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.

JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN

News Editor

Braze has published research showing that 43% of UK shoppers are unwilling to share certain personal data with brands, even though 70% still want companies to understand their shopping preferences.

The findings come from a survey of 2,000 UK consumers and are part of a wider study covering five countries. Among those markets, the UK was identified as the most resistant to using artificial intelligence in shopping.

The results highlight a tension between consumers’ desire for more tailored shopping experiences and their reluctance to share the information often used to deliver them. According to the study, 43% of UK shoppers would not share real-time browsing data or AI chat history, even if it could lead to more personalised offers.

At the same time, personalisation remains important for a large majority of consumers. Seven in 10 respondents said it matters that brands understand their preferences, particularly during major retail periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

AI resistance

The research also found mixed views on the use of AI in shopping. While 35% of UK shoppers said they are likely to use AI to find deals or discover new products, a larger share, 43%, said they are unlikely to use such tools at all.

Concerns also extend to physical retail settings. The survey found that 30% of respondents are cautious about AI replacing in-store staff, while 16% said they prefer human interaction and are concerned about AI. A further 13% said AI taking over staff roles would ruin their shopping experience.

This suggests resistance is not limited to data sharing, but also extends to the wider role of automation in customer service and product discovery. For retailers and consumer brands, it underlines the challenge of introducing new technology without weakening trust or disrupting established buying habits.

The UK stood out in the international comparison included in the study, with British consumers the most resistant to using AI among respondents in France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US.

Trust gap

The figures highlight a broader trust gap for brands seeking to deepen customer relationships through digital tools. Retailers have invested heavily in systems that can tailor promotions, recommendations and messaging, but those efforts depend on shoppers being willing to provide consented data.

Consumers appear most reluctant to share data generated beyond direct transactions, including browsing behaviour and AI chat activity. That may leave companies with a narrower pool of signals to work with, even as expectations for relevance and convenience remain high.

For brands, this places more emphasis on first-party data gathered directly through interactions such as purchases, loyalty schemes and app use. It also raises questions about how clearly companies explain data use to customers and whether the value exchange is persuasive enough to overcome privacy concerns.

OnePoll conducted the UK survey among adult consumers during the spring as part of a global poll of 7,000 respondents. The wider study explored consumer attitudes to seasonal shopping across the five markets.

Commenting on the findings, Braze pointed to growing consumer caution over how personal digital behaviour is used.

“British shoppers want brands to understand their preferences, but they are increasingly locking down their personal browsing and AI search histories,” said Nico Berliner, GM UK, Braze.

“This data standoff means the open-web blind spot is growing, making a brand’s first-party data its most valuable asset. It is more important than ever for companies to make the most of the direct, consented data they already have, so they can deliver smooth experiences across channels and build consumer trust,” Berliner said.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging company EO Car Chargers collapsed earlier in April after it experienced “challenging trading conditions in recent years”, the business said.

At the time of the administrator’s appointment, 97 people were employed, but this was reduced to 25 shortly afterwards and for a “limited period” while the company wound down.

Administrators have now said that EO Car Chargers grew rapidly on the back of external investment and demand for fleet electrification.

But it remained loss-making due to heavy spending on international expansion, product development and market growth.

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A 2025 restructuring, including a US exit and shift towards software and services, was followed by a £10m shareholder recapitalisation, but delays in fundraising damaged customer confidence and worsened liquidity.

After a failed sale process and limited investor interest, the company entered administration in April 2026, with operations continuing on a reduced basis while assets were realised, they said.

EO Car Chargers built EV charging infrastructure, software and round-the-clock repair and incident support services.

It also partnered with Oxford-based EV Charging Company to provide charging stations to households and businesses across Oxfordshire.

Joint administrator Victoria Hatton said in a new report: “Despite securing both equity and debt funding, the company continued to incur significant trading losses and consume cash as it invested in overseas expansion, product development and market share growth.

“The establishment and operation of subsidiaries in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Italy increased the scale and complexity of the group, requiring substantial upfront investment before those operations could reach sustainable profitability.

“Although losses narrowed in certain areas in recent years, the business remained loss-making overall.

“During 2025, the group undertook a strategic restructuring aimed at reducing costs, improving capital efficiency and refocusing on its core strengths.”

She said the second half of 2025 saw its UK installation arm of the business scaled back, with the company refocusing on its cloud-based charge point management platform, EO Cloud.

“However, uncertainty and delays during the fundraising process adversely affected customer confidence,” she added.

“This led to a deterioration in the company’s pipeline and order book, placing further pressure on short-term liquidity. Despite completion of the fundraising, liquidity challenges subsequently re-emerged.

Approximately 90 parties from across the trade and investor community — including international buyers and specialist turnaround investors — were approached over a short period by the administrators.

But interest was described as “limited”, with potential parties citing the accelerated timetable, uncertainty surrounding the restructuring process and the level of investment required, Ms Hatton said.

The joint administrators were appointed on April 8. The business continued to trade on a limited basis where appropriate, and customers were supported in transitioning to alternative suppliers where possible, subject to payment.