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    Oliver Barnes

    Leisure Industries Correspondent

    Oliver Barnes is the FT’s leisure industries correspondent based in London. He covers hospitality, gambling, tourism, tobacco and cannabis companies. Oliver previously covered health and science for the FT. He was awarded a journalism prize by the Royal Statistical Society for his coverage of the pandemic.

    Before joining the FT, he worked for BBC News, writing articles for Reality Check, the fact-checking arm of the BBC, and reporting for radio outlets including Radio 4 and the World Service.

    Email Oliver Barnes @mroliverbarnes  on Twitter (link opens in a new browser window)

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    • Tuesday, 6 June, 2023
      888 Holdings PLC
      Investor group including Kenny Alexander takes punt on 888

      Former GVC chief joins vehicle buying stake in UK gambling group it sees as undervalued

    • Monday, 5 June, 2023
      Confederation of British Industry
      CBI struggles to secure big public backing for its revamp

      Business lobby group faces a make-or-break vote of confidence on Tuesday

    • Friday, 2 June, 2023
      Cryptocurrencies
      ‘There needs to be a health warning’: How crypto trading can lead to addiction

      Debate over whether sector should come under scope of financial services or be treated like gambling

    • Friday, 2 June, 2023
      News in-depthITV PLC
      ITV chief faces unwelcome distraction with Phillip Schofield scandal

      Broadcaster’s share price has dropped about 60% during Carolyn McCall’s tenure

    • Thursday, 1 June, 2023
      Media
      ITV chief to be quizzed by MPs over Schofield safeguarding issues

      Culture committee calls in Carolyn McCall to answer questions arising over departure of ‘This Morning’ presenter

    • Wednesday, 31 May, 2023
      UK small companies
      Entertainment group Oak View snaps up Royal Ascot caterer Rhubarb

      Leisure catering a growth area as hybrid working takes shine off some corporate contracts

    • Wednesday, 31 May, 2023
      Entain PLC
      Entain expects ‘substantial’ fine for misconduct at former Turkish betting business

      Probe by UK tax authority to focus on bribery at gambling group’s old subsidiary

    • Tuesday, 30 May, 2023
      Philip Morris International Inc
      Philip Morris on path to becoming an ESG stock, says chief executive

      Jacek Olczak argues that shift away from cigarettes should prompt a rethink after wave of exclusionary policies

    • Tuesday, 30 May, 2023
      Neat Burger
      Neat Burger raises cash for expansion despite slowing plant-based food market

      London-based vegan fast-food chain lifts valuation after securing $18mn in new funding round

    • Sunday, 28 May, 2023
      News in-depthFood & Beverage
      UK mid-market dining chains fight for survival after Covid and cost of living woes

      Squeezed consumers and inflation punish groups that expanded beyond city centres

    • Tuesday, 23 May, 2023
      The Restaurant Group PLC
      Wagamama owner suffers shareholder revolt over pay and appointments

      Activist hedge funds continue push for shake-up at The Restaurant Group

    • Tuesday, 23 May, 2023
      British American Tobacco PLC
      BAT investors call on tobacco group’s new chief to restart share buybacks

      Cigarette maker launched £2bn stock repurchase programme in 2022 but opted not to renew it this year

    • Saturday, 29 April, 2023
      Flutter Entertainment PLC
      Flutter chief angers safer gambling groups with comments on new levy

      Paddy Power owner concerned funds could end up with those campaigning to stop industry

    • Friday, 28 April, 2023
      Special ReportThe Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies
      Cannabis companies proliferate on list of fastest-growing American businesses

      Spread of legal marijuana lifts 11 companies into FT/Statista ranking, with some recording $1bn in annual revenue

    • Thursday, 27 April, 2023
      Gambling industry
      UK sets out biggest shake-up of gambling industry since 2005

      MPs and campaigners welcome major curbs on online betting but say they could go further

    • Wednesday, 26 April, 2023
      ExplainerBritish American Tobacco PLC
      How British American Tobacco sold cigarettes to North Korea despite sanctions

      The UK company paid the US justice department’s biggest penalty for violating sanctions on Pyongyang

    • Wednesday, 26 April, 2023
      Confederation of British Industry
      Job cuts loom at CBI unless UK lobby group restores members’ confidence

      Exodus of companies after two rape allegations has put organisation’s finances under strain

    • Tuesday, 25 April, 2023
      Pret A Manger Ltd
      Pret to increase cost of its coffee subscription by 20%

      Users of sandwich chain’s service spend nearly four times as much as other customers

    • Tuesday, 25 April, 2023
      British American Tobacco PLC
      BAT pays $635mn penalty over North Korea sanctions breaches

      Subsidiary of world’s second-biggest tobacco group enters guilty plea in US

    • Tuesday, 25 April, 2023
      Premier Inn
      Premier Inn owner says inflation and labour shortages offer ‘growth opportunities’

      UK’s biggest budget hotel operator set to benefit if more rivals are forced out of business

    • Monday, 24 April, 2023
      Confederation of British Industry
      CBI president admits business lobby group may never regain trust

      Brian McBride issues mea culpa to member companies after allegations about toxic workplace culture

    • Monday, 24 April, 2023
      Prezzo PLC
      Italian chain Prezzo to close third of sites putting more than 800 jobs at risk

      Private equity-backed company blames cost of living crisis and soaring inflation

    • Friday, 21 April, 2023
      News in-depthConfederation of British Industry
      CBI sent into tailspin by sexual misconduct allegations

      Britain’s leading business lobby group is in such peril that conversation is turning to what might replace it

    • Thursday, 20 April, 2023
      Confederation of British Industry
      CBI gives information to police ‘relating to report of serious criminal offence’

      Misconduct crisis engulfing the UK’s leading business lobby group deepens

    • Thursday, 20 April, 2023
      UK politics & policy
      Rapid uptake in England of underage vaping prompts health warnings

      One in seven teens now engage in the practice as pressure mounts on government to clamp down on sale of e-cigarettes

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