Burberry has announced plans to cut around 1,700 jobs globally, approximately 20% of its workforce, as part of a broader strategy to reduce costs and reposition the brand for long-term growth.

The job cuts are expected to be concentrated in office-based roles and include closing a night shift at the company’s trench coat factory in Castleford, West Yorkshire. The reduction will occur over the next two years and contribute significantly to an increased annual savings target of £100 million by FY27, up from a previous target of £40 million.

The restructuring comes as CEO Joshua Schulman, who joined the company in 2023, continues efforts to reverse Burberry’s underperformance in the global luxury market. His turnaround strategy is focused on reinforcing the brand’s British heritage and prioritising core products like trench coats and scarves. These changes follow previous missteps, including overpricing and inconsistent product lines, compounded by broader market weakness.

Burberry reported a stronger-than-expected recent performance, citing increased wholesale orders following its February fashion show. The positive momentum in sales and the cost-cutting announcement triggered an 18% rise in the company’s share price.

This is the company’s fourth leadership change in a decade. Past strategies under different CEOs attempted to elevate Burberry into the top tier of luxury fashion but delivered limited financial results. The current approach aims to stabilise operations, cut excess, and refocus on profitability.

The UK government plans to reduce its London civil service workforce by 12,000 jobs and close 11 central London offices as part of a strategy to cut costs and decentralise operations. The move aims to save approximately £94 million annually by 2032.

New government campuses will open in Manchester and Aberdeen, with additional roles created in cities including Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast, York, Darlington, and Tyneside. The Manchester campus will focus on digital innovation and AI, while the Aberdeen site will specialise in energy. A third regional campus location is yet to be confirmed.

This initiative is part of a broader government effort to shrink the civil service, which has grown to over 514,000 staff since 2016. The Cabinet Office plans to cut 2,100 jobs within its department over the next two years, contributing to a 15% reduction in overall government running costs by 2030.

The government has requested departments to submit detailed relocation plans for staff, including senior civil servants, in preparation for an upcoming spending review due in June. Half of the UK-based senior civil servants are expected to be outside London by 2030.

102 Petty France, a major Ministry of Justice hub, and 39 Victoria Street, home to the Department of Health and Social Care, are among the London offices set for closure.

Industry unions have cautiously welcomed the decentralisation plans but emphasise the need for clear communication regarding employee impact and career development opportunities outside London.

Economic projections estimate that relocating and expanding government roles outside London could generate £729 million for local economies by 2030.

Healthcare logistics provider Medequip has secured a new facility in East Yorkshire as part of its national expansion, becoming the first tenant at the £10 million Evolve development in the Melton West business park.

The site was designed to address a regional shortage of modern industrial space and supports Medequip’s entry into the East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull markets. The company was recently awarded a contract to deliver the Community Equipment Loan Service across the area, supporting local authority social care and NHS services.

Medequip operates 27 depots nationwide and supplies mobility and independent-living equipment to 48 local authority areas. The new East Yorkshire depot will enhance its logistical coverage and improve service efficiency in the region.

The Evolve development offers high-specification units focused on sustainability and strong transport connectivity. With Medequip operational, the remaining units at the site are nearing completion and will soon be available.

This move follows Medequip’s recent partnership with Vanaways to streamline fleet procurement and support its growing national footprint.

Lucchini Unipart Rail (LUR) is investing £6.5 million to expand its operational capacity across two key UK sites in response to increased demand from the rail sector.

The joint venture between Lucchini RS Group and Unipart will relocate its Doncaster bogie servicing operation to a new 102,000 sq ft facility in Warmsworth. This move will double the size of the current Hexthorpe Road site and boost output of overhauled and refurbished bogies for passenger, freight, locomotive, and light rail use.

In Manchester, LUR’s wheelset repair operations will shift from Chadderton to a 63,000 sq ft facility in Trafford Park, bringing it closer to its existing 118,000 sq ft head office and manufacturing plant. The gearbox servicing operation, also based in Trafford Park, will remain at its current 20,000 sq ft site.

The investment includes new machinery and technology to increase throughput to 800 wheelsets in Manchester and 80 bogies per month in Doncaster.

Both new sites are refurbishing and are expected to be fully operational by autumn 2025. The expansion aligns with LUR’s long-term strategy to enhance flexibility, improve operational efficiency, and better serve the evolving needs of the UK rail industry.

The business currently employs 380 staff across its Doncaster and Manchester locations, and this investment is set to strengthen its regional presence in South Yorkshire and the North West.

Plans for a 24-hour biomethane HGV fuelling station at a former abattoir in Wakefield have been withdrawn following significant community opposition.

CNG Fuels Ltd had proposed to develop the facility at Flanshaw Business Park, installing 14 pumps connected to the mains gas network. The site, intended to support logistics and distribution operations in the area, including operators such as Amazon, would have operated around the clock without on-site staff, using key-fob access for permitted vehicles.

The station aimed to serve HGVs with biomethane, a compressed natural gas derived from organic waste. It was part of the company’s broader expansion to support decarbonisation in freight transport. CNG Fuels currently operates 13 UK stations, including one near Castleford.

Despite the proposal aligning with government goals to lower emissions in the transport sector, the plan attracted 539 formal objections. Concerns raised included potential night-time noise, traffic volume increases, and environmental impact due to the site’s proximity to residential housing. No letters of support were filed.

According to Wakefield Council’s planning portal, the application was formally withdrawn on 12 May.