Going into my third year as a journalist, I’ve learnt there’s one week every summer when you can almost guarantee things will slow down. Schools are off, inboxes go quiet, half the business world disappears on holiday, and everyone starts talking about the weather.<\/p>\n
This year? Absolutely not.<\/p>\n
The East Midlands seems to have completely ignored the memo, and it’s been one of those weeks where every time I thought I’d finally cleared my inbox, another story landed (which I’m not complaining about).<\/p>\n
We kicked off with some big rail news as EMR managing director Will Rogers stepped down with immediate effect after more than six years leading the operator.<\/p>\n
His departure comes as EMR faces strike action, timetable disruption and ongoing fleet issues, with former Merseyrail boss Neil Grabham returning to steady the ship.<\/p>\n
Then came a story I was sad to write. Nottingham meal delivery brand MuscleFood entered administration, less than a year after being rescued under new ownership. It was actually one of the first companies I interviewed when I joined TheBusinessDesk.com, so it felt particularly strange seeing how that story unfolded. Fingers crossed there’s still a future for such a well-known local brand.<\/p>\n
The courts kept us occupied too.<\/p>\n
The FCA was securing more than \u00a3655,000 to return to victims of an investment fraud, a CBD business director was sentenced for fraud and money laundering after using business loans to help buy a property in Lanzarote, and a fascinating High Court case where Gallagher lost its \u00a31.85m legal battle with Churchills founder Peter Meagher, with the judge ruling there was no proven fraud and no financial loss.<\/p>\n
Before I go…<\/p>\n
I’m hosting our next Young Professionals Mixer at Roxy Ball Room in Leicester, and it’d be brilliant to meet some of you (or catch up with familiar faces if we’ve met before).<\/p>\n