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Rightmove says West Oxfordshire a hotspot for house buyers

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According to new analysis from property platform Rightmove, demand for first-time buyer homes in the area has risen by 45 per cent year-on-year, bucking the national trend of slowing buyer interest.

Rightmove defines first-time buyer properties as homes with up to two bedrooms—typically considered entry-level on the property ladder.

The data suggests that a 37 per cent increase in available properties of this type has fuelled the demand, with flat house prices making purchasing more achievable for new buyers.

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “First-time buyers are more exposed to mortgage rate rises, so it was quite surprising to see this sector holding up more strongly than the wider market.

“While overall buyer demand is lower than last year, there are pockets of Great Britain seeing more activity, where local factors are making a real difference.

“In some of these areas, a rise in the number of suitable starter homes coming onto the market, alongside prices edging down year-on-year, is helping to improve affordability and support demand for first-time buyer properties.”

The findings highlight how local market conditions are influencing demand for starter homes.

Mary-Lou Press, president of NAEA Propertymark (National Association of Estate Agents), said that regional differences in house price growth continue to affect buyer behaviour across the UK.

Ms Press said: “Today’s figures show Scotland continuing to outperform the wider UK market for annual house price growth, with average prices increasing by 1.6 per cent year-on-year while UK-wide growth has remained flat.

“For many existing homeowners, steady price growth may help support onward moves during the traditionally busier spring and summer period, particularly where rising equity can assist with deposits and affordability when moving up the housing ladder.”

Nationally, first-time buyer demand was down four per cent in April compared to the same month in 2025.

Despite this decline, first-time buyers still make up a majority of home purchases.

Data from UK Finance shows they account for around 55 per cent of transactions, up from 39 per cent 15 years ago.

The average monthly mortgage payment for a first-time buyer now stands at £998.

West Oxfordshire’s strong performance is attributed to a combination of increased housing supply and stable prices, creating a rare pocket of affordability and opportunity for those looking to get onto the property ladder.

Other high-demand areas include East Staffordshire (up 31 per cent) and Bracknell Forest (up 28 per cent).





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Rosa’s Thai is giving away 4000 free Pad Thais to students

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Celebrating both GCSE and A-Level Results Days, the chain will offer the popular dish to students who buy one of its bubble teas.

The free offer is available at all 42 Rosa’s Thai restaurants across England and Wales.

To avail of the free noodles, students need to register on Rosa’s Thai website for a unique code, which they should present at the restaurant together with a copy of their results.

Rosa’s Thai has a new range of bubble tea flavours, including Ube-Taro, Matcha-Coconut, Mango Sticky Rice, and Milo Chocolate Milk, as well as favourites like Home-brewed Thai Tea with Tapioca, and Lychee Mango with mango boba.

Students can sign up for their free Pad Thai at rosasthai.com/result-day-free-pad-thai and find their nearest restaurant at rosasthai.com/locations.





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Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years

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The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.

The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.

A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).

“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.


What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?


“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”

The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.

The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.

Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.

An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.


What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?


Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”

It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.

Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”

The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.





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Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.

Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.

“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.

“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.

“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”

The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.

Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.

However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.

All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.

They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.

With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.

The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.

Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.

The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.

If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.

The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.





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