Greencore has made a third takeover bid for rival food supplier Bakkavor after its previous £1.1 billion offer was rejected earlier this month. The latest proposal values Bakkavor at 189p per share, offering a 25% premium on its market price.

The offer includes 85p in cash per share and 0.523 Greencore shares, with Bakkavor shareholders also eligible for a 4.8p dividend. If accepted, Greencore shareholders would own 59.8% of the combined company, while Bakkavor investors would hold 40.2%.

Both companies are major UK food manufacturers, supplying ready meals and food-to-go products to supermarkets. Greencore, headquartered in Ireland with a UK base in Worksop, turned over £1.8 billion last year and operates 14 factories nationwide. Bakkavor, which generated £2.3 billion in revenue in 2024, runs 20 factories and four distribution centres. The company has faced supply chain disruptions, including a strike at its Spalding site that led to shortages of dips, soups, and wraps.

Bakkavor’s board has rejected Greencore’s offers, stating they undervalue the company and its prospects. Greencore said it remains open to strategic opportunities but has not confirmed whether it will make a firm offer.

Anglian Water has signed a new three-year agreement with emergency water supplier Water Direct to enhance rapid-response water deliveries across East England. The deal ensures up to 20,000 emergency water deliveries per year for households on Anglian Water’s Priority Services Register (PSR), which supports vulnerable customers during supply disruptions.

The partnership, which dates back to 2008, increases Anglian Water’s reserves in Water Direct’s Nationwide Bottled Water Bank (NWBW) for faster emergency response. Water Direct has committed to delivering water to at least 2,000 households within 24 hours when required.

The agreement aligns with regulatory changes expected to expand the number of customers eligible for PSR support by up to 40%. By outsourcing emergency deliveries, Anglian Water can reallocate internal resources to focus on resolving supply issues, improving operational efficiency.

Water Direct is also developing a technology platform to enhance real-time tracking, customer data verification, and delivery management, ensuring more efficient and transparent emergency water distribution.

Major UK retailers have increased pay rates in 2025 to attract and retain staff amid rising living costs. Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, and John Lewis offer higher wages for store employees.

Aldi raised its minimum hourly rate to £12.75 nationally and £14.05 within the M25 in March, with further increases to £12.85 and £14.16 set for September. Lidl matched Aldi’s £12.75 national rate and pays £14.00 within the M25, with longer-serving staff earning up to £13.65 nationally and £14.35 in London.

Tesco has invested £180 million in wage increases, setting hourly pay at £12.45 to £12.64 nationally and up to £13.85 in London. John Lewis and Waitrose opted to reinvest £114 million into employee wages instead of offering partner bonuses, setting new shop floor rates at £12.40 nationally and £13.85 in London.

Other retailers making notable pay increases include B&Q (£12.71 nationally, £14.05 in London), Sainsbury’s (£12.45–£12.60 nationally, £13.70–£13.85 in London), and Marks & Spencer (£12.60 nationally, £13.85 in London).

The pay hikes reflect ongoing competition in the retail sector to offer competitive wages and retain workers in a tight labour market.

CityFibre has acquired Connexin’s full-fibre infrastructure, expanding its presence in Hull and East Riding and adding up to 185,000 premises to its network. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

The acquisition includes Connexin’s existing network, which covers more than 80,000 premises, with plans for an additional 20,000. CityFibre will also take over Connexin’s Project Gigabit contract, delivering gigabit-capable broadband to over 34,000 hard-to-reach premises in Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire.

Connexin’s XGS-PON network will be integrated into CityFibre’s wholesale services, with full integration expected later this year. This move aligns with CityFibre’s broader strategy to reach at least eight million premises across the UK.

This acquisition follows CityFibre’s purchase of Lit Fibre in May 2024 and previous deals, including FibreNation from TalkTalk in 2020 and national network assets from KCOM and Redcentric.

Founded in 2011, CityFibre is a fibre-only provider competing with Openreach and Virgin Media O2. The company sees market consolidation as essential for the UK’s fibre rollout.

The family of a respected Derby businessman who died unexpectedly last year has pledged to preserve his legacy by taking the helm of the company he led for more than three decades. Andy Priestley started working for design, refurbishment and fit-out firm DSP (Interiors) in 1988 and took over the reins four years later, dedicating his entire career to the company until his sudden death aged 57 last year. Now Louisa, his wife of 35 years, has taken over as Managing Director, while daughter Olivia, 23, has become Marketing Director, with 20-year-old son Harrison undertaking an apprenticeship at the firm. The family, which also includes Harrison’s twin brother Mason, who is studying for a degree at Sheffield Hallam University, hope they will do Andy proud by continuing his legacy. Louisa, who has been part of the company for more than 20 years, said: “Losing Andy was a total shock. We had just returned from a bucket list trip to Scotland completing the NC-500. “We are all still very much grieving however, we know that he would want us to continue his legacy – DSP was his passion and the team here were his second family. “We owe it to him, to his team and to our customers to ensure DSP remains the leader in its field. His influence is still very much present in everything we do, and that won’t change.” DSP (Interiors) has worked with some of the biggest companies in the East Midlands including Rolls-Royce, Alston, SureScreen Diagnostics, Ward Recycling, Charterspace and KTM Motorsports. The firm, which provides bespoke designs and fit-outs, employs 12 members of staff and many have worked for the company for between 20 and 30 years. The family has spent the last few months putting transparent systems in place which are shared across the team and introducing a cloud-based CRM system to harness the skills and knowledge Andy and the team had. Olivia, a former Trent College pupil, has recently graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Business and Spanish. She had always intended to join the family firm eventually, but had not expected it would be under such tragic circumstances. Olivia said: “I spend a lot of time each day asking myself what Dad would have done, and now I understand the operation so well there are many things I would love to be able to chat about with him. “I know Dad would be incredibly proud of us all and not a day goes past where we don’t talk about him. I think looking after – and growing – DSP is an appropriate tribute to him. “We’ll never stop missing him, but I hope we can continue to honour his legacy by carrying forward his vision, values and passion for what he built. His influence is felt in everything we do and we are committed to making him proud every single day.”

Mid-sized businesses in the East Midlands are showing increased confidence despite rising employment costs, according to Grant Thornton UK LLP’s latest Business Outlook Tracker. The report highlights a shift in hiring strategies, with 50% of businesses now planning to reduce or freeze hiring, up from 43% in December 2024. Many also review pay increases, bonuses, and employee benefits to manage costs.

Despite these challenges, 73% of mid-sized firms in the region are optimistic about revenue growth over the next six months, up from 65% in December. Profit expectations have also risen, with 72% forecasting an increase, compared to 43% previously.

In contrast, larger corporations across the UK are becoming less optimistic, with a 10-percentage-point drop in confidence about the UK economy and declines in expectations for funding, revenue growth, and profit increases.

Grant Thornton’s Matt Buckingham noted that East Midlands businesses are adapting quickly, leveraging a mix of global corporates and agile mid-market firms across manufacturing, energy, tourism, and professional services. With the Spring Statement approaching, businesses remain focused on strategic planning to sustain growth despite economic pressures.