Business & Technology
Oxford padel business secures £1.25m to expand in UK
Smash Padel, which operates five venues including in Oxford and Bicester, plans to grow to 20 sites across the UK following a funding round led by Middleton Enterprises, an investment firm founded by entrepreneur Jeremy Middleton.
The expansion will include the launch of new centres in underserved communities with three more locations expected to open before the end of the year.
Smash Padel is responsible for half of the British current junior national squad.
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Smash Padel (Image: Smash Padel)
Julian Liban, investment manager at Middleton Enterprises, said: “We took the time to assess and understand the full landscape of UK padel operators before committing capital.
“What sets Smash Padel apart is their rigorous approach to site selection – they are not simply opening doors wherever they can find space.
“They have a community model that genuinely grows the sport rather than just monetising existing players, and this will provide defensibility as more competition enters the market.”
Smash Padel’s existing venues are in Oxford, Bicester, Whitstable, Mid Sussex, and Cardiff, with a Taunton site scheduled to open in summer 2026.
Padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in the world right now, with recent figures from the Lawn Tennis Association showing more than 400,000 people were playing the sport in the UK last year.
Smash Padel (Image: Smash Padel)
The company plans to expand to 20 locations nationwide.
The company’s junior performance programme has produced 50 per cent of Great Britain’s current junior national squad.
Simon Champ, co-founder of Smash Padel, said: “Middleton Enterprises has a proven track record of supporting businesses like ours as we scale and expand into new locations.
“They bring more than just funding – they have deep expertise in physical site roll-outs from across their portfolio, and they have acted as a true strategic partner throughout this process.
“We’re excited to build on what we’ve started and to take the sport to more communities across the UK.”
Smash Padel was founded by Mr Champ and is led by CEO Rupert Taylor.
Smash Padel (Image: Smash Padel)
The company’s venues differ from self-service padel courts, instead operating as staffed, coaching-led facilities aimed at building long-term engagement and community involvement.
The firm’s current portfolio includes OneGym, a fast-growing regional gym chain, and SushiDog, a London-based quick service restaurant brand.
Mr Liban said Smash Padel offers “the clearest strategy and, in our view, the strongest platform for long-term success.”
He said: “This is a business with real sporting credentials run by deeply experienced operators, and we are proud to back them.”
Middleton Enterprises specialises in backing early-stage businesses generating between £250,000 and £1 million EBITDA, with particular expertise in physical site roll-outs.
Business & Technology
Rosa’s Thai is giving away 4000 free Pad Thais to students
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.
Business & Technology
Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years
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.
Business & Technology
Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review
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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