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Why Swindon’s Clay Ground May Be Causing Driveways to Crack and Sink

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Why Swindon’s Clay Ground May Be Causing Driveways to Crack and Sink

SWINDON, 8 September 2026 – Homeowners in Swindon may be blaming poor installation for driveway problems that are actually being made worse by the ground beneath their properties. RPS Resin Driveways says the town’s extensive clay soil can move considerably between wet and dry periods, potentially contributing to cracked concrete, uneven paving and damaged tarmac. The installer has now published a series of free guides covering driveway construction on clay, expected costs and the planning rules homeowners need to know.

The company has released the information as autumn begins, when rainfall starts returning to the ground after summer and signs of seasonal movement can become more obvious.

“People assume a cracked driveway means someone did a bad job,” said James, who runs RPS Resin Driveways. “Sometimes that’s true. But in Swindon the ground itself is the problem. The clay under Stratton, Walcot, Toothill, Freshbrook and most of the newer estates swells when it’s wet and shrinks when it’s dry, and it does that every single year. A rigid slab of concrete has no way to cope with that.”

Clay shrinkage is the most common cause of subsidence claims in the UK. Houses are built on foundations designed to deal with it. Driveways are not. They sit a few inches into the ground, right in the layer that moves.

What a driveway on clay actually needs

RPS Resin Driveways says homeowners should pay close attention to the preparation beneath a new driveway rather than focusing solely on the final surface. Its resin bound driveways in Swindon guidance recommends a 100 to 150mm layer of compacted, permeable stone below the finished surface. The aim is to allow water to drain away instead of accumulating above the clay.

“The quote that’s a thousand pounds cheaper is nearly always cheaper because the sub-base is thinner or missing,” James said. “You won’t see the difference on the day it’s finished. You’ll see it two winters later. Any installer quoting in this town should be able to tell you exactly how deep they’re digging and what they’re putting back in. If they can’t, walk away.”

RPS Resin Driveways says it has carried out more than 800 resin installations in Swindon and the surrounding Wiltshire towns. Its guarantees include 10 years for workmanship and 15 years for the resin system.

Three rules that catch Swindon homeowners out

Planning and council requirements are another area covered by the company’s homeowner guides. James says these requirements can create significant delays when they are not checked before work starts.

Since October 2008, paving more than five square metres of a front garden with an impermeable material has required planning permission. Permeable surfaces such as resin bound stone installed over a free-draining base are exempt. However, properties within Swindon conservation areas, including sections of Old Town and the Railway Village, may be subject to additional consent requirements.

A new vehicle crossing is also subject to a separate application. Swindon Borough Council charges £203 for a residential vehicle crossing licence, and that fee is not returned if the application is rejected. Before the application can be considered, the driveway needs to be at least five metres from the back of the pavement to the house and 2.5 metres wide. Only a contractor licensed to undertake work on the public highway can alter the kerb.

There are also seasonal restrictions on resin installation. Resin bound surfacing cannot be laid during rainfall or when the ground is close to freezing. Anyone aiming to have work completed before Christmas should therefore make arrangements by mid-autumn.

What it costs

RPS Resin Driveways currently publishes resin bound surfacing prices of £100 to £300 per square metre. Including groundwork, most Swindon projects are expected to cost between £2,500 and £12,000.

The condition of the existing driveway is one of the main factors affecting the price. A stable concrete surface may be suitable for an overlay, while a block paved driveway that has failed because of wet clay may need to be removed entirely and rebuilt. More detail is available in the company’s resin driveway cost guide, which sets out indicative prices according to driveway size and existing surface.

“Honestly, I’d rather someone read the guides and got a fair job from a competitor than paid us without understanding what they were buying,” James said. “The town has enough driveways that failed inside five years. We’d like fewer of them.”

Homeowners can arrange a free site survey and written quotation through the RPS Resin Driveways website or by calling 01793 939296.

Mansfield Roofers Warn Of “Half A Roof” Standoffs On Ex-Council Semis

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Mansfield Roofers Warn Of “Half A Roof” Standoffs On Ex-Council Semis

Mansfield homeowners who bought their council house under Right to Buy are being urged to work out who owns which half of their roof before they book a repair, as thousands of the district’s post-war semis reach the age at which their tiles give out.

The warning comes from Roof Repairs Mansfield, a roofing firm covering Mansfield, Mansfield Woodhouse and the coalfield towns around them. It says the most common reason a roof job in the area stalls is not the roof. It is the ownership line running down the middle of it.

Much of Mansfield’s housing went up in blocks between the 1930s and the 1970s, built for and around the pits. Whole streets share a design, a roof pitch and a set of tiles fitted within a few years of each other. When Right to Buy split those pairs of semis into one private owner and one council tenant, it split the roof with them.

“You get called to a leak at number 42 and the water is tracking in under a ridge that 42 and 44 own half of each,” said Chris of Roof Repairs Mansfield. “One side is private, one side is still council. The private owner wants it done this week. The council has a repairs process and a waiting list. Nobody is being difficult. They just answer to different systems, and the water carries on coming in while that gets worked out.”

The firm’s advice is to settle the boundary before collecting quotes. “Check your deeds or your Land Registry title plan first, then ask the roofer to price your half on its own, with a proper cut and edge detail where the two roofs meet. It costs more than doing the pair together. It also means nothing you have paid for is sitting waiting on somebody else’s decision.” The firm has published a longer guide to who owns what on Right to Buy roofs in Mansfield.

The tiles underneath

The ownership question matters now because of what is happening to the tiles. Concrete interlocking tiles, standard on council and speculative housing from the 1950s onwards, tend to give 30 to 60 years of service. They rarely fail dramatically. The cement-rich surface erodes, the tile turns porous, it holds water through a frost, and pieces start to shed. Because whole streets were tiled at once, they arrive at that point together.

Census 2021 put 11.9% of Mansfield households in council-rented homes, against 8.4% across Nottinghamshire and 8.3% across England. Homes sold under Right to Buy no longer appear in that figure at all, so the share of Mansfield’s stock originally built by the council is a good deal higher than the headline number suggests. Guide prices for common repairs, broken down by the house types found across the district, are published on the firm’s cost page.

The organisation homeowners can no longer find

There is a second problem, and it is not about roofs directly. Mansfield homeowners looking for help with mining subsidence are searching for an organisation that no longer goes by the name they know. The Coal Authority became the Mining Remediation Authority in November 2024. Its duties have not changed. Under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 it is required to repair properties damaged by coal mining subsidence, and it costs a homeowner nothing to submit a damage notice and have the claim investigated.

The last of the district’s deep pits closed in the early 1990s, Sherwood Colliery at Mansfield Woodhouse among them in January 1992. Ground movement over worked-out seams does not stop when the mining does, and it tends to show at roof level first: a chimney stack starting to lean, a ridge line that has opened along its length, stepped cracking in the brickwork below the eaves, doors binding on one side of the house only.

“People hear subsidence and picture the house sinking into a hole,” Chris said. “Most of what we see is a stack that has moved half an inch and taken the flashing with it. It presents as a leak. It gets repaired as a leak. And if the cause was genuinely mining related, that homeowner has paid for work the Mining Remediation Authority would have covered.”

What to check before winter

The firm suggests a look over the roof from the ground, with binoculars if there are any in the house, and a second look from inside the loft on a bright day with the lights off.

Chimney stacks are the first thing worth a proper stare: a lean, open mortar joints, or lead flashing that has lifted away from the brickwork. The ridge should be dead straight, and a dip or a visible step along it usually means the bedding mortar has gone. A tile that has turned from smooth to rough and sandy has lost its outer skin and is taking on water. Grit collecting in the gutters is that outer skin arriving early. In the loft, daylight through the covering or dark staining down the rafters is worth acting on before December rather than after it.

Doorstep callers

Roof Repairs Mansfield also repeated the standing advice about doorstep roofing callers, which it says picks up sharply in the days after any named storm. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, a contract agreed at the door for more than £42 carries a 14-day cancellation right, and a trader who fails to put that right in writing can find the cancellation window extended by up to a year. The firm advises homeowners never to pay cash up front, to take a company address rather than a mobile number, and to check the company at Companies House before agreeing to anything.

Roof Repairs Mansfield has completed more than 1,000 roof repairs and works to a 10-year workmanship guarantee.

TraderMade and EntangleX team up to explore AI and quantum approaches to financial market prediction

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TraderMade and EntangleX team up to explore AI and quantum approaches to financial market prediction

LONDON, UK. September 8th, 2026 – TraderMade Systems Ltd, a leading provider of foreign exchange market data and financial technology solutions, has announced a collaboration with EntangleX, part of the QuantumX Group, to support the testing and evaluation of advanced models designed to predict financial market behaviour.

Under the collaboration, EntangleX will use TraderMade’s real-time and historical foreign exchange datasets to test and validate predictive models built using artificial intelligence, machine learning and emerging quantum computing techniques.

The project combines TraderMade’s expertise in financial market data with EntangleX’s focus on advanced computational modelling. Foreign exchange markets will provide the initial testing environment, offering the scale, depth and range of historical market data needed to assess the performance and reliability of emerging predictive technologies.

EntangleX is investigating how AI and quantum computing techniques can be applied to complex financial datasets to identify patterns, relationships and market behaviours that may be challenging to uncover through more conventional analytical approaches.

Chris Randall, CEO of TraderMade Systems Ltd, said: “We are pleased to be working with EntangleX and the wider QuantumX Group on this project. AI and quantum computing are creating exciting new opportunities in quantitative finance, but the quality of any predictive model depends heavily on the quality of the data behind it. TraderMade will provide the accurate and reliable FX data needed to test these technologies against real-world market behaviour. We are very interested to see how these advanced modelling techniques can be applied to financial market analysis.”

The collaboration will give EntangleX the opportunity to benchmark its models against established market data and evaluate how they perform under a range of different market conditions.

Ujjwal Roy, spokesperson for EntangleX / QuantumX, said: “Access to reliable market data is essential when developing and testing advanced prediction models. TraderMade provides the depth and quality of FX data required to evaluate our technology in real-world conditions. By combining high-quality financial data with artificial intelligence and quantum computing techniques, we aim to explore new approaches to market modelling and forecasting.”

The initial programme will centre on testing, benchmarking and evaluating EntangleX models using TraderMade FX datasets. As the project progresses, both companies will assess potential opportunities to extend their collaboration.

ENDS

Matters.Cloud and Klyant join forces to connect legal practice management and accounting

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Matters.Cloud and Klyant join forces to connect legal practice management and accounting

New partnership combines specialist cloud platforms to give law firms across the UK and Ireland a more connected way to manage their operations and finances.

LONDON, UK. September 7th, 2026 – Matters.Cloud, a leading cloud-based legal practice management platform, has announced a new partnership with Klyant, the specialist legal accounting solution built for law firms. The collaboration brings the two platforms together to help firms streamline day-to-day practice management and accounting through a connected cloud-based solution.

The partnership combines the strengths of both platforms to provide legal practices across the UK and Ireland with an integrated approach to matter management and legal accounting. By linking Matters.Cloud with Klyant, firms can cut down on manual administration, improve data accuracy and gain clearer visibility across their operational and financial workflows.

Fraser Mayfield, CEO of Matters.Cloud, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Klyant and bring together two solutions that complement each other so well. By combining Matters.Cloud’s legal practice management platform with Klyant’s specialist legal accounting expertise, we’re giving law firms across the UK and Ireland a smarter, more connected way to manage their business. We’re excited about what this partnership will achieve for our customers.”

Matters.Cloud enables legal professionals to manage clients and matters, record time and expenses, raise invoices, track opportunities, and collaborate on tasks and documents from a single cloud-based platform. Klyant complements this with purpose-built legal accounting functionality, including client and office accounting, compliance-focused financial management and reporting tailored to the legal sector.

The integration enables firms to synchronise important information across both systems, including clients, matters, invoices and credit notes.

Firms can also import clients and matters from Klyant into Matters.Cloud, creating a more streamlined workflow that minimises duplicate data entry and helps keep information aligned across both platforms.

The integration extends into legal accounting workflows too, allowing fee earners to record and manage client account transactions and disbursements directly within Matters.Cloud, while ensuring the corresponding financial information is accurately reflected in Klyant. This creates a connected experience for firms, helping to reduce administrative work, improve financial oversight and support compliance with the specialist accounting requirements of UK law firms.

Together, Matters.Cloud and Klyant provide a modern alternative to traditional practice management and accounting systems. Law firms can take advantage of cloud technology while retaining the specialist functionality needed to support their professional and regulatory requirements.

“We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with Matters.Cloud,” said Cormac O’Connor, COO of Klyant.

“Both companies share a vision of delivering modern, cloud-first technology that helps law firms work more efficiently. By combining Matters.Cloud’s practice management capabilities with Klyant’s specialist legal accounting expertise, we’re creating a solution that gives UK firms the flexibility, automation and insight they need to grow with confidence. We believe this partnership represents a significant opportunity for the legal market, and we’re looking forward to working together to deliver real value for our customers.”

Dr Logic makes its professional Academy training free to everyone

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Dr Logic makes its professional Academy training free to everyone

LONDON, UK. September 3rd, 2026 – Dr Logic, an Apple-focused managed service provider, has opened its Academy training platform to the public at no cost, giving anyone access to professional learning covering IT, cybersecurity, responsible AI use and essential workplace skills.

“We wanted to find a meaningful way to give something back, not just to our clients, but to anyone who wants to build a career in technology or simply improve workplace skills,” said Roman Marszalek, founder and CEO of Dr Logic.

“Academy represents years of work building training that actually works. Opening it up for free was an easy decision; in particular we are hoping it will be used by under-represented groups in technology and business in general.”

Academy provides courses covering everything from introductory subjects to more advanced technical areas, as well as soft skills such as time management and workplace collaboration. Learners can also access business essentials, including data protection under the UK General Data Protection Regulation. Courses bring together written materials, video lessons and assessment quizzes, with Dr Logic aiming to help people develop useful knowledge they can retain and apply.

Making Academy freely available is also part of Dr Logic’s broader progress towards B Corp certification, which recognises businesses that meet established standards for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

Academy is available now at no cost at academy.drlogic.com. Further information can be found at drlogic.com.

1956 Individuals brings conversational AI to Engage Works’ Flux Innovation Lounge

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1956 Individuals brings conversational AI to Engage Works’ Flux Innovation Lounge

LONDON, UK. September 4th, 2026 – Creative technology studio Engage Works has welcomed 1956 Individuals, the conversational AI platform developed by SKC Studios, as its newest innovation partner at the Flux Innovation Lounge in London’s Greenwich Design District.

The partnership gives brands, agencies and organisations visiting Flux the chance to experience lifelike, multilingual AI avatars that can hold natural conversations and respond to questions in real time. The technology demonstrates how conversational AI can create new ways for people to access information, explore stories and interact with physical environments.

Rather than navigating screens, menus or static information, visitors can simply have a conversation. 1956 Individuals’ avatars engage people in real time, answering questions naturally using approved information and, where appropriate, connecting with operational systems to trigger actions and workflows behind the scenes.

The technology complements Engage Works’ work creating immersive brand, cultural and innovation experiences, while adding a new conversational layer to the technology available for clients to explore at Flux.

Steve Blyth, Founder and Group CEO of Engage Works, said: “Flux has always been about making emerging technology tangible. Rather than talking to clients about what might be possible, we want them to come in, experience it for themselves and immediately start thinking about what it could mean for their organisation.

“1956 Individuals is a brilliant example of that. Conversational AI has the potential to completely change how people interact with brands, places and information. Bringing the platform into Flux means our clients can experience a different way of accessing information and services, and start imagining how conversational interfaces could become part of their own customer, visitor or employee experience.”

From historic queens to the shop floor

1956 Individuals has already demonstrated the versatility of conversational AI across heritage, retail, healthcare and other public-facing environments.

At Leeds Castle, the platform powers AI Queen Eleanor of Castile, described as the world’s first environment-aware historical AI avatar. Created as part of the Pilgrimage of Love: Eleanor of Castile exhibition, the experience enables visitors to speak directly with the medieval queen and ask their own questions about her life, decisions and legacy. The avatar responds in real time and can converse in English, French and Spanish.

The technology turns historical interpretation into a two-way experience, allowing visitors to move beyond predetermined narratives and explore history through their own curiosity. Its responses are grounded in carefully researched and approved historical knowledge, combining conversational AI with responsible content governance.

More recently, 1956 Individuals entered large-format retail with a deployment at IKEA Reading, where an AI avatar welcomed customers and introduced them to the retailer’s Scan & Pack service. Positioned at the store entrance, the avatar helped shoppers understand how to use the service, demonstrating how conversational AI can support practical customer journeys as well as immersive storytelling.

The platform is also being used to develop AI William Gladstone for the Museum of the Prime Minister. The high-fidelity conversational avatar is designed to provide audiences with a new way to explore the former Prime Minister’s leadership, historical record and political legacy, supported by content governance and consultation with relevant rights-holders and authorities.

Simon Cummin, Creative Technology Director at Engage Works, said: “What excites us about 1956 Individuals is that the technology moves AI beyond the confines of a text box and creates a more intuitive, conversational way for people to access information and services within physical spaces.

“For experience design, that opens up some really interesting possibilities. An avatar could provide access to historical knowledge in a museum, guide visitors through an innovation space, help customers navigate a retail environment or deliver information on behalf of a brand. And because the technology can connect into wider systems, the conversation can lead somewhere useful rather than simply ending with an answer.

“Having 1956 Individuals permanently available at Flux gives us another technology we can experiment with alongside our clients and explore how conversational AI can become part of a much bigger connected experience.”

Information you can talk to

Developed by the Suffolk-based team at SKC Studios, 1956 Individuals is designed around the concept of turning static information into “information you can talk to.”

The platform supports two complementary types of avatars: Asset avatars, which carry story, context and interpretation within experiences and attractions; and Utility avatars, which can support practical functions including wayfinding, bookings, service navigation and first-contact support.

Deployments are built around transparency, ethical design and client-approved information, with multilingual access and defined governance intended to provide organisations with greater control over how AI represents their brand, knowledge and services.

Babita Devi, Co-founder & Chief Commercial Officer at SKC Studios, said: “Our vision is to create a new interface layer between people, information and services, enabling organisations to make trusted knowledge, expertise and actions accessible through natural conversation. Whether that means helping a visitor explore the life of a medieval queen in a museum, guiding a customer through a retail journey, or enabling employees to access sophisticated enterprise workflows and services, the goal is the same: reducing friction between people and the information, systems and outcomes they need.

“Partnering with Engage Works gives us a unique opportunity to showcase that vision in practice. Flux brings together organisations that are actively exploring the future of customer, visitor and employee experiences, making it the perfect environment to demonstrate how conversational interfaces can transform the way people access information, interact with services and engage with brands. We are excited to help organisations move beyond talking about AI and start experiencing what this next generation of interaction can deliver.”

Bringing conversational AI into Flux

The partnership will enable Engage Works to demonstrate 1956 Individuals alongside the wider ecosystem of interactive, immersive and emerging technologies within Flux Innovation Lounge.

Flux is Engage Works’ working innovation and R&D environment, located in Greenwich Design District, providing a space where clients and partners can see, explore and get hands-on with emerging technology and consider its practical application within their own organisations.

Engage Works describes Flux as its “home of the new”, providing a hands-on environment for workshops, demonstrations and experimentation with clients and collaborators.

The addition of 1956 Individuals expands that ecosystem further into conversational AI, giving visitors an opportunity to explore how information, services and expertise can be made more accessible through natural conversation.

Steve Blyth added: “The most interesting conversations at Flux often start with someone seeing a piece of technology and saying, ‘Could we use that to…?’ That’s exactly what we want.

“Our innovation partners give us the building blocks to keep experimenting and pushing ideas further. 1956 Individuals brings an exciting new dimension to that mix, and we’re looking forward to exploring what we can create together.”

Flux Innovation Lounge is available for client demonstrations, innovation workshops, events and collaborative sessions with Engage Works’ creative technology team.

For further information about Engage Works and Flux Innovation Lounge, visit engageworks.com.

Debt Recovery Experts urge London Businesses to tackle Late Payments 

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Debt Recovery Experts urge London Businesses to tackle Late Payments 

LONDON, UK — East Central London has been identified as one of the worst-affected areas in Britain for late payment, with 72.6 per cent of invoices sent by small businesses in the area paid late over a 12-month period, according to research published by accounting software company FreeAgent. Only the Isle of Man recorded a higher rate. The same research found that 49.3 per cent of invoices sent by UK small businesses generally were paid late, up from 43 per cent the previous year.

London’s dense concentration of financial, professional and creative services businesses means many firms operate through long client relationships and complex commercial arrangements, which can make chasing overdue payment feel particularly fraught. A delayed invoice from a single significant client can have an outsized effect on a smaller firm’s cash flow, particularly where that client accounts for a large share of overall revenue.

The wider national picture remains challenging. Sage’s SME Performance Pulse, published in June 2026, found that 49 per cent of invoices issued by UK small businesses are currently overdue, with an average wait of 27 days beyond agreed terms. SMEs are, in turn, taking an average of 37.1 days to pay their own suppliers, up from 31.9 days a year earlier — a pattern that suggests delayed payment is increasingly passed down supply chains rather than absorbed by any single business.

Leading Business Debt Collection Experts Federal Management, who provides commercial debt recovery services to businesses across London and the UK said the capital’s business density brings both opportunity and risk when it comes to payment terms.

“London businesses often work with larger clients and bigger invoice values, which can make the temptation to keep chasing informally, rather than escalate, even stronger,” Chris Spencer for Federal Management said. “In our experience, the businesses that protect their cash flow best are the ones who set a clear point at which they move from reminders to formal recovery action, and stick to it.”

For personally owed debts and smaller commercial debts, including private school fees, healthcare and veterinary bills common across London’s boroughs, Private Debt Collection Specialists Frontline Collections provide a parallel recovery service from their central London Debt Collection Offices.

 Both London based Debt Collection agencies are FCA regulated and operate within the legal and regulatory framework governing UK debt collection services, including the ability to escalate to legal action where necessary.

Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, businesses are entitled to charge statutory interest of 8 per cent above the Bank of England base rate on overdue commercial invoices, together with reasonable recovery costs, provided payment terms were clearly documented from the outset.

The Office of the Small Business Commissioner introduced the Fair Payment Code in late 2024, replacing the earlier Prompt Payment Code, as a voluntary framework encouraging larger businesses to pay suppliers more promptly. Research published by Hiscox in February 2026 found that UK SMEs remain collectively owed £70.4 billion despite the new code, and the Federation of Small Businesses has previously estimated that around 50,000 UK businesses close each year as a direct result of cash flow problems linked to late payment.

London businesses are advised to set out payment terms clearly in writing, run credit checks on new clients, issue proactive reminders ahead of due dates, and seek professional recovery support once an invoice has been outstanding for an extended period without resolution.

About Federal Management Federal Management is an FCA-regulated commercial debt collection agency providing B2B recovery services to businesses in London across the UK, including sectors such as construction, manufacturing, logistics and professional services. More information is available at federalmanagement.co.uk.

About Frontline Collections Frontline Collections is an FCA-regulated debt recovery agency with Collection offices in London, specialising in consumer and smaller commercial debt recovery, including sectors such as private schools, healthcare and veterinary services, across the UK. More information is available at frontline-collections.com.

Sober October can open the door to more mindful drinking all year round

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Sober October can open the door to more mindful drinking all year round

LONDON, UK. September 3rd, 2026 – Specialists across beer, wine and spirits involved in the EU’s “More Than Only Food & Drink” campaign are highlighting a range of European styles and serving approaches that can help hospitality operators build a more diverse and credible drinks menu.

While Sober October has traditionally provided an opportunity to step away from alcohol for a month, changing consumer habits suggest that moderation is becoming a year-round consideration. Guests are increasingly switching between alcoholic and alcohol-free choices, opting for smaller serves or choosing drinks with a lower ABV depending on the occasion.

More than a third of UK adults who drink alcohol now consume low and no alcohol products either regularly or occasionally. This rises to 43% among 18- to 24-year-olds, while 24% of drinkers who have tried alcohol alternatives say these products have helped them reduce their overall alcohol consumption.

For pubs, bars and restaurants, October therefore offers an opportunity that extends beyond a temporary sales boost. It provides a useful point at which to reassess drinks menus and make sure they cater for customers looking to moderate their drinking at any time of year.

Beer: offer more than just one alcohol-free lager

Mark Dredge, beer presenter and ambassador to the “More Than Only Food & Drink” campaign, says: “Alcohol-free beer is the most established part of the low and no-alcohol market, but operators should consider offering a choice of styles rather than relying on one familiar lager.

“Europe’s brewing traditions provide plenty of inspiration. Germany and Spain are particularly strong in crisp, balanced alcohol-free lagers, while German brewers also produce alcohol-free wheat beers with notes of citrus, banana and spice, as well as refreshing citrus-led radlers.

“For guests looking beyond familiar styles, Dutch and Danish craft brewers are experimenting with fermentation techniques and different ingredients to produce flavour-led alcohol-free pale ales and IPAs. Ireland’s stout tradition is also being translated into alcohol-free beers with roasted malt and coffee notes, a dark colour and a creamy mouthfeel.

“One particularly relevant protected example is Münchener Bier PGI from Germany. Its specification includes both non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic wheat beer below 0.5% ABV. These beers must meet the same core quality requirements as full-strength Münchener Bier PGI, demonstrating that alcohol-free choices can retain a strong connection to established European brewing traditions.

“When people go out, they still want to have a nice drink and drinking experience, so there’s scope to introduce them to more interesting alcohol-free beers. These might be more premium, so they can also appeal to the non-drinker who wants to have something more special.”

“A considered selection could combine an accessible Spanish 0.0% lager with a German alcohol-free wheat beer, a Dutch or Danish pale ale and an Irish alcohol-free stout. These styles also provide opportunities for food pairing: wheat beer can accompany seafood and mildly spiced dishes, while stout can work with slow-cooked meat, mature cheese or chocolate desserts.

“How the selection is presented matters too. Alcohol-free beers should be clearly displayed on menus and in fridges, supported by concise tasting notes and confident staff recommendations. Offering an alcohol-free beer on draught can create an even more inclusive experience for guests who do not want to draw attention to the fact that they are moderating or abstaining.

“A varied selection can also help venues attract guests for lunch and earlier daytime occasions, extending the opportunity well beyond an evening visit or a single month.”

Wine: pair alcohol-free innovation with naturally lower-strength choices

“Wine has traditionally presented a greater technical challenge than beer because removing alcohol can also remove flavour, body and aroma,” explains Neil McAndrew, wine consultant and campaign advisor. “However, improvements in dealcoholisation techniques are rapidly expanding the quality and variety available.

“Venues can now explore dealcoholised German Riesling with citrus, apple and refreshing acidity; alcohol-free Spanish Muscat with floral, peach and citrus notes; and European 0.0% sparkling wines suitable for aperitifs, celebrations and food-pairing menus. Alcohol-free rosé and red styles from established European wine-producing countries can add further breadth.

“The range and success of low and no-alcohol wines continue to grow as quality improves and more established and innovative producers enter the market with new products.

“Portugal’s Tejo PGI provides a concrete example of how an established European wine region is responding to moderation. Its rules now allow “Leve”, or light, wines with an ABV of between 7.5% and 10.5%, as well as partially dealcoholised wines with a minimum ABV of 0.5%, to retain Tejo PGI status. This allows operators to offer lighter wines with regulated regional provenance rather than treating moderation and authenticity as separate propositions.

“Alongside dealcoholised products, naturally lighter protected wines can provide further choice for guests who are cutting back rather than abstaining. Dolcetto d’Asti PDO from Piedmont, for example, is typically around 5-6% ABV, combining gentle bubbles with floral, peach and citrus notes. It can be served in a smaller glass as an aperitif or paired with fruit-led desserts.

“German Kabinett Riesling can offer another lighter option, although alcohol levels vary and should always be clearly communicated. These wines are not alcohol-free, but they can form part of a broader menu that accommodates different approaches to moderation.

“Operators can provide further flexibility by making 125ml wine measures more prominent, creating small tasting flights or offering half-glass pairings with individual courses. Rather than grouping alcohol-free wines at the bottom of a separate section, venues could list them alongside comparable conventional styles, supported by a clear ABV, tasting note and food-pairing recommendation.

Spirits: rethink serve size, strength and presentation

For spirits and cocktails, mindful drinking is creating demand for more than alcohol-free alternatives. Guests are also looking for smaller cocktails, reduced measures and lower-strength long drinks that preserve flavour and the occasion of going out, explains Kristiane Westray, spirits writer, educator and ambassador to the “More Than Only Food & Drink” campaign.

“The drive to drink less, for whatever reason, isn’t just driving low and no, it’s resulting in smaller serve sizes, too.

“Miniature cocktails provide one way for venues to respond. A half-sized Negroni-style cocktail, Martini or other short serve allows guests to enjoy the full flavour and presentation of a classic drink while consuming a smaller quantity.

“A separate opportunity lies in Spritzes and highballs. Although these are longer serves, they can contain less alcohol when made with a reduced measure of the alcoholic base, or no alcohol at all when created with 0.0% alternatives.

“The Spritz is particularly well suited to this approach. While commonly associated with summer, its combination of a bitter or botanical base, bubbles and garnish can be adapted for every season. For an alcohol-free autumnal Spritz, operators can combine a 0.0% bittersweet aperitivo or vermouth alternative with soda or alcohol-free sparkling wine, balanced with citrus, herbs or a lightly spiced syrup. Orange, rosemary, sage, apple and warming spices can provide seasonal character without making the drink excessively sweet.

“Protected EU aperitifs can provide further possibilities for guests moderating rather than abstaining. Vermouth di Torino GI, a protected aromatised wine from Italy, is lower in strength than distilled spirits and can be served in a reduced measure with tonic or soda. Its botanical character ensures that the finished drink retains flavour and a sense of occasion, despite containing less alcohol than a conventional spirit-led cocktail.

“There is also scope to explore alcohol-free botanical drinks featuring juniper, anise, herbs and spices, drawing inspiration from Europe’s aperitif and distilling traditions. These can be combined with soda, tonic or 0.0% sparkling wine to create distinctive Spritzes and highballs for guests avoiding alcohol completely.

“Whatever the size or strength, quality should remain the priority. An unusual ingredient or attractive garnish may encourage a first order, but flavour determines whether a guest orders the drink again. Good glassware, ice, mixers and presentation can ensure that an alcohol-free Spritz, reduced-measure highball or miniature cocktail feels like a considered choice rather than a compromise.”

For more information please visit the website or contact: [email protected]

BOSGAME Sets Sights on Local AI with Upcoming M5 MAX Mini PC

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BOSGAME Sets Sights on Local AI with Upcoming M5 MAX Mini PC

LONDON, UK. September 2nd, 2026 – BOSGAME has revealed details of its forthcoming M5 MAX, a new flagship Mini PC built for users seeking workstation-level performance and substantial memory in a compact desktop. The system is expected to arrive between late September and mid-October 2026.

With the M5 MAX, BOSGAME is targeting the growing demand for powerful local AI computing in a small form factor, combining high memory capacity with a high-end AMD processor.

At the heart of the M5 MAX is AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495. The machine will serve as a step above BOSGAME’s existing M5 platform and is aimed at AI developers, content creators, software developers, and other professional users whose workloads demand more memory and processing capability than a conventional Mini PC typically offers.

The first planned model will feature 128GB of LPDDR5X unified memory alongside a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. The specification is designed to accommodate local AI testing, large-model applications, creative workloads, software development, and demanding multitasking.

AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 brings 16 CPU cores and 32 threads, with boost speeds of up to 5.2GHz. It includes Radeon 8065S graphics and an NPU rated at up to 55 TOPS. Combined AI performance is rated at up to 131 TOPS.

BOSGAME says the M5 MAX is intended to represent more than an incremental performance upgrade.

James Cao, General Manager at BOSGAME, said, “With the M5 MAX, we wanted to go beyond simply making a faster Mini PC. We wanted to rethink how much computing capability could be brought into a compact system. The 128GB configuration is just the beginning.”

The growing use of AI models and applications on local machines is placing greater emphasis on available memory. As models become larger and applications more demanding, users increasingly need systems capable of handling substantial memory requirements. The M5 MAX has been designed around this trend.

Alongside its internal hardware, the M5 MAX offers a broad selection of connectivity for workstation-style use. The system includes OCuLink PCIe 4.0 x4, dual USB4, dual 10GbE, Wi-Fi 7, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and SD 4.0, enabling high-speed accessories, networking, displays, and expansion.

The M5 MAX platform is also planned to receive a higher-capacity configuration in early 2027. BOSGAME expects to introduce a version combining 192GB of memory with 2TB of storage for users handling even more demanding AI and professional workloads.

BOSGAME expects the M5 MAX to reach the market between late September and mid-October 2026. Pricing for the initial 128GB + 2TB configuration is expected to fall between US$3,600 and US$3,800.

For more information, visit www.bosgamepc.com.

£8,548 Average Home Insurance Claim Raises Roof Damage Concerns, Says Carlisle Firm

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£8,548 Average Home Insurance Claim Raises Roof Damage Concerns, Says Carlisle Firm

CARLISLE, UK. September 2nd, 2026 – Insurance claims for major household damage are becoming increasingly expensive, with the average payout for flooding, storm and burst pipe incidents reaching £8,548 in the second quarter of this year. The Association of British Insurers reported the figure last month, recording a 12% rise from the equivalent quarter in 2025 and taking the average home insurance claim above the £7,000 mark.

A Carlisle roofing company says roof damage is the category where homeowners are most likely to discover the money is not coming.

The reason is a word most people never encounter until a loss adjuster uses it. Causation. Buildings insurance pays for sudden accidental damage; it has never covered deterioration, and no standard UK policy ever will. So when slates come off in a gale, the question the insurer asks is not how bad the weather was. It is whether the weather broke something, or found something already broken.

“That distinction decides the claim, and almost nobody knows it exists until they are on the wrong side of it,” said David of Roof Repairs Carlisle. “We get called to roofs where the nails rusted through years ago. The slates were sitting there by weight and friction and not much else. One decent gust and half a course is in the garden, and from the adjuster’s point of view the storm exposed a maintenance problem rather than caused one. The claim gets refused, and the homeowner is genuinely baffled, because there was a storm and there is a hole.”

What tips a claim one way or the other, the company says, is rarely the photographs of the damage. It is whether anyone can describe the mechanism.

“A report saying ‘roof damaged in high winds‘ is close to worthless,” David said. “What an adjuster wants is ‘wind uplift at the verge has lifted the end slates and fractured the mortar bedding’. That sentence explains how the storm did it. The first one just says something happened. We have seen claims turn around on nothing more than a roofer going up and writing the second version instead of the first.”

Cumbria has more at stake here than most counties. Carlisle sits at the end of an open run in from the Atlantic with the Solway funnelling weather inland, and Met Office 1991-2020 averages give the city 918.8mm of rain across 152.6 days a year. Frequency does more damage than volume. Roofs here get wet, dry out and get wet again several hundred times a winter, and fixings corrode on that cycle rather than in any single storm.

Which is why the firm is pushing homeowners to act now rather than in December.

“Everything that protects a claim has to exist before the damage does,” David said. “Dated photographs of the roof in good order. A record that somebody competent looked at it. Once the slates are in the garden, you are arguing from nothing. September is the month that decides how February goes.”

What a roof damage claim actually needs:

  • Dated photographs of every elevation taken now, while the roof is intact. These are what establish the roof was sound beforehand.
  • The date and, if possible, the time the damage happened. Insurers check this against Met Office records for the postcode.
  • A written report describing the failure mechanism, not just the damage.
  • An itemised quote rather than a single lump sum, so each element can be approved separately.
  • Receipts for any emergency work done to prevent further damage. That cost is normally recoverable.
  • Your policy’s own definition of a storm. Most set a wind speed threshold in the region of 55mph.

Homeowners are generally entitled to appoint a roofer of their own choosing rather than one sent by the insurer, though the insurer may want to approve the cost first. Where a claim is declined and the handling looks unfair, the Financial Ombudsman Service will review it free of charge once the insurer’s own complaints process is exhausted.

Roof Repairs Carlisle offers free roof inspections across Carlisle and Cumbria. Details are at www.roofrepairsincarlisle.co.uk/storm-damage-repairs.

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