the past two years as Vice Managing Director for FANUC UK and FANUC Ireland. Andy’s new appointment will see him continue the positive steps taken by previous MD Tom Bouchier to support FANUC UK’s continued growth and alignment with the company’s broader European goals. Tom will now focus on his role as FANUC’s Cluster Coordinator for Northern Europe. Andy previously spent 18 years with Krauss Maffei in engineering and sales roles before joining FANUC in 2014 as a sales manager. In 2021, he was appointed Head of European Sales – ROBOSHOT, a position he continued to hold while working as Vice MD for the UK & Ireland until April this year. Andy is passionate about UK and Irish manufacturing, in particular the important role that automation and robotics can play in its success. From helping companies to compete in a global marketplace, meet increasingly stringent sustainability goals, mitigate against labour shortages, navigate the digital and AI revolution, and manage rising energy costs, Andy is in no doubt of the benefits that FANUC’s portfolio of industrial robots, robot systems and all-electric injection moulding machines can bring. “As the MD of FANUC UK and FANUC Ireland, I am keen to support the fantastic efforts being made day in and day out by our hardworking manufacturers. We’ve known for some time that a country’s productivity is directly linked to its level of automation. The UK is the only G7 nation to sit outside the global top 20 for robot density, and this must change if we are to remain competitive on the global stage. I am very much looking forward to leading the drive to increase automation uptake across the UK and Ireland, and helping companies to reap the benefits of the latest AI and data-driven robotic technology.” Marco Ghirardello, President and CEO of FANUC Europe, adds: “Andy Armstrong’s extensive experience, leadership and dedication make him ideally suited for this position, and we are confident he will continue to drive our success. I would like to congratulate Andy and wish him every success in his new role.”

Following the announcement that the government is planning to introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools in England, High Speed Training, a leading online training provider, is offering insights to help educators and parents navigate this complex issue. Dr. Richard Anderson, Head of Learning

NO ART OPEN AIR LIVERPOOL RETURNS FOR 2026 FOLLOWING SELL-OUT DEBUT

No Art Liverpool is set to return for 2026 following a completely sold out debut event in 2025, reaffirming its place as one of the city’s most anticipated electronic music events. Taking place on Saturday 8th August 2026 at Otterspool Promenade, the open-air, all-day festival

Ten years on from Parcelhero’s ‘Death of the High Street’ report, are our town centres still dying?

Parcelhero’s influential report ‘2030: The Death of the High Street’ was released in 2016. It forecast huge changes to our town centres because of the continued rise of e-commerce. A decade on, Parcelhero has published a new report: ‘2030: The High Street Fights Back? Adapting

Lovey Integrates Funding Circle’s API to Increase Customer Efficiency

Lovey (formerly Love Finance), one of the UK’s fastest-growing SME lender and broker, has today announced its integration with Funding Circle, the UK’s leading SME finance platform, to create significantly faster application journeys for customers. Funding Circle’s API will be integrated directly into Lovey’s platform

Manchester’s Festival of Libraries returns with a packed programme for all the family

Manchester City of Literature’s Festival of Libraries, the county-wide celebration of Greater Manchester’s 133 libraries, have announced a programme filled with family-friendly events, from games and performances to exhibitions, workshops and arts and crafts. The festival returns between Wednesday 10th – Sunday 14th June 2026,

Enabot Introduces EBO Max, an AI-Powered Family Robot Designed to Think, Learn, and Care

Enabot, a pioneer in family companion robotics, today announced the launch of EBO Max, its most advanced home robot to date. Powered by a new AI brain, EBO Max is designed to think, learn, and adapt within the home—bringing intelligent assistance, family companionship, and home

Manchester alt-pop breakout star Nxdia releases new EP ‘Lovemesick’

On 24 April 2026, Egyptian-Sudanese alternative pop breakout star Nxdia returns with brand-new EP Lovemesick, an anarchic and annihilating rampage through the detritus of an all-consuming and over-indulgent love destined to implode. Churning with agitated energy, pulsating electronic beats and insatiable explorations of what it

Search is on for Manchester conservationist – with launch and zoo tickets to be won

A Manchester-based environmental consultancy is calling on the city’s most dedicated conservation champions to be part of an exclusive VIP event marking a major new international nature partnership. Deansgate-based B Corp four-day week firm, Tyler Grange, is inviting nominations for a pair of guests to