Owner of High Street business TG Jones, Modella Capital, which bought out the High Street branches of long-standing brand WH Smith last year, has embarked on a huge restructuring which will see up to 150 shops close.

Modella blamed ‘challenging retail conditions’ on the changes and a hearing to approve the restructuring plans in the High Court at the end of June heard the business was ‘highly distressed’.

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Securing a rescue deal rather than going into administration, the wide-ranging restructuring includes some 120 landlords will not receive rent for up to three years, and rent will be cut on hundreds of other stores by between 15 and 75 per cent.

On top of planned store closures, the extreme measures may result in some landlords choosing to cut their losses and terminate the TG Jones lease.

Olly Glover (Image: Oxford Mail)

Olly Glover, Liberal Democrat MP for Didcot and Wantage, said if the TG Jones on Broadway in Didcot were to close, it would leave 37,000 residents of the town and others in nearby villages relying on just one Post Office branch, Georgetown.

It would also follow the controversial closure of East Hagbourne Post Office due to the resignation of the postmaster in February.

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Mr Glover said: “Not only would the post office face a significant increase in demand, but residents would also lose access to vital services such as passport applications, DVLA renewals and identity verification services, which are not available at this branch.

“I have written to Post Office Ltd outlining the impact these proposed changes would have on the community and the lack of nearby, accessible alternative services.”

Post Office has been approached for comment.

TechWorks has launched the Semiconductor to Systems Summit, a new executive event for the UK deep-tech sector that will bring together more than 500 industry figures.

The summit is intended as a meeting point for organisations across the semiconductor-to-systems chain, spanning materials, chip design, manufacturing, packaging, systems integration and cyber security. It will also draw investors, researchers, policy specialists and end users from UK industry and overseas markets including Japan, Canada and the Netherlands.

The launch comes as the industry body marks its 30th anniversary. The summit will be the central event in those celebrations and create a single forum for several communities that have until now operated separately.

For the first time, the networks behind NMI, DESN, AESIN and IoTSF will meet under one roof. That broadens the event beyond semiconductors to include electronic systems, automotive technology and cyber resilience, reflecting how companies increasingly work across connected parts of the supply chain rather than in isolation.

Industry focus

The programme is divided into four conference streams: Build, covering manufacturing and devices; Create, focused on systems and integration; Secure, centred on cyber resilience and quantum safety; and Scale, covering investment and commercialisation.

The structure is designed to link technical development with business and policy concerns. Topics include advanced materials, systems design, verification, AI threats, trust, investment, innovation and global trade.

The event will also feature an exhibition area with companies, research and technology organisations, international pavilions and a startup zone hosted by Silicon Catalyst UK. Delegates are expected from sectors including automotive, aerospace, defence, energy, industrial automation, AI and healthcare.

TechWorks is delivering the summit with the UK Semiconductor Centre. The collaboration brings together an established industry membership organisation and a body focused on strengthening the domestic semiconductor sector, at a time when governments and companies are paying closer attention to supply chains, industrial capacity and technology sovereignty.

Wider backdrop

The summit enters a market in which semiconductors have moved higher up the economic and political agenda. Demand for chips and advanced electronic systems is increasingly tied to industrial policy, defence planning and national competitiveness, while the spread of AI and connected devices has raised the sector’s strategic importance.

In the UK, that has sharpened interest in how design, manufacturing, packaging, software, systems engineering and security fit together. By framing the event around the route from semiconductor development to deployed systems, TechWorks is seeking to capture a broader share of that conversation than a conventional chip industry conference.

The summit will give companies a place to examine emerging technologies and form commercial links across the value chain. Its emphasis on international markets also suggests an effort to put UK businesses in front of overseas partners as competition for investment and technical collaboration grows.

Charles Sturman outlined the rationale for the new event.

“Over the past 30 years, the semiconductor and electronics industries have evolved beyond recognition. Today, innovation does not happen in isolation; it happens through collaboration across the value chain. That is why we have created the Semiconductor to Systems Summit. By bringing together our semiconductor, electronic systems, automotive, cyber security and emerging technology communities, we are creating a unique forum where industry leaders can share ideas, build partnerships and address the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of UK technology,” said Charles Sturman, Chief Executive Officer of TechWorks.

The planned attendance of more than 500 delegates would make it one of the larger UK gatherings focused on linking chip development with downstream systems and end markets. It also underlines the growing overlap between sectors once discussed separately, from semiconductors and embedded systems to vehicle electronics, cyber security and industrial AI.

Alongside the conference sessions, the startup presence points to an effort to bring younger companies into contact with larger manufacturers, customers and investors. That may be particularly relevant in areas such as advanced packaging, edge systems and security, where smaller firms often depend on partnerships to scale products and reach regulated industries.

For TechWorks, the summit also serves as a statement about its role in the sector. By convening multiple specialist communities in one event, the organisation is presenting itself as a connector across a fragmented technology landscape spanning hardware, software, security and commercialisation.

Voco Oxford Thames and Voco Oxford Spires hotels have launched a summer competition inviting locals to nominate a family without access to outdoor space for a complimentary stay.

The winning family will enjoy a peaceful overnight break at one of the hotels, which includes a 30-acre riverside estate.

Wendy Procter, cluster general manager for both hotels, said: “Summer should be about making memories outdoors, but not every family has access to a garden or green space at home.

“We wanted to offer a deserving family the chance to enjoy everything a countryside escape has to offer.

“From riverside walks and open lawns to simply relaxing somewhere cool, peaceful and surrounded by nature.”

Both hotels offer different ways to experience Oxford and its surroundings.

Voco Oxford Spires is located near the city centre, making it easy to explore museums, historic colleges, riverside walks and independent cafés.

Guests can return to the comfort of a stylish, air-conditioned hotel close to the city’s attractions.

Voco Oxford Thames provides a more tranquil experience with generous outdoor space, pet-friendly stays, a spa and leisure club, and easy access to both Oxford and the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside.

To enter the competition, readers must email oxfordclustermarketing@ihg.com with a brief explanation of why their nominated family deserves the getaway.

Entries close on July 31.