English singer, songwriter and actor famed for reinvention
Tim Curry has died at his Los Angeles home on 25 August at age 80, his longtime manager Marcia Hurwitz has confirmed. The English actor had been wheelchair‑bound after a major 2012 stroke and had a history of kidney cancer; the death certificate lists those conditions as contributing factors. He had originated Dr Frank‑N‑Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and enjoyed a six‑decade career across stage, film and voice work.
A London court of appeal has ruled that the so-called box-shifting practice, used to avoid business rates on vacant offices, cannot amount to beneficial occupation. The City of London Corporation, backed by local authorities, has argued that the scheme defers tax revenue for years. The decision threatens a £500m to £1bn annual loss in potential relief for landlords and a wider reform of business rates.
Sir Paul Smith reflects on an eight-decade journey from Nottingham beginnings to a global, owner-led fashion house. Threads: My Life in Style chronicles his discipline, curiosity, and hands-on leadership, stressing real shops, careful growth, and lasting brand control.
A roundup of continuing festival talk across Scotland and the UK. Belladrum in the Highlands has named Fatboy Slim, James and Amy Macdonald as headliners for 2027, with Reading/Leeds, Glastonbury, Download and TRNSMT still shaping up. Primavera Sound 2027 and TRNSMT remain unresolved as organisers weigh acts and schedules.
The Rules restaurant in Covent Garden has donated its 34-35 Maiden Lane building to the National Trust for £11m, securing the site’s future as a living heritage site. The restaurant will continue trading as a commercial tenant, with rent supporting conservation; the deal preserves the historic interior and collections and marks the Trust’s first entry into restaurant ownership.
Netflix releases a trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, a prequel set in 1950s London. The film stars Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, and David McKenna, with a wide theatrical release planned before streaming in 2027. Gerwig describes the project as a spiritual quest and confirms a stairway to the film’s marketing via Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven.