The bookmaker has launched a consultation over the closures, which will affect more than a tenth of its UK betting shops

Betfred is preparing to close 132 betting shops and cut more than 600 jobs, as the bookmaker warns that rising taxes and a deteriorating economic climate have made parts of its retail estate unsustainable.

The company has begun a formal consultation on the closures, which will affect more than a tenth of its UK shops and reduce its footprint to around 1,100 sites.

Founded in Warrington in 1967 by brothers Fred and Peter Done, whose combined wealth is estimated at £3.61 billion, Betfred said the fiscal pressures facing the industry had become impossible to absorb.

Jo Whittaker, chief executive of Betfred, said: “We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them, but the combined impact of higher employer national insurance contributions, wage inflation, increases in gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty has left us with no choice.

“These are well-run shops, staffed by dedicated colleagues, and it is incredibly hard to see any of them close, but the current fiscal and regulatory environment has made it impossible to keep trading all our shops.

“Our priority now is to support the colleagues affected, and to continue serving customers and communities across the rest of our estate.”

Competing gambling firms Paddy Power and William Hill have similarly shuttered dozens of outlets over the last 12 months. Back in January, William Hill and 888 owner Evoke revealed it acted “quickly and decisively” to counter recent budget changes to gambling taxes by implementing shop closures and cost-cutting measures.

Last October, Paddy Power announced intentions to close 57 betting shops throughout the UK and Ireland, placing 250 employees’ jobs in jeopardy. The shutdown proposals follow tax hikes unveiled by the former chancellor.

Measures outlined in last year’s autumn budget saw remote gaming duty rise from 21% to 40%, while a new online sports betting duty of 25% will be introduced, covering all sports excluding horse racing, from 2027.

Betfred also pointed to additional financial strain from other tax rises including the increase in National Insurance contributions and alterations to thresholds.

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Gleeful migrants filmed themselves arriving in the Spanish territory of Ceuta, with one man seen reaching the shore clinging to a bicycle, while another took videos with a selfie stick as he swam across the African coast. 

Thousands of migrants have been pouring into Ceuta over the last two days, some by land and others by sea.

Spain‘s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has condemned the breach of the border with Morocco as ‘a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity.’

But as security forces struggle to hold back the influx of migrants, incoming North Africans took to social media to share videos of them celebrating their arrival in Ceuta.

Meanwhile, separate footage captured the bizarre ways in which they managed to cross the sea.

Other clips showed migrant children playing in Spanish parks, while groups of men were seen throwing peace signs and shouting ‘Long live Pedro Sanchez.’

One social media video showed a migrant swimming from Morocco to Ceuta while hauling a bicycle across the water. 

As he reaches the shore, he is seen pushing the bike along the beach. 

One social media video showed a migrant swimming from Morocco to Ceuta while hauling a bicycle across the water

A young woman celebrates as she walks along a beach promenade after arriving in Ceuta 

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In another video that has gone viral, a migrant films himself swimming with a selfie stick as music plays in the background. 

Other scenes show a water-soaked young woman celebrating as she walks along a beach promenade after arriving on the Spanish territory. 

The same woman appears in a separate video walking along the streets of Ceuta with a group of other young people as she brandishes a Fendi phone case in her hand. 

Videos shared by Spanish locals showed scores of unaccompanied migrant children playing in parks. 

Live footage of the Spain-Morocco border showed hundreds of migrants gathered on a hill overlooking Ceuta being dispersed with tear gas by Moroccan forces, while others continued to swim to the Spanish enclave. 

At the same time, large groups of migrants walked back from Ceuta toward Morocco to return home.

Rachid Sbihi, who leads a local workers association representing Civil Guard officers, called the situation a ‘serious humanitarian crisis,’ saying thousands of migrants, including unaccompanied children, were left sleeping in parks and on sidewalks, while others roamed the streets aimlessly.

‘People are still entering. The reinforcements, including Spanish military troops, that have arrived are only helping the injured and other humanitarian efforts,’ he said. ‘It’s chaotic.’

Migrants are seen playing in Ceuta’s parks after their arrival 

Among the 18 who died, many drowned, Sbihi said, but some were also killed in a stampede to cross the breakwater fence at Tarajal beach, an urban beach near a border checkpoint with Morocco. 

On Friday morning, the waters near the border fence were littered with buoys, shoes and other belongings left behind.

Moroccan police deployed additional personnel, used water cannons and fired warning shots into the air to prevent migrants from crossing into Ceuta, according to rights groups in Morocco.

Authorities in Ceuta and Madrid have blamed the situation on a recent decision by Spain’s Supreme Court that ruled migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence.

Sanchez said migrant smugglers misinterpreted the ruling, but acknowledged that it may have played a role in sowing chaos. 

‘It appears that this interpretation of the Supreme Court’s ruling spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of human trafficking organisations, triggering the kind of mass surge we witnessed yesterday,’ Sanchez said. 

Spain is a main point of arrival into Europe for migrants seeking better economic opportunities or an escape from violence in their home countries.

To reach Ceuta, located on the northern African coast, migrants often swim from the Moroccan town of Fnideq, covering about three miles to reach Spanish territory. Others attempt the crossing from the nearby town of Belyounech, where the distance is shorter.

Football chiefs will consider whether to push for a vote of no confidence on Gianni Infantino following another day of drastic developments surrounding the embattled Fifa president.

But Infantino’s game-breaking Fifa Forward Enterprise plan is described as “not dead yet”, with the Swiss official still pushing on with his controversial plans after the global governing body issued another round of “clarifications” overnight.

Sources have even spoken of Infantino continuing on in the office as normal. Meanwhile, many outside his small circle are highly curious as to what he is “feeling” right now, as a previously invulnerable position has been left so exposed in a matter of days.

Above anything, it’s remarkable to think a Fifa president can continue when the most powerful continent has boycotted the World Cup, in Uefa, and two other confederations have at least prepared the ground to follow.

This all in a week that actually started with Infantino berating the media for criticism. One of his most senior advisors, Carlos Cordeiro, has also now quit, signing off with a damning statement. That’s just another development that would usually be difficult to survive.

Federation chiefs have already started talking about the process of a vote of no confidence, which would first necessitate a meeting of the Fifa Council and then 43 member associations – a quarter of the 211 – to push for an Extraordinary Congress.

Before that, though, everyone is waiting to see how the dust settles. Football chiefs have even felt it’s all been happening too fast to even properly register.

Amid all of that, Cordeiro’s statement was still clear enough to sum up the main problems with this plan. He wrote of how Fifa “sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt”, ensuring that “selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2bn makes little sense”.

“Why this deal? Why now?”

The JP Morgan deck for the plan is indeed said to have been “the final straw” for many member associations, including how it seemed to undervalue something as precious as the World Cup – let alone the principle of selling it off. They also pointed to contradictions in how Fifa is now bleating about consultations, but their very documents say terms have been agreed. As one involved figure said, “who agreed them?”

The exclusion of Cordeiro from the process is one of many elements that has only further baffled football.

While the former US Soccer president has been a divisive figure himself, he is seen as one of “the world’s top bankers” given his decades of work at Goldman Sachs.

It would surely have been obvious for Infantino to include him in formulating an idea like this, not least given their proximity. But he didn’t.

Among another key question being asked – of many – is how and why the arbitrary deadline of 19 September was picked.

Sources were wryly laughing at how Fifa’s “clarification” email complained at how their “planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports” only to then plough ahead with this deadline of 19 September. What would have changed if the consultation process hadn’t been “disrupted” by the media?

Sports industry figures have pointed to how a comparable deal between CVC Capital Partners and the Six Nations took two years to go through. Fifa were instead insisting on seven weeks with 211 countries, and that covering a period when most senior federation people are on holiday after a gruelling World Cup.

It is of a piece with so many major decisions under Infantino’s Fifa being rushed through with minimal opportunity for discussion, with the latest apparently the connected expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams.

If a radical shift like this plan was being taken in normal circumstances, it would come after a strategy department had been suggesting change over a period of time, before going through the board, the finance office and legal.

Except, nothing about this is normal.

The 19 September is otherwise seen by finance figures as a standard attempt to have hard milestones in place before the plan can evolve to formal financial due diligence. It also happens to fit with key Fifa dates, given that there’s an Extraordinary Congress scheduled for 23 November – by which point the presidential nominations are due for the March 2027 election – and the deadline for that agenda is 23 September.

Many figures naturally feel more time is essential, before even considering all the other concerns.

Ultimately, though, there was one major factor putting most voters off.

As a number of sources have said, ‘the association with the Trumps was just never going to fly”.

So much more of the story at least makes sense once it is viewed through the prism of the world around Donald Trump.

Infantino’s long association with a notoriously transactional US president played into a situation where he is suddenly announcing a plan that centrally involves the brother of Trump’s son-in-law – through Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital – after a year-long plan that very few people apparently knew about.

That element is said to have infuriated big hitters in the financial community, too. Here was “the most secure, most revenue-generating, most global asset” coming on the market and firms from Silverlake to CVC were not even at the table. That alone could cause awkward discussions at the next round of investor conversations.

And yet it is apparently going to Thrive Capital, which is seen in that sphere as an internet/software venture capital fund.

So, why Kushner?

Many are also seeing Trump’s long flattery of Infantino with a different perspective. As one source puts it, “he talks about him in a way he doesn’t even talk about Benjamin Netanyahu”.

Infantino has had longer and deeper access to the White House than almost anyone outside politics, and stayed close to Trump longer after the type of timescale where relationships with other comparable figures are burned. Look at Elon Musk, for example.

Was it connected to this plan?

The Trump connection could also dictate where this goes next.

As well as a vote of no confidence, federation chiefs have been weighing up potential challengers to be announced in November – from Concacaf’s Victor Montigliani to Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi – but they do still see a path to survival for Infantino.

If he says he understands the views of the many dissenters and goes in another direction, he could stay.

That direction could even be to still create Fifa Forward Enterprises but without the private equity element, as Uefa have done with Uefa Events SA. The record World Cup profits could then be distributed to member associations at $20m each and everyone moves with a contrite but weakened Infantino.

But will he do that given this connection to the Trumps? What has actually been discussed in the secret negotiations that led to this? Can he unmoor himself from this specific plan in that way, or will he press on and try and get it to a vote?

The next steps could decide more than Infantino’s future.

The Total Eclipse of the Heart Singer died in Portugal earlier this month

A book of condolence for Welsh icon Bonnie Tyler is being opened in Swansea. The Total Eclipse of the Heart Singer, who was born Gaynor Hopkins, died in hospital in Portugal on July 8 at the age of 75.

People can pay a personal tribute to the iconic singer in a book of condolence that’s being opened at Y Storfa in Swansea city centre on August 3. The book, organised by Swansea Council, is available for members of the public to sign during regular opening hours at the community hub in Oxford Street. An online Book of Condolence has also been opened and can be found here.

As a mark of respect, the Welsh flag is being flown at half-mast on the Rotunda at Swansea’s Guildhall, while the Lord Mayor has written to Bonnie Tyler’s family to offer condolences on behalf of the people of the city. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.

Bonnie’s family have announced details of her funeral through a notice published in the South Wales Evening Post. It said a celebration of her life will be held in Swansea and members of the public were invited to line the streets to pay their respects.

The singer is resting at William Pressdee Funeralcare on Stanley Street in Mumbles before she returns to her home in Fernhill on Saturday, August 15, at 3.30pm. Those who wish to pay their respects are invited to line Newton Road, Mumbles from 3.15pm that day.

The Lord Mayor of Swansea, councillor Penny Matthews, who has signed the book of condolence, said: “I was deeply saddened to hear of Bonnie Tyler’s passing.

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“Bonnie’s journey from south Wales to international stardom inspired generations and brought enormous pride to Swansea and Wales. Her music touched millions of people around the world, but she never lost sight of her roots.

“I have written to Bonnie’s family to express condolences on behalf of the people of Swansea and to let them know how much she meant to so many people here.

“I hope residents who admired her music and achievements will take the opportunity to leave a message and celebrate a truly remarkable life.”

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Council Leader Cllr Rob Stewart, who has also signed the book, said: “Bonnie Tyler was one of Wales’ great musical ambassadors and one of the most recognisable voices in popular music.

“From South Wales clubs to worldwide success, she achieved extraordinary things while remaining a source of pride for communities across our region.

“Her songs became the soundtrack to countless lives and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations.”

Bonnie Tyler rose to worldwide fame with a string of hit records including It’s a Heartache, Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero.

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As one of the UK’s most celebrated performers, Bonnie’s death has attracted tributes from musicians and fans across the world.

Where and when you can sign the book of condolence:

• Y Storfa, 277-278 Oxford Street, Swansea, from Monday, August 3, to Friday, August, 21.
• Opening times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9am-5.30pm
• Wednesday: 9am-7pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 10am-4pm

The celebration of life service is on Monday, August 17, at St Mary’s Church. It is described as a “public service” which is due to start at 12pm, with the church doors being open from 11am.

Within the church, seating will be prioritised for the family and invited guests but it is anticipated that there will be a limited number of seats available for the general public. For those unable to get into the church, the service will be broadcast outside on television screens.

It will also be shown online at www.bonnietyler.com for fans across the world.

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