Butcombe Group, which runs familiar favourite pubs in Oxfordshire including The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, The Victoria Arms in Old Marston and The Prince of Burford in Burford, has been recognised for its workplace culture.

The group was named for the second time in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 list, which highlights employers across the UK which excel in worker wellbeing and satisfaction.

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Cat Moseley, chief experience officer of Butcombe Group, said: “Being included in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work is something we’re incredibly proud of, particularly it being our second year in a row.

The Victoria Arms, Old Marston (Image: Butcombe Brewing)

“It reflects the environment we have worked hard to create, one where team members feel supported, valued and able to thrive.

“Our teams are at the centre of everything we do, and we are constantly listening and responding to their feedback to improve their experience.

“To receive this recognition more than once is a real testament to their dedication and to the progress we continue to make as a business.”

The Trout at tadpole Bridge

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The company credited its success to its ongoing investment in people which has enabled it to attract and retain talent across its 118-pub estate, which employs 1,800 people.

Jonathan Lawson, CEO of Butcombe Group, added: “At the heart of our success is the dedication and collaboration shown by our people every day, whether they are welcoming guests, creating memorable moments, or supporting one another behind the scenes.

“In what continues to be a challenging environment for the hospitality sector, their commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for our customers continues to make a real difference.”

KAREN JOY BACUDO

Finance Editor

ComplyCube has been named RegTech Partner of the Year at the British Bank Awards for the third consecutive year, as UK banks face rising fraud and tighter compliance demands.

The recognition reflects its work with banks and financial institutions on identity verification, fraud checks and customer onboarding. It is now processing more than 10 million transactions a week worldwide.

Pressure on the sector has intensified as fraud cases rise. According to Cifas, UK fraud reached a record 444,000 cases in 2025, with almost three-quarters linked to identity fraud and facility takeover.

That has increased scrutiny of how banks verify customers while keeping digital sign-up processes simple enough to avoid losing applicants. Firms are also dealing with stricter regulatory expectations and a shift towards digital-first account opening.

ComplyCube’s platform supports verification in more than 250 countries and territories and uses more than 3,000 data points from external sources and partners. It has verified more than 4 million identities to date and maintains a 98% client onboarding rate.

The group offers biometric and document verification, sanctions and politically exposed persons screening, fraud intelligence signals, and a no-code workflow engine. Financial institutions use those tools to identify customers, flag risks, and adapt internal processes as rules and fraud patterns change.

The award adds to a run of recognition in the financial crime technology market. ComplyCube has also been included in the FinCrimeTech50 and says its clients include Citi, Lyca Mobile, AXA and Accenture.

Demand for digital identity checks has grown as financial institutions try to reduce fraud losses without creating long delays for legitimate customers. That has strengthened the position of verification and compliance software providers as banks review older onboarding systems.

Market pressure

The latest fraud figures underline why identity systems have become a central issue for lenders and payments groups. Identity fraud and account takeover can expose firms to direct financial losses, regulatory penalties and reputational damage, while weak onboarding controls can also hinder customer growth.

For banks, the challenge is not only detecting suspicious activity but doing so quickly enough to avoid disrupting applications from genuine users. This has become more important as more retail and business customers open accounts remotely rather than in branches.

ComplyCube says the scale of that challenge has helped drive its growth over the past year. It positions its products as helping regulated firms reduce fraud, meet compliance requirements and improve digital onboarding flows.

“Winning RegTech Partner of the Year for a third year running is a real milestone for the team, and a reflection of the trust UK banks and financial institutions are placing in ComplyCube. The compliance landscape is shifting fast – fraud is becoming more sophisticated, regulatory expectations are rising, and customers expect onboarding to be seamless. Our job is to give financial institutions the tools to meet all three at once, without compromise. This recognition is a credit to our customers, our partners and a team that refuses to stand still,” Tarek Nechma, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ComplyCube, said.

The British Bank Awards are organised by Smart Money People and draw on customer feedback. Organisers said this year’s responses indicated demand for stronger digital identity and fraud-prevention measures.

“Congratulations to ComplyCube for winning RegTech partner of the year for the third year running. Following feedback in this year’s British bank awards, clients say that ComplyCube continues to demonstrate excellence in regulatory technology, delivering innovative solutions that help organisations stay compliant while strengthening the safety and integrity of customer interactions. This year, firms are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny and growing focus on digital identity and fraud prevention, so ComplyCube’s approach to streamlined and scalable compliance is more important than ever. A huge well done to the entire team on this fantastic achievement,” said Peer Jelendorf, Chief Executive Officer of Smart Money People.

Located within Oxford North, a £1.2 billion innovation district, the fully fitted lab and office space marks the latest milestone in the development of the 64-acre site.

The space is designed to support start-ups, spin-outs, and established businesses across the life sciences, technology and artificial intelligence sectors.

Simon Ruck, managing director of Oxford North, said: “Oxford North has been purposely designed to support businesses at all stages of their development, from start-ups to scale-ups to global corporates.

“Fast-growing businesses require flexible, adaptable space, and this fully fitted lab space means companies can expand quickly in line with funding and research milestones, saving time and costs on fit-outs and delivering operational efficiencies.

“This is essential for smaller companies across the science, technology and innovation sectors.

“Delivering this latest phase at Oxford North, on time, is an important step as we continue building out one of the UK’s most dynamic mixed-use ecosystems, which benefits stakeholders across the city and beyond.”

The new labs, totalling 13,500 sq ft, include on-site technical support, a shared equipment room, and access to specialised facilities such as an -80°C freezer and a fume cupboard.

The associated write-up space features sit-stand desks and has a direct data connection to its lab.

Oxford North’s first phase also includes The Red Hall, a 33,000 sq ft workspace hub spread across four floors.

A new 100-seat auditorium is part of the community-focused amenities on the ground floor of The Red Hall and is available for hire.

Designed to support collaboration across the district, the auditorium can be used for conferences, lectures, or subdivided for smaller meetings and seminars.

Co-working and breakout areas for up to 40 people are located nearby, alongside Taylor’s Oxford North café, which faces Fallaize Park.

The scheme is being delivered by Oxford North Ventures, a joint venture between Thomas White Oxford (the development arm of St John’s College), Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and London property developer Stanhope.

Kevin Darvishi, head of leasing at Stanhope, said: “This is the latest milestone in our vision to create the UK’s leading purpose-built innovation district which caters for the whole science and technology lifecycle ecosystem.”

Oxford North already counts international law firm Mishcon de Reya among its occupiers.

The firm recently signed a five-year lease for 3,500 sq ft of office space on the first floor of The Red Hall.