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Oxford firm wins major backing for fin-based tidal power

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Oxford-based Caudal Energy has raised £4.3 million to support full-scale testing and development of its fin-based tidal power system, with plans to deploy its technology commercially by 2028.

The funding round was led by Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE) and Empirical Ventures, with additional investment from Zero Carbon Capital and Creator Fund.

John Kennedy, CEO of Caudal Energy, said: “The future energy system needs renewable power that is not only clean, but dependable and built to scale.

“We founded Caudal to challenge the assumption that tidal energy has to remain complex, costly and niche.

“Our approach combines smarter hydrodynamic design with modular deployment architecture to create a system designed for real-world performance.

“By unlocking the potential of mid-flow tidal sites, we believe Caudal can dramatically expand where tidal energy can be deployed and how commercially competitive it can become.”

Mr Kennedy added that the funding enables the company to demonstrate the technology at a commercially relevant scale and accelerate the path towards ‘delivering predictable renewable power as a meaningful part of the future energy mix’.

Caudal’s modular, surface-mounted system is designed to operate in mid-flow tidal locations, expanding the range of sites where tidal power can be generated.

The company said the technology, currently at Technology Readiness Level 5, will be tested at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, with a target of reaching commercial deployment and Technology Readiness Level 8 by 2028.

Caudal Energy was established in 2024 based on hydrodynamic research by co-founder Professor Adrian Thomas of the University of Oxford.

Inspired by the movement of marine mammals, the system uses oscillating foils to convert tidal flows into energy.

The funding represents one of the most significant recent institutional venture investments into tidal energy in the UK, and will be used to expand Caudal Energy’s engineering and modelling capabilities, advance demonstration and deployment activities, and accelerate commercial partnerships across utility, industrial and distributed energy markets.

Andy Straiton, investment lead at Oxford Science Enterprises, said: “Caudal Energy is addressing one of the most important challenges in the transition to renewable energy: how to provide predictable, scalable generation that complements intermittent power sources such as wind and solar.

“Importantly, Caudal’s approach is designed around the economics required for large-scale deployment, not just technical performance.

“The combination of simpler deployment, lower operational complexity and access to a far broader range of viable sites can make tidal energy cost competitive with established renewables such as solar and wind.”

Caudal Energy is in active talks with strategic partners as it moves toward a commercial-scale demonstration of its technology.





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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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