Greenpeace activists board BP (BP.) oil rig as it is towed out to sea. Protesters scale 27,000-tonne rig as it leaves Cromarty Firth to demand end to drilling new wells. Greenpeace activists say they scaled the 27,000-tonne rig as it attempted to leave Cromarty Firth. The protesters are calling for BP to end the drilling for new oil wells and say they are prepared to stay onboard the rig for days. Currently occupying a gantry on a leg of the rig below the main deck, the activists want to stop the drilling rig reaching the Vorlich oilfield, where it is believed to be trying to extract up to 30m barrels of oil. Jo, a Greenpeace activist from Scotland who is aboard the rig, said: “Warm words flow from BP on their commitment to tackling climate change, yet this rig – and the 30m barrels it seeks to drill – are a sure sign that BP are committed to business as usual, fuelling a climate emergency that threatens millions of lives and the future of the living world. We can’t let that happen – that’s why we’re here today. “The government may be bent on draining the North Sea of every last drop of oil, but this clearly contradicts their climate commitments. The perverse idea we must maximise our oil and gas reserves cannot continue. “That means the government must seriously reform the Oil and Gas Authority and instead invest heavily in the crucial work of helping oil communities like those in Scotland move from fossil fuels to the industries that will power our low carbon future.”
High street visits hit six-year low as Brexit uncertainty deters shoppers. Cooler weather in May also contributed to reduction in footfall at UK stores, BRC says. The fate of Sir Philip Green’s sprawling fashion empire will be decided this week as new shopper figures lay bare the challenge faced by traditional retailers hit by customers deserting high streets, shopping centres and retail parks across the country. The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) monthly footfall tracker for May shows store visits hit a six-year low in May as cooler weather and the ongoing political uncertainty around Brexit deterred shoppers. The BRC chief executive, Helen Dickinson, said the 3.5% decline recorded by its Springboard monthly footfall tracker was the worst since January 2013. She said: “The UK experienced the worst footfall figures in six years, with declines in every region, and across high streets, retail parks and shopping centres. This reflects our recent sales data, which showed the largest drop in retail sales on record.”
Patisserie Valerie ex-chair says he was tricked by false picture of company’s health. Luke Johnson says collapse of chain shattered his self-belief. Luke Johnson, the business guru whose reputation crumbled after the implosion of Patisserie Holdings (CAKE), the cafe chain he chaired, has broken his long silence over an incident he said had left feeling him physically ill. In a self-penned account of the events leading up to the chain’s collapse Johnson said he had been tricked by a fake picture of its financial health and questioned the rosy bill of health provided by auditor Grant Thornton. Despite Johnson’s desperate attempts to rescue Patisserie Valerie, including lending it £10m of his own money, it went bust in January after the discovery of a widespread accounting fraud that masked a £94m black hole in its accounts.
