Red Sky, which used to be called Euro Foods, was a convenience store selling Polish cuisine from a premises at 115 London Road in Headington.

The convenience store has now closed down, and signage has gone up in its place for Master Butchers.

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The Halal butchers shop previously operated from Holyoake Hall in the same road, but closed in April after trading for just 11 months.

The Holyoake Hall premises has been put up for sale to a new business leasehold, while it appears Master Butchers plans to open in the former Red Sky shop.

Master Butchers at its old shop premises in Holyoake Hall, London Road (Image: Google)

Red Sky was visited by Oxford City Council’s Environmental Health team on Monday, July 14 last year, and inspectors were not impressed by what they found.

It received the shockingly low food hygiene rating of zero, the only business in the Headington neighbourhood to have such a rating.

One key problem on the day was the management of food safety, which was deemed to require “urgent improvement”.

Another big issue was the hygienic handling of food, which includes the preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage of food sold onsite.

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Inspectors suggested that “major improvement” was needed in this regard, dragging the overall score down to a zero.

One category noted as being “generally satisfactory”, however, was the cleanliness and condition of both the facilities and building.

The rating came soon after the shop was reportedly taken over by new management last summer, as an application had been submitted to transfer the premises licence.

When people ask how I built a successful tech start up, they expect me to talk about, investors, funding and headhunting. What I actually talk about is a business model based on freelance expertise – a PHP developer I found on Upwork, a designer who showed up at a freelancer meetup, and a sole trader web developer.

I started Echo3 a decade ago with £1,500 and the aim of building a business that gave me the flexibility to travel to the US several times a year to visit my daughter. That constraint forced me to think differently about how to build. 

What I found was Edinburgh’s freelance tech community – a group of people with a solution focused mindset, and a way of looking at highly effective modular collaboration.

The standard startup process is typically formulaic – you raise money, you employ staff and build a team. The freelance model inverts this. Instead of building capacity and hoping the work fills it, you bring in expertise precisely when you need it, at the level you need it.

This allows quality to be prioritised, without a cost overhead in the crucial early days.

Over the past decade, Echo3 has been built by a lean network of Edinburgh-based specialists; a backend developer, a UX designer, a growth strategist, a subject matter expert in ergonomics and workplace safety. None of them are on the payroll. All of them have been instrumental.

Edinburgh’s freelance tech scene has been the key to our growth. This is a professional community of people who know each other, refer each other and crucially, are selective with those referrals – as they want to work with people they like and respect. 

One introduction led to another. The developer knew the designer. The designer had worked with the strategist. It’s almost like have a team with chemistry built in, before the work even starts.

There’s a broader point here about how we think about startup ecosystems. Scotland has invested meaningfully in the infrastructure around tech founders. The are a number of programmes and funding routes – Techscaler, the RBS Accelerator and university spin-out programmes. 

But the informal layer underneath them, where expertise and knowledge are shared, often as people are still learning and growing, rarely gets discussed as a startup resource.

For an early-stage founder, access to a trusted freelance network has the potential to be incredibly valuable. Especially when that network has ideas and expertise that directly impacts growth. Good freelancers push back on bad ideas and are open to putting forward alternative solutions. The relationship is more like a collaboration between professionals than an employer-employee dynamic, and that changes the quality of the work.

Echo3 has now sold over 80,000 health and safety courses. Our clients include NHS Trusts, the Scottish Parliament and Rolls Royce. Seventy percent of our customers are individuals – freelancers, sole traders, people running small businesses who need affordable, accredited training.

It’s not lost on me that the business is, in a sense, a product of the same economy it serves. A business built by freelancers, for freelancers.

TG Jones, formerly known as WH Smith, could face insolvency without a rescue deal, according to a High Court hearing held on Monday (June 29).

The company is seeking approval for a restructuring plan that would unlock a further £15 million loan from its owners, Modella Capital, who already loaned £10 million in April.

TG Jones at risk of collapse due to £8 million shortfall

Tom Smith KC, representing TG Jones, said: “The business is highly distressed after suffering long-term sales decline.”

He told the court that without support, the company would face an £8 million shortfall this week after paying tax, rent, suppliers, and payroll.

He added: “As is well known, the UK retail sector has faced serious trading difficulties in recent years.

“The problems facing the sector have their roots in macroeconomic factors such as high inflation, the shift to online shopping, reduced consumer spending, higher labour costs and increased taxes.”

TG Jones, which employs 4,700 staff across 450 stores, rebranded last year after being acquired by Modella.

WH Smith retained its travel-focused outlets in airports and train stations.

If the restructuring plan is approved, around 150 shops are expected to close.

Mr Smith said: “That will assist in ensuring the future of the group.”

Landlords will have the choice to terminate leases rather than accept reduced rents under the proposed plan.

Ben Shaw KC, representing landlords, said they are not opposed to the restructuring following negotiations over deferred rent payments in the plan’s first year.

A decision from Mr Justice Hildyard is expected on Wednesday (July 1).

UK companies that have closed or entered administration/liquidation in 2026

It has been a tough year for the UK high street, with several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street brands LK Bennett and Claire’s both closed all their stores in April, having previously fallen into administration.

UK fashion retailers Leading Labels and Quiz have also closed down after falling into liquidation.

Other retailers forced to close stores this year include:

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It’s also been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

Despite this, several major brands have announced new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.

Which UK business that has closed this year were you most sad about? Let us know in the comments.