Podcasts

The world's largest arts festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, has begun. Yet, the Fringe Festival isn't the only event to have kicked off this weekend in the city. The Edinburgh International Festival and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are among many to have begun. So what do these festivals bring to the city's economy? Joe Aldridge spoke with James McVeigh, Head of Marketing and Innovation at Festivals Edinburgh, to find out.

Southern Rail is in turmoil and the network is to endure another week of chaos as conductors begin a five-day strike over driver-only trains. So what is going on at the British railway company? Joe Aldridge has been looking into Southern's struggles.

According to the Home Affairs Select Committee, approximately 1,600 Syrian refugees have been processed into the UK. It says the UK should do more to resettle Syrian refugees and strengthen border controls to clamp down on the smuggling of migrants. This is a call that many faith leaders have already been making. Marc talks to Edie Friedman of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality and Nina Kaye of Refugees at Home.

Nick talks to Anthony Hughes a director of the recruitment specialists Coburg Banks about boring jobs and how to cope with one, Dutchmen Pim Demorree and Jos Minaar whose mission is to make work fun, and Paul Sellers, the TUC’s Pay Policy Officer, about workers watching the Olympics. Plus, he speaks to Rachel Suff, Employment Relations Advisor at the CIPD, about its report which suggests little progress is being made to tackle mental health issues in the workplace.

Linda meets the 68 year old former management trainer Tricia Cusden who set up a business selling make up for older women. It's now turning over £1.4 million in just three years and exporting to 28 countries.

This week Linda meets the founder of Flying Pig Helicopter Pilot Training School, Captain Paul White, and its instructors and pupils. PLUS she gets airborne above the fields of Hertfordshire.

This week Nick Peters looks at the controversy caused by former executive chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi, Kevin Roberts, following his comments on gender imbalance and talks to Ali Hanan, founder of Creative Equals. He also analyses this week's Rajar figures with Adam Bowie.

With the recent publication of RAJAR's listening figures for radio in the UK, Nick decides to look at how the industry is doing as a whole. To help Nick go through the data, he is joined by radio industry consultant Adam Bowie, who gives Nick the latest on the current state of radio in the UK.

Around 5 million non-nationals live in the UK. But how do you get financially established when you first arrive? Sarah gets advice from Theresa Wallace of estate agent Savills, James Jones of Experian and Teni Shahiean of immigration solicitors, OTS.

This week Sarah asks whether you should re-mortgage. What does this week's Bank of England interest rate cut mean for your if you're on a variable rate or if you're thinking of buying or remortgaging? She is joined by Ray Boulger of John Charcol mortgage experts, David Hollingworth of L&C mortgages and Andrew Montlake of Coreco.