Twenty-three people were disqualified from acting as company directors in the first six months of 2026 for “persistent or serious non-compliance” with their filing duties, according to figures published by Companies House on Thursday, with bans totalling 70 years.

The disqualifications, which ranged from six months to five years, followed criminal convictions for failing to file documents such as annual accounts and confirmation statements. Courts also fined the 23 directors a combined £17,810, including £15,600 for non-filing of accounts and £2,200 for non-filing of confirmation statements, Companies House said.

Separately, 360 directors of 332 companies were convicted of filing offences between January and March. Companies House said these included 355 convictions for accounts offences, with total fines of £129,970, and 157 convictions for confirmation statement offences, with fines of £53,300. The registrar was also awarded £31,075 in costs.

Companies House did not publish comparable figures for previous years, but disqualifications are understood to have run at about 12 a year in the past, and courts have been handing down longer bans as the offences are treated more seriously.

Martin Swain, director of intelligence and law enforcement engagement at Companies House, said: “Limited liability encourages enterprise, giving businesses the confidence to start, invest and grow.

“In return, they are expected to be transparent and accountable. We encourage and support companies to comply with their legal obligations to file accounts and confirmation statements. Prosecution ensures that where there has been a serious breach of the law, individuals are held to account.”

All companies must file annual accounts and a confirmation statement under the Companies Act 2006, and directors are personally responsible for ensuring the documents are delivered on time. Where accounts are filed late, Companies House imposes automatic statutory penalties on the company. Failure to file is also a criminal offence for which all of a company’s directors risk prosecution.

Companies House said enforcement decisions are taken in line with its published enforcement policy, and that prosecutions proceed only where there is sufficient evidence and where prosecution is in the public interest.

The figures come as the registrar implements reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, designed to improve the accuracy of the register after years of criticism that it was open to abuse. Mandatory identity verification for new directors and people with significant control took effect in November 2025, and was followed by a fall of around 30 per cent in weekly company registrations.

From April 2028, about two million small and micro companies, defined as businesses with up to 50 employees or revenues of up to £15 million, will be required to file profit and loss information at Companies House for the first time. Following a backlash over the plans from small firms and business groups, companies will be able to opt to have the information hidden from public view.

The government has said the profit and loss statements would be available for review by “law enforcement and HMRC” to tackle “fraud, economic crime and tax evasion”. HMRC’s latest tax gap estimates put unpaid tax at £59.2 billion for 2024-25, with small businesses accounting for the largest share.

Jamie Young

Jamie Young is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, covering SME finance, employment law and Westminster policy since 2016. He has reported on every Budget and Autumn Statement since 2018, helped make sense of the ‘covid era’ and the bounce-back loan scheme from launch through the fraud investigations, and broke the magazine’s coverage of the 2024 late-payment reforms. He joined Business Matters straight from completing his BA in Administration from Exeter University and is NCTJ-qualified. Reach him at jyoung@cbmeg.co.uk

America’s most expensive ZIP code has officially returned to California, as the artificial intelligence stock surge has catapulted Silicon Valley’s ultra-exclusive Atherton past Miami’s tax-free paradise of Fisher Island.

But while deep-pocketed tech titans are willing to fork over nearly $10 million for modest Northern California properties, real estate experts say the move signals a high-stakes trade-off: Buyers aren’t staying in the Golden State for its tax climate or resort lifestyle — they’re paying a massive premium to remain plugged into the nation’s primary deal-making hub.

“Atherton offers something that cannot easily be recreated elsewhere: immediate access to the relationships and opportunities driving one of the world’s most influential technology economies,” Douglas Elliman’s Jenna Hoyas told Fox News Digital. “For many buyers, their business interests, investment networks, children’s schools and personal relationships are firmly rooted in Silicon Valley. The decision is not always a calculation of which state provides the most house or the lowest tax burden. At this level, time and access are often more valuable than savings.”

“The same $10 million is purchasing two very different interpretations of luxury. In Atherton, buyers are generally looking for a single-family estate with meaningful land, privacy and the ability to create a highly customized compound,” Douglas Elliman colleague Kristina Quesada also told Fox Digital.

CALIFORNIA WEALTH CHARTS A QUIETER PATH TO FLORIDA AS GULF COAST ENTER MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR BOOM

“On Fisher Island, $10 million is more likely to purchase a luxury condominium with water views, security, amenities and immediate access to a private resort environment. Buyers are trading a large private parcel for beachfront living, club access, services and a lock-and-leave lifestyle,” Quesada added. “Atherton offers ownership of the land and proximity to Silicon Valley, while Fisher Island offers a highly serviced lifestyle surrounded by water.”

Atherton, California, now ranks in the top spot for America’s most expensive ZIP code, overtaking Miami’s Fisher Island for the first time in two years. (Getty Images)

Recent data from PropertyShark.com and Bloomberg show that Atherton’s ZIP code (94027) overtook Fisher Island (33109) after the Miami enclave spent two consecutive years as America’s most expensive ZIP code. Atherton’s median home price jumped roughly 20% to $9.93 million, while Fisher Island’s median home sale price fell to $8.3 million.

“Living in Atherton is about privacy, land and proximity to the center of Silicon Valley’s wealth ecosystem. It does not offer the highly visible resort lifestyle people associate with Miami,” Hoyas said. “It is intentionally quiet and understated, with large, gated properties, mature landscaping and very little commercial activity.”

“The rankings may continue to move between Atherton and Fisher Island because both markets have relatively few sales and a handful of major transactions can influence the median. I would not interpret one year’s ranking as evidence that California has reversed migration to Florida or that Florida has lost its appeal,” Hoyas said.

With OpenAI having confidentially filed for an IPO, alongside the public debuts of aerospace giant SpaceX and artificial intelligence rival Anthropic, billions of dollars in overnight liquidity could soon be unlocked for executives and middle management alike.

“The recent acceleration is undoubtedly connected to wealth created through AI, technology companies and equity gains, but buyers are not necessarily treating these homes as short-term purchases,” Quesada said. “A liquidity event may provide the capital and urgency to buy, while the long-term strategy is to secure an irreplaceable piece of land in a market with extremely limited inventory.”

“Atherton is also a market where newly created wealth often moves into real estate as both a lifestyle purchase and a way to diversify. The AI boom may be producing the buyers, but the scarcity of large parcels close to Silicon Valley is what supports the long-term value proposition,” Quesada continued.

The California-based agents say the biggest misconception about the wave of Silicon Valley buyers is that they’ve overlooked tax implications or “failed to compare what their money could purchase elsewhere.”

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“They understand the financial differences very clearly. They are making the purchase because the property keeps them close to the companies, capital and relationships responsible for creating their wealth,” Quesada said. “For these buyers, a $30 million home in Atherton is not simply a house. It is a private base inside the ecosystem where they conduct business and build their future.”

“These markets serve different buyers and different priorities. Florida will continue attracting people seeking tax advantages, waterfront living and a resort-oriented lifestyle. California will continue commanding extraordinary prices wherever access to innovation, employment, education and established personal networks outweighs the financial advantages of relocating,” Hoyas said. “Atherton does not need to stop migration to Florida to remain one of the country’s most valuable residential markets.”

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MELBOURNE, Australia — A father of five who listed a rare Woolworths collectible on eBay for what he hoped might fetch a few hundred dollars found himself at the center of an absurd bidding war that briefly touched $100 million, only to watch the entire sale evaporate once the winning bid was exposed as a joke.

Melbourne dad Mark Hunter, 51, listed his family’s Flocked Bullseye Ooshie, one of just 125 in circulation across Australia, on eBay after his children discovered the tiny figurine, modeled on Woody’s loyal horse from “Toy Story,” was among the rarest items in Woolworths’ latest Disney Ooshies promotion. Hunter told Yahoo Lifestyle that the family’s original plan was modest: sell the toy for a couple hundred dollars and put the money toward a new puppy.

A Bidding War That Spiraled Out of Control

What followed instead was a chaotic escalation. The auction-style listing opened at a modest $100, and by the time Yahoo Lifestyle first reported on the frenzy, 93 bidders had already driven the price to $16,111. Hunter said he initially found the early surge exciting, thinking it might represent a genuine payday for his family, but his optimism curdled as the numbers kept climbing.

“At the point when it reached over $10,000 I was like, ‘This is something’s wrong with this,’” Hunter said. By the time the listing crossed $15,000, he said, he knew the bidding had tipped into farce. When the auction closed, the final price had rocketed past $100 million, with more than 25 people having participated in driving the listing to its absurd conclusion.

A Windfall That Never Was

The apparent winning bidder immediately filed a cancellation request once the auction ended, leaving Hunter with no sale and no payment. Hunter said he accepted the cancellation without a fight, reasoning there was little point pursuing a bid eBay would never be able to collect in the first place, given how obviously illegitimate it was.

Adding insult to injury, eBay’s system treated the canceled sale as a completed transaction for the purposes of Hunter’s account limits, using up his monthly selling allowance and blocking him from relisting the rare Ooshie for 28 days. The original listing disappeared entirely, taking the eye-popping headline price with it and leaving Hunter unable to sell the toy through the platform for nearly a month.

The Joker Comes Clean

Not long after the auction closed, the person responsible for the winning bid reached out to Hunter directly to explain what had happened. “I apologise for the inconvenience of the troll bid,” the message read, according to Hunter. “I showed my workmates, and he jokingly placed the maximum bid prior to my knowledge.”

Despite the setback, Hunter said the story may still end well. A genuine collector reached out to him on Facebook expressing interest in buying the Ooshie directly. “I’ll just see what the collector’s looking to paying, and if we’re happy with that, we’ll just agree. It’ll hopefully bring the collector some happiness, which would be a good ending,” Hunter said.

eBay Defends Its Hands-Off Approach

When Yahoo Lifestyle asked eBay whether the listing would be removed or whether the runaway bidding would be allowed to continue once it became clear the numbers were spiraling into the absurd, an eBay spokesperson defended the platform’s policy of not intervening in live auctions. “We don’t restrict bids on auction items,” the spokesperson said. “If a bidder wants to receive an item, however, they will need to pay the amount that they have bid for it. We have clear policies in place that restrict fake or shill bidding and consistently making bids that are not paid will see us take action on a user’s account.”

The spokesperson added that if a winning bidder ultimately refuses to pay, as happened in Hunter’s case, the seller retains the option of offering the item to one of the auction’s other participants instead, noting that Hunter’s listing had attracted 183 underbidders who could theoretically still be approached about purchasing the toy.

A Broader Collecting Frenzy

Hunter’s Ooshie was not the only rare figurine to attract inflated bids during Woolworths’ current promotion. A separate listing for a Platinum Buzz Lightyear Ooshie was posted with an asking price of $1,050.70, reflecting genuine, if still elevated, collector demand for the promotion’s scarcer items.

Consumer behavior expert Dr. Paul Harrison, a senior lecturer at Deakin University, told Yahoo Lifestyle that shoppers shouldn’t assume a rare Ooshie is automatically worth a significant sum, explaining that collectibles only carry real value when buyers genuinely agree they are worth paying for. He noted that limited-edition items can become especially desirable specifically because many collectors are driven by a psychological need to complete a full set, saying that when people have invested time collecting a set, the single missing piece can become incredibly valuable to them personally, even if that value doesn’t translate to a broader market price.

A Marketing Phenomenon a Decade in the Making

This year’s Ooshies promotion marks a decade since the collectible figurines first appeared in Australian shopping trolleys, and nostalgia appears to be fueling much of the current enthusiasm. For collectors unwilling to spend serious money chasing rare pieces, Woolworths has leaned into the community aspect of the promotion, with the company confirming it will host free trading events in every supermarket and Big W store between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, giving shoppers a chance to swap duplicate Ooshies and fill out their collections without turning to online marketplaces.

With his eBay listing wiped out and his selling privileges suspended for 28 days, Hunter said he now plans to pursue a private sale directly with the collector who reached out to him on Facebook, sidestepping the platform entirely rather than risk another round of runaway, illegitimate bidding. For now, the episode stands as a cautionary tale for other Australians who may find themselves holding a rare Ooshie and dreaming of a windfall, a reminder that even a listing headed toward a record-breaking price can collapse entirely if the winning bid was never real to begin with.

‘Names.co.uk is one of a kind and simply first-class!’

Launching a business has many challenges – and when it comes to setting up a website and domain, that’s potential added hassle that start-ups don’t need or have time for. However, there’s one business which could help and take this stress away.

Worcester-based Names.co.uk, described as a British web infrastructure pioneer, has launched a tech infrastructure play aimed at non-technical UK founders, combining a free ‘.co.uk’ domain infrastructure offer with its signature “KickStart” done-for-you onboarding service. This could save new businesses time and effort when it comes to setting up a digital storefront.

Names.co.uk says thousands of non-technical founders find themselves stranded with an unconfigured domain, and they don’t know how to link to a live site or an active mailbox. This is where the company comes in, taking away this hard work.

“The tech industry has a bad habit of selling small businesses a tool and leaving them to decipher the manual alone,” says the team at Names.co.uk. “When a local florist or tradesperson buys a domain, they shouldn’t need a degree in network administration to configure an MX record on their phone. We are completely eliminating that friction.”

Operating since 1997, Names.co.uk describes itself as ‘a cornerstone of the British web utility market’. As part of the team.blue group, the company says it combines data centre security with localised, expert technical support to deliver robust, accessible web hosting, domain administration, and cloud security services to hundreds of thousands of UK businesses.

With its signature “KickStart” done-for-you onboarding service, Names.co.uk can help with professional mailboxes to bypass automated spam filters; device integration; and DNS Orchestration. New users can get free ‘.co.uk’ domains, alongside entry-level ‘.com’ registrations from £1.99, and there’s an AI website builder, which can handle layout, creative assets and conversion copywriting.

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As well as this, the company can help with compliance and accessibility. Names.co.uk says it can help small business ensure their websites automatically adhere to legal digital accessibility guidelines, while unlocking secondary algorithmic SEO advantages.

The company also has a specialised Domain Administration Team based in Worcester which operates seven days a week, and it says it has verified green infrastructure, with its data centres running strictly on wind and solar power. However, there are other companies out there, too.

For example, GoDaddy is an alternative which ‘does more than sell domain names’. The company says it partners with customers, securing a domain, building a web presence, enabling payments and everything in between. Currently, new users can get a ‘.com’ domain for £0.01 for the first year, with a three-year purchase required and additional years costing £18.99.

Or there’s 123-reg.co.uk, which has several domain offers. Users can get a ‘.co.uk’ domain for £3.99 a year for the first year, ‘.com’ for £0.01 a year for the first year, ‘.ai’ for £36.99 for the first year with a two-year term, and more.

Users have left many positive reviews for Names.co.uk on Trustpilot, however, where it’s rated an overall score of 4.3 out of five. One person said: “Very helpful and supportive customer support person who solved my problem with an innovative solution.”

Another said: “I’ve been a customer of Names.co.uk for many, many years: I’ve always been more than satisfied with the service and support they offer – costs are reasonable in each case! Whether it’s been complex technical issues, new IT features or support and administration of my user account. The staff have always been friendly, understanding when I had been a bit out of the loop, and, above all, patient! As far as I’m concerned, Names.co.uk is one of a kind and simply first-class! I hope they will be able to maintain this standard for a long time to come!”

Others deducted a star in their review, as this person said: “Had difficulty updating domain renewals online. Customer phone support was excellent, polite and helpful and resolved the issues efficiently. Reassuring confirmation of changes sent in email.”

Overall, most people were happy. This shopper said: “Kyle was wonderful, very professional and friendly. It was so good to hear a friendly and reassuring voice on the support team. I honestly feel a huge weight off my soldiers. I know some pending issues will be resolved and other future matters that I discussed with Kyle will be taken care of too. Thanks, Kyle, for your help. Keep up the good work.”

Shoppers can try Names.co.uk through its website.

The C.L.A.S.S. Soiree Steakhouse located in Hollywood, Florida, welcomes diners to fully disrobe and eat a meal in the nude on the first Monday of each month.

While guests arrive wearing clothes, they’re free “to drop their clothes” after arriving at the restaurant, Tasheba Hart, who hosts the monthly events, told Fox News Digital during an interview on Wednesday while sitting alongside Chef Maurad Ali, the owner of the establishment.

Hart said she goes “totally nude” at the event, but noted that “if it gets a little chilly” she dons a robe.

FLORIDA STEAKHOUSE OFFERS CLASSY NUDE DINING EXPERIENCE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW ‘TOUCHY-FEELY STUFF’

C.L.A.S.S. Soiree Steakhouse chef and owner Maurad Ali, left, and nude dining event hostess Tasheba Hart, right. (Fox News Digital / Fox News)

She noted that only she and the guests are undressed, while the chefs and servers are “fully clothed.”

Ali explained that Hart, who does not work at the steakhouse on regular days, is the “head” of the nude dining events. She sells the tickets and gives the restaurant a cut of the funds, he said.

STEAK AND SEAFOOD CHAIN 801 RESTAURANT GROUP FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY AFTER CLOSING DENVER, MINNEAPOLIS SPOTS

The Florida steakhouse offers a nude dining experience once a month. (Justin Tsucalas; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky/Both for The Washington Post via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Hart said the tickets cost $150 for an individual woman, $250 for an individual man, or $300 for two people attending the event together.

She described the event as “a fine-dining experience.”

HIGH BEEF PRICES HITTING CONSUMERS AS MEATPACKING GIANT WARNS OF SUPPLY STRUGGLES

Rib-eye steak with a sweet onion-tarragon topping paired with a baked potato and asparagus.  (Bonnie Trafelet/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Ali remarked that “this is not your grandpa’s steakhouse.”

New CEO Michelle Percy said interim results “reflect a business that has spent the past six months investing in its future”

North East property investor Develop North says it is in a strong position despite challenges facing listed investment companies.

New interim results for the firm – which now has a portfolio valued at nearly £23m – shows its net asset value total return fell 0.88% in the six months to the end of May, though bosses chalked that up to one-off costs associated with the launch of Develop North’s new investment prospectus and the beginning of a new investment strategy, along with changes to its management team. That included the hiring of former Newcastle City Council director of investment and growth, Michelle Percy, as the company’s CEO.

Ms Percy said the results reflected investment in Develop North, which is advised by Newcastle wealth managers Tier One Capital. The firm’s board said the moves were essential for growth, and also as indicators of its confidence in the region, which it says is benefiting from public and private sector investment, regeneration activity and increasing recognition as one of the country’s most attractive regions for development.

The half year income statement for Develop North shows an increase in total revenue to £1.26m in the six months, compared with £1.03m in the same period last year. But there were pre-tax losses of £179,000 in the period, compared with a pre-tax profit of £494,000 in the first half of 2025. Pre-tax profit before finance costs was £90,000, compared with £575,000 previously.

It came as Develop North entered its 10th year as a listed company, and following shareholder approval of its expanded investment policy allowing it to back residential real estate, commercial real estate and real estate projects. Two successful exits were completed in the period including from industrial and trade counter development Whitley Court at Leeming Bar Business Park, and from the backing of Sunderland’s former Farringdon Police Station into retail units.

John Newlands, chairman of Develop North PLC, said: “Develop North enters this next phase with a strengthened leadership team, a broadened investment strategy and an established platform from which to grow. We expect to complete our first investment under the revised policy during the current financial year and continue to see encouraging levels of activity across our pipeline.”

Michelle Percy, chief executive officer of Develop North PLC, said: “These interim results reflect a business that has spent the past six months investing in its future. We’ve evolved our investment strategy, strengthened the leadership team, welcomed new shareholders and continued to recycle capital through successful exits, all while maintaining the disciplined approach that has defined Develop North since launch.

“Our purpose remains unchanged. We want to provide investors with access to attractive regional real estate opportunities while supporting developments that deliver regeneration, create jobs and contribute to long-term economic growth.

“As we enter our tenth year, we’re in a strong position. We have an experienced team, an expanded investment mandate, a healthy pipeline of opportunities and a portfolio that continues to perform well. We’re excited about building on that momentum during the second half of the year and continuing to create long-term value for both our shareholders and the regional economies in which we invest.”