west side story tour

West Side Story Tickets

Ivo van Hove’s thrilling take on a musical theater masterpiece.

This show is closed.

Performances ended on Mar. 9, 2020.

News & Features

About west side story on broadway, video & photos.

The most exciting musical theater masterpiece of the 20th century. The most visionary theatrical talents of the 21st century. Is there any wonder it’s “the most eagerly-awaited production of the new season”? ( NY Post ) When four theatrical giants — Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim — created West Side Story , it was immediately hailed as an "indisputable, boundary-busting masterpiece” ( The New York Times ) that “explodes every imaginable idea of what a musical can be” ( New York Magazine ). Now, three of the most daring theater-makers of our time — director Ivo van Hove ( A View From the Bridge and The Crucible ), choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, and designer and frequent Van Hove collaborator Jan Versweyveld — offer a radical, thrilling new interpretation of this iconic work, with extraordinary dancing, breathtaking vision, and 33 young, brilliantly gifted performers all making their Broadway debuts. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a landmark in musical theater history as if for the very first time.

Cast & Creative

Isaac Powell is best known for his role as Daniel in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of  Once On This Island , a role he earned two months after graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Powell is a Grammy Award nominee for his work on the  Once On This Island  cast album and was also seen in last season’s reboot of Murphy Brown  on CBS.

Shereen Pimentel is currently a recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at The Juilliard School. Theater: Young Nala in  The Lion King  (Broadway);  Road Show  (Encores! Off-Center );  Rapunzel in  Into the Woods  (Juilliard).

Dharon E. Jones is a Brooklyn native making his Broadway debut in  West Side Story . Theater: first site-specific  Little Shop of Horrors . Television: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt . Film:  Champions, Saturday Church . Student at Ithaca College.

Yesenia Ayala was most recently on Broadway in the highly acclaimed revival of  Carousel . Additional Broadway credits include  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Off-Broadway credits include  Sweet Charity  at the New Group and  Trip of Love.  Television: “Fosse/Verdon,” “Modern Love.” Film: Steven Spielberg’s  West Side Story.  Tour:  West Side Story.  Additional credits include  Bombshell: In Concert  and Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York City. Ayala received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from East Carolina University.

Amar Ramasar was born in the Bronx, New York, and began his studies at the School of American Ballet. Ramasar became an apprentice with the New York City Ballet in 2000 and joined the Company as a member of the Corps de Ballet in 2001. He was promoted to Soloist in 2006 and Principal Dancer in 2009. Ramasar was featured in numerous works by George Balanchine including:  Agon, Divertimento No. 15, Swan Lake, The Four Temperaments,  and  The Nutcracker.   He was also prominently featured in works choreographed by Benjamin Millepied, Jerome Robbins, and Christopher Wheeldon. In addition, he originated several roles in works by Mauro Bigonzetti, Wayne McGregor, Justin Peck, and Alexei Ratmansky, among others. Ramasar is a Principal Guest Artist with the Teatro dell Opera di Roma and a Principal Guest Artist with Ballet Next. He is also a faculty member of the New York City Musical Theater Summer Intensive of The Joffrey Ballet School. In 2018, Ramasar played Jigger Craigin in the Broadway revival of  Carousel . He was the recipient of the Bessie Award for Outstanding Performer in 2015 and a Mae L. Wien Award in 2000. 

Ahmad Simmons was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. He has been previously seen in the Broadway companies of  Hadestown,   Carousel  and  Cats,  and in  A Chorus Line  at New York City Center. Simmons made his latest television network appearance co-starring as Ben Vereen in the FX miniseries Fosse/Verdon . A graduate of Point Park University with a BFA in Dance, he has toured Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Russia and all across the United States as a dancer with Parsons Dance Company, River North Dance Chicago, and Eisenhower Dance Detroit. Simmons is also a choreographer and writer.

Elijah A. Carter is a native of New Jersey. International tour:  Philadanco! The Philadelphia Dance Company.  Additional credits: Limon Dance Company, Roxey Ballet. He has worked with Camille A. Brown and Anthony Burrell. Education: New Jersey Performing Art Center, BFA, Montclair State University. Broadway Debut.

Broadway:  Camelot, Macbeth, West Side Story, To Kill a Mockingbird.  Off-Broadway:  The Low Road, Assassins, An Octoroon, The Flick, Pocatello, Patron Saint . Regional:  What the Constitution Means to Me, Court Life, Gnit . LCT3:  Verité . TV: When They See Us, The Blacklist, Orange is the New Black, Law & Order: SVU, Elementary , and Veep . Film:  White Noise.  

Broadway: West Side Story (Chino), Fiddler on the Roof (Bottle Dancer), Newsies (Sniper). First National Tour of Hamilton (Dance Captain/Swing). TV/Film: Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (Junior/Shark), Peter Pan Live (Twin Lost Boy), Newsies (Mike). Training: The Gold School (Dance), Deric Rosenblatt (Vocal), Brian Carter (Acting). Thanks and love to the creative team, CTG, Mom, Dad, Liana, Elisa, and David.

Kevin Csolak's past film credits include Rob Burnett’s  We Made This Movie  and Henry Alex Rubin’s  Disconnect . Broadway credits include  Mean Girls  and  How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Television credits include a recurring role in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” guest-starring on “Jessica Jones,” “The MICK,” “KC Undercover,” “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street,” and “Blue Bloods.” Csolak performed with Justin Timberlake in the 2018 Super Bowl LII Halftime Show and with Hayley Kiyoko at the MTV Video Music Awards. He was also featured in Amy Schumer’s viral and Emmy Award- winning music video, “Girl You Don’t Need Make-Up” on Comedy Central’s “Inside Amy Schumer . ” Additional credits include  Cirque Du Soleil’s Wintuk  (World Premiere),  The Prom  (lab), and  The Burnt Part Boys  (lab). Film: Steven Spielberg’s  West Side Story .

Matthew Johnson was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and recently completed his freshman year as a dance major at The Juilliard School. Johnson is making his Broadway debut with  West Side Story . Prior to Juilliard, Johnson attended Edward R. Murrow High School as a theater major. In 2013, he performed at the Broadway Beacon Awards, and during this time he performed with the Boys & Girls Choir of Harlem. He has had the privilege to perform with them at events such as Superbowl XLVIII’s Superbowl Boulevard. Johnson also attended the Alvin Ailey School Professional Division Summer Intensives and the Hubbard Street Pre- Professional Repertoire Intensive.

Zuri Noelle Ford was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and began her dance training at DeKalb School of the Arts. She went on to pursue a BFA at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she had the opportunity to work with numerous notable choreographers. Upon graduating, Ford went on to freelance with various artists in the NYC area and is making her on-screen debut as an ensemble dancer in the feature film  In The Heights. West Side Story  marks her Broadway debut.

Daniel Oreskes recently played the role of Hirschfeld/Peres in the Tony Award-winning  Oslo  at Lincoln Center. Other Broadway credits include  Billy Elliot: The Musical, The Miracle Worker, Aida, Electra,  and  The Song of Jacob Zulu . Off-Broadway credits include Taylor Mac’s  Hir  (Playwrights Horizons);  The Revisionist  with Vanessa Redgrave and Jesse Eisenberg (Cherry Lane Theatre);  Russian Transport, Happy Talk  with Susan Sarandon (The New Group);  Quills  (New York Theatre Workshop); and  Twenty-Seventh Man  (The Public Theater). Film credits include  The Thomas Crown Affair  and  The Devil’s Advocate.  Television credits include The Sopranos, Rescue Me, Show Me A Hero, Madam Secretary, Blue Bloods, Law and Order, The Deuce  and many others.

Pippa Pearthree ahs been seen on Broadway in  Tuck Everlasting; Noises Off; You Can’t Take It With You; Boeing, Boeing; The History Boys; Titanic; Whose Life is it Anyway? . Off-Broadway: A.R. Gurney’s  The Dining Room, American Days, The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs, The Miss Firecracker Contest, Aunt Dan and Lemon . Television: Law and Order, The Good Fight, House of Cards, Buffalo Bill . Film:  Mrs. Soffel,  John Carpenter’s  Village of the Damned, The Hurricane, The Seagull .

West Side Story  is Mr. Ryan’s fifth production with Ivo van Hove, following  The Crucible  (Broadway);  A View From The Bridge  (Ahmanson/Kennedy Center);  The Little Foxes;  and  The Misanthrope  (NYTW). He has also appeared on Broadway in  The Nap  and  In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play . Recent Off-Broadway credits include  Dance Nation, The Amateurs, Measure For Measure, 10 Out Of 12,  and many others. His film credits include  The Plagiarist, Burn Country, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind  and the title role in Hal Hartley’s  Henry Fool  trilogy. He has received a Calloway Award, two Drama Desk Awards, and Drama League and Gemini Award nominations.

Alexander Gemignani is an actor, music director, composer/lyricist, and artistic director. His Broadway credits include Violet, Chicago, Les Misérables (Drama League Award nomination), Sweeney Todd (Drama Desk Award nomination), Assassins (Theatre World Award) and Sunday in the Park With George . Select off-Broadway includes Road Show (Drama League nomination) and  Avenue Q . He's been seen on television on  Empire, Homeland, Chicago Fire and  The Good Wife . As a composer/lyricist, Gemignani is developing four new musicals and as a music director he is developing productions with The Public Theater and Roundabout Theatre Company. This fall, he begins his tenure as Artistic Director for the National Music Theater Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

• Broadway Shows
• West Side Story on Broadway

• X (Twitter)

WEST SIDE STORY TOUR | DATES 2023

West Side Story, the classic musical, has been enchanting viewers since 1957, with its spellbinding portrayal of rivalry and doomed love. Secure your West Side Story tickets to journey into 1950s New York, where the Sharks and the Jets, two rival gangs, rule the streets. Witness the tragic romance between Tony, an ex-Jet, and Maria, the sister of the Sharks’ leader, unfold right before your eyes.

The West Side Story musical tour is a stunning production that brings this timeless story to life for a new generation of audiences. The show features the same beloved score by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim that made the original production a hit, as well as the iconic choreography by Jerome Robbins.

One of the highlights of the West Side Story musical tour is the breathtaking choreography. The dance numbers, which are a blend of ballet and jazz styles, are executed with precision and grace by the talented cast of dancers. The show’s most famous number, the “Dance at the Gym,” is a particular standout, with its energetic and acrobatic choreography.

The music of the West Side Story musical tour is also a major draw. The score includes classic songs such as “Tonight,” “Somewhere,” and “Maria,” which have become beloved standards in the musical theater canon. The music is performed by a talented cast of singers, who bring their own unique style and interpretation to each song.

The sets and costumes of the West Side Story musical tour are also impressive. The show features a stunning set design by Michael Yeargan, which recreates the gritty streets of 1950s New York City, as well as the elegant interiors of the homes and dance halls. The costumes, by Catherine Zuber, are equally impressive, capturing the colorful and distinct styles of the two gangs.

At its core, the West Side Story musical tour is a powerful exploration of love, hate, and the barriers that divide us. The show tackles themes of prejudice and racism, as well as the difficulties of young love in a world filled with violence and chaos. Despite its age, the story of West Side Story remains as relevant and timely as ever, and the musical tour is a powerful reminder of the importance of love, compassion, and understanding.

Overall, the West Side Story musical tour is a breathtaking and unforgettable production that is sure to leave audiences moved and inspired. With its stunning choreography, unforgettable music, and powerful message, the show is a true masterpiece of the musical theater genre, and a must-see for anyone who loves the magic of live performance.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Popular artists

West Side Story tour dates 2024

West Side Story is currently touring across 1 country and has 12 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at Mrs Macquaries Point in Sydney, after that they'll be at Mrs Macquaries Point again in Sydney.

Currently touring across

• 🇦🇺 Australia

Upcoming concerts (12) See nearest concert

Mrs Macquaries Point

Past concerts

View all past concerts

• Most popular charts
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• But we really hope you love us.

Photos: Get A First Look At The WEST SIDE STORY International Tour

The production begins performances in Austria this week.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the International Tour of West Side Story, directed by Lonny Price . The production recently finished a run in France which was attended by 138,385 audience members playing to 98% capacity over 85 performances. Of note, 73% of attendees were first time visitors to the theater - le Châtelet.

For this production choreographer Julio Monge recreates the stunning dance scenes in all their authenticity, bringing them to the stage with new energy. A former student of Jerome Robbins , he is one of only five people in the world who are authorized to stage his original choreography. 

Musical director Anthony Barnhill accompanied West Side Story on its previous tour to renowned venues all over the world. He conducts the large orchestra that will accompany the fresh young cast of performers who are to be cast in New York.

The cast for West Side Story features Daniel J. Fullerton (Tony), Melanie Sierra (Maria / Somewhere Soloist), Milan Magaña (Anita), Taylor Harley (Riff), and Antony Sanchez (Bernardo).

The adults in the ensemble include Darren Matthias (Doc), Bret Tuomi (Lt. Schrank), Erik Gratton (Officer Krupke / Cover Gladhand & Doc / Fight Coordinator), and Stuart Dowling (Glad Hand / Cover Lt. Schrank & Doc & Krupke).

The Jets feature Anthony J. Gasbarre, III (Action / Cover Riff), Ryan Cyr (A-Rab), Calvin Ticknor-Swanson (Baby John), Daniel Patrick Russell (Baby John Cover)  Liam Johnson (Snowboy / Cover Riff), Ashton Lambert (Big Deal), Marek Zurowski (Diesel / Cover Tony), Laura Leo Kelly (Anybodys), Victoria Biro (Velma), Anna Gassett (Graziella), Nicole Lewandowski (Minnie / Cover Graziella), and Kaitlin Niewoehner (Clarice / Cover Graziella / Dance Captain).

The Sharks are Christopher Alvarado (Chino / Cover Bernardo), Alessandro J. López (Pepe / Cover Bernardo / Fight Captain), Matt Villanueva (Moose), Michael Bishop (Luis), Vako Gvelesiani (Anxious), Gerardo Esparza (Nibbles / Cover Chino), Michel Vasquez (Rosalia / Cover Maria), Deanna Cudjoe (Consuelo / Cover Anita), Gianna Annesi (Teresita), Majo Rivero (Francisca / Cover Anita & Rosalia), and Veronica Quezada (Margarita / Cover Anita & Rosalia / Assistant Dance Captain). The swings are Daniel DiPinto (Swing / Cover Tony), Justin Lopez (Swing), Sonya Hernández (Swing), and Gabi Simmons (Swing).

Photo Credit: Johan Persson

TICKET CENTRAL

Recommended For You

BB Promotion GmbH & Sundance Productions Inc. NY

WEST SIDE STORY

Endkundentext 1 (show).

Trouble is brewing on New York’s Upper West Side: Rival street gangs, heated rhythms, a bitter feud and, in the midst of it all, a great love fighting but tragically failing to overcome the obstacles standing in its way. Allow yourself to be swept away by a thrilling new production of West Side Story, a re-make of the iconic classic for a new era. Since embarking on a world tour in late 2022, it is capturing the hearts of audiences all over the globe.

Endkundentext 2 (Show)

Maria, Somewhere, America – Leonard Bernstein’s immortal melodies and Jerome Robbins’ phenomenal choreography redefined an entire genre. To this day, West Side Story is the undisputed No. 1 of classic musicals: daring, relevant and radical. Stephen Spielberg’s Oscar-winning film version of 2021 proves just how unique and timeless it is.

An international creative team has been assembled around the New York-based director Lonny Price. Opening a new chapter in West Side Story’s epic success story, their exciting new production features the legendary original choreography by Jerome Robbins. Two gangs. One love. An enduring but impossible love – the universal power that made Romeo and Juliet so immortal. It has lost none of its allure and fascination.

Show Impressions

Press reviews

WATCH: Inside the “West Side Story” International Tour

West Side Story opened on Broadway in 1957. Sixty years later, it still lives on— vibrant and relevant as the day it opened.

In two months, Manila will be its next stop and Filipino audiences will be able to watch an all-American cast singing through Stephen Sondheim ’s iconic lyrics, Leonard Bernstein ’s memorable music, and even Jerome Robbins’ seminal choreography.

The musical has been performed in 100 cities in 20 countries in 4 continents. This current tour has been everywhere from Zurich and Dublin to Istanbul and Hong Kong. After Manila, it will go on to Bangkok and France, among other countries.

It’s a large, 11-ton production, 5 of which are used for sets as well as around 50 costumes for 32 cast members. What you will see on stage is only part of the big West Side Story machine.

Each show will feature 21 musicians, conducted by musical director Donald Chan , who has conducted the show over 3,000 times. As for the dances, Robbins’ original choreography will be presented under tour choreographer Joey McKneely who learned directly from Robbins, as a West Side Story dancer himself.

Featuring an all-American cast who auditioned last March 2016 on Broadway, the current international tour stars Kevin Hack as Tony, Jenna Burns as Maria, Keely Beirne as Anita, Lance Hayes as Riff, and Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva as Bernardo.

(READ: ‘West Side Story’ Cast Announced )

Check out photos of the show below:

[slideshowck id=16740]

GET TICKETS!

Make it a dance musical marathon you can buy west side story tickets bundled with disney’s  newsies  for 20% off. click this link for more info..

About the Author / TheaterFansManila.com

[email protected]

Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram for live coverage on theater events around the city. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for your first look at the hottest shows in town.

Post a Comment cancel reply

For Artists

Friday, May 27, 2022

West Side Story - International Tour

The upcoming touring production of West Side Story and The Casting Collaborative (with Jason Styres & Richard Glover) are seeking submissions for singers and dancers for an international tour, playing major cities worldwide, including Vienna, Zurich, Bangkok, Paris, Tokyo and more! 

To submit for consideration, please visit the online form at the link below. You will be asked to send in your picture, resume, and other information. Further details are included on the online submission form!

https://airtable.com/shr3LGqSFUIX8YCdv

PROJECT INFO:

Producer: Mehr-BB Entertainment GmbH https://www.bb-promotion.com/

Producer: Ralf Kokemüller

Executive Producer: Martin Flohr

Book: Arthur Laurents

Music: Leonard Bernstein

Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Concept: Jerome Robbins

Director: Lonny Price

Original Choreo. Set By/Additional Choreo.: Julio Monge

Musical Director: Anthony Barnhill

General Manager: Sundance Productions Inc.

NYC Casting Dir.: Jason Styres / The Casting Collaborative

Casting Assoc.: Richard Glover / The Casting Collaborative

Rehearsal: 10/31/2022 (Germany) Preview: 12/8/2022 (Duisberg, Germany) 1st Public Perf.: 12/14/2022 Opening: 12/16/2022 (Munich, Germany) Closing: 12/31/2023 Possible Extension: 7/31/2024

The Casting Collaborative New York, NY

For more information: Richard Glover [email protected]

previous listing  •  next listing

Sign up for Dance/NYC News

All your favorite teams and sources in one place

Your Teams. All Sources.

© 2024 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC.

West Indies ‘A’ Team to Tour Nepal for Vital T20 World Cup Preparation

West Indies 'A' side will tour Nepal for five T20 games in April-May in preparation for the T20 World Cup, marking the first tour of a West Indies side to Nepal.

• Five T20 games will be played at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
• Games scheduled for April 27, 28, May 1, 2, and 4 at 1pm local time.

No significant counterarguments or complexities identified in the article.

• West Indies and Nepal have previously only faced each other in an ODI during the World Cup Qualifiers in 2018.
• West Indies, slotted in Group C, will participate in the T20 World Cup in June in the Caribbean and the USA.

The tour provides a crucial opportunity for players to compete for spots in the T20 World Cup squad, with a focus on the growth of A-team cricket.

The tour signifies the importance placed on A-team cricket by both West Indies and Nepal, aiding in the preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup while fostering growth and opportunities for emerging cricketing nations.

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

ESPNcricinfo

West Indies A to tour Nepal for five T20s in April-May

Think your team or athlete is better show us, submit your story, photo or video.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.

OK Privacy policy

You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above.

West Indies A to tour Nepal for five T20s in April-May

• ESPNcricinfo staff

A West Indies 'A' side will tour Nepal for five T20 games as part of an A team tour in April-May to help both sides prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA in June. It will be the first time that a West Indies side will tour Nepal.

All five games will be played at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur starting at 1pm local time, on April 27, 28, May 1, 2 and 4.

"This A-team tour is another indication of the importance we are placing on A-team cricket and a significant phase in our preparations for the T20 World Cup," Miles Bascombe, CWI director of cricket, said in a release. "It gives us a final opportunity to see many of the contenders for a place in the squad who are not participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Even for those players who do not make the final World Cup squad they will be a part of the reserve pool. A hallmark of the 2016 T20 World Cup campaign was the ability of reserve players to come in and have an immediate impact, so we must be ready for all eventualities. We also relish the opportunity to take the West Indies brand to Nepal for the first time, as cricket continues to grow in popularity there."

The only time West Indies and Nepal have played each other on the international stage was in an ODI during the World Cup Qualifiers in Harare in June last year. West Indies won that match by 101 runs after posting 339 for 7 with the help of centuries from Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran.

"We are humbled and excited with the prospect of the West Indies 'A' team touring Nepal," CAN secretary Paras Khadka said. "This marks a significant moment in our cricketing history as we embrace this wonderful opportunity bestowed upon us, which will help us prepare significantly for the T20 World Cup and beyond. This historic tour to Nepal, a young cricketing nation slowly finding its pathway in the world of cricket, will excite our passionate fans. Our heartfelt gratitude towards CWI for their support and belief in Nepal cricket and for continuing to help grow the game all over the world. We hope this will ignite more future tours and bilateral cricketing tie-ups between us and other top cricketing nations, as we march forward with great enthusiasm and appreciation".

West Indies are slotted in Group C in the T20 World Cup, along with Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Uganda. There are four groups with five teams each which will play the round-robin stage before the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eights, where the teams will be split into two groups of four. The semi-finals and final will end the tournament in June end.

Estwick named Nepal's bowling consultant

In other news, Roddy Estwick has been appointed the bowling consultant of Nepal. Estwick, a former Barbados fast bowler, had worked as assistant coach with the West Indies' senior men's and the Under-19 side previously.

Money blog: Sales of viral Prime drink sink - as one supermarket 'sells at discount price'

Sales of the viral Prime sports drinks have fallen sharply in 2024 and are down by more than half year on year. Read this and the rest of today's personal finance news in the Money blog - and comment on any of the stories we're covering, or leave a Money Problem, in the form below.

Monday 8 April 2024 18:00, UK

• Pensions rising 8.5% today - as benefits go up 6.7%
• Money Problem : The monthly charge on my leasehold flat has gone up by more than £60 a month - what are my rights?
• Sales of viral Prime drinks sink - as one supermarket 'sells at discount price'
• London restaurant chain ditches tips - just before new legislation saying staff must get 100%
• You may be buying herbs and spices all wrong - and spending six times more than you need to
• The price of getting divorced

Ask a question or make a comment

Higher interest rates mean more people are opting to take out out longer mortgages in order to afford their repayments.

If you've recently agreed a mortgage deal that will take you past retirement age, we'd like to hear from you.

Are you worried, or do you feel it doesn't matter? Have you had to change any of your life plans to take on the mortgage?

Let us know by sending us a message via our  Whatsapp here.

More products were available to mortgage borrowers at the start of the month than at any point in the last 16 years, new figures show.

Moneyfacts said 6,307 mortgage options were on offer for house buyers, including fixed and variable deals. It was the highest number recorded since February 2008, when 6,760 products were available.

Some 335 of the deals were 5% mortgages - the biggest choice in nearly two years.

Meanwhile, the number of options for people with 10% deposits rose to the highest level since March 2020.

Santander UK , Britain's fifth-biggest high street bank, is cancelling its membership of a key lending standards body because of the duplication of regulatory standards to which the industry is required to adhere.

Sky News has learnt that the Spanish-owned bank served notice last week of its intention to quit the Lending Standards Board, citing the establishment of the City watchdog's Consumer Duty and the imminent implementation of new fraud reimbursement rules overseen by the Payment Systems Regulator.

Read City editor Mark Kleinman's story here ...

Some people eager to maximise their 2024-25 ISA allowance were moving money around just minutes into the new tax year, according to Bestinvest.

The investment platform said the latest ISA subscription went through at 11.55pm on 5 April - while the first came in at three minutes past midnight on 6 April.

Bestinvest said it was just 52 minutes past midnight when the first client maximised their £20,000 ISA allowance.

Aldi is now Britain's third-biggest supermarket after kicking Asda from the bronze medal spot, according to one set of industry figures.

NIQ data shows Asda's growth has slowed, with sales up just 0.8% in the past three months - the worst performance of any big-name retailer.

Its market share has also dropped below Aldi's, with Asda making up 11.7% of the grocery market in the 12 weeks to 23 March, compared with 12.2% for Aldi.

The cost of living crisis has seen major supermarkets in the UK battle to market themselves as the best value for money for shoppers.

Aldi's UK operation reported a 26% rise in sales in December compared to the previous year.

Ex-Lidl UK boss Ronny Gottschlich said previously that he thinks the combined share of the two budget supermarkets will overtake Tesco "by 2027 at the latest".

Here's the latest Which? survey on the UK's cheapest supermarket for a basket...

Sales of the viral Prime sports drinks have fallen sharply since the start of 2024 and are down by more than half year on year, according to a report.

Chaos broke out in UK supermarkets at the end of 2022 following the release of the drinks, with some being re-sold by shoppers at inflated prices due to intense demand.

Prime, founded by KSI and fellow YouTuber Logan Paul, was the fastest growing food and drink brand in 2023, according to The Grocer.

But a new  report by the grocery news outlet cites NIQ data which shows that sales of Prime in the first quarter of 2024 sat at just £12.8m - less than half the £26.8m reported over the same period last year.

A picture emerged on social media last month of bottles of Prime being sold for just 31p in Tesco - although it's worth pointing out that the supermarket giant had previously been reluctant to stock them and other companies are still selling them at around the £2 mark.

You no longer have to pay a fee to sell pre-owned clothing on eBay.

The online marketplace says it has scrapped the charge for private sellers in the UK in a bid to prevent items from ending up in landfill.

In reality, eBay is trying to compete with popular apps such as Vinted and Depop. These apps tend to attract a younger market - which eBay is eager to infiltrate.

Under its change, all items are covered except hats, footwear, watches, bags and jewellery, which still incur a fee.

Items listed before today will benefit from the change.

Kirsty Keoghan, general manager of global fashion for eBay, said: "Free fashion selling has come at the right time for a nation sitting on billions of pounds worth of unwanted clothes.

"We know selling clothes can sometimes feel like a chore, so free selling and new updates like new AI-powered listings will help more of us to sell clothes easily, putting more cash in pockets."

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

The price of oil is hovering around $90 a barrel, levels last seen six months ago in the wake of the Hamas attacks on 7 October.

It's a slight fall from the $91.50 recorded on Friday but still not good news for motorists and for most of the economy, which is largely reliant on oil to fuel production. 

The FTSE 100 index of most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange is down 0.03% this morning with Marks and Spencer experiencing the biggest fall. 

Its share price is down 2.45%, followed by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) itself. 

Following stories of a shareholder revolt in LSEG, as its chief executive David Schwimmer is in line for a pay rise from £6.3m to £13.2m, the share price fell 1.9%. 

A pound buys $1.2616 and €1.656.

Nail salon prices across the UK are going up today as thousands of workers band together.

The Nail Tech Org (NTO) says its member nail technicians make on average just under £7 per hour, well below the minimum wage of £11.44 - and so they're collectively coming together to raise prices to help increase pay.

Lauren Pritchard, owner of The Beauty Bar in Birmingham, told Sky News the cost of opening her salon on a day-to-day basis has doubled in the last four years because of increased energy and product costs.

She says she has already lost some clients after announcing her price increase of £2-3 per service.

"It's always going to be a bit scary," she said, but increasing her prices at the same time as others makes it easier.

"It's us coming together to encourage each other rather than pitching us against each other by undercutting prices."

The state pension rises by 8.5% today.

The "new" state pension, for those reaching state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, will rise to £221.20 a week - up from £203.85.

The "basic" state pension, for those who took it out prior to April 2016, is rising to £169.50 a week. These people may also get SERPs (State Earnings Related Pension Scheme), which goes up by 6.7%.

Both groups may get more or less depending on individual circumstances. 

While the rise is welcome news for some 12 million pensioners, we reported last week that 650,000 additional pensioners could be dragged into paying income tax for the first time.

This is down to state pensions rising in line with inflation while the tax threshold has been frozen at £12,570 (and will remain so until 2028).

The 8.5% increase in the "new" state pension this week will take it to £11,502. While welcome, it means any pensioner with an additional income over £1,068 per year - for example from a private pension - will trigger a tax bill.

Means-tested benefits will also increase today - along with other benefits increases this weekend and at the start of the month. Here's a round up...

• Child benefit

The amount people can earn before child benefit is reduced or taken away is increasing.

At the moment, people lose 1% of the benefit for every £100 they earn over £50,000. At £60,000, the benefit is cut completely.

From this month, the benefit won't be reduced until one parent earns more than £60,000. And it will only go completely at £80,000.

Benefits and tax credits that are linked to inflation will rise by 6.7% this month.

That was the level CPI in September.

These benefits have to go up 6.7% by law:

• Personal independence payment (PIP)
• Disability living allowance
• Attendance allowance
• Incapacity benefit
• Severe disablement allowance
• Industrial injuries benefit
• Carer's allowance
• Additional State Pension
• Guardian's allowance

The government also pledged the same raise for benefits including:

• Universal credit
• Contributory employment and support allowance
• Contributory jobseeker's allowance
• Statutory maternity/paternity pay and maternity allowance
• Income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA)
• Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• Income support
• Working tax credit
• Child tax credit

From April universal credit rates are:

• Single and under 25 - £311.68
• Single and 25 or over - £393.45
• Live with partner, both under 25 - £489.23 (for you both)
• Live with partner, either of you are 25 or over £617.60 (for you both)

Every Monday we put your financial dilemmas or consumer disputes to industry experts. You can find out how to submit yours at the bottom of this post.

This week, Sky News reader SBwrry  asks...

"I own a flat in a block where the developer contracted a company to manage the communal facilities. The first year the monthly charge was £149 per month. From April they will increase the monthly charge to £216 per month. What rights do I have to challenge this increase?"

Mark Chick, senior partner at Bishop and Sewell law firm, picks up the first half of this one...

Firstly, we need to understand whether this is a shared ownership property or not. 

However, assuming the lease has a service charge, and that the common facilities form part of the costs which are recoverable under the terms of the lease, then the leaseholder would have the right to challenge the costs in the first-tier tribunal.

In accordance with the provisions of the Housing Act 1985, service charges must be "reasonable" and you have the right to bring a challenge.

In this situation, the leaseholder would need to pay their own costs of going to tribunal and therefore it may make sense to act collectively; if the tribunal did order the service charge is "unreasonable" and should be reduced, this should benefit all those that pay it.

But the first step is to write to the freeholder or manager querying why the increase has been levied, and also to review carefully the provisions of the lease to ensure these are costs which they can legitimately pass on to you as the flat owners.

The Money team's Katie Williams has looked at another avenue you could explore...

Leaseholders in a block of flats can take over management of the building under a process introduced in 2002 called right to manage (RTM).

The leaseholders have to set up a RTM company in order to be able to take over management duties. It can be done without the permission of the landlord, but they will have a right to be a part of the company. They'll also have the option to dispute the claim if they think the RTM company isn't entitled to manage the building.

The RTM process can be used to take back control of a poorly managed block, but flat owners don't need to prove mismanagement to exercise their right.

There are some conditions that have to be met before management can be taken over:

• The building must be self contained and include at least two flats;
• At least two-thirds of the flats in the building have to be leasehold;
• At least 75% of the building must be residential;
• At least half the leaseholders must participate, or all if the building consists of two flats only.

The advantage of right to manage is that you have greater control over the cost of running the building which could lead to big savings - but a potential disadvantage is that it could be time-consuming and stressful in the long run.

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about. Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute, leaving your name and where in the country you are, in the form above or by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog". Alternatively, WhatsApp us  here .

If you regularly buy herbs and spices from the supermarket, it could be that you're doing it all wrong.

These items have their own section, usually somewhere near the stock cubes and gravy.

If that's where you pick up your cumin or chilli flakes, for example, you should consider having a look down the world aisle instead.

They're usually much, much cheaper per 10g, and although you'll likely have to buy a slightly bigger packet, you're getting much better value for money.

The Money team popped into a Tesco Extra to have a look - though you'll find this applies to all the big supermarkets where they have a world food aisle.

• East End ground cumin - 13p for 10g v Tesco own brand 23.3p
• East End chilli flakes - 7.6p for 10g v Tesco own brand 35.7p
• East End cinnamon sticks - 13p for 10g v Tesco own brand 83.3p
• Rajah chilli powder - 5p per 10g v Tesco own brand 20p
• Rajah turmeric - 6p per 10g v Tesco own brand 22.2p
• East End fennel seeds - 13p per 10g v Tesco own brand 27.8p
• Natco ground coriander - 14.5p per 10g v Tesco own brand 27.8
• East End garlic powder - 13p per 10g v Tesco own brand 22.2p

And it's not just herbs and spices.

For example, we saw desiccated coconut at £4.25 per kg down the world aisle, compared with £7.25 for Tesco's own brand.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Advertisement

How the Key Bridge Collapsed in Baltimore: Maps and Photos

By Weiyi Cai ,  Agnes Chang ,  Lauren Leatherby ,  Lazaro Gamio ,  Leanne Abraham and Scott Reinhard

On Tuesday, a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed into the water seconds after it was struck by a cargo ship, sending vehicles on the bridge into the river below. The ship lost power and issued a mayday call shortly before it hit the bridge.

The ship, a 948-foot-long cargo vessel called Dali, was about a half hour into its journey toward Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it hit a main pillar of the bridge. All crew members are safe, according to the ship’s owners.

Follow our live coverage .

A mayday call from the ship gave officials enough time to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge. The waters where the bridge collapsed are about 50 feet deep. By Tuesday morning, six construction workers who had been fixing potholes on the bridge remained missing as divers and other emergency workers on boats and helicopters continued to search for them. Two others had been rescued, and one was in the hospital.

Francis Scott

Patapsco River

The ship left the Port

of Baltimore around

1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Where impact occurred

Direction of the ship

The ship hit the

bridge at 1:28 a.m.

The ship hit the bridge at 1:28 a.m.

Where impact

Source: Spire Global

The New York Times; satellite image by Google Earth

The lights of the ship flickered on and off as it lost power in the minutes before the ship changed bearing and hit the bridge.

Ship approached from

the Port of Baltimore

Road repair crews

Ship changed heading

as it neared pillar

Ship hit pillar

Southern and central spans

of bridge began to collapse within

seconds of impact

Northern span began to

collapse seconds later

Within 30 seconds of impact,

the central part of bridge had

entirely collapsed.

Source: StreamTime Live via YouTube

Timestamps are from StreamTime Live video.

The New York Times

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened in 1977 and carried more than 12.4 million vehicles last year. The bridge was one of the three major ways to cross the Patapsco River and formed part of Baltimore’s beltway.

The Port of Baltimore is a major trade hub that handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year. It is an especially important destination — the nation’s largest by volume last year — for deliveries of cars and light trucks.

Ship impact

To Chesapeake Bay

Sources: Maryland Port Administration, OpenStreetMap, MarineTraffic

Note: Ship positions are as of 2:46 p.m. Eastern time.

Overall, Baltimore was the 17th biggest port in the United States in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The bridge collapse brought marine traffic there to a standstill, with seven cargo or tanker ships stranded in the harbor as of Tuesday afternoon.

Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency for Maryland and said that his office was in close communication with Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary. The White House issued a statement saying that President Biden had been briefed on the collapse.

Erin Schaff/The New York Times

• Share full article