Traffic could soon be banned from part of London’s most popular shopping area, under new plans by the capital’s mayor.
A scheme announced by Sadiq Khan could see a 0.7-mile stretch of Oxford Street – between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch – pedestrianised with the aim of boosting the experience of shoppers, residents, workers and tourists.
The proposal is part of the Labour mayor’s wider regeneration project with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road.
The potential ban would build on current restrictions which limits vehicle access – apart from buses and taxis – to parts of Oxford Street from 7am to 7pm, except on Sundays.
“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 last decade,” Mr Khan said.
Image: Khan previously attempted to implement a traffic ban in 2018
“Urgent action is needed to give the nation’s most famous high street a new lease of life.
“I am excited to be working with the new government, and local retailers and businesses, on these plans that will help to restore this famous part of the capital to its former glory, while creating new jobs and economic prosperity for the capital and the country.”
The mayor’s plan depends on him obtaining permission from housing secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who could establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers.
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A statutory period of consultation and consideration by the London Assembly is also required.
Mr Khan’s previous attempt to implement a traffic ban was blocked by then-Conservative run Westminster City Council in 2018.
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If given the green light this time around, the project is expected to cost around £150m, with City Hall officials hoping it could be paid for by a combination of local businesses, new revenue streams and private funders.
Stuart Love, chief executive of Westminster City Council, said it will be important to receive further details about what is planned, including how long it could take and how concerns of locals and businesses will be addressed.
He said for the last two years the authority has worked with businesses and residents’ groups to develop a “shovel ready” plan to improve Oxford Street without pedestrianisation – but the council intends to work constructively with the mayor and the government to ensure the best outcomes for all.
The Princess of Wales has been filmed smiling and looking happy while out shopping with Prince William.
The couple were seen strolling through a car park on Saturday, in video published by The Sun, which said they were at Windsor Farm shop, close to their home.
Kate, 42, was wearing a hoodie and leggings and carried her own shopping, while the Prince of Wales was dressed in a blue coat, jeans, trainers and a baseball cap.
Image: The picture that was edited by Kate
None of their three children, 10-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis were with them.
The paper quoted shopper Nelson Silva, who took the video, and said they appeared “super relaxed”, while Kate looked “happy and relaxed”.
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Royal family attend Commonwealth Day service
Another eyewitness who watched the footage said it was “just a woman shopping with her husband on a Saturday afternoon just like thousands of other couples across the country”.
The couple have, in recent weeks, faced social media speculation surrounding Kate’s health and whereabouts.
The duchess spent time in hospital in January for abdominal surgery, shortly after her 42nd birthday.
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White House questioned over Princess photo
Kensington Palace later confirmed the surgery was successful and she would be taking time to recover at home in Windsor.
Read more: What led to admission over ‘manipulated’ photo of Kate Kate photo: ‘An intern doing that wouldn’t get a job’ Kate and William seen in public after photo controversy
Earlier this month, the princess apologised “for any confusion” after it emerged a Mother’s Day photograph of her with her children had been edited before being sent to picture agencies.
Kate said: “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.
“I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared caused.”
The image was circulated by a number of picture agencies on the day, before Reuters, Associated Press (AP), Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) told media outlets to “kill” the photo from their systems and archives.
A week ago, the prince and princess were seen in public for the first time since the controversy, when the prince went on to attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, but Kate did not.
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s individual profiles on the Royal Family website have been replaced with a combined one which is further down the page.
The joint profile includes some of the work they have done, such as Prince Harry’s Invictus Games and Sentebale charity in Lesotho, and Meghan being a patron of several organisations.
There has been a shock fall in retail sales in the key December shopping period, sharpening the decline seen in recent months, official figures show.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said sales fell an unexpected 3.2%, despite Christmas and reported discounts offered by major chains and some positive reports by major high street outfits.
Not since the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, in January 2021, had retail sales fallen at such a level.
It has been a far worse performance than the 0.5% drop expected by economists and a reversal of the 1.3% growth seen in November when discounts got people spending.
Retail sales figures are important as household consumption is the largest expenditure across the UK economy.
The data can be indicative of overall economic growth.
The UK already had a quarter of economic contraction from July to September last year.
A second three-month period of economic decline would mean the UK is technically in recession.
A country is technically in recession after two-quarters of negative growth.
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The threat of fraud and cyber scams is a 365-days-a-year problem when it comes to online shopping.
But just as the rate at which retailers hit you with promo emails scales up at this time of year, so too does the risk of falling foul of criminals trying to access your bank account.
According to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), shoppers lost more than £10m to cyber criminals over last year’s festive shopping period.
With Black Friday sales under way and Christmas on the horizon, Sky News enlisted some cybersecurity experts to offer advice on how best to stay safe and avoid scams this year.
Spotting a dodgy email
A favourite tactic of fraudsters is to draw you in with an email that looks remarkably legitimate, seemingly offering an exclusive deal at one of your favoured retailers.
It is, as Mike McLellan of Secureworks puts it, a “classic scenario we’d expect to see around Black Friday”.
An important thing to look out for is the domain name of the sender’s email address – is it a close match, but with something slightly off? Think @amaz0n.co.uk, for example.
“On smartphones, that kind of detail is usually hidden,” advises Mr McLellan. “So tap on it and check where the email has come from.”
You should also keep an eye out for misspellings and odd formatting.
However, the NCSC has warned that criminals are likely to use increasingly accessible AI tools to produce even more convincing scam emails, websites, and adverts than usual.
If you’re at all unsure, it’s good practice to go to the website directly, rather than click on any links in the email.
Fake websites
Some scams may direct you to a retailer’s login page to enter your account information.
It could look perfectly normal, and you go ahead and pop in your username and password, while in the background, criminals capture that information and use it themselves.
Chris Bluvshtein, of VPNOverview, says: “Every website should have a valid security certificate, and you can tell by the little padlock icon next to the URL.
“If a website doesn’t have one of these, then don’t give your bank details or valuable information.”
These can be some of the hardest scams to notice yourself, but banks have become very good at alerting you to “unusual logins” and flagging any subsequent dodgy transactions.
“If you suspect something bad has happened, consider changing your password,” Mr McLellan says. “And checking your bank activity.”
Text message scams
Another classic of the Black Friday scam genre is a text message suggesting you have a parcel waiting with DHL, Royal Mail, or some other delivery provider.
“Quite often you will be expecting something when you get these texts – but again keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t look normal,” says Mr McLellan.
A good indicator that something is amiss is if the text asks you for payment and includes a bit.ly link.
You should not click on these.
Image: An example of a text message scam. Pic: Royal Mail
The rise of ‘Qishing’
An emerging threat over the past year is an extension of phishing using QR codes.
Secureworks has dubbed it “Qishing”, when criminals use them to direct unsuspecting consumers to fraudulent websites that could steal their personal information.
Director of threat intelligence, Rafe Pilling, says: “We’re so used to seeing ‘scan this code’ to register, view a menu, order drinks or food to a table, or even enter competitions via the big screen at events stadiums, that consumers are thinking less about what they’re actually scanning.
“As the hype around holidays like Black Friday drives more urgency in consumer actions, we can expect to see more cyber criminals taking advantage with Qishing.”
Password managers and mobile payments
Modern smartphones and web browsers offer some useful baked-in features to help you stay safe.
Both have password managers and generators, which will come up with randomised options for you to lock your accounts and then store those behind a master password – or even biometrics like facial or fingerprint recognition.
Consider multifactor authentication as well, says Mr McLellan, for an extra layer of security.
Apple and Google Pay are good payment options if the retailer accepts them, as they protect your bank details.
“It’s best to use them instead of your debit card,” says Mr Bluvshtein.
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Image: Set up facial recognition on your phone and use it to protect your passwords
Avoid shopping on public networks
Black Friday promotions will often try to entice you with limited time deals, alerting you to them via an app notification, text message or email.
If one arrives while you’re out and about, it could be tempting to jump straight to it.
But shopping on public wi-fi networks, like those you might find at railway stations and on trains, is a bad idea, according to Mr Bluvshtein.
“Public wi-fi rarely has safety protocols such as passwords in place, and hackers can piggyback and steal unsecured banking details and sensitive information without you knowing,” he says.
What to do if you suspect you’ve been scammed
Even with the best will in the world, there may come a moment where you suspect the worst.
But try not to fret – there are steps you can take to limit the damage, or prevent any from occurring at all.
“Keep an eye on bank accounts and if you see anything unusual, get in touch with them,” says Mr McLellan.
“Banks have got very robust fraud controls these days – and that’s why it’s best to use credit cards if possible.
“If you think any of your online accounts have been compromised, change the password, and try not to reuse them across different retailers.
“We do recognise that some of these have a technical bar to them, but if nothing else, at least keep an eye on what’s happening and be vigilant about your online activity.”
The UK economy shrugged off the impact of strikes to return to growth in April, according to official figures charting a pick-up in spending at the shops and in bars and restaurants.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured growth of 0.2% following a contraction of 0.3% in the previous month.
It reported growth over the three months to April was 0.1%.
ONS director of economic statistics, Darren Morgan, said of the performance: “GDP (gross domestic product) bounced back after a weak March.
“Bars and pubs had a comparatively strong April while car sales rebounded and education partially recovered from the effect of the previous month’s strikes.
“These were partially offset by falls in health, which was affected by the junior doctors’ strikes, along with falls in computer manufacturing and the often-erratic pharmaceuticals industry.
“House builders and estate agents also had a poor month.
“Over the last three months as a whole the economy grew a little, driven largely by the construction industries.
“The services sector dragged growth downwards, partly due to the impact of public sector strikes.”
The ONS update follows hot on the heels of upgrades in recent weeks to UK economic expectations by key international bodies such as the IMF and OECD.
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OECD chief explains high UK inflation
Both had initially predicted a recession during 2023.
However, there is no cause for celebration as the growth being widely talked for this year represents just a few tenths of a per cent all considered.
Confidence to spend and invest is being dented heavily by high inflation.
The Bank of England is widely tipped to act further on the pace of rising prices by imposing a further interest rate hike next week.
It is worried that so-called core inflation, which strips out volatile elements such as energy and food, remains stubbornly high.
Rate-setters would have also been concerned by wage data revealed on Tuesday that showed a sharp rise, building on worries that wage settlements to combat the impact of inflation will just intensify the UK’s price pressures.
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Leap in basic wage growth
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said of the ONS economic data: “We are growing the economy, with the IMF saying that from 2025 we will grow faster than Germany, France and Italy.
“But high growth needs low inflation, so we must stick relentlessly to our plan to halve the rate this year to protect family budgets.”
Read more: ‘On me personally’ if inflation isn’t halved, says Rishi Sunak Wage growth is good news for workers, but not necessarily the economy – analysis
His Labour shadow, Rachel Reeves, responded: “Labour wants to match the ambition of the British people – while the Tories would rather continue down a path of managed decline of low growth and high taxes.
“Despite our country’s huge potential and promise, today is another day in the dismal low growth record book of this Conservative government.
“The facts remain that families are feeling worse off, facing a soaring Tory mortgage penalty and we’re lagging behind on the global stage.
“Labour’s mission to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 will make families across every part of our country better off.”
A dog-friendly scheme is to come to an end at a Glasgow shopping centre following complaints pets were defecating and urinating in the mall.
Silverburn Shopping Centre, on the south side of the city, announced it would be opening its doors to dogs back in October.
The “inclusive” policy was introduced in response to a rise in dog ownership.
Water bowls and waste bag stations had been placed around the complex. However, a number of visitors reported seeing dog mess being left behind by some owners.
‘Absolutely disgusting’
On the Crookston and Pollok community Facebook page, Kathleen Richards said she spotted dog faeces in the food court on her way to work.
She said the mess had not been cleaned up.
She added: “Absolutely disgusting. Had to find security to let them know.”
Another customer reported dog urine on a clothes rail, while Dawn Andrews added: “The thought of them slobbering and rubbing themselves about clothes I may want to try on is just not appealing.”
Shopper Murray Johnstone also described seeing a dog in distress after doing the toilet in the centre.
He noted: “[The dog] clearly wasn’t comfortable and [wanted] to be outside.”
On Wednesday, the centre announced the end of the trial following a review of feedback from customers and retailers.
A spokesperson said the news would be “disappointing” for those that have enjoyed taking their dogs, but added: “However, the comfort of our human guests and our retailers must be the priority.”
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‘Well done Silverburn for trying it all out’
In response to the centre’s Facebook post, one woman said her sister-in-law, who has Down’s syndrome, hadn’t been shopping since the scheme was introduced as she was “terrified of dogs”.
However, Marie Mabon praised the mall for trying the scheme out in the first place.
She said: “Well done Silverburn for trying it all out. But it didn’t work, so well done for making the decision to stop.”
The scheme is to be phased out over the next few weeks.
A statement on Silverburn’s website said: “Following a full review of customer and store feedback, we can confirm that our dog-friendly trial won’t be continued.
“We found that many of our guests don’t want the centre to be accessible to dogs for a variety of reasons, and we also had low uptake from our stores, with only a quarter participating in the trial.
“For that reason, dog-friendly shopping will no longer be in operation at Silverburn and we therefore ask that dog owners leave their pet at home when next visiting Silverburn.”
Assistance dogs will continue to be allowed in the venue.
The immigration minister has declared that “Hotel Britain” must end, calling for migrants to be housed in “simple, functional” spaces rather than “luxury” rooms.
Robert Jenrick said that a “chronic shortage of acceptable accommodation” for “record numbers” of migrants has led to the government using expensive hotels, adding to the cost for taxpayers.
But, writing in The Sunday Telegraph, he suggested that more basic accommodation should be considered, such as disused student accommodation, defunct holiday parks, or even budget cruise ships.
Mr Jenrick said: “Human decency has to be accompanied by hard-headed common sense: illegal immigrants are not entitled to luxury hotels.
“Conditions in the UK are almost always better than in neighbouring countries, which helps explain why the UK is a destination of choice for economic migrants on the continent ‘asylum shopping’.
“‘Hotel Britain’ must end, and be replaced with simple, functional accommodation that does not create an additional pull factor.”
It comes as UK ministers are under fire over conditions at the Manston holding centre in Kent – at one point as many as 4,000 people were being detained at the site, despite it being designed to hold just 1,600.
It has also emerged that people at the facility will be vaccinated against diphtheria after 39 cases of the contagious disease were recorded among asylum seekers in England in the year to 10 November.
Image: Manston migrant processing centre
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The number of migrants who have crossed the Channel into the UK is thought to have surpassed 40,000 this year, after dozens more arrived on Saturday.
And the mayor of Calais was quoted in French media as saying that “around 500 people” were rescued after 14 attempts to cross the Channel in the previous 24 hours.
Mr Jenrick said that the UK needed to work closely with French officials to deter those “attempting to cheat the process”.
It has been reported in recent days that a new agreement with France – thought to be worth about £80m – is in its final stages.
He said: “With greater co-ordination between our respective security and law enforcement agencies, we can dismantle the evil criminal gangs masterminding these crossings and bring greater order both to our shores and to northern France.”
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Mr Jenrick also said that he would look at expanding the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme introduced by former home secretary Priti Patel.
The scheme, which sees migrants deported to the east African nation, whether their asylum applications are successful or not, has not yet been used.
But Mr Jenrick said similar agreements will be explored with other countries, adding that those travelling from “safe” nations must not view small boats as “a path to a life here”.
