A Bank of England scheme designed to provide banks with cheap money to lend to small businesses has handed out an enormous £6billion in its first week, official figures reveal.

Figures from two of Britain's big four high street banks revealed the numbers of cheques being digitally deposited using mobile banking apps has surged, while branch footfall has plummeted.

From the start of May, 5% savings deals will be as dead as a dinosaur, with Nationwide cutting FlexDirect from 5% to 2% and lowering the balance you can earn interest on. But you can sign up now.

The official base rate was reduced by 0.65 percentage points last month to 0.1 per cent, but savers face bigger cuts.

Nationwide lost its switching crown to Monzo in the final three months of last year, new figures show, as the highest number of people in four years switched their bank accounts in March.

While NS&I announced it was reversing planned cuts to some of its variable rate savings accounts, including Premium Bonds, it still pressed ahead with cuts to 10 fixed-rate deals.

There may be chicer, more contemporary and certainly less expensive hotels in Dublin than The Westbury - but few can be better positioned or more established, says our impressed Inspector.

Upscale accommodation chain Hotel du Vin is the latest operator to try to bring some pizzazz to Cannizaro House on Wimbledon Common. Our Inspector is not sure it will manage to work wonders.

You may have a fight on your hands to book a room at The Pig Near Bath at the moment. And rightly so, because this discreet hideaway is a weekend dream, enthuses our impressed Inspector.

What to do when you find yourself in possession of the old family home, but don't want to sell it. In the case of one enterprising couple in Deal, you turn it into a boutique B&B. The Inspector checks in.

When you have been stuck on the M4 for what seems like forever, you want a cosy pitstop where you can recharge your batteries. The Inspector finds exactly this at The George at Backwell.

There have been five weddings in as many days here at Headlam Hall in Teesdale, not far from Durham. The Inspector finds out what makes the venue so special.

If you travel to Baughurst in Hampshire you'll find an old shooting lodge, The Wellington Arms. With only three rooms, and exquisite attention to detail, to stay and eat in the B&B is a joy.

The Fish is a village-style resort set in Cotswolds woodland, with much of the accommodation (47 rooms) in refurbished farm buildings a short walk from the main lodge, where guests can unwind.

The west London hotel occupies five stucco-fronted townhouses and has many of the trappings of a self-consciously trendy hang-out - except that no one seems to be hanging out much.

The Nadler Victoria in Westminster is brand new. It opened on January 1 and is the latest edition from a group that aspires to turn budget accommodation on its head.

The Running Horses, in the village of Mickleham, Surrey, is owned by the Brakspear brewery company, but don’t let that put you off. There’s something for everyone here.

Co-founded by Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors, The Bel & The Dragon chain has just opened their latest hotel - in Kingsclere - where guests are treated differently to everyone else.

A quiet transformation of four Victorian buildings in London’s South Kensington is complete. The result is The Kensington, a member of the Irish-owned Doyle Collection.

This famous Thames-side restaurant with 31 rooms has a museum-like quality to it, albeit a dusty one in need of a cash injection. But it also offers guests the chance to graze on a slice of culinary history.

Premier Inn at Gatwick North is just a short amble from the terminal building and it's heaving on a Friday night with those who are getting early flights out.

You may go to Windsor in search of its famous royal castle - but if you want to stay in town a little longer, the Castle Hotel is an excellent spot to rest your head, says our sharp-eyed Inspector.

This motel-style establishment on the busy B1393 close to Epping serves Indian food in its Nirvana restaurant. Various TVs are attached to walls in the brightly lit bar.

The staff are polite and the rooms are comfortable at One Warwick Park in Tunbridge Wells but The Inspector says that the new hotel is best suited for businessmen.

The Inspector issues a five-star rating to The Chapel House in Cornwall's Penzance, a six-room B&B opposite the church, housed in a magnificent brick-and-stone 1790s building.

The Inspector called in at The Bank House in King's Lynn, a former Georgian merchant banker’s residence. He found it made for a fascinating break.

The Arundell Arms in Dartmoor has a reputation mainly as a fishing hotel and anglers will love it. The decor is traditionally English, as is the food by master chef Steven Pidgeon.

The Cringletie House Hotel is a 19th Century home is now a 17-room hotel owned by an elderly Dutch couple, where fuss-free luxury and perfectly cooked haggis comes at a bargain.

The King’s Head at Letheringsett, just outside Holt - where the Duchess of Cambridge likes to shop suffers a general lack of love, according to The Inspector.

The Daily Mail's hotel inspector was impressed by the brilliant food at The Bell in Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex, but underwhelmed by its grim and dusty accommodation.

Everything is pristine at Hurley House Hotel in Berkshire; the staff are dedicated; there’s lots of outdoor space with a barbecue area and the food is sensational.

The Crown in Amersham has a claim to fame - it was the setting for a key scene in Four Weddings And A Funeral. Nice - but this pricey bolthole could, and should, be better, says our hotel inspector.

The Daily Mail's Inspector called in at the brand new Novotel near Canary Wharf, and was impressed with its ultra-modern touches, great restaurant and sweeping views across London.

The Daily Mail's Inspector called in at The Fox in Hertfordshire where he gave the gin selection a thumbs up but he wasn't so enthralled by the lack of morning papers.

The Pear Tree is a family-run hotel on the edge of the Cotswolds but the Daily Mail's Inspector says it could do with an overhaul.

Sunday nights can be graveyards for pubs and hotels. But the Daily Mail Inspector says The Pheasant Inn in Hungerford has come up with an ingenious concept to get in visitors.

The Dog & Badger near Henley on Thames has recently been bought by Oakman Inns. But the Daily Mail Inspector says its relaunch has turned out to be a big disappointment.

Eslington Villa in Gateshead is a large Victorian house on the outskirts of Newcastle. THE INSPECTOR stayed there and found it to be a thoroughly old-fashioned British hotel.

Adele Rennie (pictured) from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, conned her victims during an 18-day period just three months after getting out of prison for an identical scam directed at other women.

Michael Northcroft has been using a broom for decades to sweep his store in east London but has now been told he can no longer use it by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

They've gone head-to-head several times on the most explosive season of The Voice Australia yet. 

The 31-year-old singer - said to be worth a cool £150million - has unveiled a dramatic makeover in recent months since the announcement of her split to charity CEO Simon Konecki, 45.

Adele Rennie (pictured) from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, conned her victims during an 18-day period just three months after getting out of prison for an identical scam directed at other women.

Demi Lovato has been a busy social media maven. The 26-year-old posted an Insta Stories selfie this Tuesday with Adele, gushing in a caption: 'I need this to be real.'

She has been spicing up her life since she split from her husband of three years Simon Konecki.

The pair enjoyed a night of bar-hopping in New York in March, including a trip to actor Alan Cumming's Club Cumming and he revealed that Jennifer got her make-up done by the drag queens at the club.

Listening to tear-jerking ballads may beat depression, according to a new study. Melodic music with a tempo below 80 beats per minute - such as Adele, pictured - can reduce depression.

After Adele and Jennifer Lawrence had a mini-bachelorette party at a gay bar in March, the singer is now planning a full-size bash for Jennifer, who got engaged in February to Cooke Maroney.

Jennifer Garner had a bit of fun this Flashback Friday. The 47-year-old shared an Instagram snap of herself at 21, spliced alongside Adele's album cover from when the singer was that age.

Adele Bradley, from Leeds, began renovating her first property last January and decided to document her journey online. She has now amassed more than 30,000 followers and is looking for her next project.