The leaves might be turning brown, but October is a month of new beginnings for business owners. As organisations gear up for the final quarter of the year, it’s time to regroup, recharge, and re-energise your network.

Networking events offer a fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from industry experts, and – if you haven’t yet pressed go – explore new opportunities for starting a business. But you need to get to them first.

It might be nearly Halloween, but don’t let your network become a ghost town. We’ve curated a list of 92 free business events taking place in 14 cities across the UK. From tech meetups to creative collaborations, there’s something for everyone.

Global ticket sales company Ticketmaster has hit the headlines again, though not for the right reasons.

From confusion over pre-sales and mishandling of concert tickets to poor communication and questionable surge pricing, the ticket distribution giant has faced a lot of backlash from frustrated concert-goers.

Now, as fans desperately try to get tickets for rock band Coldplay’s latest UK tour, we explore what’s going down with Ticketmaster, and what SMEs can learn from its current problems.

What’s going wrong with Ticketmaster?

As frustrations with Ticketmaster’s services continue, these are the main problems UK customers have faced with the company lately.

Confusion over pre-sales for Coldplay tickets

Coldplay fans were left confused after the Ticketmaster website didn’t appear to show any details for the concert pre-sale tickets. 

Pre-sale tickets were due to go up for sale at 9 AM this morning, with general tickets released at 10 AM tomorrow. However, customers were left confused after the page only showed details for the general sale tickets.

Fans who pre-ordered the band’s latest album, Moon Music, were automatically entered into the presale. From there, they should have received an email with an early access code for the pre-sale tickets. 

It was confirmed by Ticketmaster that the page will update with pre-sale details at 9 AM on the dot. It also stated that due to high demand, not everyone who has an access code is guaranteed a pre-sale ticket.

Mishandling Oasis ticket sales

The return of the famous Gallagher brothers caused an uproar of hype among fans. But Ticketmaster’s handling of concert tickets was anything but a morning glory.

The rock band announced their reunion tour in September, which would take place in the UK and Ireland next year.

Fans ran to secure tickets once they were live on Ticketmaster, but what followed was a torrent of website issues and financial dilemmas that led to the band hitting out at the company and an investigation in the works.

Fans were left waiting hours to get hold of tickets, only to find that prices had increased from £135 to over £350 because of Ticketmaster’s “dynamic ticket pricing model”, which raises the cost of tickets due to high demand.

Oasis claimed they weren’t aware of this model being used, and announced two additional dates, which would only be available to those who were unsuccessful in the initial Ticketmaster sale.

Meanwhile, consumer group Which? said that Ticketmaster should refund customers who paid extortionate prices, while The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into its dynamic pricing.

What can SMEs take away from this?

In business – as in life – things go wrong, the unexpected happens, whether that’s a global pandemic or an overloaded booking system. The key to keeping customers happy is in the handling – and making sure you have a contingency plan in place.  Here’s what small businesses can do to manage those unforeseen circumstances and keep customers onboard.

Be transparent about pricing

The problem with Ticketmaster’s pricing model is that people weren’t aware of it, and so were shocked to see tickets prices surging. Dynamic pricing is often used to change the price of products and services to reflect changing market conditions and can be beneficial for both businesses and customers. For example, to better manage their inventory, such as raising prices when stocks are low, or putting them down when there’s an excessive amount.

However, it’s important to be communicate your pricing strategy to your customers so they can make the judgement call on whether what they are purchasing is worth it. Otherwise – like Ticketmaster – expects complaints and bad press.

Maintain good customer service

Customer service is crucial in any business and plays a significant role in making or breaking your reputation. According to Ticketmaster’s Trustpilot reviews, most customers are dissatisfied with being unable to contact anyone from customer support, unhelpful customer representatives and slow responses.

Empathy, communication skills and product knowledge are all fundamentals of good customer service and it’s important to keep these in mind when dealing with any enquiries or complaints. Maintaining strong customer service not only boosts your reputation but also helps retain repeat customers and increases your competitive advantage.

Knowledge bases are also beneficial for providing customers with any relevant information and directing them to the right place, in turn cutting down wait times and giving customers 24/7 access even outside business hours.

Create a business continuity plan

Sudden disruptions in your business operations can be extremely stressful. That’s why having a business continuity plan is essential for navigating any unforeseen circumstances.

Ticketmaster might not have been able to predict the deluge of demand for Oasis tickets which overloaded its systems, but a good BCP with contingency for back-up tech infastructure, a clear crisis comms plan and easily accessible knowledge centre would have gone a long way in preventing disappointed customers and reputational damage.

Today’s job market feels like a lawless place. Desperate candidates are firing off hundreds of applications, and thousands are applying to entry-level roles, causing overcrowding in the recruitment process.

In this landscape, recruiters are being inundated with CVs, and it seems that common courtesy has gone out the window. In a recent survey of hiring teams, CV Genius found that a third of hiring managers are likely to break contact with a candidate with no explanation.

With communication standards slipping, the practice of ghosting (where a person cuts contact without warning) is in danger of becoming the norm. But the impact on hopeful job hunters can be gruelling. Below, we explain why ghosting occurs, and how to respond to it.

Majority of hiring managers okay with ghosting

Ghosting originates from online dating. Many users began to report that, after a few candlelit dinners, their date had disappeared, finding this easier than to end the relationship properly. Now, it seems the line between finding ‘the one’ and a dream job is becoming blurred.

CV Genius polled 625 hiring managers for its report. According to the results, 33% would be likely to ghost an unsuccessful candidate without explaining why. Meanwhile, 23% of hiring managers don’t have a problem with ghosting job applicants.

Only 44% of hiring managers say they are unlikely to ghost a candidate. This suggests that ghosting has now seeped into normalcy at many UK workplaces.

Being ghosted can haunt job seekers, however. In a separate study by CV Genius, 86% of respondents who experienced ghosting reported feeling down or depressed. Even more concerningly, 17% said that the experience left them feeling severely depressed.

Seb Morgan, Careers Expert at CV Genius, says, “it’s an incredibly frustrating experience to put effort into your CV and job interview only to have the employer disappear on you,” adding “job seekers deserve better than just radio silence.”

Ghost of a job chance

Despite the CV Genius findings, other research suggests ghosting isn’t one-sided. According to new research from the CIPD, 27% of UK employers who have attempted to fill vacancies in the last 12 months have had new starters fail to turn up on their first day at work.

For a culprit, look no further than Gen Z. It seems that younger employees are treating jobs like bad dates. In a survey by Indeed, 87% of Gen Zers said they had left their boss stranded on the first day, preferring to have a lie-in than face the day one nerves of starting a job.

The habit is perhaps becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Job hunters who have been ghosted by recruiters could be carrying their resentment at being ignored into future roles, turning the hiring process into a revolving door problem.

CV Genius confirms this generational divide. According to its report, younger hiring managers (Gen Z and Millenials) are 61% more likely to break contact with unsuccessful job applicants than older hiring managers (Gen X and Baby Boomers).

Coming like a ghost town

Clearly, ghosting is not winning hiring managers or new hires any favours with bosses. But as practice becomes commonplace, companies need talent more than ever.

According to the CIPD survey of over 1,000 UK HR or people professionals, 64% of those who attempted to recruit over the past year experienced difficulties attracting candidates. 69% of all employers agree that competition for talent has increased in the past year.

Claire McCartney, policy and practice manager at the CIPD, says the problem is down to poor communication. “During the recruitment process, employers should keep communication open with candidates, being clear on the purpose and values of their organisation, as well as benefits such as flexible working,” she advises. 

Having a clear and structured approach to responding to job applications could be the answer for companies that are being weighed down by masses of applications. 

Not only will this help job seekers feel more valued, but it will also ensure that your chosen hire is likely to turn the tables and cut contact with hiring managers before or during their probation. In short, good messaging will stop your workplace from becoming a ghost town.

“It’s important to make sure prospective employees are committed to the role and know what to expect when joining a new organisation”, adds McCartney.

Office workers know the fear of trying to stifle a yawn on a Zoom call, or keep up a constant smile while coworkers are speaking. Soon, though, how you act and feel during meetings could become a matter for performance reviews.

New monitoring software is being trialled by BT that can continuously film employees at their desks, and even track their emotions in real-time. According to The Metro, BT is currently in ‘proof of concept’, which means the product could be on the shelves soon.

BT says the technology is only being tested as a cybersecurity tool. But with surveillance tech increasingly being used to monitor staff performance and attendance at work, this could be yet another reason for workers to shy away from a return to the office.

Emotion recognition

BT unveiled a demonstration of the technology at its annual cybersecurity festival earlier this month. Known as ‘continuous authentication’, it is similar to facial recognition software.

But instead of just being used during login, staff are constantly filmed by a webcam.

Metro Senior News Reporter, Jen Mills shared a picture of a handout from the festival which explains why the new technology is smart for cybersecurity. The software can send an alert, lock a computer, or even shut down if an unauthorised person sits in front of the screen.

Handout from BT (Image credit: Jen Mills)

But also listed is ‘emotion recognition’, a feature which ‘tracks the user’s emotions in real time for enhanced security or user experience analysis’.

Many companies already use emotion recognition software (also known as emotion AI) to detect how employees are feeling. For example, call centres are able to monitor what their operators say and their tone of voice to appraise an agent’s customer service skills.

Cameras are a major step up, however – and not one that everyone will be comfortable with.

Being filmed all day could make staff feel self-conscious and prevent them from being their authentic self. Given the mountain of evidence that emotion AI does not have much success, workers may also be paranoid about their feelings being wrongly identified.

Will those with Resting B**** Face (a permanently unhappy facial expression) be forever interpreted as angry? Will a person be marked unproductive for simply looking offscreen? Without clear answers from managers, these doubts could foster mistrust in the workplace.

Why is employee tracking controversial?

If employees aren’t necessarily in favour of emotion AI, then who is? Like a lot of modern phenomena, the answer can be traced back to COVID, and the rise in flexible working.

With more office workers basing themselves from home instead of the workplace, some businesses have become fearful that their staff are becoming less productive. Employee tracking lets bosses keep an eye on how engaged the workforce is while at work.

Big Four consultancy firm PwC made headlines this month when it announced it would start tracking workers to ensure they were attending the office “a minimum of three days a week”. Those who breach the policy will be asked to explain why to their managers.

These efforts are done in the name of protecting wellbeing, by flagging signs of low morale. But there are cases where the technology has actually created more stress for staff.

In 2020, banking giant Barclays admitted to using software to send warnings if they took too many breaks.  A whistle-blower told City AM, “the stress this is causing is beyond belief and it shows an utter disregard for employee wellbeing.”

RTO mandates

A BT spokesperson told Metro that the emotion recognition aspect of its technology is not its main objective, which is to “protect our customers from cyber security threats.”

“Whilst the technology could potentially support employee wellbeing (such as prompting an employee to take a break), BT’s research focus is on the security aspect”, they added.

Whatever their intentions, however, we have already seen how organisations are misusing tech that supposedly aids staff, in order to gain oversight of a less visible, remote workforce.

As bosses seek out ways to encourage a return to office, the debate is in danger of becoming an internecine conflict. Businesses must now decide what employee monitoring is really for: ensuring staff safety, or encouraging presenteeism?

The state of the UK’s high street continues to diminish.

With around 14 shop closures reported every day in 2023 alone, the future of many bricks and mortar stores is looking increasingly precarious. 

This week, London was reported as the least viable UK city for businesses planning to open physical stores, with even the world-famous Oxford Street looking to pedestrianisation to halt the ecommerce era decline. 

The decline of the high street – brands that are in trouble

As of September 2024, a total of 6,945 stores have closed this year – equivalent to 38 shops per day.

According to research by accountancy firm PwC, chemists, pubs and banks have been hit the hardest. Brands like Boots and Wetherspoons have also announced further store closures earlier this year. 

Health and beauty retailer Boots announced that it was closing 300 stores as part of a cost-saving program – aiming to save around £618 million altogether. 

Meanwhile, JD Wetherspoons announced it would be putting several of its UK sites up for sale, with 41 officially closed. TGI Fridays also recently fell into administration, selling off all 87 of its restaurant locations. Meanwhile, bank branches including Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland are also set to close 292 stores between 2024 and 2025.

Other well-known brands, including The Body Shop, Ted Baker and Lloyds Pharmacy all filed for administration this year.

The best (and worst) places to open a physical store

With inflation on the rise and the cost of living crisis still ongoing, opening a brick-and-mortar store can be like walking a tightrope. But introducing your brand on the high street isn’t entirely out of the question.

London is the least viable for new businesses

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the capital city tops the list for the most expensive city to set up shop. Even the famous Oxford Street has been struggling, losing out to online shopping following the COVID-19 lockdown measures.

“Oxford Street was once the jewel in the crown of Britain’s retail sector, but there’s no doubt that it has suffered hugely over the past decade,” The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated. “Urgent action is needed to give the nation’s most famous high street a new lease of life.”

Research by Capital On Tap revealed that London rental costs were at £3.02 per square foot. Purchasing property can set businesses back £416.98 per square foot, while handyman services cost around £39 an hour. 

Plymouth, Newport and Nottingham revealed as the most viable locations

London might be out of reach for now, but Plymouth and Newport were found to be the best places to open a physical shop. 

For example, the average monthly rental cost per square foot is just 76p in Plymouth and 82p in Newport. Additionally, costs for handyman services and essential utilities (eg mobile plans and internet) are under £30 per month. 

On the other hand, Nottingham was reported to have an unemployment rate of 6.5%, making it an appealing choice for hiring new workers.

High street brands that are succeeding

It’s not all doom and gloom though.

While these recent closures might seem grim, there are actually some businesses that are performing exceptionally well on the high street.

Itsu aims to open 80 new restaurants

In July 2024, Asian-style restaurant Itsu announced plans to open 80 new restaurants across the UK. This will include expanding to major city centres to capitalise on shoppers, commuters, tourists and students.

As of September 2024, the company has reported a record full-year revenue of £161 million, while its franchise sales have grown from £540,000 to £635,000 in 2023.

The company attributes its growth in sales figures to people’s return to office following COVID-19.

“Itsu retail saw a shift in trading in 2023; transport hubs showed higher customer growth while the city resumed pre-COVID sales levels, moving from a three-day to a four-day week,” Itsu said in a statement. “Following a period of opening more shops in suburban areas, the confidence to open large, prominent, higher-rent restaurants returned as post-COVID trading patterns became clearer.”

Primark continues to dominate

Primark products not being available to buy online definitely raises some eyebrows, but the popular fashion retailer is standing strong. Even after its £1 billion loss following lockdown, the company stood its ground on remaining in-store only.

It introduced its click-and-collect service in 2022 and recently announced a further 54 stores to launch this service, including Derby, Birmingham and Corby.

This new service saw profits for the company skyrocket. Sales increased by 46% to £508 million, with a margin recovery of 11.3%.

M&S announces store renewal plans

Long-time retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) unveiled plans to expand its convenience stores, including 10 new stores and 50 renewals. By the end of the year, the company plans to operate in over 40 UK train stations, hospitals, and airports.

Alex Freudmann, Food Managing Director at M&S, stated: “Our renewal programme is all about making sure we have the right stores in the right place and with the right space and this applies to our convenience stores as well.”

“The new renewal format for our convenience stores maximises these small spaces to deliver the M&S Foodhall experience for the missions our customers are shopping for as they travel,” he added. “By renewing and growing our convenience estate, we’ll continue to deliver for our customers, however, whenever and whatever they want to shop with us.”

The company’s revenue rose from £11.9 billion to £13 billion in the 52 weeks up to the end of March 2024 – a 9.3% increase from the previous year.

Keep up to date on the latest high street casualties with our list of UK brands that have gone into administration since COVID.

American-style diner TGI Fridays has officially filed for administration, while Karen’s Diner has ceased trading in the UK.

With the collapse of these chains happening almost simultaneously, it raises questions about how restaurant businesses can survive in a time of economic uncertainty.

The downfall of TGI Fridays

The first TGI Fridays restaurant was opened in New York in 1965, with a signature look inspired by the Barnum & Bailey Circus and a mission to put on “the greatest show on earth”. 

Just over 20 years later, TGI Fridays landed in the UK and opened its first restaurant in Birmingham. Since then, it expanded to 87 more locations across the country. 

Now, with all of its locations up for sale, it looks like the American dream is over for its UK restaurants. 

Today, Hostmore – the UK operator for TGI Fridays – announced it was filing for administration. The company has put all 87 of its restaurants up for sale, with around 3,000 jobs at risk.

Hostmore had agreed to acquire the TGI brand for £117 million in April, but this deal was later retracted as the American company had lost control of key assets. 

As a result, the company’s share price dropped by a staggering 90%. It was also reported that sales had fallen by more than 10% compared to the previous year, with rising inflation and the cost of living crisis exacerbating this decline. 

Matthew Bibby, chief financial officer (CFO) of Hostmore, stated: “Unfortunately, all of the Board’s efforts to implement a lasting solution to support the long-term financial future of the business came against a highly challenging trading and macroeconomic backdrop, and efforts to create value for shareholders through the proposed acquisition of TGI Fridays, while well-advanced, encountered adverse events outside of the Board’s control.”

While the administration process has begun, the restaurants are continuing to operate as normal for the time being. 

Karen’s Diner ceases trading in the UK

In similar news, Australian restaurant chain Karen’s Diner has also announced that it has stopped trading in the UK. 

Known for its purposely rude service, the chain went into liquidation due to “mounting financial pressure”. 

The company previously closed multiple sites across the UK, leaving it with just a single location in Angel, London. At the time, the group said that it wanted to focus on “pop up” events rather than opening new restaurants.

However, this is “very unlikely to take place” following the liquidation of its parent company, Viral Ventures UK. 

“It is always a challenging moment when a business, especially one with the reach of Viral Ventures, is forced into liquidation,” Jeremy Frost, director of insolvency firm Frost Ltd commented. “We understand the disappointment and concern, particularly for those with deposits for upcoming shows. Our priority is to guide those affected  through this process and ensure the necessary steps are taken.”

According to recent accounts filed to Companies House, Viral Ventures owes over £400,000 to creditors. It was also reported that the majority of Karen’s Diner staff were on zero-hour contracts.

What can businesses take from this?

Even before entering administration, TGI Fridays was already facing difficulties in staying relevant and keeping up with consumer preferences.

Aside from its decline in sales, TGI Fridays briefly rebranded by changing its name to  “Fridays” in an attempt to modernise. However, its original name was quickly restored after it was discovered that customers still referred to it as “TGIs”.

Moreover, customers pointed out that the quality of the food at TGI Fridays wasn’t the same compared to when it first opened.

A customer on Reddit commented: “I remember over 10 years ago TGI Fridays being a pretty good place to eat. Over the past few years, I’ve been to 3 different locations (none my choice) and it’s been terrible. Mashed potatoes didn’t taste edible and their ‘boneless wings’ were essentially cheap popcorn chicken. Had to cancel the mains and leave the rest of the food uneaten.”

Another added that its food had become “common” and could be found in other restaurants.

“The Jack Daniels ribs were amazing when I first tasted them. Now it sells the type of food that is common everywhere,” it read. “Want a burger loaded with cheese and BBQ sauce? Well then go to Wetherspoons. Want some ribs covered again in BBQ sauce? Well then, go to any sizzlers chain or similar.”

As for Karen’s Diner, the eager expansion to new locations proved that while opening in new areas can be a sign of success, it also adds overhead costs, as ultimately proven when all but one restaurant was closed down. The controversy surrounding the closure of its Brighton Marina store following a drug bust – where a high reading of cocaine was found on a baby changing table – only further added to its struggles. 

The collapse of both TGI Fridays and Karen’s Diner will come as disappointing, but serve as a reminder that even well-known brands can become vulnerable if they don’t adapt to changing market conditions and customer expectations.

Dragons’ Den has given us TV gold, and the investors a goldrush. Its most successful pitches (including hair sensation, Tangle Teezer and airport irritation, Trunki) are now household names. And special shout out to Startups-100 titan, Reggae Reggae sauce.

It’s easy to forget that the show has only been around since 2005. Today, the format is familiar to most Brits. But when it first aired, reviewers were entranced by this amazing opportunity to watch business pitches on prime time telly.

Ahead of the show’s 20th anniversary next January, we’ve decided to check where the fresh-faced pitchers from Series 1 are today (plus gawp at the floppy noughties haircuts of the original Dragons). Find out if the founders, and their businesses, survived the den.

1. Charles Ejogo and Umbrolly, Episode 1

• Investors: Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones
• Agreed amount: £150,000 for 40% of equity

Ejogo became one of the first entrepreneurs to successfully pitch to the Dragons, proving it is possible to leave the den alive. In the first ever episode, broadcast on 5 January 2005, Ejogo won over two investors with his umbrella vending machine business idea. Caught in a shower? Simply pop in a coin and the machine will spit out a brolly to keep your suit dry.

Unfortunately, seven months later, Bannatyne and Jones took a rain check, and the offer fell through. Ejogo was undeterred, and he was able to secure alternate angel investment, which he used to take Umbrolly to the US, France, and Germany in 2008.

Sadly, the sun stopped shining on Umbrolly in 2010. After losing its UK operating partner, it was forced to dissolve. Now based in Dubai, Ejogo is today working at a travel startup.

2. Tracey Graily and Grails Ltd1, Episode 2

• Investors: Doug Richard and Rachel Elnaugh
• Agreed amount: £120,000 for 40% of equity

Graily probably wouldn’t have much success pitching her tailor-made business suits for women today, with flexible working having drastically changed how we dress in the office. 2005 was the era of The Matrix, however, and the Nehru suit was in fashion.

Richard and Elnaugh both fell for Graily’s pitch and invested £60,000 in the mother-of-two’s company. Unfortunately, the offer fell through. Graily reportedly became ill, and the business was wound up owing thousands of pounds one year later.

Graily set up as a sole trader in 2009 and began offering consultancy services. Tragically, however, the businesswoman died after being hit and trapped by her own car in 2012.

3. Tracie Herrtage and Le Beanock, Episode 3

• Investors: Rachel Elnaugh
• Agreed amount: £54,000 for 49% of equity

Interior decor could be.. questionable in the early 2000s. But Le Beanock (the beanbag and hammock hybrid we’d all been waiting for) succeeded when Herrtage pitched it in episode three of the first series. She was offered over £50,000 by the sole female Dragon.

Despite the apparent happy ending, however, Herrtage says she ended up £10,000 in debt because the money never came through and no deal was signed. Likely, this was due to Elnaugh’s company Red Letter Days going into administration in 2005.

After going to her fellow Dragons Jones and Bannatyne for financial support, Elnaugh was unable to revive Red Letter Days and she agreed to leave the show one year later. Companies House filings show that the Le Beanock was dissolved in 2018.

4. John & Phillip Petty and IV Cam, Episode 3

• Investors: Peter Jones and Doug Richard
• Agreed amount: £50,000 for 30% of equity

John Petty’s pitch was hardly smooth. He failed to explain clearly to the Dragons what his product (a camera that could accurately measure 3D items) did. Thankfully, Phillip Petty turned up to translate the techtalk, and the brothers managed to secure a sizable windfall.

However, a behind the scenes dispute with the Dragons meant that the deal ultimately failed. Jones and Richard wanted to licence the tech, rather than manufacture it. Unconvinced, the Pettys walked away, applying for funding via a bank loan instead.

The Dragons’ gold might have gone untouched, but the Pettys’ business is still going strong today, making it the first business to have escaped the Den, and still live to tell the tale.

5. Paul Thomas and Mycorrhizal Systems, Episode 4

• Investors: Simon Woodroffe
• Agreed amount: £75,000 for 25% of equity

Paul Thomas went digging for truffles and found them. Having correctly identified the huge value and market potential of these edible spores, he decided to buy land to cultivate the UK’s first ever truffle farm — and visited the Dragons for help.

Thomas was, sadly, ridiculed. Almost all of the Dragons rubbished the idea and, despite receiving an offer from Woodroffe, Thomas turned down the investment after the show.

To investors, Mycorrhizal Systems is the truffle that rolled away. In 2015, Thomas’ company harvested the first ever truffle cultivated from UK soil; a prize that promises a big payout for the business. Thomas has since gone on to sell his exciting invention across the world.

6. Elizabeth Galton Ltd, Episode 5

• Investors: Duncan Bannatyne and Rachel Elnaugh
• Agreed amount: £110,000 for 30% of equity

If you haven’t seen Galton’s bold jewellery line, you’re in for a treat. The four male Dragons were perplexed by her giant metallic cockroaches that resembled warped garden ornaments. “I’m completely diverted by this bug on your chest”, said a baffled Doug Richard.

Bannatyne and Elnaugh both agreed to invest £55,000 each in the business. Still, Elnaugh’s financial woes meant Galton rejected her offer after filming and instead secured the money from another private investor. Rubbing salt in the wound, Elnaugh also reportedly wore Galton’s £3,000 design in a photoshoot without payment, causing the two to fallout.

Galton’s wings appear to have been clipped by the financial crisis, and the company dissolved in 2008. But she has since gone on to have a very successful career as a creative director for multiple luxury jewellery brands, and is currently working as a consultant.

7. Nik Rawcliff & Paddy Radcliff and Snowbone, Episode 6

• Investors: Rachel Elnaugh
• Agreed amount: £75,000 for 33.3% of equity

Pitched by “radical snowboarder” Nik Rawcliff, the Snowbone boasted a discreetly designed handlebar that could flip up to turn the board into a BMX-style bike. Coming in the wake of video games like SSX 3, it aimed to capitalise on rising snow sport mania.

Elnaugh agreed to put £75,000 into the company. Completing a bad run on the investment slopes, however, she only managed to put £25,000 into the brand before her own venture collapsed, leaving Rawcliff and Radcliff searching for investment.

The duo fared well. In 2008, Snowbone even won £50,000 in a design competition. However, sales never quite left the dry run, and in 2015, Companies House filings show that the brand became dormant. Let’s hope Snowbone can kick-flip things off again soon.

8. Huw Gwyther and WONDERLAND, Episode 6

• Investors: Peter Jones
• Agreed amount: £175,000 for 40% of equity

Until the final episode, Series 1 of Dragons’ Den was looking like a series of failures and poor investment decisions. Until, mercifully, Huw Gwyther came along with Wonderland, a high-end fashion and culture magazine, pitched under the name Visual Talent Ltd.

Spotting Gwyther’s clear editorial expertise, Jones immediately leapt on the idea and it proved to be one of his best decisions yet. Today, the magazine has hundreds of celebrity fans, over one million followers on Instagram, and is estimated to be worth around £220m.

Like Alice, Gwyther has written a fairytale ending with Wonderland. Now, he’s enjoying the results. In 2023, he stepped down from directorial duties at the magazine, and is working as a freelancer brand developer. Well, at least someone got their happily ever after…

20 years later

Series one might not have brought the best Return on Investment (ROI) for the Dragons. But business is a gamble. One winner in eight is a fairly standard success rate for investors.

Two decades on, the Dragons will be hoping that Series 22 brings them a bigger pot of gold to guard. And of course we’ll be tuning in, to see which brave entrepreneur can slay the Dragon and win funding for their next great venture.

Is it worth meeting the Dragons? Amelia Christie-Miller, founder of Bold Bean Co, gives us her honest review of Dragons’ Den and what it did for her business.

You’ve hardly had time to pack away the barbecue. Visit your favourite supermarket, however, and you’ll be able to shop online for a case of mince pies. They’ve been there since late August.

Other seasonal goods are already on the shelves, including pumpkin-wrapped chocolate balls for Halloween, and fireworks for Bonfire Night. Every year it seems to come earlier, and yet Brits still get a cheap thrill from commenting “but summer’s barely over!”.

It’s not all a big conspiracy. Known as ‘Christmas creep’ or ‘holiday creep’, the trend has been around since the mid-1980s, and it makes sense when you know the reason why.

There is a business reason that you can buy an advent calendar three months before December 1. Below, we’ll explain the method behind the madness and why timing the release of stock is such a key challenge for retailers.

Why is it Christmas in September?

Retail analysts offer differing theories on why Christmas creep occurs. One explanation is profits. Firms often refer to the period of October and December as ‘the golden quarter’, when spending can double or triple. For some retailers, it can make or break their year.

As companies compete for the best performance, holiday creep is an example of aggressive tactics to win sales. A head start will be key this year due to the cost of living crisis. Shoppers are more likely to spend if they can spread purchases over an extended period.

Like much of marketing, holiday creep is also psychological. If you can get Santa in front of shoppers early, they’ll start thinking about what to buy earlier, also boosting sales.

Then there are more practical reasons. Retailers might be trying to flog old stock that’s been stored and gathering dust from the last Halloween or Easter. They might even have sold their summer inventory quicker than expected, and just need something to fill the space.

Why holidays give us the creeps

For those who feel comfortable listening to ‘Jingle Bells’ in June, it’s hard to see the problem with a festive window display. Whatever the reason, Christmas creep can also cause intense dislike among consumers; as unwanted as a snowball to the face.

For the same reason that an early birthday present feels like cheating, seeing plastic bats and cobwebs can make things feel less special when Halloween night rolls around.

Despite this, the technique seems to work for retail. One survey carried out in 2016 found that by October, around 40% of consumers have started making a mental list for Christmas. By November, more than 80% of consumers are actively buying gifts.

There can be an advantage to embracing the creep. Many stores release old Christmas stock on discount in early October so savvy shoppers can snag a steal.

Tesco has already revealed it will slash the prices of Quality Street and Cadbury boxes this month. Meanwhile, the Amazon Prime Day mega sale comes in October, swiftly followed by November’s Black Friday, providing a great opportunity to cross things off your shopping list.

It’s all about timing

Like much of retail, striking the right balance between holiday cheer and holiday creep comes down to timing. You need to be able to predict when the items in your inventory will be most in-demand. And getting this purchasing pattern wrong can be disastrous.

Ordering in seasonal stock early allows retailers to manage cash flow, and accumulate the right amount of stock ahead of busier months. However, it means betting on customer needs, which can be as unpredictable as the weather.

Marks & Spencer said last week that during a wet week this summer, “raincoat” was the most popular item on its site. The retailer was underprepared, having stocked up on shorts.

Outside of just seasonal trends, businesses must also consider product lead time before ordering stock (calculated as the date of delivery minus the date when the order was placed). If supplier delays are not factored in, merchandising plans can be ruined.

Having a detailed marketing plan, with your sales promotions mapped out, is the best way to manage seasonal stock. Holiday creep may irritate some shoppers. But when December 1 rolls around, retailers will be kicking themselves if they’ve left their Christmas lists too late.

Homer Simpson at the nuclear power plant. Logan Roy barking “f*** off” at colleagues. Watching television shows and films about business is often our first interaction with the workplace. And often, that depiction is entirely inaccurate.

Which industry you work in will affect how irksome you find these transgressions. Some are obvious (like The Apprentice candidates being given fourteen seconds to design a logo).

For those who have never experienced office culture, though, it can be hard to sort fact from fiction. Gen Zers working their first job might be forgiven for thinking important business meetings are hosted in their CEO’s living room, a la Don Draper from Mad Men.

Below, we’ve outlined seven common TV tropes about jobs that would never be allowed to happen outside the silver screen, and what the non-Hollywood version really looks like.

1. Bored at work? Invite your best friends over

From Friends to Fraiser to Parks and Recreation, sitcom characters have no respect for their mates’ careers. Throughout the working day, they will frequently barge in on their best friend and begin gabbing away on a swivel chair (while several emails go unanswered).

In reality, inviting random strangers to the office violates GDPR laws and would not win you any favours with management. It’s also just weird. Why aren’t they busy at their own jobs?

The same goes for the many, many scenes where a mysterious, breathless woman turns up at the desk and claims to be a long-lost relative of the main character. Unless they’re in a coworking space, the office receptionist would certainly get a stern talking to.

2. Never ask for help or you’re bad at your job

There’s no ‘I’ in team. But there is an ‘I’ in fiction, and most make-believe offices have a trend of the main cast being Jacks-of-all-trades, rather than seeking out the experts.

Legal drama, Suits is notorious for this. Outside help will almost always be called in at law firms (it’s simply impossible for one person to know all the answers) yet office renegade Harvey is depicted as the authority in everything, from business mergers to custody law.

Teamwork is crucial in workplaces. Project teams will usually have third-party consultants or agencies involved. If your cast list doesn’t stretch that far, however, it’s easier to have a stellar lead who somehow has web design experience to complement their law degree.

3. Don’t worry, you can skip the boring bits

Three seconds after the scene where a character storms angrily out of an important shareholder meeting, I wonder: how will they write that up in the minutes? In TV land, though, this isn’t an issue: paperwork doesn’t exist.

Newsflash graduates, admin is a huge part of any job, especially when starting out. Producers want to skip this bit and get straight to the glamour. Perhaps they’re missing out on the genuine excitement that an email typo can bring to a stale day at the office.

If EastEnders is short on drama, it could show Linda Carter accidentally ordering 100 crates of bottled beer from a supplier with unreliable delivery times, resulting in stockouts and a boycott of The Queen Vic. It’s not quite Steve killing Saskia with an ashtray, of course.

4. Had a good day at work? You should be promoted

Perhaps a character tells a funny joke and it makes the boss smile. Boom, promotion. Maybe they pitch an idea in a meeting and it raises the roof. Boom, pay rise.

Whatever the scenario, TV bosses are eager to throw out rewards and bonuses like they’re sweets — presumably leaving their sweating, crying HR team to update contracts, write new job descriptions, and compile reams of information about employee benefits overnight.

The effect is a generation of young people raised on TV who think their career will advance if they can just win over a certain manager. In reality, promotions can take months of performance reviews to complete. Still, it’s fun to dream.

5. Doing something without permission is proactive, not stupid

Managers get a lot of flack, especially on TV shows. They are constantly shown as a walking, talking roll of red tape, coming down on the prodigal intern character to make them do boring things like ‘tell us when you go on holiday’ or ‘ask permission first’.

Industry, a BBC show set in an investment firm, follows six young finance graduates as they navigate the cut-throat competitive world. Heroine Harper immediately carries out a risky six-figure trade for a high-flying client. It’s a suspenseful scene, and also unrealistic.

In reality, Harper would not have the level of seniority to make the trade, and for good reason; risk management is vital for transparent, ethical trading.

The depiction of managers as obstacles, rather than important mentors, has unfortunately seeped into real life. Bosses say their reports think they know better than them. Remember that managers are a vital pillar for junior employees, despite their devilish TV persona.

6. Why not hire all your friends?

Taking on your best friend as a client is not unheard of in real life. In most work dramas, though, a character will sign up their life-long pal as a customer with little thought. Conflict of interest? Never heard of it! Yet in real life, this can pose serious ethical challenges.

Take Emily in Paris, the TV show where Lily Collins plays a blinky American girl doll who works at a French marketing agency. In one episode, Emily manages to convince her boss to let her become account manager to new client and best friend Camille’s family business.

Many firms run ‘refer a friend’ schemes to encourage staff to put their mates forward for job vacancies. Still, Emily’s level of intimacy is unprofessional and could lead to special treatment. Best to maintain personal boundaries between (but who would watch that?).

7. Of course you can take a five hour lunch break!

Unless a TV show is set in the workplace, the writers will almost certainly act as though it doesn’t exist. After all, TV is fantasy land, and we don’t want to watch a show where people work a normal 9-5 (unless, for some reason, that show is The Office).

Watching sitcom characters, teens would be forgiven for thinking that taking a five-hour rest break from work is normal. Even with flexible work, it’s not. Given the amount of daytime coffees that the Friends cast drank, they had all managed to wrangle a 10 hour work week.

Thankfully, that dream of endless spare time is marginally more possible with the advent of the four-day week. Who wouldn’t use their day off to lounge in Central Perk coffee house? Just pretend every Friends episode takes place on a Friday and stop questioning.

Supermarket giant Asda is facing a £1.2 billion equal pay claim. More than 60,000 of Asda’s mostly female shop workers allege they were paid less than male warehouse workers.

The Asda tribunal has caught public attention, but cases over unequal pay are not as rare as workers might think.

New analysis of Ministry of Justice data from money.co.uk reveals that there were more than 13,500 equal-pay-related claims filed in England and Wales within the last year.

Asda workers rally together for equal pay

A group of Asda workers held demonstrations outside the Trades Union Congress (TUC) offices in Brighton and Manchester earlier this week, where the hearing will take place. More female workers are also planning to rally outside its Perth superstore next week.

It is alleged that Asda’s retail workforce, which is mainly female, receives up to £3.74 less than its warehouse workers, who are predominantly male.

The tribunal is expected to last three months and could see underpaid roles be able to claim six years’ worth of pay as compensation, according to law firm Leigh Day. It comes after fashion retailer Next was made to pay £30 million after it was ruled that the company failed to show that its pay gap between male and female staff was not gender discrimination.

An Asda spokeswoman said that while the company respects current and former employees to bring this case, it strongly denied the claims that its pay rates are influenced by gender.

“There are numerous different jobs within retail and within warehouses,” she added. “We continue to defend these claims because retail and distribution are two different industry sectors that have their own distinct skill sets and pay structures.”

This isn’t the first time Asda disappointed workers on pay this year. The company previously faced an IT glitch in which thousands of workers received incorrect pay, including missing two weeks’ worth of wages.

Statistics reveal that equal pay cases aren’t rare

Gender pay gaps are a persistent issue in the UK, both in large and smaller businesses, as the money.co.uk analysis reveals; equal pay disputes led to 13,594 claims being made in workplaces in the last year.

The average award for sex discrimination cases was also reported to be at £37,607, including unequal pay cases, according to money.co.uk’s HR Red Flags report.

The gender pay gap in the UK currently stands at 9.1%, according to PwC Research. 

Big businesses, such as easyJet, British Airways and Co-op have been named and shamed for failing the gender pay gap, but even startups and younger businesses are implicated. The gap in UK tech startups  is at 30% – more than double the national average. 

As this sector tends to be male-dominated, this significant gap reflects the broader structural issues in the industry. Factors such as fewer female leaders, a lack of mentorship opportunities for women and the motherhood penalty contribute to the disparity.

What SMEs should know about equal pay

Understanding equal pay is important for small businesses and SMEs. Paying employees equally is a legal requirement, and failing to do so can result in tribunal hearings, expensive legal fees and a damaged reputation. Companies with 250 or more employees must also report their gender pay gap data on a specific day every year (known as a “snapshot date”).

Additionally, while organisational culture and work-life balance play an important role in employee engagement, a fair salary can also be a powerful motivator. 39.4% of employees also ranked fair pay as the main reason for staying with an organisation, according to research by Nectar.

While Asda is facing a highly publicised tribunal, this case is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the UK’s gender pay gap problem. SMEs should take the increasing number of tribunal cases as a critical reminder to address pay equity in their organisations.

Fashion marketplace ASOS has announced it will begin charging some customers £3.95 to send back items, as part of a new returns policy.

The policy is similar to one enacted by fellow click-fashion brand, PrettyLittleThing (PLT) in June, who said it would deactivate accounts with “unusual high returns activity”.

Being able to place a mass order and then return unwanted items for free had been a key attraction for those buying clothes online. Affected shoppers have hit out at the charge. But ASOS has stood firm, arguing that “nothing’s changed” for most customers.

Getting rid of one its biggest USPs is a controversial decision for today’s fashion websites. Below, we explain why they’ve done it, and why it could make or break the struggling brand.

What is ASOS’ new return policy?

For many ASOS customers, the new £3.95 return charge will not apply. Thousands of ASOS shoppers received a notification over the weekend informing them that changes would be made to ASOS’ return policy, but it would not affect their account.

Some (around 0.5%) were told they had a “frequently high return rate”. These buyers will have £3.95 deducted from their refund if they keep under £40 worth of items (unless they are signed up to ASOS Premier, where they’ll need to keep at least £15 of their order).

The fee is higher than at PLT, which introduced a £1.99 return charge earlier this summer. However, PLT actually deactivated customer accounts it felt had violated their return policy.

Why are returns on the rise?

In consumers’ defence, the fit and look of clothes is hard to judge when purchased online. This is why online shoppers who have not seen an item pre-purchase have a legal right to return it and be offered a full refund if requested. But they are not entitled to a free return.

The practice of not charging for returns stems from the early days of internet shopping, when many buyers were still hesitant to spend money on something they hadn’t seen in-store. Fashion brands began offering free returns to gain trust, and it has ballooned from there.

Free returns have birthed a generation of serial refunders. A survey by ZigZag found that shoppers are most likely to return fast fashion items. Nearly half did so in the last six months.

Why are returns bad for business?

You’ll likely have seen videos of teenagers showing off their ‘ASOS hauls’, and holding up piles of the latest microtrends in their bedrooms. Known as bracketing, many of these consumers will buy the bundles to try on, only to return the clothes after they’ve been worn.

Bracketing is hugely expensive for businesses. Nearly one in five online orders will now end up being sent back, representing thousands of lost sales and a huge financial toll on SMEs.

The indirect consequences can also be costly. Sellers can waste hours working on returns. Without knowing how many items will be returned, they might struggle to know what to restock. Sometimes, the returned goods might be faulty or unsellable.

Brands are fighting back. Research from Which? has found that 12 out of the 20 biggest online fashion retailers do not offer free returns, including Boohoo, Shein, and now, ASOS.

Fashion conscious, or eco-conscious?

Another reason ASOS and PLT are clamping down on refunds is sustainability. Fast fashion is responsible for 10% of global emissions, and its track record is affecting brand reputation.

Part of the problem is that clothes are being discarded too quickly, as their low cost means customers see items as disposable. Analysis shows that, globally, a stack of clothing the height of Mt Everest is sent to landfill every seven minutes.

ASOS, for its part, says it doesn’t send products to landfill or destroy them unless legally required to. But dealing with returns is a headache for businesses. Firms can’t legally resell products in poor condition, yet they also don’t have the technology to sniff every armpit and check every collar for make-up stains. Often, it’s easier to simply chuck the item.

Shoppers are more eco-conscious than ever, particularly the young crowd that make up PLT and ASOS’ core audience. When a brand becomes associated with this ‘throwaway’ culture, high return rates become not just a financial concern, but a PR one.

Think before you click

Customers have expressed anger at the new £3.95 charge from ASOS, saying it is unfair. They are missing the point. Fashion has become associated with a culture of wastefulness, and the industry must lower its return rate if it is to clean up its act.

High return rates are also unsustainable for cash flow, particularly for SMEs. ASOS has been struggling with a sales slump that has slashed its profits. That it is targeting one of its biggest USPs, free returns, shows how much of a financial impact the practice can have.

The company must accept some responsibility. Inconsistent sizing and thin descriptions on some sites can make it difficult for customers to accurately judge their order. The problem is so prevalent that the AI-based fitting solution, TrueFit, today has 80 million users worldwide.

Still, the charge is a deterrent, not an outright ban. If ASOS can get its wardrobe in order, the next task is for customers to rethink their approach to returns. If we are to find an ethical, eco-conscious way to sell and buy clothes online, consumers must think before they click.